Happy New Year! As the holiday season winds down, the second part of the 1998/1999 Scout year begins.

Some old favorites will constitute the 1999 winter trips, namely Grotonwood and the 1999 Ski Trip. In addition, the troop’s second largest - and growing - fundraiser, the 1998/1999 Christmas Tree Collection, will take place immediately after the holidays.

The first full week of February marks the eighty-ninth anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America movement. The week is anchored by Scout Sunday and Scout Sabbath. Both days provide Scouts an opportunity to show reverence and to do their duty to God based on their individual faiths.

1998/1999 CHRISTMAS TREE COLLECTION FUND RAISER:
Part I: 2 January 1999
Part II: 9 January 1999
Part III: 16 January 1999
Coordinators: Mr. Ted Miller, Troop Charter Partner Representative, 359-XXXX,
Mr. Jim O’Malley, Troop Fund Raiser Coordinator, 359-XXXX.

The concept of this fund raiser is simple: after the Christmas holiday, Troop 89 Scouts and adult volunteer drivers travel throughout Medfield collecting discarded Christmas trees and delivering them to the Transfer Station - all for a $5.00 per tree service fee. The collections will take place on consecutive Saturdays: January 2nd, January 9th, and January 16th. Tree pick-ups and payment collection will be pre-arranged and scheduled with each interested family prior to the pick-up day. One of the keys to this fund raiser's success is promotion. A sign advertising the service will be placed at the Transfer Station. Nevertheless, Scouts and their families are asked to spread the word to neighbors and friends, as this is traditionally one of our best means of advertisement. Thanks for everyone's support.

GROTONWOOD WINTER TRIP:
Grotonwood Camp, Groton, Massachusetts
30-31 January 1999
Anticipated trip fee: $15.00 cash only please.
Payment deadline: 20 January 1999
Coordinator: Mr. Rick Wile, Troop Trip Coordinator, 359-XXXX.

Highlights of this trip include a toboggan/snow tube downhill run and a large frozen lake for skating - with the weather’s cooperation. Scouts will have the option of sleeping inside the cabin or camping outdoors to meet the requirements of their Eskimo patch and/or their Camping merit badge (camping indoors will not meet such requirements). The camp provides a few inner tubes for sledding. However, due to the limited number available, Scouts are strongly recommended to bring their own personal sleds - inflatable tubes are generally best. Scouts should bring their own ice skates and even hockey sticks if they wish to skate or play ice hockey.

We always look forward to having a strong representation of adults stay overnight with us, but will need, at a minimum, adults willing to drive the Scouts to the camp on Saturday and retrieve them on Sunday. It is about an hour drive one-way to Groton; directions and other information will be distributed later.

SCOUT SUNDAY / SCOUT SABBATH:
Scout Sunday: 7 February 1999
Scout Sabbath: 13 February 1999
Coordinator: Mrs. Louise Kazanjian, 359-XXXX.

A Scout is Reverent! A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others. The week of February 7 through 13, 1999 marks the eighty-ninth anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America movement. During this Scout Week, the National BSA Organization has dedicated Sunday, February 7th as Scout Sunday and Saturday, February 13th as Scout Sabbath. These days are thus established so that each Scout may publicly "do his duty to God" as stated in the Scout Oath and show reverence in the spirit of the twelfth point of the Scout Law.

All of the five churches in Medfield will be notified of these dates. Each Scout's family is encouraged to contact their religious institution to determine if anything special is planned for Scout Sunday or Scout Sabbath. If possible, Scouts are encouraged to wear their full uniform during their service. Please contact Mrs. Louise Kazanjian if you have any questions about Scout Sunday or Scout Sabbath.

1999 SKI TRIP:
Mount Abram, Locke Mills, Maine.
19-21 February 1999
Anticipated trip fee: $65.00/drivers, $85.00/non-drivers.
Payment deadline: 3 February 1999
Coordinators: Mr. Andrew Merck, 359-XXXX,
                           Mr. Jack Merck, 359-XXXX,
                           Mr. Charlie Peck, 359-XXXX.

Perhaps the most popular trip all year, the annual Ski Trip to Mount Abram usually proves to be the best deal around. The trip fee includes transportation, lodging, all meals, and the full three-day ski pass for all trails. Rentals and lessons are extra - approximately $40.00 for three day ski rental and $20.00 for each group lesson. Through the generosity of the Locke Mills American Legion Post and the Mount Abram ski management, Troop 89 has consistently enjoyed three terrific days of skiing year after year for over two decades. Scouts and/or adults who have never downhill skied, but would like to learn, are strongly encouraged to attend this trip; there is no better place to learn how to ski or to improve your skiing than Mount Abram. Likewise, it is an excellent place to learn snowboarding. If you have never participated in our Ski Trip, please consider joining us this year.

Due to a schedule conflict with the Locke Mills American Legion over the President's Day weekend, the troop will hold this year's Ski Trip at the end of the February school vacation week. Like last year, we will depart for Maine on Friday morning. We expect to ski during Friday afternoon, and, if possible, Friday night, for a full day's worth of skiing. Hopefully, we will also be able to go snow tubing on Saturday night; snow tubing has proved to be a great deal of fun in the past. At this time, ski pass and rental prices are still being negotiated with the mountain, so the prices listed above are tentative and are subject to change. The final fees will be announced as soon as they are determined.

A reminder to all Troop 89 Scouts: The Ski Trip policy mandates that all participants attend at least one (1) weekend activity (other than the OA Weekend) between September 1st, 1998 and the Ski Trip in February, 1999. Eligible trips include the 1998 Mount Monadnock Trip, the 1998 Purgatory Chasm Trip, the 1998 WEBELOS Weekend at Sayre Reservation, and Grotonwood.

Regular Meetings are uniformed events held at the Scouthouse between 6:45 PM and 8:30 PM on Wednesday nights. Meetings will start sharply at 7:00 PM. Some Scouts may need to arrive early and leave later if their patrol is assigned to prepare and close-up the meeting space. As a rule, if the Medfield School System is not holding school on any particular Wednesday, either due to holiday, vacation, or cancellation, a Scout meeting will not be held.

Troop Committee Meetings are monthly forums at which logistical and financial planning and management take place. They are ordinarily held at 7:00 PM and are now held at the American Legion. All adults interested in attending Committee Meetings or becoming Committee Members are highly encouraged to contact Mr. Steve Fernandes, Troop Committee Chairperson, at 359-XXXX.

Leadership Meetings are monthly forums for the Scout leaders to conduct their planning efforts as well as discuss other troop matters. Except when otherwise directed, these meetings will be held at the Scouthouse Committee Room. Meetings are generally held between 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM. Membership of the Leadership Patrol and all Patrol Leaders are expected to attend these meetings or, if they are unable to attend, designate a substitute to attend in their place. Every effort should be made to attend these meetings - this is an important part of the positions' responsibilities.

Although weekly message information is now listed on the troop web site, phone call and conversation in school are still the best methods of communication by which details and last minute changes will reach everyone. PHONE CALLS ARE THE SCOUTS' RESPONSIBILITY. All Scouts should receive a phone call or other message by 8:30 PM Tuesday night each week. If any Scout is not contacted by this time, he must contact his Patrol Leader or the Senior Patrol Leader for that week's message.

A Scout leader may take a temporary leave of absence from his leadership position and responsibility to support another seasonal obligation, provided he notifies the Scoutmaster in advance. Such advance notice should be in writing and should list the conflicting activity as well as the period of time that the Scout will not be available to participate with the troop. The 75% rule does not apply to such Scouts, and their leadership position will be available upon their return. The Scout will receive no credit for leadership while he is gone, however, and he holds the responsibility of arranging for a Scoutmaster approved replacement to act in his absence.

All Scouts must sign-up and pay, in full, by the deadline established for any particular trip. Scouts who do not sign-up and pay, in full, by the deadline indicated, risk losing the right to attend that particular event unless they are given permission by the Scoutmaster or Trip Coordinator due to unusual circumstances. If, by the deadline, an inadequate number of Scouts have signed-up and paid for any particular trip, the trip will be canceled, even if interest should increase after the deadline.

All sign-up and payment deadlines are listed under each trip heading in the newsletter and on the individual calendars as well. The trip fee information accompanying each deadline date is tentative. Due to the advanced planning nature of these events, the trip fees remain subject to change, as more specific information becomes available.

Committee Meetings: American Legion, 4 January 1999, 8 February 1999, 7:00 PM.

The troop's current adult leadership positions are as follows:

Troop 89 Committee:

Troop 89 welcomes Linda Stenquist to the position of Advancement Chairperson and Maureen McGowan to the position of Troop Chaplain.

Despite the present size and strength of the Committee and band of Assistant Scoutmasters, new parents are strongly encouraged to become involved with Troop Committee matters and even consider becoming committee members or Assistant Scoutmasters. The people listed above will not be around forever and will eventually need to be replaced. It will be far easier for all involved to start making transitions now, while they are still around, than to wait until after they are gone. Think about it. If you would like to learn more about how you can help Troop 89, or if you have any questions about the adult leadership roles of the troop, please contact Mr. Steve Fernandes, Troop Committee Chairperson, at 359-XXXX. Thanks.

Troop 89 is a strong troop with a proud tradition, but with many challenges ahead. As always, your commitment today ensures a bright future for Troop 89 tomorrow. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!