Automotive Maintenance Merit Badge

 

Who: Scouts in Troop 2000 and Troop 270 wanting to earn the Automotive Maintenance Merit Badge

When: Saturday, February 19th, 2022, 8:30am to 3pm

Ski Trip & Snow Sports Merit Badge

Troops 2000 and Troop 270 are planning a ski trip to Chestnut Mountain in Galena, IL on January 17 (ICCSD no school for MLK day). In addition, the Snow Sports Merit Badge will be offered for anyone that wants to earn it - hosted by MBC Clark Adams with his Scouts Caden and Audrey instructing. 

 

Date: Monday, January 17, 2022. Meet at First Christian Church at 7:00 AM sharp.

We will leave Chestnut Mountain around 5:30PM and deliver the Scouts home early evening.

 

Cooking Merit Badge at Eastman Lodge

 

Come hungry to this January 21-23 campout at Eastman Lodge in Nauvoo, IL as we work on the Cooking Merit Badge. Choose to sleep outdoors or inside the lodge, but only nights spent outside count toward requirements for rank advancement, camping merit badge, or Order of the Arrow. Activities this weekend will include trail cooking on short hikes, camp cooking, board games, and an evening movie projected inside the lodge. 

2021 Cardboard Campout

Put your camping and winter survival skills to the test. We'll be at the Kent Park Youth Camp. Sleep outside or in the lodge, the choice is yours. Build a sleeping shelter out of cardboard. Note, A night spent outside counts as a night of camping for Order of the Arrow, rank advancement, and Camping Merit Badge purposes. A night spent in the lodge does not count for any of those things. The deadline to register is Dec 4th.

November 12-14, Webelos Invitational Campout 2021

Troop 2000 will host their Webelos Invitational Campout 2021 for local Arrow of Light dens to experience a fun-filled camping experience. All Webelos II (or any boy in 5th grade) and parent(s) are welcome to see what Troop 2000 is all about and experience the patrol method in action. Scouts and webelos will work through a series of skills stations, participate in a group service project, and learn more about Scouts BSA Patrols and Troops. The majority of the Arrow of Light Scouting Adventure can be completed at this event.  By teaching/leading the Webelos, Scouts have the opportunity to complete several rank (Tenderfoot 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d; Second Class 2b, 2c, 3g; and/or First Class 3d, 7a, 7b) requirements and/or Communication Merit Badge requirements (6 or 8). If interested in teaching/leading any of these rank or merit badge requirements, email justin.meyer@live.com.  Troop 2000 needs several adults and scouts to participate in this all-hands-on-deck event in order to showcase our troop well!

River Valley Merit Badge College Nov 6th

The River Valley Merit Badge College is coming up on November 6, 2021. Please register ASAP to get your choice of merit badges, the deadline to register is October 27. The Troop will register as a group. 

Fall Camporee, October 1-3

 Come join your fellow scouts at Cedar Valley County Park for a nice day of Camporee fun! Archery, tomahawks, leatherworking, branding, knot tying and so much more! We need two-deep adult leadership in order for our Troop to participate. If we have at least two adults, there are options to camp Friday and Saturday nights - or an option to participate in the programming only, which is on Saturday. The cost for the weekend is $15 for Saturday programming only (youth and adults), or $30 for programming plus camping all weekend for youth and $20 for adults. The deadline to register is September 22.

September Archery Campout

The September troop outing includes both Archery merit badge and an opportunity for service to Cub Scouts! September 17-19 we'll be staying at Falcon campsite at Howard H. Cherry Scout Reservation. Also happening at camp that weekend is Operation STEAM - an event for Cub Scouts. We'll be running the archery range for the cubs from 9-3. Whenever it isn't busy, we can shoot. We'll also be able to shoot after 3. Hopefully, those that want to work on the merit badge will be able to shoot the targets they need that weekend. We'll also cover as much of the other material as we have time for and will be able to wrap that up later as needed.

 Blackbeards 2022 Scuba Survey

This survey is to determine initial interest in the Troop 2000 Scuba High Adventure for the summer of 2022. It is non-binding at this point, but will assist in planning. We've put a deposit on the whole boat sailing July 23, 2022 from Nassau in the Bahamas. If you're not already certified, you would need to be by then if you want to dive (DiVentures is a great option). The ballpark cost on that would be $600. If you're not, you could still attend and snorkel. The overall cost of the trip will depend on airfare but would be around $2,200. Parents and siblings can also attend. There are 18 bunks on the boat (rumor has it you could fit 2 on some of them, but...). Scouts need to be 14 or older on 7/23/22 to attend without a parent.

Here is a link to a flyer for the group that just returned from there: Venturing Crew 2016 Iowa City / Coralville , Iowa: Blackbeard's Scuba Diving Trip July 30th to August 6th, 2021 (crew2016bsa.blogspot.com)

Here is a link to the Blackbeards website: https://allstarliveaboards.com/blackbeards-liveaboard-diving/ 

To express an interest in this trip, please fill out the following survey:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf70lcNAneEwyYkOLsL2MjBNOzv3NV_apnVy1GKpqRnXdNSpQ/viewform

Twelve Points Festival

 

Twelve Points Festival, at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, is a celebration for Hawkeye Area Council. The event is to recognize all of the Eagle Scouts and other award recipients from the last two years. There will be several events at the festival you can check out outside of your shift, such as archery, BB guns, and crafts.  

If any scouts (and adults) are looking for an hour of service on July 18 between 10am-4pm, Troop 2000 will be cooking hot dogs, hamburgers, and veggie kabobs for those attending.  Sign up for a time slot here: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EhOQlOErqVT3YMRkF_MrGcQ8EweSLELao5ByNvLabPM/edit?usp=sharing

4th of July Parade

At the 4th of July Parade in Coralville, Iowa scouts have the opportunity to march at the front of the parade carrying the flags. Our troop, along with two others, are asking for Scouts to sign up and take part. We will need 4 or 5 to carry flags and the rest will switch out so one person doesn't have to carry a one flag the whole time. The scouts will be able to march with the flags to show good community spirit, the solidity of our Scout program, participation, and leadership. Each troop can carry their own troop flag as a part of this procession and the front of the Parade.

Isle Royale Shakedown Campout

Scouts who are participating in the Troop's 2021 High Adventure to Isle Royale will be completing their first "shakedown" June 11 - June 13 at Backbone State Park. Shakedowns are intended to not only be a conditioning exercise but also give individuals the opportunity to “shake out” equipment that they may or may not need. 

Grant Pilgrimage, August 27-29

                                     

Over 4000 Scouts and Scouters from multiple states will arrive in Galena, IL for the U.S. Grant Pilgrimage on August 27-29 where they will take in a historic trail hike, visit Grant's home and many other historic sites of national prominence. (COVID precautions in place at that time from the CDC will be adhered to, in addition to any from the Pilgrimage organizers.) Participants can interact with impersonators of the original nine Generals of Galena, take in a Civil War skirmish on the banks of the Galena River as well as visit the Civil War encampment to see how soldiers lived. Other interesting sites and activities include numerous museums, shops, parks, patch trading, a blacksmith shop, a woodcarver, a potter, and fur trader. T2K has a campsite reservation for this event at Canyon Camp in Stockton, IL.   If you’re someone who likes details, the U.S. Grant Pilgrimage Leader’s Guide explains many aspects of the entire weekend.

Camp Eastman, July 11-17

Want to do another week at Summer Camp or the June week at HHSCR didn’t work for you?  Head to Camp Eastman (Nauvoo, Illinois) July 11-17 where our Scoutmaster, Trent Hancock, will lead the Provisional Troop.  The Provisional Troop welcomes any Scouts registered for camp who aren’t attending with their own units.  There are already a few T2K Scouts signed up for the provo troop during this week. First-time campers are highly encouraged to sign-up for the First Year Camper Program, where they will complete several early rank requirements.  Cost is $325 per scout.

Check merit badge offerings here: https://www.mississippivalleybsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-CE-Merit-Badge-Schedule.pdf

Full information about camp here: https://www.mississippivalleybsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Scouts-BSA-Camp-Leaders-Guide.pdf 

Scouts register individually on Camp Eastman’s website: https://registration.mississippivalleybsa.org/summer-camp/login 

 

First Aid Merit Badge Workshop

Troop 2000 will be offering Scouts the opportunity to earn the First Aid Merit Badge - plus - the Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class first aid rank requirements related to this badge. It is highly suggested that any Scout that does not already have this badge to seriously consider this opportunity including brand new scouts just joining the troop. 

Summer Camp 2021 Howard H. Cherry

Registration is open for summer camp. Troop 2000 will be attending Howard H. Cherry Scout Reservation the week of June 20 - June 26. The base cost is $290 if you sign up by 4/29 (troop deadline). Base increases to $315 until 5/14. After that it is $340. You will have to have enough funds in your Scoutbucks account in advance of the troop registering you. Checks can be sent to our treasurer if there isn't enough there (more info on registration form).

May Climbing Campout

 

The troop will be traveling to Savanna, Illinois May 14-16, 2021. We will be working on the Climbing merit badge through a 6 hour program on Saturday.

  

Cedar Rapids MBU

If you're interested in attending the virtual Cedar Rapids MBU being put on by Boy Scout Troop 37, please check this out.

Lake Darling Campout | April 16 - 18

Our April campout will be at Lake Darling State Park. The main activity for this weekend will be a 10 mile hike on the lake’s main trail loop. Other camp activities could be planned for non-hikers who remain at camp if we have enough adult support; a shorter hike distance for example. Scouts using this 10 mile hike for their Hiking MB will need to submit a hiking plan to their MB counselor.  

Exploratory Survey - Watershed Awareness River Expedition (July 11-16)

 

Troop 2000 is opening an “exploratory survey” to see who may be interested in participating in a watershed awareness river expedition (Iowa Project Aware). The goal of the survey is to only determine interest and scale of planning.  By submitting this survey you are indicating you are both “available” July 11-16 and “interested” in participating. However, this survey does not commit you to the activity.