Hello everyone, Troop 45 will be attending summer camp at Camp Yocona from June 8th -June 14th. The Cost is 300$ as long as we pay a 50$ deposit per scout by March 31st. After that the cost is 325$ if we register before April 1st then 400$ after that. If you plan on attending please respond by March 28th, and either venmo your deposit or bring cash or check or CC to one of the meetings before then. We will be signing up as a troop and not individually. I am attaching a portion of the Leaders Guide that includes the daily camp schedule, the merit badges with fees and how many time blocks they take up, and the Merit Badge descriptions. For new scouts who have not attended Summer Camp, you will be enrolled in the POLARIS program which consists of working on rank requirements from scout rank through 1st class as well as the first aid and swimming merit badges. How to read the attachments For everyone else not doing Polaris; the camp schedule (1st page) shows the time break down for all the different merit badge blocks. The next two pages of the attachment titled Merit badges. At the top of the 1st of these two pages you will see 1-5 and below them a corresponding starting time for that merit badge. On the left of the page is the Merit Badge name, then anything you need to know about it such as extra fees, pre-reqs, and items needed for the MB. Then under the times and blocks you will have a number that correlates to the MB on the left. Here you will see a 1, 2 3 or 5, this just tells you how many time blocks the Course takes up. For example, on page one you will see Cope/Climbing you must be at least 14 and it has an additional 25$ fee then it also takes up 5 time blocks each day. So that tells us if we sign up for cope and climbing, that’s the only thing you will be taking that week. The last page of the attachment is the class schedule. This tells you everything you need to know about each Merit badge, Which time it is taught, how many blocks it takes up, who can take it, age minimum, extra fees and how many people they let in the class. We do not need the class schedule for summer camp just yet, we just want the scouts to be thinking about what they want to take so when it is time we can get that done. Right now we just need to know who is attending and have their 50$ deposit. So please respond to this email IF you are planning on attending. If you are not planning on attending then don’t respond. Lasty the scouts will be staying in tents during summer camp not cabins.
Ben Stepp Scoutmaster.

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you, especially after the storms yesterday. We will be meeting tomorrow, Monday, March 17th from 6:45 to 8pm. The uniform is class B. The plc will meet at 6:30. Please have your printed and signed waiver forms for the Alabama trip this coming weekend. If you have any cash from camp card sales please put it in an envelope with your name on it and bring it with you to the meeting.
Benjamin Stepp Scoutbook

———- Forwarded message ——— From: Benjamin Stepp <benjamin.d.stepp@gmail.com> Date: Thu, Mar 6, 2025 at 4:29 PM Subject: Fwd: FW: Cooking Merit Badge Requirement- Cooking at Home- “Homework” To: Troop 45 Scoutmaster <t45scoutmaster@gmail.com>

———- Forwarded message ——— From: Nathan Crouch <ncrouch@enterramedical.com> Date: Thu, Mar 6, 2025 at 2:47 PM Subject: FW: Cooking Merit Badge Requirement- Cooking at Home- “Homework” To: Benjamin Stepp <benjamin.d.stepp@gmail.com>

If you didn’t receive this already via the Troop 45 email, can you please forward this email to the Parents of Troop 45? Thanks!

———–
Good afternoon Parents and Leaders of Troop 45,

Jamie and I were pleased to launch the Cooking Merit Badge last Monday, February 24th. You can see the full requirements and Merit Badge worksheet of this Eagle required badge in the attached word document.

During the first session last week we covered the updated Nutrition Guidelines from the USDA entitled MyPlate and explained a key piece of the “Homework” required to achieve the badge- *Cooking at Home.*

If your Scout is enrolled in the Cooking Badge, prior to * Monday, March 17th*, can you please work with your Scout to complete the following tasks below and bring in documentation of their completion (pictures/attached workbook pages 11-18) -* Special thank you to those who already worked with their Scout on cooking their first 3 meals! *

www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/what-is-myplate

– *A) Plan Menus for 3 full days of Meals (See page 11 on the attached Word Document- Please bring this to the next meeting)* – (a) Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan menus for three full days of meals (three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners) plus one dessert. Your menus should include enough to feed yourself and at least one adult, keeping in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you keep your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals. – *b) Find recipes for each meal. * – Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of food needed to prepare for the number of people you will serve. Determine the cost for each meal. – (*c) Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor.* – Please make sure to take write down your menus, and recipes and bring these documents along with pictures of your meals to the meeting. We will have a nice discussion about them together! – *(D) Prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert* – (d) Using at least five of the 10 cooking methods from requirement 3, prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult (parent, family member, guardian, or other responsible adult) *one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert from the meals you planned*. The meals for requirement 4 may be prepared on different days, and they need not be prepared consecutively. Those served need not be the same for all meals. – *e) Time your cooking to have each meal ready to serve at the proper time.* – Have an adult verify the preparation of the meal to your counselor. – (*f) After each meal, ask a person you served to evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal*. – Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure a successful meal. –

Thank you Parents for working with Scouts on this Cooking Plan!

Best Regards,

Nathan Crouch

———- Forwarded message ——— From: Nathan Crouch <ncrouch@enterramedical.com> Date: Wed, Mar 5, 2025 at 2:35 PM Subject: Cooking Merit Badge Requirement- Cooking at Home- “Homework” To: Troop 45 Scoutmaster <t45scoutmaster@gmail.com>
Ben, Can you please forward this email to the Parents of Troop 45? Thanks!

———–
Good afternoon Parents and Leaders of Troop 45,

Jamie and I were pleased to launch the Cooking Merit Badge last Monday, February 24th. You can see the full requirements and Merit Badge worksheet of this Eagle required badge in the attached word document.

During the first session last week we covered the updated Nutrition Guidelines from the USDA entitled MyPlate and explained a key piece of the “Homework” required to achieve the badge- *Cooking at Home.*

If your Scout is enrolled in the Cooking Badge, prior to * Monday, March 17th*, can you please work with your Scout to complete the following tasks below and bring in documentation of their completion (pictures/attached workbook pages 11-18) -* Special thank you to those who already worked with their Scout on cooking their first 3 meals! *

www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/what-is-myplate

– *A) Plan Menus for 3 full days of Meals (See page 11 on the attached Word Document- Please bring this to the next meeting)* – (a) Using the MyPlate food guide or the current USDA nutrition model, plan menus for three full days of meals (three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners) plus one dessert. Your menus should include enough to feed yourself and at least one adult, keeping in mind any special needs (such as food allergies) and how you keep your foods safe and free from cross-contamination. List the equipment and utensils needed to prepare and serve these meals. – *b) Find recipes for each meal. * – Create a shopping list for your meals showing the amount of food needed to prepare for the number of people you will serve. Determine the cost for each meal. – (*c) Share and discuss your meal plan and shopping list with your counselor.* – Please make sure to take write down your menus, and recipes and bring these documents along with pictures of your meals to the meeting. We will have a nice discussion about them together! – *(D) Prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert* – (d) Using at least five of the 10 cooking methods from requirement 3, prepare and serve yourself and at least one adult (parent, family member, guardian, or other responsible adult) *one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and one dessert from the meals you planned*. The meals for requirement 4 may be prepared on different days, and they need not be prepared consecutively. Those served need not be the same for all meals. – *e) Time your cooking to have each meal ready to serve at the proper time.* – Have an adult verify the preparation of the meal to your counselor. – (*f) After each meal, ask a person you served to evaluate the meal on presentation and taste, then evaluate your own meal*. – Discuss what you learned with your counselor, including any adjustments that could have improved or enhanced your meals. Tell how planning and preparation help ensure a successful meal. –

Thank you Parents for working with Scouts on this Cooking Plan!

Best Regards,

Nathan Crouch

Dues are 85$ a semester, you can pay, check, cash, Credit card, or Venmo. If you haven’t paid them for the semester, please contact Mr. Anthony to get that taken care of. If you need help with dues or need to set up a payment plan, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Mr. Anthony’s contact is 662-202-4560 or email at ranthonyw71@yahoo.com
Thank you, Benjamin Stepp Scoutmaster

Hello all, We will be meeting tomorrow from 6:45 to 8pm in our usual meeting location. PLC will be at 6:30. Uniform is class B. If your scout took family life merit badge please have a parent at the meeting for a few a short meeting at the beginning. Thanks Benjamin Stepp Scoutmaster

Hello all, I hope this finds you well. For those attending the merit badge college. We will be meeting tomorrow morning, at 8:00am in the parking lot at Bishop Hall near the chapel. We will be registering as a troop tomorrow so be on the look out for Mr Jamie, Mr David, or myself and we will get you what you need. Pick up will be at 5pm in the same parking lot. The uniform for the day is class A. Shirt, pants, belt, the neckerchief is not mandatory. See you all tomorrow Benjamin Stepp Scoutmaster

Hello everyone, I hope this email finds you well. This email is regarding the 2026 high adventure trip to summit Bescell Scout Reserve. This high adventure trip will be in West Virginia and include white water rafting, climbing, shooting sports and more. The minimum age for this trip is 13 years of age on the day we show up. We will be going on this trek in the summer of 2026. Cost will be around 1400-1600$ depending on our travel arrangements. Please reply if your scout is interested.

Please see the email below from one of our Life Scouts and Eagle Canidates who is working on his Eagle project Mac Cole.

Dear Scouts, I am having a work day for my Eagle Project this Saturday from 1-3pm. We will be out at Camp Lake Stephens doing some trail work. If you would like to come out and help, please email me so I know how many helpers will be there. Bring work gloves, a rake, and a water bottle, and be prepared for cancellation due to rain. You will get service hours for coming out to help, and those service hours count toward rank advancement. Thank you, Mac Cole, Life Scout, Troop 45
Thank you Mac Cole

Hello all, I hope this email finds you well. Just a reminder, we will not be meeting tomorrow night, Monday February 10th, 2025. Also, I need to know who is available to be at the Crossover Ceremony on February 15th. Please see past email for details. The pack needs to know how many will be there for dinner. If you can not make it for dinner but can for the ceremony that would be great as well. Please reply to this email to let us know if you can make it to the dinner and ceremony.
Thanks Benjamin Stepp Scoutmaster