Sorry for the short notice, but getting the storage unit and selling the trailer came quickly. We have recently found a buyer for our very large white trailer and will need to move our gear out of it and into the red trailer and a storage unit for now.

This Sunday we are planning on taking the large white trailer and unloading most of it's contents to the red trailer and also to a storage unit the Troop will be renting.  The Troop needs help from Scouts to come and help move these items around.  

Please come out on Sunday, April 2nd to the PMLC at 1:30pm (our Troop meeting time) and help out with this effort.  The more Scouts and adults we have, the quicker we can get this done.

I REALLY want to encourage all Scouts to participate where possible this year.  There are so many families and people that could really use the help.  Please consider asking for food from friends, family or whoever so that we can make this year a success.  As a reminder, anyone that participates will earn service and Volunteer hours for high school.  

As you collect food, please feel free to take them and donate to any food pantry's or organizations that could use the help.  All I ask is that you let me know that you participated and send me the number of items you collected and donated.

I will also be collecting food items at my house through the week, so if you want to drop food off, please email me at the email below and I will send you my address details.

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The Iron Horse District Scouting for Food 2021 is scheduled for 5/8/21.  We are encouraging all units to participate.  With the current Covid situation we are asking all units to follow the standard safety protocols on avoiding large groups, avoid gathering in doors, practice social distancing, where face mask that covers your mouth and nose at all times when around people who are not part of your household.

               Units can donate to any local food bank, pantry, or organization of their choice.  I have listed a few of the organizations below that we have worked with in the past.  I have contacted these organizations and they are happy to work with us again this year.  I’m still working with a couple of them to coordinate a possible donation location/time and food items that may be needed.  I would like to encourage units to work with an organization called Lovepacs.  Lovepacs collects specific type items and provides meal packages for under privilege kids during the school year and summer months.  They put together a weekly meal kit for kids or families.   

               With the current Covid situation we understand that people have various levels of concern about exposure and being around others.  In the past our main focus for food collections was to canvas our area neighborhoods going door to door and place fliers or bags and collect food items.  With Covid some people and units are not comfortable going door to door.  A couple of other ideas that some units have use the past year.  First inform your communities and neighborhoods through social media like facebook and neighbor websites or web pages.  Set up a central collection place where your neighbors can drop donated food items off.  If your community has a central park or clubhouse location set schedule a donation date and time when people can simply drive up and drop off items.  Maybe one or more members of your unit are okay with setting up a collection box that they can place out by their mail box or on their front door step where people in your neighborhood and stop by and drop off items.  

               We are asking that all food donations be made to the local food bank or charity of your choice on or before 5/8/21.  We will need all units to report the number of food items collected and donated, the number of scout and adult volunteers, and the estimated number of hours served during the food drive.  We are asking that these numbers be reported back to me by e-mail no later than  5/15/21.  I will then in turn report the total numbers for the Iron Horse District to the Circle Ten Council.

There are camping/camp opportunities for April, May and June to sign up for!  Please check the sign up pages and register for any of the following events still open.

• Circle 10 Camporee - April 30th - May 2nd
• Troop May Campout - May 21st - May 23rd
• Summer Camp TRJ - June 20th - June 26th

For the Circle 10 camporee, we just need to have adults/scouts registered by April 24th, so please sign up before that date.

For the May Campout, we've booked to large campsites so should have some room to spread out.  

For Summer camp, please sign up and contact the Scoutmaster to register for Camp Merit Badge classes for the Summer Camp.

Reminder - today is the last day to turn in your Flower orders if you have them.  Please email Christine if you have orders to turn in. 

• 4/5 – Last flower orders accepted 

• 4/17 – Delivery Weekend 

• When Selling: 

• Be sure to capture Name, Address and Phone # and get payment upfront • Scouts make arrangements on own to deliver to customers 

• Make checks payable to Troop 416 

Turn In: 

• Order forms/checks collected by Christine or Michelle in an envelope with Scout name on it. Must have a flower order form with it. 

• Must pay by check. Check total must match total order on form to turn in. 

Ethan S. will be working on his Eagle project his weekend at the PMLC and could use the help from any Scouts and Adults who have some time to come out.  This is a great way to support our Chartered Organization as well as earning Service hours and lending a hand to your fellow Scout.

Any time you can come out would be appreciated, you don't have to stay the whole day.  If you can spare an hour or 2, that would help out greatly.

So Mulch day is upon us and just a reminder that we will be delivering mulch this coming Saturday the 20th.  Trailers will be picked up at 7 so we hope to start loading and delivering at 8:00 am.

This years total was around 4000 bags, some of which will be spread at the PMLC.

Even though there is less than our usual, we REALLY could use all of the help possible.  So with that, we have 2 offers:

1) If you have friends in High School working on their Volunteer hours, I will sign off on any time they come out to help the Troop out with as volunteer hours.  This is a great way to get those volunteer hours as well as helping out our Troop.

2) For any Scouts in our Troop that did NOT sell mulch this year, we will offer to credit your scout Account with $25.00 if you come out and spend at least 4 hours helping to deliver mulch. 

A reminder for this weekend, even though we are outside, we still need to be cautious, social distance and wear a mask when near other participants.

Thank you to everyone who has worked to make this day happen, let's hope for some great weather, some fun times and get it all done.