January 2026

Here are the events for January 2026

Sunday, 4 - Order of the Arrow - Pathfinder Chapter Ice Skating Social - OA MEMBERS ONLY - Join fellow Arrowmen for an ice-skating social on January 4 from 2:30-4 pm at the Creve Coeur Ice Arena. Arrive by 2:15 pm to get your skates before the session starts at 2:30 pm. Cost is $9 for skate rental and session fee. Don’t worry if you do not know how to skate, you will be in good company and have a great time.

Monday, 5 – Regular troop meeting - we will continue work on advancement.

Monday, 12 – Regular troop meeting - we will continue work on advancement.

Monday, 19 – Regular troop meeting - This is also Martin Luther King day! We will continue work on advancement.

Friday, 23 to Sunday, 25 - Cabin camp-out at Swift Lodge - Swift Explorer Base – S-F Scout Ranch

• Camping - the troop will be "camping" at the Lodge at Swift Explorer Base which is heated and has bunk beds for 35 Scouts and adults along with a wood burning fireplace, a full kitchen as well as indoor plumbing with showers and bathrooms!

• Gear - please make sure to plan for variable weather, especially slightly cold during the day and really cold at night (it can get down to the upper 20s overnight) as it is late January.

  • Make sure to bring cold weather clothing, rain gear, good hiking boots WITH SOCKS and water bottles. 

  • For all Scouts and adults we recommend a good mid-weight sleeping bag and a blanket as well as a good sleep pad for comfort. 

  • Please review your Scout handbook for more details on required and nice to have camp gear.

  • Don't forget a flashlight / headlamp and batteries! 

  • We also recommend bringing board games / cards / other games that do not require electricity to share with the troop.
    
    

• Food - The troop will cover the cooking as we will have access to a full kitchen and may bring a patrol box to cover the cookware and eating utensils. We recommend Scouts and adults bring personal plates / cups / bowls / utensils in case we run short on things. Please consider bringing an insulated mug for hot cocoa / coffee so we can avoid using Styrofoam cups.

• Medications - remember to have ALL prescribed medications and / or dietary supplements in their original packaging with explicit dosing instructions included. The information listed on the bottle / package can be very important in an emergency. Also, all medications need to be checked in with the designated adult leader on site for safe keeping.

The cost for the weekend is $35

We will also be working on preparations for Klondike, scheduled for Saturday, January 31st at Beaumont

Reminder to leave anything you do not want broken / lost / stolen at home as the troop IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for personal gear

The adults on site will have mobile phones available in case of emergency.

For Scouts working on advancement we will have Scoutmaster Conferences and Boards of Review available this weekend.

Please reach out to Patrick Light or Ron Askew to schedule a time over the Camporee weekend.

We will meet at the John Calvin Church parking lot on Friday night, January 23rd at 6:00 PM to get everyone checked in and get on the road quickly. 

Please make sure everyone is on time so we can get to camp at a reasonable hour and get set up!

Monday, 26 - Troop Committee meeting - we will be discussing troop business. All parents are welcome to join us!

Saturday, 31 - Pathfinder Klondike Derby at Beaumont - Lane Camporee Field and the Scoutcraft Field - The theme this year is 'How to Train Your Scout', a How to Train Your Dragon movie themed event. The details:

o Registration is now open and will close at 11:59 PM on Thursday, January 22. Registration is required to attend!

o The cost to attend the Klondike is $15 per person (Youth and Adults) which includes a hot lunch.

o Late registration will be available starting 12:00 AM Friday, January 23 with a fee of $20 per person (Youth and Adults). Registration ends Thursday, January 29, 2025 at 11:59 PM!

o Click HERE for more information and links to register.

Patrol Leaders: please see attached program guide for more details on the Klondike events (PDF document; 474 KB). We will be working on updates to our sled to match the theme which will help with points. All Scouts attending Klondike will need to be on-site at Beaumont at 8:00 AM and the event should be finished by 4:30 PM.

More information on upcoming events:

• Advancement - The Greater St. Louis Area Council has given approval for parents to sign off on advancement while the lock-down is in effect. Please make sure to record all advancement in ScoutBook [scouting.org] (preferred) or somewhere where we can update ScoutBook later.

• Merit Badges - Please continue your work on merit badges. The latest versions of the requirements and workbooks can be found on the US Scouts Service Project Advancement page [usscouts.org] web portal and ScoutBook. Reminder! ALWAYS have a parent or guardian cc'd on any email communications and/or video calls with counselors.

• Eagle Candidates - please forward any draft copies of your project plans to your Eagle Advisor for review. Remember that time will pass a lot faster than you realize!

Please feel free to reach out to Patrick Light, Mike Wheeler and / or Ron Askew with any questions on advancement!

Yours in Scouting,

Patrick Light

314-550-7072