ATTENDING: 
Steve Kuras 
Marty Kessans 
Bill Hicks 
Petey Orbison 
Cherie Welborn 
Sharon Blackwelder 
Sam Ingram 
Gus 
Rich Horton 


IMPORTANT ACTION ITEMS HIGHLIGHTED BELOW: 
      1.  ANNUAL REGISTRATION FOR EACH SCOUT and payment due January 23 - IMPORTANT
      2.  Turn in your permission slips for Rostan Lodge
      3.  Adults - welcome to attend the Gemstone District Banquet on 
      4.   Mark your calendars for our next Court of Honor on Feb 6
      


Finance and Administration Report 
The finance report as of 12/31/11 is attached.   


Building Fund Status 

A separate meeting is being scheduled.   Look for a follow up email announcement. 

Funds from Fairview UNM Church will be deposited to and acknowledged as "Mount Mourne Scout Center Building Fund".   Bill Hicks to provide check to Cherie Welborne.

Copies of the Mooresville Weekly and the Iredell Living Magazine and the "Red Dirt Alert" in the Charlotte Observer will be posted in the churches and the scout center. 

Centre Church has set up a separate account to keep finances separate from the troop where donations can be made including appreciated stock.   For questions on potential tax advantages of donating appreciated stock, see Steve Kuras or Russ Gavitt.   An account has been set up at Edward Jones. 

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Recharter Status - Expecting the troop to recharter with approximately 68 scouts.   We have a growth in new adult leaders as well.   Please get your annual registration paperwork and payment in so we can be on time with our recharter submission.  Due Jan 23.   Adult leaders need to sign a disclosure form and those will be available at the next Monday scout meeting and Court of Honor on 2/6. 
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Fund-raising                         
Not all scouts have to participate in every fund-raising event but take advantage of these in support of the troop and your own PCAF funds that allow for funding of each scout's trip or camping gear.  At the core, these fund generation activities are for the benefit of the troop and not a source of income for scouts.  Funds indirectly benefit scouts by enhancing the troop finances and effectively provide scholarship-like funds through the PCAF (which stands for Politically Correct Activity Fund) for individual scouts.

For most fundraising and with few exceptions the committee agreed to commit 50% of all profits toward our Building Fund.    This is not a huge departure from our general practice in recent years. Each fund-raiser will be reviewed by the committee in advance in the case where the percentage may increase or decrease depending on the nature of the event. 

Belk Estate - More than a dozen scouts and adults worked together and did a great job in early December raising $1,000.   

BBQ fundraiser is scheduled for April 6 and 7.   Look for email notifications and opportunities for both earning and contributing.   50% of the profits will go to building fund consistent with previous fund raising activities. 

Pinewood Derby - food sales and surplus gear - Ben Stainback coordinating - look for email 

Other Fund raising options: 
        Pine Needle Sale targeted 3/17 Lydia
        Yard Sale targeted first week of May
        O'Charlies' pancake breakfast 
        AutoBell 
       BBQ - Target Easter time frame? Over $3,000 in profits were generated in October
        Dairy Queen tickets 
        Bruster's 


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Communications 
      
Where does your advancement stand?   See it online!   If you want more info, contact Patty Kessans at kessansmptd@roadrunner.com 

Gemstone District   http://www.gemstonedistrict.com      Great website to see the latest on district news, events (like Camporee), contacts, calendar, etc. 
Piedmont Council   www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org    Really good source for links, forms, contacts, etc. 

Wireless Internet Access to scout center - Funds were approved in November 

173 Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/groups/Troop173/?ref=ts 
  
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Committee Roles & Adult Leadership 
 
Treasurer - Cherie Welborn, Misty Trujillo, Sandee Sappenfield
COH - Shirley Prokop, Ben Stainback, Will Reese
Quartermaster - Sam Ingram
Scout Camp - Gerre Goard
Advancement - Jayne Sprinkle 
Adult Leader Training - Todd Ware,  Arden Drose, Gerre Goard
Troopmaster - Patty Kessans 
BOR Coordination -  Jon Crawford 
National Youth Leader Training NYLT - Jon Crawford 
Eagle Advancement coordinator - Ken Anson
Scouting for Food - Gus 
Bell Ringing/Dec - Ken Anson
OA Coordination - Marty Kessans 
MB University - Sharon Blackwelder

CURRENT NEEDS for adult participation/leadership: 
- Service Project Coordinator - aligns community needs with boy-led scout service projects 
- Fund Raising Coordinator - Help in the coordination (not ownership) of events
- Finances - PCAF coordination 

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN YOUR HELPING YOUR COMMUNITY DIRECTLY?   WE NEED A COORDINATOR FOR FINDING AND HELPING WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS.   

- Theme Month Advisors needed!    If you have an interest, a passion or hobby that lines up with some of these topics, please let us know!  We will get you help if you haven't done this before. 

June - Nature 
July - Aquatics 
August - Hobbies 


Adult Training 

Needed for Quality Award.  Check myscouting.org to check your status and take additional training.  Provide your status to Todd Ware, Gerre Goard and/or who is coordinating for the troop.  Remember, priority is: 

     1.  Youth Protection  ALL LEADERS MUST DO EVERY TWO YEARS
     2.  Scouting Essentials 
     3.  Weather (if you are leading a trip) 

Also Available CPR classes for certification.   Please contact Lori Hamilton (hammie302002@yahoo.com) if you would like to get a class scheduled for the troop.  

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Roundtable, District Events 

January Roundtable         Recharter and disclosure forms.   
                        District banquet  Feb 10.   See Marty for form.   
                        Summer Camp scoutmaster dinner.   Marty and Gerre to attend on 2/1 



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Scoutmaster Report and Key Dates 
Bell Ringing - Thanks Ken Anson for coordinating again this year and thanks to all of the scouts that made this another success.

Crowders Mountain Backpacking in December.  Great participation and fun! 

Jan 13-16 - Fort Fisher.  Sam Ingram coordinating. 

Pinewood Derby - Jan 28th.    Fundraising opportunity.  Ben Stainback coordinating. 

February 6 - Court of Honor - watch for emails with details 

February 10 - Gemstone District Adult Scout Recognition Banquet - Statesville       Troop will pay your attendance fee!    Free dinner!   Come represent our troop. 

Feb 17 -19th we have a trip planned for Rostan Lodge at Camp Bud Sheile, emails will be sent next week with more info.  Steve Scheuerle coordinating. 

Feb 25 - Merit Badge Univ  - Presently, we have approximately 15 scouts and 4-5 leaders attending at Draughn High School in Valdese, NC.   

Feb 25 - Blue and Gold 

March 17 Pine Needle Sale targeted.   Lydia Sullivan coordinating. 

March 24 - New Scout Orientation - We are expecting 14 - 16 new scouts moving up from cub scouts. 

April 27-29 - Camporee.   Theme is "Hunting for Bigfoot!"   Senior scouts needed for staff roles. 

May - Yard Sale 

May - Duke Encampment,  New River Canoe trip end of May with "camp and fish". 


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Advancement
  
EAGLE Progress: 

 
Note on eagle candidates.   A separate meeting on Tuesdays is available to work on eagle advancement, projects and other needs specific to the older scouts needing that focus.   Since there are 

New eagle projects have been identified.   See Ken Anson, Russ Gavitt, and Bill Hicks for ideas if you are looking for a project.


Eagle Required Merit Badge schedule: 

January    Citizenship in the World  1/21            Randall Sprinkle                        More than a dozen scouts have signed up 
January    First Aid  1/28                           Blake Lawing                        8 scouts signed up
March      Environmental Science   3/31?                Sam Ingram 
May         Emergency Prep                          Blake Lawing 
Sept         Cit in Community                                Randall Sprinkle

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Misc Items 

Troop Service Project / Service hours ideas - WE NEED AN ADULT COORDINATOR - PLEASE LET Steve Kuras or Marty Kessans know if you are interested.
        Scout camp service project 
         Iredell County Climbing Center   
         Davidson Land Conservancy 
        
Seabase -  Dates are July 23-July 29th 2012.   Another fantastic trip planned!! 

Scout Center - Last one out, PLEASE be sure to lock up, leave things clean, lock the trailer, and make sure it is all secure.   

Vans, etc. - Let's continue to keep them clean, records straight and we will continue to have the privilege of using the Fairview based vehicles. Additional drivers are needed.   Please let Bill Hicks know if you are interested in getting registered.  You will be a great resource to the troop if you are able and willing.
        

Future Large trips:
1: National Jamboree 2013
2: Sea Base 2013 or 2014
3: Civil War Trek 2013 through 2016 


Steve Kuras 
Troop Committee Chairman
Phone: 1-704-607-1453
E-mail: steven_kuras@us.ibm.com