Are you signed up for the Orange County Council’s weekly e-newsletter??  Do you know which OC Troops are offering merit badge days??  If not, you may be missing some important opportunities and information about what is going on in the Orange County Scout community.  Signing up is free and only takes a seconds!  If you interested in getting this informative newsletter, please visit the OCBSA home page to sign up!

Interested in Attending a Military College?

Join Congressman Gary Miller for a

 

Service Academy Night

 

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Nixon Presidential Library, East Room

18001 Yorba Linda Blvd

Yorba Linda, CA 92886

7:00 p.m.

 

Learn about the congressional nomination process, requirements for admission and meet the representatives from the five service academies:

 

Military Academy, West Point, NY

Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD

Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO

Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY

Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT

 

For information or to RSVP please call: 714-257-1142

The Orange County BSA Council in conjunction with the Irvine Outdoor Education Center (aka “The Ranch”) has announced a list of merit badge days for 2011-12.  Please check out our Troop website for more details (click here).

Date: Sunday, September 11 (note: Change in Date)
Cost: Boy Scout (Any age) $33.50
Kids (Ages 3-11) $33.50
Adults (12 and over) $40.50
All includes chicken box lunch. This fee includes Merit Badge Day and all-day park admission to 10:00 p.m. Registration is via a Knott’s website.

The Boy Scout Railroading Merit Badge Day includes presentations and activities that will fulfill the requirements for Boy Scouts to earn the Railroading Merit Badge.

Registration is available to the first 500 participants (including leaders and guardians). To attend, you must be an active member of a Boy Scout Troop, Team, Ship or Crew. Adults attending must be a Troop leader or a guardian of an attending Scout. Registrants will be provided wristbands on the day of the event, which will provide them private access to the Roundhouse and a Parlor Car and Business Car – vintage 1880s, which are not normally open to the public. The Knott’s chicken box lunch is included in the price of admission.

Event Schedule
Check-in: at 8:30 a.m. sharp. Each Scout will be assigned to one of seven Patrols.
Activities: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Each Patrol will rotate, Round-Robin style, through requirements 2 through 8 in 30 minute sessions. Requirement 1a, 1b, and 1c are prerequisites and must be completed before arriving at Knott’s Berry Farm.

All of the details are on the Railroading Merit Badge Day at Knott’s Berry Farm website at: http://training.counciltraining.net/knotts

More questions? Contact Dave Exter at: davidexter@ca.rr.com

This community event is sponsored by the Orange County Transit Authority, Knott’s Berry Farm and the Orange County Council – Boy Scouts of America.

Beware Of Poisonous Poodle-Dog Bush, Officials Warn

Campers, hikers, emergency crews and park rangers are learning the hard way about a little-known poisonous plant that has painted the hillsides of the Angeles National Forest a lovely lavender this summer: the poodle-dog bush. A species of plant that thrives in areas scorched by wildfire, the lavender-flowered Turricula parryi packs a bite. Skin contact can cause rashes, blisters, swelling and general irritation.

The plant appears only periodically and is frequently mistaken for lupine, which also has purple flowers. Fields of poodle-dog wend between the blackened skeletons of burnt trees and throughout much of the 250 square miles that were razed by the largest wildfire in Los Angeles County history.

Terry Young, a biologist who has studied animals and plants in the San Gabriel Mountains, said many of California’s native plants are toxic. And many germinate only after an event that would be considered destructive to humans, animals and other plants — such as a flash flood or a wildfire.

Those who tangle with poodle-dog say the experience is similar to handling poison oak, but you probably won’t find any warnings about it in a Boy Scout field manual. They also say it’s not an experience you’re likely to forget.

People going into the Angeles National Forest (or other areas burned by fire recently) are advised to wear long pants and shirts with long sleeves and avoid to walking through these flowers, no matter how inviting they may look.

Congressman Ed Royce (Fullerton) – The military service academies offer an excellent education and a great opportunity for qualified students. The appointment process is very detailed, highly selective and based on a candidate’s academic achievement, athletic ability, extra-curricular activities and community service. To learn more about the application process, please contact Rep. Royce in his Orange office at (714) 744-4130. Throughout the year Rep. Royce and his staff hold events for students who are interested in attending one of the academies. For more information, please visit our website Scout Resources page under the Resources tab.

Due to the recent fire conditions and poor air quality in Chino Hills Carbon Canyon, the hike scheduled for Saturday, July 9th has been cancelled.   I apologize for the inconvenience, but the safety of our boys is important to us.

Yours in Scouting,

Troopmaster Larry T.

Camp Emerald Bay Meeting
Tuesday, July 12

We will be having a 30 minute meeting for all scouts and parents of scouts going to Camp Emerald Bay. The purpose of the meeting is to go over all of the required paperwork, solidify travel arrangements, and go over the list of required items needed for camp. We will start this meeting immediately following the opening announcements.

To help with any questions you may have, please look over the material available on the website – www.troop811.org or https://troop811.org/annoucements/event-specific-information. 

Thank You,
Scoutmaster Larry Trott

There is still room in the First Class Water Skills Workshop (includes BSA swim test, Line rescue and Safety Afloat) from 4:00 – 5:00 pm on Sat. 6/18 at the Outdoor Education Center in Irvine Regional Park (IROEC).

Bring $10 payment and swimsuit. Parent must fill out and sign the “IROEC First Class Water Skills Registration form” and “IROEC Health and Permission Slip” for scout to participate. Sign up with IROEC staff from 7:30-8:15 am at Merit Badge Day on Sat 6/18.

Both IROEC forms and driving directions to the IROEC can be found at www.bsatroop1518.org (click on “Merit Badge Day” link on left). BRING THE COMPLETED FORMS WITH YOU TO REGISTER.

Questions? Contact triciap@outdooreducationcenter.org or call (714) 923-3191

Mayor’s Youth Award