Stirling Eagle Project

This last Sunday the troop gathered together at Analy High School to complete a eagle project for Stirling.

The troop assembled a composting system for the school to use in conjunction with their gardening, viticulture, farming and general campus clean-up activities.

Arriving at the site, the project didn't look very promising. The area was a junk heap piled with pallets, scrap wood, and overrun with weeds.  The troop dug right in and cleaned the site down to the bare earth.  Then assembly began in earnest.  Over the course of the day the compost bins came together and by the time we left, the first bay had been filled with green waste and manure to begin the process to convert it to rich compost.

In between steps of the process, the troop also cleaned the trash out of the lower parking lot.

Good job Troop 134 and great job Stirling coordinating this event!  We look forward to your Eagle Court of Honor!

Participants: Owen, Angelo, David, Joey, Jeff, Devon, Stirling, Adam, Bryce, Bryan L., Marcus, Joseph L.,

Leaders: Mr. Seitz, Mr. Polkinghorn, Mr. Bell, Mr. Franceschi, Ms. Lococo, Ms. O'Brien, Mr. Lara, Mr. Lara, Ms. Lara

Lessons Learned: There are a lot of projects to be done at this (and any) school.  Put signs out at the street.

2013 Camporee

After missing it for a year, camporee is back and back at Lake Sonoma!  As always it is just the best event on the schedule.  It may be the windiest too...

This years camporee was just like the ones before it.  Lot's of scout games, lot's of scout fun and a great campfire.  It's also a great time to reconnect with the other troops in the area which we may not see again till next Camporee.

The troop hadn't quiet gotten its preparations together by the time we had arrived, so Friday night was spent making patrol flags and Saturday morning in coloring in the merit badge medallions for the gateway.  Also on Friday night, our new troop T-shirts arrived!

The Scouts competed in a variety of scout skills including astronomy, fire building, obstacle course, pioneering, first aid, shooting sports, theater and many, many more.

In between, Troop 134 brought our our famous tug-of-war rope for some lunch time fun.

After the dust had settled (but before the wind picked it up again).  Everyone attended campfire for skits and handing out the ribbons.  Troop 134 brought some ribbons home for all their troubles too!

Afterwards, the troop returned to the campsite to share some dutch oven cobbler with the Webelos from Pack 134 who came to visit.

After surviving a windy night in the field, we packed up and headed back to town very satisfied.

Of note: one of our senior scouts, Marcus, was one of the OA members staffing the event!

Participants: Jeff, Eric, Owen, Matt, Donte, Devon, Daniel, James, Bryce, Adam, David, Brian, Joey, Zack, John, Andrew P., Andrew S., Ben, Gerrit

Leaders: Mr. Perez, Mr. Polkinghorn, Mr. Franceschi, Mr. Baier, Mr. Bell, Mr. Morris

Lessons Learned:  Don't bring weak tents to Lake Sonoma, prepare more ahead of time, Bring the BIG rope!

2013 New Scout Outing

Troop 134 paid it's annual pilgramage to the Lake Sonoma group campsites for yet another New Scout Outing.  This is a chance for our newly bridged scouts to get their first night in the field, find out why all the rest of the scouts talk so much about "The Rock," and get some of their first aid requirements signed off.

It's also a chance for our Star Scouts to do their EDGE training requirement and get that out of the way so they can make their way to Life Scout.  This year was more of a free for all as we only had one Star Scout at the camp out, so the whole troop took part (and did it well).

The outing turned out to be two outings, one good and one that met with some challenges.  The first day was wonderful.  After starting off damp, it cleared off to be a fantastic day.  The new scouts worked on their Second and First Class first aid achievements in between games of cards and magic with the older scouts.  Then after dinner the group went on a sunset hike and returned for the evening campfire and a troop dump cake!

In the night though, it rained and so packing up on Sunday was muddy and soggy and the new scouts had trouble with their breakfast.  Everyone survived, but it wasn't nearly as fun as the day before.  The highlight of the morning was a visit from members of a local Army unit who were testing equipment in the other group campsite. They brought a package of MRE's for the scouts to try out!

The group ended the trip by visiting the fish hatchery and viewing the enormous steelhead that were resident in the stream leading up to it.

Participants: Andrew S., Carl, Joseph, Zack, Clayton, Daniel, Eric, John, Joey, Gerrit, Bryce, Owen, Matt, Jeff, James

Leaders:   Mr. Baier, Mr. Morris, Mr. Frazee, Mr. Polkinghorn, Ms. Lara, Ms. Christensen, Mr. Franceschi

Lessons Learned:  Make sure that the new scouts have easy food to cook!  The fish sorting is at 10:40 sharp!