Orienteering campout is this weekend! Scouts should be dropped off at the church at 8am Saturday and picked up at 12noon on Sunday. Plan for freezing temperatures on Saturday night. This scout article is a helpful guide on what to pack to stay warm: https://scoutlife.org/outdoors/outdoorarticles/6981/checklist-for-a-basic-cold-weather-outing/. Scouts need to pack a day pack for orienteering hike on Saturday with water, lunch, compass, and other hiking essentials. Troop tents will be provided; Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast have been coordinated by patrol. There is a bath house nearby the campsite at Newport News Park so we will have flush toilets and sinks. If you happen to have discs (for disc golf) please bring those as we will be playing a short course on Sunday morning. Class B uniform for departure (since we will be going straight into our hike upon arrival) and Class A uniform for return.

The council is hosting the Tidewater University of Scouting at ODU on Saturday, March 9th. All Scouts, prospective Scouts, leaders, parents, and volunteers are invited to attend. This jamboree style event offers interactive trainings & certifications, hands-on activities & adventures, merit badges & advancement opportunities, and personalized Scout quests to earn prizes & rewards. Cost is $25 per adult and $20 per youth. Scouts can earn up to 2 merit badges; 6 of those merit badges offered are eagle required. Register here: https://scoutingevent.com/596-UOS2024

For scouts, our troop will hold elections for Order of the Arrow next Tuesday, February 20th. Not familiar with OA? Learn more about BSA’s "honor society" at this next meeting.
For parents, there will be a committee meeting next Tuesday. All are invited to join the discussion and help with the support operations of the troop. Many hands make light work!

We will be participating in Scouting for Food later this month. More information will come at our next meeting. Please help us increase Scouting’s visibility and give back to our community!

Reminder that we plan to host an Open House at our February 27th meeting. Please invite anyone you know that may be interested in scouting. Prior scouting experience is not required.

And finally… for any baseball fans, the Washington Nationals are hosting a scout day on August 4th. More information here: https://www.mlb.com/nationals/tickets/specials/scout-days

Thanks everyone!
Scott Guirlinger

All scouts should bring compasses again next Tuesday as well as be prepared for a uniform inspection. Scouts who are camping on February 17-18 need to bring $10 cash to pool with their fellow patrol members for groceries.

If you have not yet RSVP’d for our February 17-18 campout, please do so tonight: https://forms.gle/bbsSJEfHGQ4rrWGp8

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped with our Scout Sunday celebration. We have shared some photos in our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734325723447283/media. Our next scheduled court of honor is May 28th.

Reminder that we plan to host an Open House at our February 27th meeting. Please invite anyone you know that may be interested in scouting. Prior scouting experience is not required.

We will be participating in Scouting for Food later this month. We will distribute tags in our selected area on February 24/25, then pick up food left outside homes on March 2/3 and deliver it back to the church’s food bank. Please help us increase Scouting’s visibility and give back to our community!

The council is hosting the Tidewater University of Scouting at ODU on Saturday, March 9th. All Scouts, prospective Scouts, leaders, parents, and volunteers are invited to attend. This jamboree style event offers interactive trainings & certifications, hands-on activities & adventures, merit badges & advancement opportunities, and personalized Scout quests to earn prizes & rewards. Cost is $25 per adult and $20 per youth. Scouts can earn up to 2 merit badges; 6 of those merit badges offered are eagle required. Register here: https://scoutingevent.com/596-UOS2024

For those who may be viewing the solar eclipse on April 8th, here is information on the special badge that I mentioned at tonight’s meeting: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2024/01/24/how-to-earn-the-bsa-total-solar-eclipse-2024-emblem/

Finally, for those scouts and families looking for another way to offset program costs, the council is now running its spring Camp Cards fundraiser. Camp Cards are sold for $10 each and contain local coupons on the physical card and then allow the purchaser to find coupons from across the country when traveling (up to 25 uses). Online coupons include stand up paddle board rentals, hotel discounts, amusement parks, etc. The coupons vary depending on specific location. This fundraiser is risk-free so long as cards are not lost or damaged; we can return unsold and undamaged cards. The sales period runs now through June 12th. More information here: https://tidewaterbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/TWC-Camp-Card-Guide-2024.pdf.

Thank you!
Scott Guirlinger

As we continue our orienteering training in preparation for our upcoming campout, scouts should bring their compass with them to the meeting tonight (and next Tuesday). If you do not have a compass, we should hopefully have a few spares that we can loan out.

If you have not yet RSVP’d for our February 17-18 campout, please do so no later than tonight so that the patrols can plan their meals accordingly. Here is the RSVP form: https://forms.gle/bbsSJEfHGQ4rrWGp8

Scout Sunday is here! Scouts who are reading or carrying flags in the church service (Owen, Bubba, Gavin, Aiden, Michael) should plan to arrive at 9:00am to practice. For all others, the church service is at 9:30am, followed by our potluck brunch and court of honor around 11:00am. If you have not signed up to bring food yet, please do so here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0844AAAE2BA0FC1-47301651-scout. If your dish requires a serving utensil, please bring that with you as well. (Remember, we are told that we will not be able to use the church kitchen.) See you all there!

Scout Sunday is this Sunday! The church service is at 9:30am, followed by our potluck brunch and court of honor at 11:00am. If you have not signed up to bring food yet, please do so here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0844AAAE2BA0FC1-47301651-scout. Scouts who are reading or carrying flags in the church service should plan to arrive at 9:00am to practice. We’ve got lots of badges to give out… I look forward to seeing you all there!

Please RSVP for the following upcoming events:
• February 17-18 campout: https://forms.gle/bbsSJEfHGQ4rrWGp8
• Summer camp: https://forms.gle/gCDioNxK5LPGCE5x8

For those who attended Winter Blast, we loaded merit badge data into Scoutbook tonight. Please check to see what requirements you may still need to complete.

This is the time of year when we invite current 5th graders to visit our troop and consider joining. If you know of any 5th grader (or any boy of scouting age) that might be interested, please put them in touch with me for more information and to schedule a visit. Current Cub Scouting experience is not required.

Thanks!
Scott Guirlinger

If you haven’t done so already, please RSVP & sign up for potluck ASAP: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0844AAAE2BA0FC1-47301651-scout

Troop 5 will be participating in Scout Sunday on February 4th. Plan to attend the service at Advent Episcopal beginning at 9:30am – our scouts will carry the flag & participate in readings.

We’re planning a brunch celebration following the service (beginning approximately 11am) as well as a Court of Honor (beginning approximately noon). We’re asking families to sign up for a brunch potluck item to share. We will NOT have access to the kitchen that morning so plan ahead!

Please RSVP & sign up by Monday, 1/29 so the committee has time to fill in any missing blanks!

Thank you!

Please RSVP for the following events:

• Scout Sunday potluck brunch and court of honor: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0844AAAE2BA0FC1-47301651-scout
• February 18-19 campout: https://forms.gle/bbsSJEfHGQ4rrWGp8
• Summer camp: https://forms.gle/gCDioNxK5LPGCE5x8

A special thank you to Colin McGlynn for using the leftover funds from his Eagle project to purchase 4 new tents for the troop! Our quartermaster Chase is learning how to set them up now.

For those who attended Winter Blast, we are loading merit badge data into Scoutbook this week. Please check next week to see what requirements you may still need to complete.

Finally, I have received some more information on arrangements for Jaden Delanty. The visitation is scheduled from 5-7 pm on Friday evening at HD Oliver Funeral Home, 1501 Colonial Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517. The Memorial service will be Saturday at 1 pm at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1009 W Princess Anne Rd, Norfolk, VA 23507. There will also be a gathering on Saturday evening from 6-8 pm at Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club, 1 Ace Parker Drive, Portsmouth, VA 23701. Please continue to keep the Delanty family in your thoughts and prayers.

Scott Guirlinger

I am writing this message to inform all of you of the sad passing of Jaden Delanty on Friday, January 19th. For those of you who are new to the troop, Jaden and his father Steve were members of Troop 5. Steve was also the acting Scoutmaster of Troop 5 for a period of time. Jaden was a great Scout and will be truly missed. We are keeping the Delanty family in our thoughts and prayers.

R/

Eric Casey

RSVP & sign up for potluck here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0844AAAE2BA0FC1-47301651-scout

Troop 5 will be participating in Scout Sunday on February 4th. Plan to attend the service at Advent Episcopal beginning at 9:30am – our scouts will carry the flag & participate in readings.

We’re planning a brunch celebration following the service (beginning approximately 11am) as well as a Court of Honor (beginning approximately noon). We’re asking families to sign up for a brunch potluck item to share. We will NOT have access to the kitchen that morning so plan accordingly!

Please RSVP & sign up by Monday, January 29th so the committee has time to fill in any missing blanks! Thank you!