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Congratulations to our newest Eagle Scout - Brandon Estes! ---------- Eagle Project Work Day, March 20 ---------- Annual Dues and Updated Medical Forms are Due!

Depart: Pack Check Friday March 12, 2010 @ 5:30 pm. RHCC. Depart @ 6:00pm sharp

This trip is limited to 25 scouts and scouters, and is considered a high adventure outing. During this time of year, it is important to be prepared for all weather conditions. Expect warm days and cool nights, but always be prepared for rain. Trail conditions are expected to be wet and muddy, so extra socks are highly recommended. Cooking will be done on backpacking stoves so travel light and “be prepared”. Backpacking stoves, tents and water purification equipment will be available from the troop. Remember to bring meal money (~$5.00) for the return trip on Sunday

What: Clean up trash and debris in the wooded area where a future outdoor classroom and nature trail will be built.

What to Bring: Work gloves and personal sun block. Optional: wheel barrow or garden cart, if you have one. LUNCH will be PROVIDED

The 2010 Camp Durant Leaders Guide has not been published, but cost is expected to be $200 per scout.

Here is your chance to go to the Philmont Scout Ranch with the Palmetto Council in 2011. Youth applications are accepted on a first come basis. The total cost of the trip will be established by the Contingent and depends upon the the transportation method and other activities selected by the Contingent members.

Annual dues of $50.00 for each scout are due as well as an updated Annual Health and Medical Form.

This year’s scout skills started on a Friday evening in the church parking lot. After everyone had arrived we got in the vehicles and drove to the Lincolnton Duke power station. When we got there, we set up the tents in the cold and hung around till it was time to go to sleep. The scoutmasters woke us up early in the morning and for some us a little too early. We ate breakfast and the older boys were assigned to teach various skills such as orienteering, fire building, knot tying, plant and animal identification, and camp stove operation. Later after the scouts went through the stations and ate lunch, the first and second year scouts competed against each other using the skills they learned earlier in the day including a new skill “horseback riding.” The scouts earned points for pacing correctly, quickly building fires to boil water, correctly using compass headings, correctly identifying plants and animals, and a knot tying relay in which the scouts had to pull a log around cones using a certain knot, physical fitness, and a horseback riding relay. After the competitions ended, scouts had a chance to relax, fish, play football, and hang around the campfire. After the day was done and everyone was gathered around the fire pit Mr. Kelly announced the winners of the day’s competition. Greyson F. came in first, Nathan B. in second, and Frank S. in third. One by one the scouts went to their tents and fell asleep. The next day the scoutmasters woke us up. Everyone got ready for the world famous scoutmaster breakfast. Everyone finished their breakfast and hung around the campfire trying to keep warm as the scoutmasters cleaned the dishes. After all this was said and done we packed up our equipment and moved the tents under the shelter and hung the rain flies to dry and keep them out of the rain. Then we gathered together, got in the vehicles and drove to do a service project in which we cleaned up some trails even though there was not much to clean. So after the disappointing service project we left and came back to the campsite. We hung for a little while talking and playing football. After we got in our vehicles and headed home.

We met at the church at 5:30pm and did a quick pack check. We departed just before 6:00 with 8 scouts and 5 leaders. After a brief bathroom stop along the New River, we arrived at Grayson Highlands State Park about 3 hours later just as the fog started moving in, and the rain started to fall. The clouds prevented any moonlight and it was really dark as we set out from the backpacker’s parking lot at Massie Gap. The fog was really thick and made it hard to see more than about 10 feet. We made a few wrong turns but Mr. Slavens finally got us on the right trail that led to the Mt. Rogers Wilderness area and the Appalachian Trail. We found a clearing and set up the tents, and everyone turned in about 10:30pm when the rain started to come down harder. Another troop from Greensboro, NC came in just after us and camped in the same area. It rained really hard later that night as 4-5 storms moved through the area.

Mr. Scott woke us up with his cheerful voice about 7:00am. It was clear but almost everyone had something wet from the storms. Kragen and Brendan learned that pitching your tent in a hole will allow water to collect inside the tent, but at least they had extra water for cooking breakfast if they needed it!! We ate breakfast and left the campsite before 9:00am after the scoutmasters re-checked everyone’s pack. We climbed to the top of Wilburn Gap where we enjoyed the sunshine and cool breeze, and later made in through Fat Man’s Squeeze without having to leave anyone behind. Another group from Indiana showed us a spring where everyone filled up their water bottles and we continued on to Rhododendron Gap where most of the scouts enjoyed some rock climbing. We were able to see several of the wild ponies throughout this area which was really cool. We found a good campsite around lunchtime and set up the tents so they could dry. We left our tents and sleeping bags to dry while we continued on towards Mt Rogers carrying the rest of our gear. The clouds moved in again and the fog got really thick in some places. We made it to the top of Mt Rogers, the highest point in Virginia, but there is really nothing to see, and the views coming up were actually better.

We made our way back to the campsite after filling up our water bottles at a spring behind the Thomas Gap shelter. We were able to collect some firewood and got a fire going even though most all of the wood was wet. It was still really foggy, and the wind started blowing really hard, which made it difficult to stand close to the fire and get warm. We broke out the stoves and cooked supper before it got dark. Chilli mac, spaghetti, and beef stroganoff seemed to be the popular choices, but it was filling and good. All of the scouts turned in around 7:00pm tired from a long day. Mr. Price and Mr. Scott stayed up a little longer (I think..).

The wind blew really hard throughout the night and we woke up Sunday morning to find ice in our water bottles. It was really cold, so everyone ate a quick breakfast and got busy breaking down tents and getting packed up to go. We had a short devotional service and everyone shared their roses, thorns and buds from the weekend. We took a different trail back down, but we were able to enjoy both the sunshine and clear views for the first time during our trip. Mr. Slavens had trouble with his boots, but looked very stylish hiking down in Crocs. We made it back to the cars by late morning and left for a well deserved stop at Hardees on the way back home.

Our survival weekend started when we left the church at 5;00pm and arrived at the campsite at 6:00pm. Once we arrived we immediately set up camp and began work on our shelters. Eric S, Braden J, Harrison B, and Taylor W. made their shelters out in the middle of a field with wooden poles and plastic tarps. Aaron K, and John E, made their shelter in the tree line because they had hammocks. We all slept in our shelters that night but the wind was so hard it was hard to sleep. The shelter that Eric and Braden where in blew over but they continued to sleep. Then the rain came and Eric and Braden woke up and went into Harrison's and Taylor's unoccupied shelter. Harrison and Taylor had left it during the night when it got cold and went to the fire to try to get warm. Once we had enough light we got our shoeboxes out and talked about what we had brought and what we should bring. While we were trying to have class a lot of wind and rain came down and blew over Mr. Johnson's shelter. After that we had a short break and then talked about making fires with wet wood, and then we all attempted building one. It took Mr. Kelly (the Fire God) four matches to light a fire. Aaron (son of Fire God) was the only other one to start a fire. Once that was done we had lunch out of our shoeboxes and relaxed for a while. After that we had our break, we we then talked and practiced making fire with flint & steel and the bow drill. Then for the rest of the day we relaxed while having a very good dinner made by Mr. Kelly. The next morning we got up and had omelets in a bag for breakfast, which was also very good. After that we packed up camp and arrived back at the church at 12:00 pm.

The Fall Camporee weekend started on October 2 at 5:45, when we pulled out from River Hills Community Church. We arrived at the campsite at about 6:30 ready for a fun weekend. From there the rest of the day was spent setting up camp and relaxing till bed time. The next morning we cooked breakfast, while still in the dark, and cleaned up in time for assembly. After that all scouts under Star rank went to merit badges and the rest worked on the gateway till lunch. Once lunch was over we went to a dedication memorial for Conley Clark. After that, from 2:00 - 4:00, a lot of the scouts went to a conservation project for flooding, some worked on scout skills with the Scoutmasters, and the oldest scouts stayed at camp to work on a skit for the conservation presentations. After everyone regrouped at camp after 4:00 we had a very exciting dinner with a lot of new foods being cooked. Some did hamburgers, some did spaghetti, but the most interesting and famous one was ribs (made by the Moose patrol). Later after all the cleanup we headed off to the campfire for announcements and skits. When the tired troop got back to camp most went to sleep and that ended Saturday. On Sunday we all got up and ate breakfast and went to Chapel. Once we got back we started to take down the campsite and then later went to awards. After we received our awards we loaded up and arrived at Bi-Lo at about 12:30 with a very tired troop.

1st place - Conservation Presentation (Connor H., Matthew K., Daniel T., John E., Tyler K., Dale J., Stanton A., and Aaron K.)

Oh by the way, Stanton A., Tyler K., Aaron K., and John E., made the coolest thing I have ever seen on a campout. They made a Man Cave out of hammocks and tarps! It made the Owl patrol (leaders) envious! Go to the pictures to check this thing out.

2009 Swimming Merit Badge Completion Status

Please check the MS Excel spreadsheet (click here) to verify your current completion status.

2009 Swimming MB Completion Instructions:

Complete all in pool requirements. If requirements weren’t completed on 5/30/09 at RHAC, another time and place needs to be scheduled to complete them with the counselor or appointed troop leader present.
Complete CPR training at a future troop meeting or at summer camp if taking First Aid MB.
Complete MB workbook sections 1, 2a, 2b, 3 (7a), 3 (7c), 3 (9a), 6d, 8 (b4) and 10a-d. Answer all questions in detail and they must be hand written. The workbook can be found on this website under Resources in MS Word and Adobe (pdf) formats. NOTE - In section 1 describe the prevention and 1^st aid in detail for each ailment. All of the answers are in the swimming MB booklet (found in troop library, borrow from Mr. Kutrubs or bought at the Scout Shop).
Present completed workbook to Mr. Kutrubs, the Swimming MB Counselor. He will check your answers and discuss any issues with the scout.
Receive you MB at the next Court of Honor.

		Welcome to the Home of Troop 333 River Hills Community Church, Lake Wylie, SC

	Announcements: [Revised 3/6/10] Congratulations to our newest Eagle Scout - Brandon Estes! ---------- Eagle Project Work Day, March 20 ---------- Annual Dues and Updated Medical Forms are Due! *Winter Backpacking Trip* Depart: Pack Check Friday March 12, 2010 @ 5:30 pm. RHCC. Depart @ 6:00pm sharp Return: Sunday March 14, 2010 @ 3:00pm. RHCC parking lot Cost: $5.00 per person Location: Congaree National Park, Columbia, SC This trip is limited to 25 scouts and scouters, and is considered a high adventure outing. During this time of year, it is important to be prepared for all weather conditions. Expect warm days and cool nights, but always be prepared for rain. Trail conditions are expected to be wet and muddy, so extra socks are highly recommended. Cooking will be done on backpacking stoves so travel light and “be prepared”. Backpacking stoves, tents and water purification equipment will be available from the troop. Remember to bring meal money (~$5.00) for the return trip on Sunday Click here for more information and event sheet *Eagle Project Work Day* When: Saturday, March 20, 2010 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM Where: Larne Elementary School 3598 Filbert Highway Clover, SC What: Clean up trash and debris in the wooded area where a future outdoor classroom and nature trail will be built. Who: Connor Hale, (803) 684-1148 What to Bring: Work gloves and personal sun block. Optional: wheel barrow or garden cart, if you have one. LUNCH will be PROVIDED Click here for flyer Camp Durant Dining Hall *Troop 333 Summer Camp 2010* Location: Camp Durant, 4637 Old Carthage Road Carthage, NC Dates: June 27 – July 3, 2010 Payment Schedule: $100 initial payment due 02/23/2010 Final balance due 04/27/2010 The 2010 Camp Durant Leaders Guide has not been published, but cost is expected to be $200 per scout. More details to follow, but check out the camp at: www.campdurant.com *Palmetto Council Philmont Scout Ranch 2011 Application* Here is your chance to go to the Philmont Scout Ranch with the Palmetto Council in 2011. Youth applications are accepted on a first come basis. The total cost of the trip will be established by the Contingent and depends upon the the transportation method and other activities selected by the Contingent members. Click here for application and more information *Troop Annual Dues & Updated Medical Forms Due* Annual dues of $50.00 for each scout are due as well as an updated Annual Health and Medical Form. Annual Health and Medical Form information: Parts A and C are to be completed annually by all BSA unit members. Part B is required with parts A and C for any event that exceeds 72 consecutive hours, a summer camp setting, or when the nature of the activity is strenuous and demanding, such as backpacking trips. Click here for Annual Health and Medical Form *Fall Scout Skills Trip Report* This year’s scout skills started on a Friday evening in the church parking lot. After everyone had arrived we got in the vehicles and drove to the Lincolnton Duke power station. When we got there, we set up the tents in the cold and hung around till it was time to go to sleep. The scoutmasters woke us up early in the morning and for some us a little too early. We ate breakfast and the older boys were assigned to teach various skills such as orienteering, fire building, knot tying, plant and animal identification, and camp stove operation. Later after the scouts went through the stations and ate lunch, the first and second year scouts competed against each other using the skills they learned earlier in the day including a new skill “horseback riding.” The scouts earned points for pacing correctly, quickly building fires to boil water, correctly using compass headings, correctly identifying plants and animals, and a knot tying relay in which the scouts had to pull a log around cones using a certain knot, physical fitness, and a horseback riding relay. After the competitions ended, scouts had a chance to relax, fish, play football, and hang around the campfire. After the day was done and everyone was gathered around the fire pit Mr. Kelly announced the winners of the day’s competition. Greyson F. came in first, Nathan B. in second, and Frank S. in third. One by one the scouts went to their tents and fell asleep. The next day the scoutmasters woke us up. Everyone got ready for the world famous scoutmaster breakfast. Everyone finished their breakfast and hung around the campfire trying to keep warm as the scoutmasters cleaned the dishes. After all this was said and done we packed up our equipment and moved the tents under the shelter and hung the rain flies to dry and keep them out of the rain. Then we gathered together, got in the vehicles and drove to do a service project in which we cleaned up some trails even though there was not much to clean. So after the disappointing service project we left and came back to the campsite. We hung for a little while talking and playing football. After we got in our vehicles and headed home. Submitted by: Matthew Kutrubs Troop Historian Click here for pictures *Shotgun Saturday at Deer Run Sporting Clays* Click here for pictures *Mt. Rogers Backpacking Trip Report* We met at the church at 5:30pm and did a quick pack check. We departed just before 6:00 with 8 scouts and 5 leaders. After a brief bathroom stop along the New River, we arrived at Grayson Highlands State Park about 3 hours later just as the fog started moving in, and the rain started to fall. The clouds prevented any moonlight and it was really dark as we set out from the backpacker’s parking lot at Massie Gap. The fog was really thick and made it hard to see more than about 10 feet. We made a few wrong turns but Mr. Slavens finally got us on the right trail that led to the Mt. Rogers Wilderness area and the Appalachian Trail. We found a clearing and set up the tents, and everyone turned in about 10:30pm when the rain started to come down harder. Another troop from Greensboro, NC came in just after us and camped in the same area. It rained really hard later that night as 4-5 storms moved through the area. Mr. Scott woke us up with his cheerful voice about 7:00am. It was clear but almost everyone had something wet from the storms. Kragen and Brendan learned that pitching your tent in a hole will allow water to collect inside the tent, but at least they had extra water for cooking breakfast if they needed it!! We ate breakfast and left the campsite before 9:00am after the scoutmasters re-checked everyone’s pack. We climbed to the top of Wilburn Gap where we enjoyed the sunshine and cool breeze, and later made in through Fat Man’s Squeeze without having to leave anyone behind. Another group from Indiana showed us a spring where everyone filled up their water bottles and we continued on to Rhododendron Gap where most of the scouts enjoyed some rock climbing. We were able to see several of the wild ponies throughout this area which was really cool. We found a good campsite around lunchtime and set up the tents so they could dry. We left our tents and sleeping bags to dry while we continued on towards Mt Rogers carrying the rest of our gear. The clouds moved in again and the fog got really thick in some places. We made it to the top of Mt Rogers, the highest point in Virginia, but there is really nothing to see, and the views coming up were actually better. We made our way back to the campsite after filling up our water bottles at a spring behind the Thomas Gap shelter. We were able to collect some firewood and got a fire going even though most all of the wood was wet. It was still really foggy, and the wind started blowing really hard, which made it difficult to stand close to the fire and get warm. We broke out the stoves and cooked supper before it got dark. Chilli mac, spaghetti, and beef stroganoff seemed to be the popular choices, but it was filling and good. All of the scouts turned in around 7:00pm tired from a long day. Mr. Price and Mr. Scott stayed up a little longer (I think..). The wind blew really hard throughout the night and we woke up Sunday morning to find ice in our water bottles. It was really cold, so everyone ate a quick breakfast and got busy breaking down tents and getting packed up to go. We had a short devotional service and everyone shared their roses, thorns and buds from the weekend. We took a different trail back down, but we were able to enjoy both the sunshine and clear views for the first time during our trip. Mr. Slavens had trouble with his boots, but looked very stylish hiking down in Crocs. We made it back to the cars by late morning and left for a well deserved stop at Hardees on the way back home. Click here for pictures *Shoebox Survival Weekend Report* Our survival weekend started when we left the church at 5;00pm and arrived at the campsite at 6:00pm. Once we arrived we immediately set up camp and began work on our shelters. Eric S, Braden J, Harrison B, and Taylor W. made their shelters out in the middle of a field with wooden poles and plastic tarps. Aaron K, and John E, made their shelter in the tree line because they had hammocks. We all slept in our shelters that night but the wind was so hard it was hard to sleep. The shelter that Eric and Braden where in blew over but they continued to sleep. Then the rain came and Eric and Braden woke up and went into Harrison's and Taylor's unoccupied shelter. Harrison and Taylor had left it during the night when it got cold and went to the fire to try to get warm. Once we had enough light we got our shoeboxes out and talked about what we had brought and what we should bring. While we were trying to have class a lot of wind and rain came down and blew over Mr. Johnson's shelter. After that we had a short break and then talked about making fires with wet wood, and then we all attempted building one. It took Mr. Kelly (the Fire God) four matches to light a fire. Aaron (son of Fire God) was the only other one to start a fire. Once that was done we had lunch out of our shoeboxes and relaxed for a while. After that we had our break, we we then talked and practiced making fire with flint & steel and the bow drill. Then for the rest of the day we relaxed while having a very good dinner made by Mr. Kelly. The next morning we got up and had omelets in a bag for breakfast, which was also very good. After that we packed up camp and arrived back at the church at 12:00 pm. Click here for pictures *Fall Camporee Report* The Fall Camporee weekend started on October 2 at 5:45, when we pulled out from River Hills Community Church. We arrived at the campsite at about 6:30 ready for a fun weekend. From there the rest of the day was spent setting up camp and relaxing till bed time. The next morning we cooked breakfast, while still in the dark, and cleaned up in time for assembly. After that all scouts under Star rank went to merit badges and the rest worked on the gateway till lunch. Once lunch was over we went to a dedication memorial for Conley Clark. After that, from 2:00 - 4:00, a lot of the scouts went to a conservation project for flooding, some worked on scout skills with the Scoutmasters, and the oldest scouts stayed at camp to work on a skit for the conservation presentations. After everyone regrouped at camp after 4:00 we had a very exciting dinner with a lot of new foods being cooked. Some did hamburgers, some did spaghetti, but the most interesting and famous one was ribs (made by the Moose patrol). Later after all the cleanup we headed off to the campfire for announcements and skits. When the tired troop got back to camp most went to sleep and that ended Saturday. On Sunday we all got up and ate breakfast and went to Chapel. Once we got back we started to take down the campsite and then later went to awards. After we received our awards we loaded up and arrived at Bi-Lo at about 12:30 with a very tired troop. Our troop got: 1st place - Conservation Presentation (Connor H., Matthew K., Daniel T., John E., Tyler K., Dale J., Stanton A., and Aaron K.) 2nd place - Gateway 2nd place - Camp Gadget Oh by the way, Stanton A., Tyler K., Aaron K., and John E., made the coolest thing I have ever seen on a campout. They made a Man Cave out of hammocks and tarps! It made the Owl patrol (leaders) envious! Go to the pictures to check this thing out. Submitted by: Harrison Brooks Troop Historian Click here for pictures *2009 Swimming Merit Badge Completion Status* Please check the MS Excel spreadsheet (click here) to verify your current completion status. 2009 Swimming MB Completion Instructions: Complete all in pool requirements. If requirements weren’t completed on 5/30/09 at RHAC, another time and place needs to be scheduled to complete them with the counselor or appointed troop leader present. Complete CPR training at a future troop meeting or at summer camp if taking First Aid MB. Complete MB workbook sections 1, 2a, 2b, 3 (7a), 3 (7c), 3 (9a), 6d, 8 (b4) and 10a-d. Answer all questions in detail and they must be hand written. The workbook can be found on this website under Resources in MS Word and Adobe (pdf) formats. NOTE - In section 1 describe the prevention and 1^st aid in detail for each ailment. All of the answers are in the swimming MB booklet (found in troop library, borrow from Mr. Kutrubs or bought at the Scout Shop). Present completed workbook to Mr. Kutrubs, the Swimming MB Counselor. He will check your answers and discuss any issues with the scout. Receive you MB at the next Court of Honor.
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Boy Scout Troop 333, River Hills Community Church, 104 Hamilton's Ferry Road Lake Wylie, SC 29710