Some of the fun from Jack Moran's Eagle Court of Honor
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The temperature was in the teens, it was raining/sleeting, and the winds were at a sustained 20mph, and our intrepid Mt. Cardigan Expedition crew was smiling at the thought of a second practice hike. We hike in the 2-foot deep snow on the trails around Houghton's Pond at the Great Blue Hills in Milton, MA. The weather and conditions did pose a challenge for all, but we persevered, and made the 3 mile hike in full packs. On the way back, we stopped to see our own ASM, Mr. Archambault, do a bit of ice climbing at Camp Sayre. That's on the to do list for next year! There are many moment in a Troop's history that makes one proud. Just after the blizzard of 2015, was one of Troop 17's finest moments. We received a call for help from the Mansfield Fire Department and the Mansfield Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to aid in clearing the snow from around Mansfield's fire hydrants. Troop 17 answered that call. Besides the many scouts who helped clear out the hydrants in their own neighborhood, we had 14 Scouts and two leaders from the Troop arrive at the MEMA Emergency Operation Center to clear the downtown's hydrants. Together, with scouts from Troop 51, the Scouts were able to clear 40+ hydrants in the downtown area (including one under a mammoth pile at the corner of East St and Main St.). You can read more about the hydrant clearing in the Mansfield News and The Sun Chronicle 3 feet around & down to the ground! These scouts did this, not for service time, but to just help out our community. We are proud of you, guys! You can read how one snow covered hydrant caused a problem here Every year for approved Star Scouts and above, Troop 17 plans a multi-day trek up the slopes of Mt. Cardigan (in snowshoes, no less). To get ready for the hike, all scouts and leaders have to show their stuff on the treacherous practice hikes - complete with a backpack full of gear. This year, it was back to the Blue Hills, where we did a 5.5 loop on the yellow and red trails, which most closely simulate the Mt. Cardigan terrain. We fought off rocks, slops, and a 35+lb backpack to finish with flying colors. As part of our STEM-themed January, the Patrols were taxed with creating cars using only edible parts. This task tested their creativity, ingenuity, building skills, and their teamwork. As you can see, it was messy, but the races were incredible.
The winner and champion! It's that time of year, again! The Trees came down from Canada, and our Scouts took to that truck like champs. They didn't quite beat the old record, but unloading that many trees in 1:07 hours wasn't too shabby. It probably took longer to get the pine needles out of their hair, clothes and shoes that it did to unload and setup. Thanks to everyone who helped out! Our November trip brought us back to Camp Norse to do a full weekend of COPE. We had done a single day COPE trip last year, and were looking forward to doing much more this year. We were not disappointed! Sure, there was the thrill of the high elements, but the low elements and games really were the stars of the weekend. Nothing but fun and learning here! We'd like to extend a huge thank you to Chad Winship and his COPE team for sacrificing their weekends to help us grow as a team, learn to problem solve, communicate and rise to the challenge! We would recommend a full weekend of COPE to anyone! It made us a stronger troop! At our November 10th Troop meeting, we were honored to have Mr. Earl Mason talk to us about Veterans Day and Mansfield's veterans. Mr. Mason is an Air Force Veteran, Mansfield native. He is also the author of a book, "The Mindset of a Patriot: A Badge of Honor", which provides accounts of Mansfield's fallen veterans from World War I to the Vietnam War. Mr. Mason graciously gave his time to help our scouts learn a little more about what Veteran's Day really means. Thank you, Mr. Mason! This was a real adventure -- the kind you only see in the pages of Boy's Life magazine! Scouts from Troop 17 ventured to Quincy Quarries in Quincy Mass. to take on the challenge of bouldering, climbing, rappelling and ascending. These Scouts were guided by a great team of Climbing instructors, lead by our own ASM Mr, Archambault. His team laid out challenges that had to be seen to be believed, including a free-rappel and a rope ascension that would challenge any Scout. Our guys eagerly explored all of the challenges, and showed what true adventure looks like! Our September Court of Honor rank in a new Scout Year, and a new PLC. Evan G (SPL), Patrick D and Ben M. (ASPLs) officially installed as our Troops new leadership, along with the eight new Patrol Leaders. We also had a cavalcade of merit badges and rank advancements, as Summer Camp achievements were celebrated. Congratulations to all! |
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