Dear Parents and Scouts Next Monday, the 15th December, will be our first Court of Honour of this scouting year and many of the Scouts will receive advancements and awards. It is very important for you as parents to be there to recognise their achievements. Below you will find instructions for a CoH. We are delighted to have a special guest speaker joining us: the Secretary General of the World Scouting Bureau. On behalf of the Scouts, Scout leaders and Committee, we look forward to your company on Monday evening.
Kind Regards Martin Gaskell Committee Chair
Monday Dec 15th at the Café
La Chat Welcome to the Court of Honour. Please bring along your favourite savoury or dessert dish to the "Pot Luck Dinner" enough for your family and 3 other people. Please also bring drinks, plates and cutlery/silverware.
Programme 19.00 Arrival and set up tables 19.15 Opening Introduction & welcome to scouts and parents Dinner Presentation of awards, Advancement first followed by Merit Badges. Speech Announcements AOB 21.00 Close
Troop 130 was present at Obama’s victory party in Geneva.
Are you interested in becoming a Boy Scout?
Why not come and meet the scouts of Troop 130?
Our first meeting of the year is on Monday September 15th
Then bring your parents to:-
Registration meeting on Monday September 29th
Both meetings start at 7.15pm
at La Châtaigneraie, Founex
Recent activities include camping, rafting, glacier hiking, skiing, swimming, hiking, climbing, canoeing and cycling. With over 140 merit badges to earn, there’s something for everyone (active or not).
Become a Boy Scout today, 28 million scouts in 160 countries can’t be wrong
For more information, please contact Troop chairman: Martin Gaskell martin.gaskell@gmail.com
or Scout master: Geoff Senogles gsenogles@lbcintl.com
Tyrrian Livesley livesley@bluewin.ch
Three Senior Scouts from Troop 130 have been honoured with their Eagle Scout rank in two separate ceremonies this spring. Alex Ivy,
To attain Eagle, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, (and equivalent to a Queen’s Scout), takes a certain commitment. They must earn at least twenty-one merit badges, of which eleven are obligatory. When a scout becomes Eagle, he has mastered skills of leadership. This means honing the ability to listen and teach and requires many outdoor and safety skills. It also means attaining lessons in personal management and communications and learning the responsibilities of being a citizen of the world. All of their achievements are geared to serve them throughout their lives. The final requirement is to use these skills in the organization and completion of an Eagle Scout project.
It was with great pleasure we celebrated, on May 27, the Eagle Ceremony for Ian Bown just before he returned to the
On June 15, we had the pleasure of celebrating again, this time a joint Eagle Ceremony for Alex Gromadzki and Alex Ivy. Both had gained their Eagle awards over the past two year but due to University and other commitments had not been able to have their ceremonies earlier.
Alex Ivy, an enthusiastic sportsman, wanted to help children enjoy sport as he does. So with the help of the Scouts and like- minded friends, he collected sports equipment for orphanages and a centre for street children in the
These three very worthwhile yet totally different projects were all for the benefit of others, achieved in the true spirit of Scouting.
To date since its first Eagle in 1977 Troop 130 has graduated 35 Eagle Scouts with two Scouts, currently working on their final projects. This is an impressive and encouraging record for any Troop.
Our very best wishes to Ian, Alex and Alex for a very successful future
Tyrrian Livesley, on behalf of Troop 130
9th - 12th May 2008
BOOM went the drums. TADA went the horns and trumpets as the festivities got underway.
ROAR went 3000, yes I do really mean 3000, Scouts who came from all across Europe as the singing and games got underway. This was some campfire, my first this size. I hope it won’t be my last. ROAR we all went again as we competed for who could sing the loudest. I saw some of the adults with their hands over their ears. Ha. Personally, and I say this with absolutely no bias, I felt our side of the circle sang LOUDEST. As to tune, well…. modesty prevails.
So far today, we’d cooked on fires we’d built ourselves, and earlier completed a treasure hunt in our newly mixed Patrols. I was lucky, I was mixed with some very friendly Swedish and German Scouts – the girls spoke English, oh some other boys joined in too
We followed the clues and got to see the Hansel and Gretel like town of Bernkastel-Kues. I passed Jack’s group, he looked a bit glum. “No English” he mouthed as we crossed paths, well it was either that or he mouthed “Ningless”, and who knows what that means.
Justin’s patrol whizzed off a great pace, later I found that his group won the whole competition when one of his Patrol climbed on top of, while stacking, 31 beer crates – talk about WOBBELY. It was also FUNNY to watch the final teams burst the hanging water balloons with their spiked helmets – the winners were the most prepared to get wet, oh and the tallest too.
HIKE and LEARN was the theme of Sunday, first aid, orienteering, nature and all sorts of other things on our 10 mile hike through the adjacent countryside. 3000 Scouts were split into small groups and set off in opposite directions early in the day. The best bit for me, was when we started passing the others going the other way, a mile long line of high fives with a halloo call mad us all LAUGH. By the 2 hour return boat trip, we were all tired and I was ready for a rest. Great weekend, I’d like to order a few more of those.: Little Johnny Scout
Intercamp started out with a long ride to Bernkastel-Kues along the Mosel River in Germany. We arrived late thanks to the GPS that Bill used for directions. Once we arrived we set up camp and cooked a quick meal of sausages and soup. That evening we explored the camp, and turned in.
On Saturday we broke into sub camp groups and different scouts from other troops we did a hike through the town. Our goal that day was to make a friend in another troop. Most did so and traded scarves with those new friends. The scoutmasters went along themselves and observed the different groups at different locations. (Less Bill who drove to the Netherlands to pay his respects at the US military cemetery where his uncle is buried. He met up with a dozen members of a Dutch Commando group that has adopted his uncle’s grave, and place flowers on it several times a year. He had a great day too and rejoined us in the evening.) That night we went to the evening entertainment, which was a sub camp Olympics. Justin Z. represented Troop 130 and his team won the overall competition. It was a blast!!!
On Sunday we were up early and packed up camp, then we went on a ten mile or sixteen km. hike through the hills around Bernkastel Kues. It was a beautiful day, and the hike was hard. It also seemed longer than ten miles!! During the hike we had to complete various tasks set up along the route by the Intercamp staff. After the hike we had a two hour boat ride back to the campground, where we had a quick snack and hit the road. We arrived back at La Chat at 00:30. It was a great weekend. Little Billy Scout
April 25th -27th 2008 A number of Scouts and parents from Troop 130 went on a historic weekend trip to the Normandy beaches to meet up with 3,000 Scouts from all over Europe. The aim of the trip was to help clean Omaha Beach meet veterans and lay a wreath at the American cemetery Below some of the scouts tell you about their trip.
Lewis The Normandy trip was well worth the 16 hour round trip – a total of 1,798 KM! It was amazing to see over 3000 scouts from all over Europe – Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Switzerland, UK, Italy … most had travelled much further than we had. The numbers that turned out for the camp were much higher than the TAC had anticipated – so many that the camp site was bursting at the seams!! On the Saturday we were given a stretch of OMAHA beach to clean, what most people do not appreciate about the Normandy landings is just how big an area each of these landing zones actually are – OMAHA beach extends about 8 KM and actually includes more than one beach. The funny thing about the clean up was the number of shoes we found – the record was 8 by one of our scouts – we are now looking for 8 one legged people to return the shoes. After the clean up we went to Pointe du Hoc which was a stronghold that the Germans had built, as part of the Atlantic Wall. The area has been left much as it was after the D Day landing on the 6th June 1944 – with hundreds of bomb craters all over the area. This was the scouts favourite visit! On the Sunday we took part in a service at the American Normandy Cemetery with all the other Scouts, to honour the fallen troops who helped to liberate Europe.
Anthony We walked on Omaha beach. It was amazing to be standing where the United States’ soldiers invaded the beach. I truly enjoyed visiting the Omaha beach museum, where you could see the weapons that they used in World War 2. The craters that were left were amazing. Pointe du Hoc got hit by more than ten kilotons of bombs which is equal to an atomic bomb. I thought it was a very cool trip.
Christopher It’s a long way to Normandy,… But the adults driving us had been provident enough to bring computers and DVD’s which made the trip a bit shorter. Perhaps I should have brought my copy of "The Longest Day"? I’m interested in D-day, and I had been to Normandy before, so I went because of the chance of a chat with some of the veterans. Unfortunately we did not get the chance of getting close to them. Instead we listened to endless thank-you speeches on the beach and at the cemetery. They left the impression that it was only the French and the Americans who fought on D-day!!! Since I was the only older scout I was appointed Senior Patrol Leader. Tough job… I had to keep the scouts quiet, when they were bored! I managed to make them stand all through the ceremony at the cemetery. I believe that gave the best impression of our troop – and besides it was only fair to the flag- and the flower-carrying scouts from our troop, who could not sit down either. We spent some hours cleaning the beaches for junk left by tourists, and some hours looking for the grave at the American cemetery that had been assigned to us. We never did. We also went sightseeing: To Point Hoc and to a museum with stuff from the D-Day including a carrier from "Saving Private Ryan." Rules at the camp were strict. A "buddy system" had been set up to protect the scouts from getting lost. 16½ years old and acting Senior Patrol Leader I was bawled out by an American lady for not bringing my buddy, when I went for a pee! Well, so to say the trip was definitely neither a disaster nor an enormous success.
Patrick: "I laid a wreath at the American Cemetery in Normandy, at a service with 3,000 scouts and parents. My brother Kody carried our Troop colors. It was a great honor. The weather was sunny all weekend and was just right for camping out." Kody: "My favorite dish was stew for dinner on Friday night, because it had hot dogs in it. We also reenacted the Allied attack on ‘Point du Hoc’ where the 2nd Rangers Battalion stormed the cliffs with grappling hooks. There were big bomb craters everywhere and we had our own battle. We also climbed on tanks and Howitzers. It was awesome!"
Ben I enjoyed the museum we went to after the veterans’ ceremony the most. I found out just what the soldiers had to face on D-Day, and why there were so many deaths on the Normandy campaign. Although I guess it would also have been nice to have seen a few things from the German point of view, but I guess I should go to Germany for that. Another thing I liked was how we all got to become better friends really getting to know each other with the other scouts in our bit of troop. But those are just the best bits. It was all nice, overall, and all I can say to those who missed it is: you should have come it sure was worth it!
Troop 130 enjoys many campouts and interesting events during the year and meets on alternative Monday nights at La Chataigneraie Founex
The Summer camp will be held during the week of August 16-23, not July as previously announced in the Troop 130 Scout Calendar.
We require final sign up names by the 10th March Court of Honour meeting to be able to confirm with camp organisers.
A Troop 130 Summer Camp Planning Group will be meeting over the coming weeks to determine the final decisions on the location and programme, but it seems likely
that the Summer camp will be either in the Ardeche (France) or the Jura. We will send you more details before the 10th March Court of Honour meeting.
The programme, in either location, will be based on easy access, low costs and high excitement!
The Ardeche option will include Kyaking, Bivouaking, Fishing, Swimming, Rock Climbing, Nature and Archeology. Sports - based at a well supported camp site with
professional trainers. Availability may be a problem, so early booking essential. The Jura option will include Kyaking, Camping, Orienteering, Pioneering, Hiking. A
more self-sustained but more mobile programme.
Regards,
Peter
Read what the boys think about scouting:-
We were soon organized into Patrols, taught new skills by the older scouts and learnt about leadership, team development and the never to be forgotten Buddy System! Went on a campout to Arzier where we were tested on all we had learnt by putting it into practice. We hiked learnt about orienteering, dug pits, collected wood, made a campfire then cooked dinner beef, rosti and baked beans in the pits over wood and charcoal. It was delicious! When we left the next day, you would never have known we had been there!
Meetings are fun we earn merit badges and new skills, Courts of Honour are even better because that’s when our families come have a meal and watch us proudly receive the rank advancements and merit badges we have earned.
We go hiking camping, cycling, skiing and snowboarding, lazerTag and if old enough Go-carting and climbing. Scouting is exciting, fun, a great opportunity to learn new skills and interests. Sometimes it can be a bit damp and muddy on camps but you get to meet new people and make friends!
Luke 13 2st Class Scout
"We learn different skills to advance in Scout ranks. We go camping and skiing and at Monday meetings, we raise the Troop flag, say the oath, law, and we plan for the campouts and play games . . . It’s fun. Come and join us"
New Scout Struan 11
Camping at La Rippe in the snow.
Fire’s running out of wood. The burgers went up in flames. The toilets a hole in the ground. The tents won’t go up. …. But nobody cares! You’re hanging out with your friends, the marshmallows taste good and the songs and the stories are flowing. The activities are great, a hike in the snow and learning to use an axe safely, but now we’re having a snowball fight. This is scouts! We meet fortnightly for meetings at La Chat and do regular campouts. Everyone enjoys themselves. Why don’t you give it a go?
New Scout Matthew 12
Like to learn more about Scouting, then contact Martin Gaskell martin.gaskell@gmail.com
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