Welcome to Troops 390/7390

Welcome to the official website of Scouts BSA Troops 390/7390. We are chartered by Faith Lutheran Church of Fairlawn, Ohio and belong to the Soaring Eagle District in the Great Trail Council of Scouts BSA.

Troop 390 February COH

What's Happening in Our Troop?

Upcoming Event Calendar

Mar 8-10 Backpacking, Raccoon Creek State Park, Sioux Campsite
Mar 12 Troop Elections
Mar 19 BOR
Mar 23 Scout Leadership Training
Mar 26 BOR
Apr 19-21 Observatory Park Campout
May 3-5 COPE Course, Firelands Scout Reservation
May 11 Fairlawn City Rummage Sale
May 14 COH
May 25 Western Reserve Flag Laying
May 27 Fairlawn VFW Memorial Day Ceremony
May 31-Jun 2 Kelleys Island State Park
June 2-7 NYLT Course Week (Boy week only)
June 9-14 NYLT Course Week (Boy & Girl week)Jun 20-Jul 3 Philmont
Jul 14-20 Summer Camp, Concord, Manatoc
Aug 16-18 D Day Re-enactment, Conneaut
Sept ? Pirate Ship, Camp Independence
Oct ? Cedar Point Halloweekend

2024 Low Adventure

By an overwhelming response, the winner of the 2024 low adventure survey was The Mountaineer Program at Blue Ridge Mountain Council in Pulaski County, VA. The dates for camp will be July 7 - July 13. If registered by April 1st, the cost will be $435, then the price will rise to $465. The fee for adults is $200. We need at least 2 leaders.

This is a week is geared to Scouts (mostly ages 13-14) who want another week of summer camp, but don’t want to focus on badges. The premise of the camp is that Scouts are living the life of the early settlers in the 1830’s. 12-year-olds may also participate. Scouts are put into patrols & will cook by patrols over an open fire. If any girls from our troop are interested in attending, they will be put into an all girl patrol with girls from other troops.

Scouts will:

  • Make their own sheath knife from a tang.
  • Shape the wooden handle of the knife.Put in the rivets.
  • Make their own sheath from raw leather, doing the cutting & stitching.

There is also:

  • Blacksmithing - one scout mans the bellows; one mans the forge.
  • Black Powder Shooting
  • Knife & Tomahawk Throwing
  • Build Fires without Matches
  • Learn about survival, traps, snares, edible plants, tracking.
  • Learn to skin roadkill (frozen) - "if you’re lucky.”
  • Possibly learn to scrape & tan deer hide.

Scouts will sleep on cots in platform tents. Must have your gear packed in such a manner that you can hike 1.5 miles from the parking lot. Scouts will be provided with a Mountaineer shirt (rough linen) and will wear long earth tone pants (provided by family) such as dockers or khakis, No camouflage, jeans. No synthetic materials at the forge. There is a Commissary where you can buy old fashioned root beer at night and play games like they had in the 1830’s

March Campout:

The campout will be this upcoming weekend, March 8-10, at Raccoon Creek State Park in Hookstown, Pennsylvania. It is a 2-hour drive through East Liverpool. The plan has been that the attendees will be divided between the Philmont bound Scouts practicing backpacking skills and the rest of the Scouts remaining in the group campsite. Scouts not attending Philmont but interested in exploring backpacking can accompany the backpackers provided they have the appropriate gear.

Update to the Financial Update:

In last month’s newsletter we reported how increasing costs of Scouting from registration fees, to camping fees to food costs are affecting the Troop’s finances; that the Troop absorbing these increasing costs as it has for the last 6-7 years is becoming unsustainable. A few things mentioned were the Troop developing an annual budget, discussions at the Patrol Leaders Council about being more mindful of how we use our resources, setting budget limits for the food shopping on campouts and raising what we charge to attend campouts. Since last month the Troop Committee has been presented a proposal for creating a tiered pricing system for campouts. Camping at in-Council camps is cheaper than out-of-Council. Camping in State Parks is considerably more expensive than Scout camps. Winter camping where we need to rent a cabin, or two, is more expensive than summer camping. Campouts with activity programs like Klondike, Camporees or Merit Badge classes have additional program costs. The tiered system would take all these factors into consideration when determining the pricing for each campout. Along with budgeting food, it should go a long way in helping reduce what the Troop subsidizes for campouts. Also being looked at more closely is what is spent annually on handbooks, uniform patches, rank patches and especially Merit Badge patches where the Troop buys upwards of a 100 patches after summer camp. Reaching out to legacy Eagle Scouts for donations has been proposed. Yet to be seen in the next year is how the new annual registration program, removing the Troop as the middleman in annual renewals is going to affect the budget. Thank you to the Committee members who are giving of their time and sharing their experience to assure the Troop’s financial health.

Newsletter Items

To add items to the monthly newsletter, contact Natalie at nwill0804@gmail.com.

Scoutmaster News - Elise & Dale

Twenty-three Scouts attended the February Klondike campout. The girls took First Place in Food and Moral Compass. Congratulations ladies!

Thank you to Caroline Davis, our Spaghetti Dinner Chair, and the Spaghetti Dinner committee for the countless hours put into planning and organizing the fundraiser. The dinner was a success. Also, thank you to the parents who donated raffle basket items. Next year’s planning is right around the corner.

The Troop collected approximately $4,500 in Acme Receipts. This is the most the Troop has collected as far back as records go! Since the goal was met, 100% of the receipts will go into the Scouts accounts for those who have turned in the receipts. This will be coming in the next month or two. Thank you, Sarah Eckert, for collecting the receipts from Scouts!

Troop  & OA Ordeal elections are coming on March 12. Scouts who need leadership positions for rank advancement should be thinking about a position they are interested in.

Lisa Blevins will be our new Service Project Chair. She will be scheduling service opportunities in the future. Please stay for upcoming service opportunities tuned!

2024 Scout Summer Camp:

The 2024 Summer Camp will be at Camp Manatoc from July 14 – 20. Registration opens January 29th. This year’s early bird fee, due by April 19th, is $415. Afterwards, the price rises to $425 through July 5th and then the price will be $440 per Scout. The Troop would like to get commitments for summer camp as soon as possible. A $100 deposit per Scout is required for us to honor a commitment.

Merit Badge registration began March 1st. Scouts need to begin thinking about what Merit Badge classes they wish to sign up for.

It’s not too early to turn in updated BSA Health forms which may be found on the Troop’s website. These forms are mandatory for camping.

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

Thanks to all the families who sold tickets and helped to make this successful! A special thanks to the committee who met weekly and donated so much of their time and talents.

Electricity Merit Badge

Brad Mularcik will be conducting classes during Troop meetings for Scouts to earn the Electricity MB on the following dates: March 12, 19, and 26. Please notify Mrs. Nester or Mr. Sroka if you are interested in earning this Merit Badge.

2024 High Adventure - Philmont Trip

  • Dates: June 20 - July 3, 2024.
  • Payments are due monthly in the amount of $300. Please be sure you are current on your payments.

Friends of Scouting:

The Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America serves over 6,000 Scouting families throughout Summit, Portage, Medina, Northern Wayne, Trumbull, and Mahoning Counties. We deliver incredible programs preparing our youth with the skills that develop values, character, leadership, citizenship, team building and fitness. It is our mission to provide these programs to all kids, including inner city and special needs youth.

Friends of Scouting is our annual campaign that supports all youth by helping them become the future leaders of Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley. These funds allow us to conduct leadership training for over 2,000 adult volunteers, provide registration assistance and camperships to address accessibility and financial obstacles, support Eagle Scout service projects and maintain two camps with over 900 acres, $325,000 in program equipment, 3 pools, 3 lakes and numerous cabins and buildings. Help us build the future, donate to Friends of Scouting today!

To offer a better donor experience this year, Great Trail Council has assigned each Unit a unique fundraising site to collect online donations.

For those preferring to text their donation, please text the phrase: buildthefuture to (512) 920-5521. You will then be directed to the main donation page where you will select your Unit.

Troop Reminders

  • The next Troop Committee Meeting will be on March 3, 2024 at 7pm. All are welcome.
  • The next PLC Committee Meeting will be March 5, 2024, at 6 PM.
  • Troop sweatshirts can be purchased for $23. Please see Mrs. Forster if you would like to purchase one.

The Values of Scouting

Scouting is a values-based program with its own code of conduct. The Scout Oath and Law help instill the values of good conduct, respect for others, and honesty. Scouts learn skills that will last a lifetime, including basic outdoor skills, first aid, citizenship skills, leadership skills, and how to get along with others. For almost a century, Scouting has instilled in young people the values and knowledge that they will need to become leaders in their communities and country.

THE SCOUT OATH OR PROMISE
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and
To obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
Mentally awake, and morally straight.

SCOUT MOTTO
Be Prepared

SCOUT SLOGAN
Do a Good Turn Daily

THE SCOUT LAW
A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful,Friendly,
Courteous, Kind, Obediant, Cheerful,
Thrifty, Brave, Clean, Reverent

OUTDOOR CODE
As an American, I will do my best to:
Be clean in my outdoor manners
Be careful with fire
Be considerate in the outdoors, and
Be conservation minded