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Dear Scouts, Parents, and Leaders
With the Executive Orders and permissions from the Michigan Crossroads Council, 179 members can start to meet again! Here are some important dates and highlights:
Comments and Concerns:
Troop and Crew 179 belong to all of us. The Scouts, Parents, and Leaders always have a say in the way we are doing things and should bring up any questions or concerns they have with our key leaders. This is the best way to make changes in the programs, policies, or procedures, that come together to make Scouting a safe place for all our Scouts and Venturers. By contacting our key leaders first we can get the best information we need to give our full attention to correcting any concerns you have. Please feel free to address any and all concerns with one or multiple of the Key Leaders. Our Key Leaders are:
Troop Meetings
We will start back to meeting live, outdoors, at the First Presbyterian Church
- June 30 (this Tuesday) is a Patrol Leader's Council meeting on ZOOM
- July 7 & 28 in person outdoor meeting at Presbyterian Church
- August 4 Patrol Leader's Council on ZOOM
- August 25 Annual Parents Meeting probably on ZOOM
- September 1 in person Troop Youth Election Night
179 Amazing Summer Activities
Time to Build Your Adventure
Return to Scouting Camp
July 10, 11, & 12, 2020, Kensington Metropark Group Camp, Camp Leader: Chuck Williams
At this, our first post Covid camp our plans are to chiefly just go camping. Everything will be done in small Patrol sized groups. We will socially distance as best as we can. We will be testing many of the Covid fighting procedures to see if they need tweaking going forward. The new Scouts will work on requirements for Second Class. Traditional Scouts will continue to meet with counselors on the Merit Badges they have been working on for the past few meetings. The cost for this weekend is the usual $40.00 per Scout or Venturer. REGISTER TODAY!
Summer Camp
July 29 thru August 2, 2020, Island Lake State Park, Camp Leader: Chuck Williams
Summer camp is a required part of the Scout curriculum and we strongly recommend it for all Scouts no matter of their tenure or rank. Although with Covid we have had a bit of a setback and in the new rules the camp must be kept to 5 days, Summer Camp is still relevant and an important part of the Scouting Program. When we think about Scouting's goals of High Character, Good Citizens, Personal Fitness, and Leadership, Summer Camp is our best event to reinforce and help strengthen our Scout and Venturers in these characteristics. Some of the best Features at Summer Camp will include a Troop Campfire, a night of Games for everyone planed by our Venturers, the Annual Troop Party planned by our Paul Bunyan Members and the Amazing Race. Along with that, Summer Camp is the funnest week of the year! The cost is $75.00 per Scout; we need to register all Scouts NOW! Please register as soon as you make up your mind so we can start making arrangements for each Scout that will be there.
Mackinac Island Family Camp
August 21, 22, & 23, 2020, Wilderness State Park, Carp Lake, Michigan. Camp Leader: Chuck Williams
In August we will hold a Family Camp at the beautiful Wilderness State Park. We will tour Mackinac Island on Saturday. Troop will tent camp in the Group Use Area, families welcome to tent with us or make a reservation in the RV camping area, or stay at one of the numerous hotels in the Mackinaw City. The cost is $40.00 for Scouts, Venturers, siblings, parents and leaders; children 5 and under are free. Included is the Food, Ferry Ride and your choice of a Fort Pass or ticket to bring your bike to Mackinac Island.
At Troop Meetings and Gatherings - To return to Scouting meetings we will have a few new features. Upon arriving each person will be asked to have the Covid Current Health Questioner with them and they will have their temperature taken, there will be hand sanitizer present and each person will be required to use it as they come into the meeting area. Scouts and Leaders should social distance from one another while at the meeting, leaders should be watching the youth at all times to keep their distance. Masks will be required even though we are outside, however you can remove your mask when you are more than six feet from anyone else. While we may all be meeting at the church all program will be patrol based and there will be a large distance of space from one patrol to the other. All in-person meetings are scheduled to be outdoors until at least September.
While Camping -
- Transportation: Car pooling is not recommended at this time so Scouts will need to arrive and leave camps with a parent (preferably the same parent), we are hopeful that this will change by Summer Camp, but it is the current rule we have.
 Health Testing: Arriving at an overnight activity is much the same as arriving at a meeting. You will be given specified times to arrive at the camp where you will first have a health check screening consisting of each person turning in the Covid Current Health Questioner and they will have their temperature taken, there will be hand sanitizer present and each person will be required to use while entering. Parents are asked to stay in their cars until their Scout is released (if our health staff says a Scout can't be released you may need to take them home with you). Once the Scout is released parents not staying may return home. Our Health Staff will continue to test the Scouts throughout the time we are together to make sure a Scouts health doesn't change.- Personal Protection Equipment: On overnight camps Masks will be required even though we are outside, however you can remove your mask when you are more than six feet from anyone else from another patrol. Gloves are optional, each patrol site will be supplied with Hand Sanitizer and a hand washing station at all times and Scouts will be encouraged to use them.
- Social Distancing: We are viewing the "patrol" much like the "family" at home. Once released Scouts should keep their distance from one another in their patrol but should be able to work together. A member of one patrol however, should not come any closer than six feet to a person from another patrol. All activities will be patrol based so mixing with other members of other patrols should not be common.
- Tenting: Each parent will have two options, the first is to have their Scout sleep in their own tent, and the second is for two Scouts from the same patrol share a tent. Those Scouts that choose to share a tent should set up their bed rolls in the tent so that the first Scout's head is on one end of the tent and the other Scout's head is at the opposite end of the tent. The reason we like two Scouts to a tent is that the two buddies can watch after each other during the night, we do however believe that if you are more comfortable that your Scout is alone in a tent we can be sure that the Scouts buddy is in the tent next door.
- Food Service: We will continue to use Patrol Cooking. Our leaders will remain even more diligent during meal times to maintain food safety protocols which includes lots of hand washing, the use of disposable gloves and the Scouts working on the cooking will be required to wear their face mask during the meal.
Required Forms and Procedures for both Meetings and Camps -
 All individuals who believe they may have been exposed to Coronavirus must quarantine for 14-days prior to participating in any troop activities, service projects or meetings.- Health Forms: The troop is requiring a new and update Part A & B Medical form of each participant regardless of when you last turned one in. Please fill a new one out and bring it with you to our first meeting on July 7, 2020. You do not have to include Part C which is the part that requires a physician's signature. Download A & B Form Here!
- Supplemental Medical Permission Forms: Prior to participating in any in-person activities, service projects, and/or meetings individuals at higher risk of severe illness due to pulmonary or other conditions outlined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and adults over age 60, (a) must consult with their physician and (b) have their physician complete and sign the Council’s Supplemental Medical Permission. These individuals may as well fill out Part C Medical form and have the physician sign it as well (although it is not required) Download Supplemental Form Here! — Download A,B & C Health Form Here!
- Youth and Adult Waiver Forms: We should all understand that Scouting Activities and Events can be dangerous, can entail substantial risk. The Michigan Crossroads Council would like you to also understand that at this time we are all living with the risk of contracting Covid-19. Any and all persons attending any in-person activities, service projects, and/or meetings are being asked to sign a waiver and release of the Michigan Crossroads Council, the Boy Scouts of America, the First Presbyterian Church of Farmington and the volunteers of Troop and Crew 179 from any Covid related illness that may happen even after doing our best to prevent it. Download Youth Form Here! — Download Adult Form Here!
That is it for our current plans and procedures for returning to Scouting. Many long hours have been put into these procedures by both Council and Troop/Crew 179 and we appreciate the help and cooperation of all our parents in filling out surveys to help us in making our decisions.
Looking Forward To Next Year
Election Night
Tuesday, September 1, 2020, 7:15 pm, First Presbyterian Church, full Class A Field Uniforms
At this meeting we will hold our start of year youth elections for the positions of Senior Patrol Leader, Venturing President, and Patrol Leaders. The Scouts elected to these positions will then appoint Scouts to the other positions to help them in running their program. There will undoubtedly be some shifting around with the patrol members. On this night every Scout needs to plan to be at the meeting not only to vote, but if wanting a leadership position, to voice their desire. Scouts wanting to run for Senior Patrol Leader must announce their intention to run by writing an email to Scoutmaster Chuck Williams (179chuck@gmaI.com). Those Venturers wanting to run for the position of Venturing President must drop an email to Venturing Adviser Greg Stevens (gsteven6@sbcglobal.net). We will also be selecting our new
2021 National Jamboree
July 18 thru July 30, 2021, Summit Bechtel Reserve, West Virginia. Contingent Scoutmaster: Greg Hooker
The 2021 National Jamboree has been postponed. We will post news as we here it.
I look forward to seeing everyone,
Scoutmaster Chuck Williams
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