Ah Springtime! A tremendous time of renewal. As the short days of winter give way to longer days and warmer weather, nature, quite literally, seems to ‘spring’ to life. Blossoms, petals, buds, flowers and yes indeed, for us Georgians, pollen…..yuck. For Scouting, this time of year also brings renewal to the Troop. It is a time when many Arrow of Light/Webelos/Cub Scouts bridge over from their packs to Troops. Cub Scout Pack 17 will conduct
this on May 13th at Sydney Marcus Park. Troop 455 Scouts are encouraged to attend and participate.
Troop 455 Scouts are enjoying the final outings together before the beginning of summer. Last weekend was the great Scout Olympics recruiting event and we’re now planning for the upcoming Wilderness Skills/Survival outing, April 23rd-25th. Scouts will also begin to prepare and train for summer camp or perhaps (for some of our older Scouts) one of the BSA high-adventure camps at one of the National Scout Bases (Philmont, SeaBase, Northern Tier, Summit-Bechtel). Yes indeed, Spring is an important time of renewal between the harsh conditions of winter (and the academic year) and the summer season, as we continue to enjoy Scouting in its natural environment – the great outdoors.
Spring is ALSO the time that the Troop initiates its annual program planning cycle. This is the process of determining the calendar and schedule for outings and events for our next academic year 2021- 2022. It is led by the Scouts themselves and informed and supported by the Scoutmaster Corps (Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters). We review school calendars, holiday schedules, BSA District, Council, and National events, and Order of the Arrow events. We also coordinate with a few other Troops in the area to hold one or two joint events throughout the year.
In support of this ‘renewal’ process, Scouts will, as in past years, soon receive a survey link from SPL Murlin and myself. I encourage each Scout to also share their ideas and input with their Patrol Leaders. These avenues guide the Senior Patrol Leader and myself as we work with the Patrol Leader Council (PLC) to create the calendar for the new year. Every time the Troop does this there are some favorite outings that the scouts request to repeat year to year. Some outings change to keep the scout experiences fresh, bring something new, or even renew something old that hasn’t been done in a number of years. Proving that ‘everything old really is new again’.
This is an exciting time every year, but even more so this year. While I am VERY proud of our Scouts and their families doing an OUTSTANDING job navigating Safe Scouting through Covid times, we are entering this planning cycle with high hope for implementing the 2021-2022 calendar in the Fall with the pandemic finally a part of our history, rather than our future.
Stay strong. Remain vigilant. Be kind. Do the right thing. When in doubt, remember you’re a Scout. Let the Scout Oath and Scout Law be your guide. Please reach out with any needs, input or questions, and, as always – Scout on!