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BOY SCOUT TROOP 2295
of River Edge, New Jersey
(meeting place: Cherry Hill School)
All boys between the ages of 11 and 17 are invited to attend one of our weekly troop meetings. Parents can also attend! Also, parents are encouraged to volunteer to be Assistant Scoutmasters (ASMs), leaders, committee members, and coordinators.
TROOP 2295 -- The Scout Year 2008-2009 Recap:
The 2008-2009 scout year built upon the success of 2007-2008; the enthusiasm and teamwork of the boys of Troop 2295 was exemplary. The scout year began with a troop meeting on September 4, 2008 (the first of 40 troop meetings), and immediately shifted into high gear with a successful mums fundraiser, which culminated in the distribution of mums on September 14, 2008. This was followed, one week later, by a shakedown hike at Harriman State Park on September 20, 2008 (the Pack 229 and Pack 95 Senior Webelos scouts joined Troop 2295 on the hike.) The September calendar concluded with the awarding of merit badges to scouts, at the toop meeting of September 25, 2008.
In addition to a total of 15 troop meetings and Klondike Training sessions in the final 4 months of the 2008 calendar year, the troop participated in either an overnight or field trip each month. In October the troop convoyed to Cedar Pond, to partake in a 5-mile backpack hike & campout (see thumbnails to the left & right, and 3 thumbnails above). In November the scouts took part in a 2-night lean-to campout at NoBeBoSco (see 4 thumbnails below). On November 22, 2008, the troop participated in Den Chief training and a Merit Badge Fair in Westwood. A Court of Honor Ceremony was held on December 4, 2008. Three days later the troop hiked the Upper Manhattan Historic Hike (they'd hiked the Lower Manhattan route in October 2007.)
During the months of December and January, the scouts of Troop 2295 trained on Saturdays for the Klondike Derby. On January 31, 2009, the troop competed in the Klondike Derby and attained a high score on the course at Campgaw, missing the 3rd place trophy by just two points, while outscoring 26 other troops. (2009 Klondike Derby results) The troop went ice curling in South Plainfield on February 8, 2009, and observed Scout Sabbath at Grace Lutheran on February 15, 2009. Under bright lights, a family-friendly Bridging Ceremony was held on February 25, 2009 — 40 boys have joined Troop 2295 since it was chartered on July 7, 2007. The winter concluded with the following events: snow skiing at Mount Peter (March 1, 2009); a 2-night cabin campout at NoBeBoSco (March 6-8, 2009); and the Scouting for Food food-drive, at St. Peter's (March 14, 2009).
Spring 2009 was a busy time for the scouts of Troop 2295. In addition to troop meetings, the scouts participated in riflery training; hiking at Bear Mountain; and the Beach Jam '09 campout, in Wildwood, NJ. The Spring concluded with the troop marching in the Memorial Day Parade; whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River, and its associated tent campout; participation in Green Day at Memorial Park; and more troop meetings. The summer of 2009 kicked off with archery lessons at Targeteers, on June 28, 2009; marching in the Fourth of July Parade; and pre-Summer Camp troop meetings. Summer Camp at Camp Keowa went well — a dozen Troop 2295 scouts took part in the week of Provisional Summer Camp (July 26, 2009 - August 1, 2009), and Troop 2295 sent a contingent of 30 scouts and leaders for the week of Scout Camp (August 2, 2009 - August 8, 2009). A few T2295 scouts spent an additional week (August 16, 2009 - August 22, 2009) at Camp Turrell, for the National Youth Leadership Training Course.
The 2008-2009 scout year was complete when it was time to sell mums again. The 2009-2010 scout year began with a successful mums fundraiser, organized for the second year in a row by Kara and John. Hiking at Harriman soon followed (September 26, 2009), and a Court of Honor Ceremony took place on October 3, 2009. Most of the scouts were in attendance, as all were acknowledged for advancing in rank and/or earning Merit Badges. Rich M. was M.C. for the evening's festivities (an event organized by Claudia O., Paris M., and Rose C.). At the Court of Honor Ceremony, following his extremely successful 2-year term as Scoutmaster, there was a symbolic changing of the guard from Ed Y. to Mike O.. As the lengthy credits at the end of the 2008 and 2009 Troop DVDs do attest, it was an incredible journey Ed led 40 scouts and their families on — as the troop traveled from home to various locations, and back home again.
The morning of October 17, 2009, Troop 2295 particpated in Project Porchlight. This is a "green" project dedicated to raising awareness of energy-efficient technology by distributing Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) into the community.
Boy Scout Troop 2295 Newsflash: A new DVD, which chronicles Troop 2295's journeys throughout the 2008-2009 scout year, is complete. This DVD has three sections: two sections dedicated to summer camp (Keowa '08 and Keowa '09); and an extensive recap of 2008-2009, dominated by many photos selected from the 2,000 photos Abel shot at campouts, hikes, Klondike, and Wildwood. Abel was able to capture these events from a wide array of angles and perspectives, being sure to include all the T2295 scouts as he went. The summer camp photo/video montages reveal many of the reasons why scout participation in '09 surpassed the excellent participation level of '08 — the boys enjoyed every activity, from A to Z (Archery to Zip-lines!) Ed and Mike deserve special acknowledgment for enduring every single night of Keowa '08 and '09, while Bill, Jeff, Rich M., and Rick C. earn honorable mention for doin' time in the austere (but awesome) accommodations at Ten Mile River: Camp Keowa.
CLICK HERE TO TRAVEL BACK IN TIME
May/June 2009 Newsflash: In its inaugural year, Troop 2295 had the good fortune to be visited by two U.S. Army officers, Jim McCauley and John Tumino. Both men were deployed to Iraq shortly after meeting with our troop. They recently returned from serving in Iraq. Welcome home guys!
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