9/11 Ceremony

Each year we remember the terrible events of 9/11 and honor those who died that day with a memorial ceremony on Sunny Slopes.

We will meet in the parking lot at Windover Hills at 6:00 PM. Please wear your Class A Uniform with uniform pants or jeans and your merit badge sash. We will be taking part in the ceremony and handing grommets from retired flags to veterans. 

Star Party

September 7-9, Troop 510 will be attending a Star Party at the Mingo Park Observatory. We will be camping this weekend at Mingo's designated BSA camping area just south of the observatory.

What will you do all day while the sun is out?

Mingo has an American Ninja Course, a trout stream, and two waterfalls. There is also a 7 mile hike with a 1300' elevation gain. That would cover the Second Class Hiking Requirement and a specialty night for your Camping Merit Badge.

Scouts interested in the Astronomy Merit Badge can see Mr. Bove before or during the campout to get a blue card and a merit badge workbook. 

Astronomy Merit Badge Pamphlet

Wild Card Camp Out

September is a busy month for OA members and whatever it is that they do when they get together.

For the rest of us who are not Arrowmen, there is still good weather for camping before school starts and the temperatures drop.

Talk to your patrol leader and let them know what you would like to do in September. It could be based around fishing, canoeing, or an inside event like an escape room or game night.

Come up with some ideas and have your patrol leader present them at the Patrol Leaders Counsel.

This is how boys lead a troop!

Aquatics Awards

In addition to aquatic related merit badges, there are six BSA Aquatic Awards that can be earned. Four of these awards can be earned at summer camp.  

The patch is worn on your swim trunks or you can display it on a red vest or blanket.

Ask an adult leader for more information on earning one of the Aquatic Awards.

Flag Retirement Ceremony

Boy Scouts are among the few groups that have been granted the privilege to retire American Flags at the end of their service. We are also fortunate enough to have a place to retire flags in a deserving manner. The flag retirement plaza is usually overflowing with tattered and worn flags. The grommets of large flags are removed and given to veterans.

Water

The ability to stay hydrated is essential for survival. You need to drink water throughout the day to keep your self from dehydrating. It is always a good idea to bring a bottle of water with you in the woods.  At Troop and counsel events there is always plenty of clean water around, but what about water that we see out in the wild.

Water from creeks, ponds, streams, or any unknown source is always assumed to be unclean.  If you must resort to drinking stream water, it must be made safe somehow.  The most reliable method to make water safe to drink is by boiling it.  Any bacteria or parasites  will be rendered harmless by boiling.  

There are other methods to make water safe to drink.

Filtering - A water filter like a "life straw" will filter out almost everything harmful

UV Light - This kind of light will kill microorganisms. This treatment requires clear water to be effective.

Iodine Tablets - These are tablets of a chemical that will make water safe to drink. They require time to work completely and may make water taste funny.

CDC's Drinking Water Fact Sheet

Snakes

Warm weather will bring snakes out of their dens and into the woods where you are hiking.

Of all the reptiles you might encounter in our woods, only a few are poisonous. No Pennsylvania turtles or lizards are poisonous and only three snakes.  They are: the copperhead, the timber rattler and the massasauga.  These snakes are called "Pit Vipers".  If you are bitten by a snake it is important to remain calm and get medical attention. Even a non-poisonous snake bite will require aid and may require a tetanus shot. Doctors suggest that so-called snake bite kits that "extract the venom" actually do more harm than good.  A cell phone is your best first aid for a snake bite.  

Here is a copperhead.  It does not have a rattle. Copperheads are not usually aggressive and bites rarely result in death. They are sometimes called "upland moccasins".  This is the poisonous snake that you are most likely to see.

Here is a timber rattlesnake. These snakes are distributed throughout our state.

Due to the its long fangs overall size and venom capacity, this is our states most dangerous snake.

The conservation status of the Timber Rattler is "least concern"

Here is a massasauga. This snake is only found in a small section of Western Pennsylvania. It is endangered in our state and it is unlikely you would encounter one.

Penn State has a pamphlet about snakes that can be downloaded here:

Snakes

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will mail you a free snake poster that is filled with information - A Scout is Thrifty! Click the link below to go to their web site.

http://fishandboat.com/promo/form/pubs_free.htm