We are planning on starting up normal monthly campouts again.  The campout will be subject to possible changes if coronavirus conditions change.

Attached is a flyer for the upcoming August Canoeing Campout – August 21 to 23.  The Troop will be canoeing on the Brazos river, so it should be a fun adventure. Please download and fill out the campout permission slip.

To ensure we have enough canoes reserved, we will be having Money Monday on Monday, August 3. Because we have to reserve canoes ahead of time, there will be no guarantee of being able to add Scouts to the headcount after Money Monday.

Here’s the description of the trip.

The craggy cliffs and boulders seem to echo the historic past of the Brazos. Named by the Spanish “Brazos de Dios” meaning Arms of God. This descriptive name is suitable because of the great spread of tributaries. After the Spanish came the Comanches, who ruled the river banks until the 1800s.

Generally regarded as one of the most scenic sections of the Brazos River in North Texas is the 20 miles between Texas 16 and 4 in Palo Pinto County. Beginning in Stonewall County where Double Mountain Fork and Salt Fork join, the Brazos River picks up its Clear Fork in Young County, Texas. Approximately 840 miles long, the Brazos River meanders south through Texas until it dumps into the Gulf of Mexico near Freeport, Texas, in Brazoria County.

Our ten-mile trip is a favorite for families and small groups that don’t want to spend the night on the river but still desire the experience of a solid Brazos River canoe or kayak trip. “The One Day” allows you to get your feet wet with a quick take-out point at Hart Bend, downriver from the put in sight at Rochelle’s Canoe Rental off Highway 4.

There are many photogenic spots, especially the rocky sections of Garland and Chick Bend, or the small exciting rapids. Enjoy lunch on the river and a quick dip to keep cool. Plus Campfire, skits, and songs back at Worth Ranch to close out the fun. Be glad you did not say “I cannot go.”

There is a light at the end of the quarantine/shutdown tunnel! After three months of major disruptions to life as we know it, our state and country are slowly opening back up businesses, churches, social gatherings, and most importantly in this forum, scouting. While the social adjustments from COVID-19 have caused some major interruption to this year’s scouting program, we are actively preparing for a return to meetings, activities and outdoor events.

Our plan, barring any changes at our chartering organization (the RLC), is to resume in-person meetings on June 15th. We are planning for that expectation, and want to encourage everyone to be there to enjoy treats, games, and the fellowship of scouting after a long unplanned break. If that reopening date changes, we will adjust and make sure everyone is informed. While we have received guidance from Circle Ten Council regarding guidelines for meetings, they are subordinate to guidelines our chartering organization will issue.

While some scouting summer activities have been completely canceled (Philmont 2020 treks have been canceled, Longhorn Council camps are closed), our summer camp schedule has been able to adjust to the challenges of this year, and stay on the calendar. Camp Orr, where we are camping this summer, is open and hosting scouts.

Obviously, there will be adjustments to the normal operating procedure to accommodate proper social distancing and safety, but we are still a go for the week of July 5th through the 11th. If you haven’t started making sure you have everything you need for summer camp, now is the time to get on it. Be on the lookout … we’ll be sending out a summer camp pack list, self-check form and more to help summer campers prep for July.

I am especially proud to announce a few advancements that have been accomplished during the past month. We have had two scouts complete their Star rank: Robert Ramsey and Kevin Leslie. Everyone make sure to congratulate them and give them a big T1000 “Way Hay!!” when you see them.

I am also extremely happy to tell you we have had an Eagle Scout award during the past month. Lucas Skeans weathered the disruptions of COVID-19, persevered through the evolving shutdown and social
distancing guidance due to the shutdown, and completed his Eagle Board of Review.

His project involved collecting donations, training scouts, building cholera prevention kits, and working with a global charity to get those kits to Haiti where the need for them is greatest. I’m very proud of Lucas and very happy to see him accomplish the fulfillment of this part of his scouting journey. As we all know, Eagle Scout is not the end of the scouting journey, but rather the beginning of a new chapter in it.

As we return to the “normal” ahead of us, be looking for updates and information from both scout and adult leadership. It has been a very interesting three months, and while we haven’t been able to experience the scouting program we want during that time, I know there is a lot of scouting yet to be enjoyed this year.

YIS,
Gavain McDonald
Scoutmaster, Troop 1000, Plano

About the Cards

• Cards sell for $10; $5 goes to the scout
• Each card has three single-use, tear-off coupons, and the remaining card has reusable discounts
  • Single-use: $10 off $100 at Tom Thumb or Albertson’s, $10 off $50 at Dick’s Sporting goods, and a free cheese fries with a purchase at Snuffers Discounts
  • Repeatable: includes Schlotzky’s (free chips & drink w sandwich), Sonic (BOGO burger or hot dog), El Chico’s $2 off 10, Sports Clips $2 off, Texas Rangers, Mesquite Rodeo, Medieval Times, a few others. No Whataburger this year, no Wendy’s.
• Good until the end of the year, except the grocery one thru the end of June.

About sales

• Camp cards need to be returned to Lindsay Dreher no later than June 23rd. Any camp cards that are not returned by that date will be considered sold and will need to be paid for.
• Scouts can take cards to sell individually, and/or attend scheduled sales in front of stores.
• At first, the district only allows us to schedule one sale in front of Dick’s (Fri, Sat, Sun only in March and April), and two in front of Tom Thumb (all days in April except Easter weekend); other slots usually come available in the future. It is strategic to grab the earliest dates as your guaranteed slots and grab later dates as the district frees them up.
• If you have connections or suggestions about other stores that might be open to sales, please contact Lindsay. The more locations and sales, the better.
• Up to 4 scouts can sell at each sale; one registered parent or leader (besides me) will need to attend to adhere to two-deep leadership, but will not need to participate (ie, bring a chair and a book).
• If taking cards to sell:
  • The cards or the equivalent in money must be returned to Lindsay Dreher by April 26 (but can be turned in earlier). eg: If you take 10 cards, you must return 10 cards, or return $100, or return $70 plus 3 cards, etc.
  • Additional cards can be checked out as needed and we can get more from the district; there is no limit to how many you can sell.
  • Broken cards cannot be returned, so don’t tear off the end strips.
  • If you accept checks, please have them written out to Troop 1000 and bring them to the
  • next troop meeting so that they can be cashed in a timely manner.
  • For every 25 cards sold, the scout is eligible to enter a drawing. Please notify me if your scout sells a multiple of 25 cards, so I can submit their entry form.

Questions? Contact Lindsay Dreher.

Troop 1000 Scouts and Scouters,

Please use this packing list for future practice sessions. We will practice rain or shine or sleet or snow or locusts or… It’s Philmont!!!

T1000 Clothes Closet is open every month on Money Monday to sell new items, as well as accept and distribute gently used Scout uniforms and equipment.

Here’s the list of Clothes Closet items for sale. We’re now selling socks for $8 a pair. We have a selection of sizes in the crew and ankle lengths. We carry regular and dry-fit t-shirts. Same price.

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Troop 1000 follows PISD’s recommendations when it comes to canceling meetings. When PISD cancels school and after-school events, we will cancel our meeting.

When there is no school, such as Martin Luther King. Jr. holiday, the Troop will make a decision 30 to 60 minutes before a meeting. Then we will send a cancelation notice through Twitter.

If you don’t receive the Twitter notices, this is a good time to do that. You don’t have to be a Twitter user to get the notifications. Here are the instructions on how to get Tweets from Plano @Troop1000.

PISD Inclement Weather Information

Check with one of the following sources of information to obtain accurate information.

Closings for inclement weather are posted on the district’s home page at www.pisd.edu (under the scrolling photos) as soon as the decision to close schools has been made. Notification is also made through the following communication tools in addition to our homepage announcement.

Social media

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/PlanoISD
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/Plano_Schools

Messages will immediately be posted to these pages. You do not have to sign up for Facebook or Twitter to view the pages.

Major television stations

• KDFW – Channel 4;
• KXAS – Channel 5;
• WFAA – Channel 8;
• KTVT – Channel 11,
• UPN 21;
• KDAF – WB33,
• News – Channel 33;
• Channel 99, Time Warner Cable (PISD Station).

Major radio stations

• KERA (90.1)
• KRLD (1080 AM)
• KVIL (103.7 FM)
• WBAP (820 AM)

It is that time of year again to update your son’s and the troop adult medical forms. Please turn in Parts A & B immediately along with a new or updated Troop Medication Forms. You can find the forms at http://t1000.org/medical-forms.

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