Welcome back from vacation everyone. I hope y'all are tanned, well-rested and ready to go.

And now for the weekly notes:
(1) Welcome Webelos
(2) Tonight's Meeting
(3) Mansfield Campout
(4) Merit Badge Monday Update
(5) Mt. Norris March Campout
(6) Summer Camp
(7) Next Week's PLC
(8) Notable Accomplishments

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Welcome Webelos
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Tonight's the night we welcome the boys who were Webelos until just a couple of short weeks ago. We must welcome them into the fold and assimilate them as we have assimilated all others who have come before them! In order to make this go as smoothly as possible, please give them every reason to *want* to be with troop 635 by looking sharp at the meetings and treating them with all of the respect and deference that you do me. Or maybe more. Actually, yeah. A *lot* more. That would be a good idea.

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Tonight's Meeting
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Lots going on tonight, not the least of which is the cross-in. We also have an election for the Order of the Arrow and planning for the Mount Mansfield campout this weekend. Since we have lots to do, please make sure you're at the meeting on time.

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Mansfield Campout
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Speaking of the Mansfield campout, I've attached a permission slip for those of you who would like to go. There is going to be a hike up to the summit, along the ridge of the mountain (roughly following the Long Trail) and then coming back down to the campsite. In order to qualify for this hike, you need to be at least first class with hiking experience and the permission of el Scoutmaster (don't you wish you'd shown me a little more deference *now*? Thought so.)

If there are people who are interested in coming up for a day hike, we may be able to accommodate that as well. If we can find a couple of willing adults to commit to coming up for the day with the uber-hike group and supervising the day hikers, anyone and his brother can come for the day.

Finally, if the day hikers would like to stay the night on the mountain, that's completely cool. Since the uber-hike adults will be back in the main group, the day hike adults wouldn't even have to commit to being around overnight.

If you have any questions, let me know at this evening's meeting.

Mansfield Hike 2007 Permission slip

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Merit Badge Monday Update
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MBM has been fairly successful but we're going to have one more week of Citizenship in the World. Yes, this is more than we had planned but what do you want me to do? Just *not* finish the badge work? Those of you in this group, look to another email either tonight or tomorrow with details about next Monday's meeting, what I'm hoping to accomplish and how I'm hoping to accomplish it.

Next up and starting on Monday, March 19th will be Citizenship in the Nation. That's also going to be a four-week badge. There are some details that I'm still nailing down but I'll have a full syllabus out for everyone no later than next week's weekly update. FYI, this is another academic-style badge so boys who sign up should understand it involves a lot of sitting, talking, and NOT LOOKING AT MY BLOODY BINARY CLOCK EVERY THREE SECONDS AND MAKING OOHING AND AAHING SOUNDS WHEN THE LEDs MAKE SYMMETRICAL PATTERNS! <Ahem>. Oops. Sorry about that. Little tirade now and then does the body good. Or so my drill sergeant always tells me.

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Mt. Norris March Campout
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If you are a scout who is not yet first class, pay attention to this. CLOSE attention.

We are having a campout on the weekend of March 30 - April 1 at Mt. Norris. We are gearing the entire weekend to helping you advance. If you are not there and it's not for a fantastic reason, then I shall taunt you once and then I shall taunt you a second time. With a sneering French accent. And even, perhaps, whilst donning a beret.

If you are *not* under first class but you are in at least eighth grade or are an Assistant Troop Guide, we'd like to talk to you about how you can be involved to help us develop the program for the weekend. We're going to have Scott Kelley and Mike Kling working as Assistant Scoutmasters that weekend, along with at least Mr. Pelchat, Mr. Macy and myself. We'd like to have a killer program and the more help we have to do this, the better. If you're interested, let me or Chris Fleury know ASAP.

Mt. Norris Winter Campout 2007 Permission slip

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Summer Camp
******************
Speaking of rip-snorting good times that (a) will be led by Assistant Scoutmasters Kelley and Kling and (b) you will most *definitely* not want to miss, I wanted to remind people that we are accepting summer camp sign ups now. Some deadlines for early bird fees are approaching, so if you're interested in going, please get the attached summer camp form to Mrs. Fleury as soon as you can. If you can't go and your name isn't Leo Gauthier or Brian Thompson (who both have very good excuses for why they can't), you'd better either transfer troops or expect a LOT of harassing comments from your Fearless Leader trying to convince you to do what's really best for you anyway.

Grab the information and form

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Next Week's PLC
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As you'd expect, there was no PLC this week because not everyone had school. That means we'll have our normal monthly PLC next Tuesday night at my house from 6:30 - 8:00.

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Notable Accomplishments
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Some great stuff happened over the break that I thought I'd let you know about:

(1) Ross and Scott Kelley were both part of the Essex indoor track team that BLEW the competition out of the water at states. The senior class alone scored enough points to beat each of the other combined team scores and both Ross and Scott contributed significantly to the great win.

(2) In varsity wrestling, Tom Cogley beat the #2 seed in the state quarterfinals only to fall one point short in the semis. Congrats to Tom on taking 6th overall.

(3) In JV wrestling, we have a state champion on our hands! Our very own Seamus Page established himself as the man to beat in the competition just a couple of weekends ago. And then *last* weekend, Seamus went on to represent Vermont rather well by taking 2nd place in all of New England.

Congratulations to all of these boys for their outstanding athletic achievements.

That's it for now, folks. See you tonight.

Your Scoutmaster,

Sonnick

Happy Presidents' Day, everyone. In honor of two of our greatest presidents, I swear that I shall neither tell a lie nor suspend your right to habeus corpus for the duration of this email. Is this country great or what?

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Things General George and Honest Abe Would Want You to Know about Troop 635
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(2) This Week's Meeting
(3) No Meeting Next Week
(4) Voting Booth Set Up/Take Down
(5) Snow Sports Merit Badge Opportunity

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Merit Badge Monday Plans
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Come one, come all (who have come before) and try to wrap up Citizenship in the World this Monday. We are going to have a wrap-up next Monday for anyone who isn't able to finish it this week. Make sure you bring all of your paperwork and something to write with.

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This Week's Meeting
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At this week's meeting we are going to dedicate a lot of our time to building snow shelters and having a ginormous snowball fight. If you happen to be under first class and would like to demonstrate some skills to as Assistant Scoutmaster, we might be able to fit that in as well but we're just going to enjoy the bountiful precipitation of the frozen sort that the Lord hath given us this week. Everyone should bring a shovel and come dressed for the elements!

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No Meeting Next Week
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There is no school next week and likewise there is no meeting.

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Voting Booth Set Up/Take Down
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Don't forget! Town Meeting Day is coming up on March 6th, so we need to have scouts who are willing to set up voting booths on the 5th at 6:00 and take them down on the 6th at 7:05. Let your PL and Jam-master Fleury know if you can help.

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Snow Sports Merit Badge Opportunity
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I have been asked to pass along this message from Duane-o the Cool:

"Please include in ur weekly e-mail a reminder that I'm offering Snow Sports Merit Badge at Smugglers Notch either March 18 or March 25, and I need boys interested to let me know which they could make so we can set the date."

So, boys, if you're interested, let him know. His email address is duaneandlaura@verizon.net.

I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming break and to all of you who will be travelling over the break: come home safe.

Your Scoutmaster,

Sonnick

Happy Monday 635. A relatively quick one this week.

The very-limited-in-number but informative-beyond-reckoning points for the week:
(1) No Merit Badge Monday This Week
(2) This Week's Meeting
(3) Town Meeting Day Voting Booths--March 5/6
(4) Cit in Community/Communications Meeting Opportunity

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No Merit Badge Monday This Week
*****************************************
I know I announced this last week both at MBM and at the meeting but I thought a reminder might be in order. Will resume for our final meeting next Monday.

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This Week's Meeting
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Everyone should wear winter gear and bring a shovel for igloo/quinzee-making. If you have advancement to wrap up (Tom's guys working w/ axes, Cit in the Community presentations, &c), you'll get those out of the way first and then head outside.

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Town Meeting Day Voting Booths--March 5/6
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As always, we're on the hook for setting up voting booths for Town Meeting Day. Set up is on Monday, March 5th at 6:00 (earlier than usual because some of us have to be at the high school for the actual meeting by 6:45) and take down is on Tuesday the 6th at 7:05. Please let your PL know if you're planning to attend.

Psychotic Monkeys: Remember, these are great ways to rack up event counts for 2nd and 1st Class!

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Cit in Community/Communications Meeting Opportunity
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If you don't want to go to Town Meeting, there is going to be a meeting about the proposed Lowe's store coming into the old Ames store lot that is sure to be a firecracker. The meeting is at EMS on Thursday, March 8th starting at 6:30. Fun, fun!

Dat's it. See you on Wednesday.

Your Scoutmaster,

Sonnick

Happy Tuesday Gentlescouts,

Positions of Responsibility are available, so if you're in need, listen up!

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Topics du Jour
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(1) This Week
(2) Norris in March
(3) Summer Camp
(4) Positions of Responsibility

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This Week
*************
Psychotic Monkeys:
(a) You will be going over the 10 native plants you learned last week to get them signed off.
(b) If you didn't complete your poisonous plants, you'll be going over those as well.
(c) Practice the hitching knots you learned last time
(d) Perhaps, if there's time, learn/review how to find directions during the day and at night without a compass.

Luke/Micah/Keenan:
(a) Axe/knife/saw handling and care
(b) If there's time, learn how to find directions during the day and at night without a compass.

Citizenship in the Community: You have received a separate email from Mr. Peterson. Read it and you shall know all.

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Norris in March
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If you aren't First Class, yet, block off the weekend of March 30th - April 1st. We'll be headed up to the cabins at Mount Norris (and for those of you wanting to earn your polar bears, you can do that as well) so we can knock of a TON of requirements. We're going to have a boatload of Assistant Scoutmasters there so you should be 3/4 of the way to Eagle by the time you leave on Sunday if you put your minds to it.

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Summer Camp
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We're accepting registrations for Summer Camp 2007 right now. Do. Not. Miss. It. We'll be at Mt. Norris from Sunday, July 29th through Saturday, August 4th. Scott Kelly will be an Assistant Scoutmaster. Mike Kling will be an Assistant Scoutmaster. Other cool-adult guest appearances are under discussion as we speak. One thing to bank on is that Flaming Towers of Doom will pervade the view. If you don't come this year, you will cry when you hear what you missed. So do yourself a favor and come, ok?

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Positions of Responsibility
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We have a couple of immediate openings for boys. The first and most important is Troop Guide. We need at least one boy to be the main Guide for the new crop of Webelos coming in. You want to earn the respect and admiration of your Scoutmaster? Volunteer for this position. Or bring him chicken lips.

The second is the position Mike Fraser is vacating so that he can become the Assistant Guide. His now-former position is Librarian. If you're interested, let me know. This isn't necessarily first-come, first-served but most likely this position will be filled by someone who has communicated their desire to me by the Wednesday meeting this week.

Anybody have any questions? Anyone? No? Ok, then. See you tomorrow.

Your Scoutmaster,

Sonnick

Hooooooooooooooooooooowdy, y'all,

Starting this coming Monday, January 22nd, I am going to be hosting Merit Badge Mondays at Chez Sonnick. We're going to start out focusing on Eagle Required merit badges and we'll do one at a time. As we wrap one up we'll start another. My, what short, choppy sentences.


Here's some information you need to know:

1. It's every week you're in school from 7:00 - 8:30. I put it after dinner so y'all will be less hungry and I won't have to cancel or postpone due to work.
2. It's only for guys who are serious about working on the merit badges and completing them during the 7:00 - 8:30 timeframe. I don't want partials because I generally don't have the time to help people wrap partials up. When I say a scout should be serious about working and finishing the merit badge, I'm getting at the following things:
   
   • If you decide to come to Merit Badge Monday (MBM) for any particular MB, it needs to be a high priority for you. As in, other than grievous bodily harm or unforeseen familial responsibilities, you need to be at every meeting for the MB you're doing. If you have foreseeable familial responsibilities (sibling's confirmation, family trip, &c), you need to clear them with me ahead of time. I don't think any merit badge will take more than a month to complete, so you should probably have a good handle on those sorts of responsibilities ahead of time.
   • There will be some homework. Not tons and you'll know about it well ahead of time b/c I'll have a syllabus that I hand out before the first meeting for each MB. That syllabus will detail very clearly what we will cover each week and what you will need to have done to prepare. A lot of times it will just be reading information or studying the stuff we've already done so you can get it signed off really quickly at the beginning of the following MBM. Regardless, if you're not willing to come prepared, I'll ask you to consider not coming.
   • I want to start at 7:00. Being there a bit early is a good idea. Being even a little late is not.
   • For some MBs there might be a $3-$4 fee because I'll want you to have the merit badge book from Council. This won't always be the case and if it is you'll know before you sign up.
   • There is a time and a place for everything. Usually, the time and place for fooling around and acting like a juvenile is at my house. Not during MSMs. It's not going to be Marine Corps boot camp, obviously, because I can't help but goof around a little. I will, however, generally expect you to behave as well as you would for that teacher who terrifies you and whose sideward glance is enough to make you want to flee for your very life.

Hokay. That's it. As I mentioned above, the first MSM is at my house next Monday night from 7 - 8:30. The first MB we're going to do is Citizenship in the World. The syllabus is attached. You will not need a MB book for this, so there's no fee.

Link to the requirements: http://www.usscouts.org/mb/mb004.html
Link to the work sheets: http://www.usscouts.org/mb/wkbks/mb004.pdf

*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***: The requirements at meritbadge.com are *NOT* correct. They're the 2004 revision and the badge was changed in 2006. Please be sure to use the links above to look at the information you need.

I hope a bunch of you are both able and inclined to come but really--don't sign up if you're not going to do the work or if you think it's just going to be a pizza party at Sonnick's every week. I'll try to keep it fun but we need to be serious about making it through the material. Finally, please let me know by Sunday if you're coming.

Thanks and see you all soon,

Sonnick

Good morning, people. My apologies for the tardiness of this update.

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This week's topics
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(1) Event Write-ups
(2) Troop Guides
(3) Voting Booths
(4) This Week's Meeting

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Event Write-ups
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If you are the youth coordinator for an event and SPL Chris and I don't have your event write up in hand, you are late! Please get these in to us ASAP.

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Troop Guides
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As the reign of Esteban the Great and E-Bags, the Nearly as Great winds down with the Psychotic Monkeys we need a couple of young men to step in to take on the responsibility of running the first-year program for the Webelos about to cross in. Next to SPL, Troop Guide is the most important job in the troop and we really need high speed individuals to take this over. We have to do some training to get y'all where you need to be, so please let me know soon if you're interested in the job.

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Voting Booths
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A reminder that we have voting booth set up and take down next Monday and Tuesday at EMS. We need at least one boy from each patrol to help out. Please let SPL Chris and me know if you are available. This is a good opportunity to rack up a quick event and half hour of service.

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This Week's Meeting
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Psychotic Monkeys--we'll finish up teaching you about hurry cases and your physical fitness tests (please wear your athletic clothing for this.)

Micah, Keenan, Luke--be prepared to show us what you know about bandaging from last week. Then we'll be working on transporting injured people (each other) and, perhaps, watching the last quarter of the National Championship game Notre Dame played against West Virginia (and won!) from a long, long time ago.

Everyone else-- Please *arrive* at the meeting having completed the following for Citizenship in the Community (requirements listed here: http://www.meritbadge.com/mb/002.htm ):

-- Req 3: selected the public meeting to attend (many of you expressed
interest in the merger meeting tonight),
-- Req 7: selected the charity you'll research and volunteer with,
-- Req 4: selected the issue you'll research,
-- Req 1: prepared to discuss requirement 1

At tonight's meeting, you will:

-- Complete Req 2b by mapping state government organization,
-- Discuss your selections above and obtain approval for issue, meeting & charity
-- Discuss as a group Req 8, the presentation, and determine what you'll do. We might even get in a guest appearance from Assistant Scoutmaster Extraordinaire, Scott Kelley.

That's it! See you tonight.

Your Scoutmaster,

Sonnick

If you were to ask me how I felt about the fact that the previously-undefeated and #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes were beaten in the national championship game by the same score Notre Dame lost the Sugar Bowl (the pleasingly mirror-imaged score of 41-14), I would have nothing to say about it. Nothing at all. Except, perhaps, <phew>. It doesn't help the Irish but it *does* create a whole new pool of people to share the embarrassment.

But this is Scouts, so on to that.

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This Week's Notes
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(1) Christmas Tree Wrap-Up
(2) Citizenship in the Community
(3) Target First Class
(4) Micah Paroline, First Blood
(5) Voting Booth Set up/Take down
(6) Event Write-Ups Due
(7) Troop Guides for 2007/8

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Christmas Tree Wrap-Up
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Thanks to all of your hard work and standing in the cold, the troop made a profit of over $3,400 this year. Thanks to everyone for doing their part in making this a success.

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Citizenship in the Community
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This week starts the first advancement month for 2007. All of the boys who are already 1st Class will either be taking Citizenship in the Community with Mr. Peterson or (if they already have partials or the merit badge) be completing their partials, or assisting me in spreading my Reign of Terror amongst the Target First Class boys. Everyone should come to the meeting prepared with a note pad and something to write with.

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Target First Class
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For all boys who are not yet first class, you will be working on these requirements. Because of the amount of planning that goes into these sessions, please make an effort to be there and if you can't be, please let me know ahead of time.

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Micah Paroline, First Blood
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Ok. Actually, it's that he's proven he would know how to stanch the flow of blood if need be. This weekend at the Fleury campout (which, by the way, was excellent), Micah had the first requirement sign offs for Troop 635 for 2007. Focus, Micah, and you'll be First Class by June!

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Voting Booth Set up/Take down
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Due to the re-vote on the merger question, we need to get some volunteers to help set up voting booths at EMS on Monday, January 22nd and to take them down on Tuesday, January 23rd. Please consider helping out and let Chris Fleury ( mindlesstool A.T. gmail D.O.T com) and me know if you can.

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Event Write-Ups Overdue
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If you are in charge of organizing an event and you haven't turned in your event write-up, it is now officially overdue. Please get these to Chris or me no later than this Sunday at noon.

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Troop Guides for 2007/8
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Though it seems like the Psychotic Monkeys have only just arrived, it's nearly time for us to get ready for our next batch of craziness. Hard to believe, I know! If you are interested in being a Troop Guide, please let me know so we can start planning the welcome of the Webelos 2 well ahead of time.

That, in a nutshell (though, perhaps, a largeish nutshell), is what you need to know for this week. Any questions, comments, worthwhile or otherwise, you know where you can reach me.

Your Scoutmaster,

Sonnick

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of 635. I hope you've all enjoyed some time off recently and that 2007 (aka The Year In Which the Irish Will Go Undefeated) has had a good start for you.

Just a couple of quick points this week:
(1) This Week's Meeting--Special Note
(2) Fleury Camp Out Note
(3) Advancement Month to Come

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This Week's Meeting--Special Note
*****************************************
This week's meeting is MOSTLY CANCELLED. I say "mostly" because we are still having the meeting at the normal time and place for two groups of people:
(1) The PLC (the meeting has been moved from tonight to tomorrow night); and
(2) Scouts wishing to go to Fleury Camp this weekend.

If you wish to go to Fleury Camp, you can either print out the permission slip I've attached to this email and return it tomorrow or you can pick one up at the meeting.

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Fleury Camp Out Note
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Come. Because it will be brilliant fun. Saturday morning through Sunday. Esteban's going to be there and there just isn't much better than that (other than, perhaps, John Lanz *not* being there.)

Download the permission slip

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Advancement Month to Come
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Starting next week we get into our next advancement month. More information to come on this after the PLC meeting tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled.

Take care, everyone, and remember that the Irish will be starting their 2007-winning streak at about 8:30 tomorrow night in the Sugar Bowl against LSU. There will be game-related trivia for a prize, so watch it if you can!

Your Scoutmaster,

Sonnick

Folks,

A message from Assistant Scoutmaster Extraordinaire, Bob Thompson:

Goooooooooooooooooood evening Westfordians and Essexians alike,

Just a quick one tonight to remind you that the meeting this week is on Tuesday night, December 19th at the Racquet's Edge.

The meeting is from 6:00 - 8:00, rather than the normal 6:30 - 8:00. We have rented a couple of swimming lanes and the slide/warm-water-pool for various parts of the evening, so come and enjoy one last meeting before the new year crowns the Irish the champions of the 2007 Sugar Bowl! Please remember that parents need to sign a release form before their boys can swim, so they should come into the meeting to sign that form before their cars exit the parking lot.

Your Scoutmaster,

Sonnick