Updated: MONDAY, DECEMBER 17th

                                             

                                   
DECEMBER CALENDAR

SKI DAY
The Troop will sponsor a Ski Day at Villa Olivia or Alpine Valley on the 20th of December.  Scouts will pay for their own lift tickets, rentals and meal.  Details and costs will be available next week.

KLONDIKE 2009 INFORMATION

The Chanonee District Klondike Derby will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2009, at Cantigny Park in Winfield.  Cost is $6.00 per participant and includes an event patch and lunch by the Order of Arrow.  You can enter the Park for free if your Scout(s) are in uniform and you tell the gate attendant you are there for the Klondike. 

WHAT?       The Klondike Derby is a day-long outdoor event consisting of 8 to 10 different stations that will test preparedness and preparation in various Scout skills, challenges and fun events.  Stations at the 2008 Klondike included compass, knot tying, snow shoe race, fire building, tug-of-war, sled race, log sawing, first aid, trivia challenge, 1st Division Museum tour and quiz, motor pool tour and tent pitching.

Camping by Troops is allowed either Friday (6th) or Saturday (7th) at no cost.  Additional points will be awarded to Troops camping over night.

WHO?          The event is open to all Scout Troops in the Council who pre-register by January 30th.  Troops not from Chanonee District are asked to pre-register by January 23rd.

REGISTRATION       Pre-registration forms are available at Roundtable or on-line at this site and should be returned by January 30th or sooner so we have adequate manpower and supplies on hand.  Please return form to event Chair Jeff Jeffers via fax (630-653-5260) or e-mail (frankejeffers@yahoo.com).  We appreciate a rough count of Boy Scouts and number of Patrols so we can assign patrols evenly to their starting station.

Registration at the event will begin at 8:30 A.M. at The Visitors Center.  SPL/SM should turn in registration form and check for $6.00 per Scout/Scouter made payable to “Troop 23-BSA”.  Also we are asking each Scout to bring one can of soup for lunch.  This can be turned in at Registration.

EVENT TIMETABLE 
8:30 - 9:15            REGISTRATION - VISITORS CENTER
9:00                      STATION MASTER MEETING - VISITORS CENTER
9:15 - 9:30            SPL AND PATROL LEADER MEETING - VISITORS CENTER
9:30                      PRESENTATION OF COLORS AND SEND OFF
9:30 - 11:30                    EVENTS
11:45 - 1:00           (+/-)  LUNCH - LOCATION TBA
1:00  - 2:30  (+/-) EVENTS

CHECK OUT            Once a Patrol has completed all the stations they should return to the Visitors Center and turn in scorecard, at which time they are free to leave.  Final scores, standings and a re-cap of the financials will be available at the February Roundtable on the 12th. 

WEBELOS               Webelos Dens are invited to participate and are urged to “link up” with a participating Troop.  They may attend as a den on their own with appropriate adult supervision.  Troops are urged to use this event as a recruiting tool and invite dens to participate with them.  A list of Troops attending can be obtained by contacting the Event Chair.  Please use the registration form and turn it in by February 1, 2009.

STAFFING              Since this is a volunteer planned and run event (like most successful BSA events!), we need adult/older scout help to plan and run the various stations, and to act as “guides/chaperones” in the 1st Division Museum.  Please contact event Chair ASAP as to how you can help our Klondike.  Troops are welcome to join together to run an event if your unit doesn’t have the manpower to run an event solo.  Please consider “offering up” a couple of Dad’s to help run stations - - give me names and numbers of willing workers and we’ll put them to good use! 

EVENTS

Last year the following events/stations were staffed as noted:

REGISTRATION                TROOP 23              KNOT TYING                    TROOP 575
TUG-OF-WAR                   TROOP 21              LOG SAWING                   TROOP 23 
SLED RACE                      KEN STANISH         FIRST AID                        TROOP 23 
TENT PITCHING               TROOP 23              LUNCH TRIVIA                 TROOP 41
SNOW SHOE RACE            TROOP 23              MOTOR POOL TOUR          TROOP 23 
COMPASS                        TROOP 46              LUNCH                       OA/TROOP 23 

We thought of adding/substituting the following events:  Archery, geo caching, flag pole raising, emergency prep, ice rescue, cross country ski race.

Please contact me ASAP with your input and to volunteer!

EQUIPMENT

Once Troops have chosen a station to run, we will supply Troops with an equipment list of things their Patrols should have with them on their Klondike trek.  Sleds should be used to transport gear, but in the event of “no snow”, backpacks may be preferred.  A list of suggested equipment from last year’s Klondike is attached.

KLONDIKE EQUIPMENT LIST

Below is a suggested list of what your Patrol might want to bring to successfully complete the Klondike Trek.  Bring what you can, and whatever else you think necessary.  Stations may have some supplies but they aren’t available for free!

One tent or other shelter (at least 2-man size)
Firewood: tinder, kindling and fuel (may be pre-cut or split)
Matches and/or flint and steel, etc.
Pocket knife
Hand axe (optional)
Sled or method to transport Patrol gear
Scout Handbook
Paper, Pencil, clip board
Blanket or Tarp
Four Staves
Rope for knots, lashings, hauling, etc.
Watch
Compass
First Aid Kit
(1)large paper shopping bag per Scout
(1)   can of soup per Scout