Next weekend, the Scouts of Troop 85 will be camping at Comer Scout Reservation and hiking the trails of DeSoto State Park in Northern Alabama.  Because of COVID contact tracing we have two (possibly three) adults and five Scouts attending.  A small group, but they should have a great weekend.  On that note, I should say that it is extremely disappointing that some people simply refuse to register, or send their regrets for our events.  Obviously, there is no undestanding, or simply a lack of caring for what it takes to plan these events.  The simple courtesy of registering or sending regrets really could take the guess work out of this equation and potentially save the Troop money.  Please see the details for the weekend on the Troop Calendar.  Simply click on the event and the details will show.

Hello everyone!  I hope everyone has faired well during this holiday season.  I want to wish everyone a happy and most prosperous of New Year.  I also hope everyone is ready to get back at it.  This is the first eBlast of 2021 and I know everyone is wishing for a return to some normality this year.  That nasty little COVID bug is still lurking out there and we will continue to exercise the necessary precautions to insure our families and program is safe.

So, Recharter is over.  We have registered with 10 Scouts, 16 adults, 100% Youth Protection Trained and we have almost completed the Introduction to Leadership Skills for a Troop (ILST).  All required Adult Leaders are trained and most of the committee has completed their training requirements.  And at the end of the day we received a Gold rating for our accomplishment.  This has been an exciting year for Troop 85 considering the restrictions imposed by the COVID Apocalypse.

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and is working diligently to remove that excess, unwanted extra pounds put on by overindulging in your favorite culinary delights. I also hope everyone is preparing for the cold spell about to hit us this coming Monday.  We are in for a chilly week.  Temperatures here on the Northshore will be in the 20s at night.  Please do not forget to protect your pipes, plants, and pets, and not necessarily in that order.

A Thanksgiving message,

Even with all the chaos 2020 has presented us with, there is still so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I would even argue one of the greatest gifts this challenging year has given us was a new perspective on the things we’ve been taking for granted all this time!

Just a few reminders.  Next Saturday and Sunday the Scouts will be camping at the Garveys property off Million Dollar Road.  The Scouts will be finalizing their plans for the weekend at Tuesdays meeting.  Registration is open.  The only costs for the event is $10.50 for meals.