We have great news!!!  We have been awarded a 12-day Expedition slot.

Crew 711-109 will arrive at Philmont on 7/11/2022 and will depart Philmont on 7/23/2022

This gives us 12 seats available for Crew 711-109.  Eight slots are reserved for youth with the remaining four for adults.  We will host an informational meeting on January 7th.  If you are committed to going, please make a $150 deposit to Kim Audette to hold your seat.  If we want to claim this crew expedition, the deposit must be sent to Philmont by January 30. 

To make an informed decision about this expedition, join us on January 7th for an informational meeting via Zoom. 

Important Dates:

• January 7                    Information Meeting:  Commitment to join Crew with $150 to hold seat (only 12 available)
• January 30                     Submit deposit
• Summer 2021              Plan 4-day hiking trip to gauge skill level and to test the experience (possible Porcupine Mountains or Pictured Rocks Lake shore)
• August 2021                 Reserve group AMTRAK tickets
• October 1, 2021           First half-payment Due
• March 1, 2022              Second half-payment Due
• March 2022                  Submit to Trek lottery
• March-July                    Training, Training, Training
• July 10, 2022                Depart for Philmont on the Southwest Chief from Chicago
• July 24, 2022                 Return to Libertyville

The Silver Beaver Award is the highest honor a BSA council can give to volunteers and recognizes their efforts at the district and council level.  We will be honoring these outstanding Scouters at the Council Dinner in 2021. Due to COVID, the Council Dinner will take place in either June or August (before or after Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Resident Camp) when we can celebrate outside safely.

This year, Dan will be the 2021 Wood Badge Course Director.  If you want to learn from the master, let us know.  The Troop will offset most of the cost for this five-day advanced leadership course.  The 2021 Wood Badge Course begins in August.

Back by popular demand!  Hansa is generously offering their amazing coffee as part of a fundraiser where 50% of each sale goes directly to Scouts.

• Baltic Gold -- 1lb. -- $20
• Decaf Traum -- 1 lb. -- $20
• Troop 71 camping mugs -- $20

To order, click here for our page on the Hansa website.  Use the seller notes field to indicate your Scout’s name and any special request--(new this year--Hansa will happily grind your coffee!).

Hansa offers free local (Libertyville) delivery and will ship out of state at an extra charge, or you may pick up in-store; just make the appropriate selections at checkout.

Please reach out to Jessica Brown with any questions (jessica.ak.brown@gmail.com or 847-770-0130), including to coordinate mug delivery.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Jessica

Calling All Troop 71 Scouts and Adults!  Crews interested in a 2022 Philmont Adventure need to enter the Philmont Lottery which will run from October 27 to December 1. There are traditional 12-day backpacking adventures as well as 7-day and 9-day treks available at Philmont Scout Ranch in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of northeastern New Mexico. Only one entry per crew is allowed, and there is no fee for entering the Lottery.

Interest is non-binding. If we cannot put together a roster of at least 12 interested people, then the Troop committee will not submit a lottery request to go to Philmont in the summer of 2022.

Registered Interest on 11/23/2020 is eleven. 

We need 12+ to submit an application into the lottery.  Last Chance to Take the Survey!

Participants must be registered members of the BSA who will be 14 years of age OR will have completed 8th grade and be at least 13 years of age prior to arrival to PSR.  Extended BSA Health form will be required for all participants.  At least two participants per crew must be Wilderness First Aid trained.  The cost per person is estimated to be around $2200: including registration, food, transportation, and patches. 

For more information on Philmont go to https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/

Interested in Philmont 2022?  Answer the survey (link).  Survey closes November 27.

Interested in helping the Troop as an Adult Leader?

Come see Tong Giamis or Mark Gilson, Scoutmaster, today!!!

Effective immediately, K12 customer schools in the US may receive access to Creative Cloud Desktop Apps for teachers and student use at home, at no additional cost, through January 31^st, 2021.  It is for Windows and MacOS devices only, not Chromebooks so students would have to have another device at home to use with the program.  Also good for merit badge books and any other fillable pdf document.  A special thank you to Mr. Sweitzer for sharing these details!