Category: Committee

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March madness: CoH and Church landscaping

Couple of quick updates to share:

  • We had our March Court of Honor
  • High impact landscaping service at our Charter org

March Court of Honor

We welcomed our two newest scouts – Isabella and Emily. Great to have the join, and also for making life easy for the Assistant Scoutmasters by having the same names as current scouts 🙂

Scouts presented our in-flight plans for the summer 50-miler to Lost Coast: trip route and meal. We’ll be sure to have enough calories and great places to camp

https://photos.app.goo.gl/K4KSJ26xpXivuVZ76

Landscaping service

Our Charter organisation is essential to the Troop: we are officially a program under their legal entity; they provide space for our storage shed; use of the hall at now cost; a place to meet and hold events. In turn, it was great to be able to help them out. T260 turned up on force to make short work of some tough landscaping work, doubling the area the Church had hoped to cover in 2/3 of the time!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aEyn5fKP8ioHvvRP9
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Winter Court of Honor, 2021

We’re back! For our favorite group event of the year, our winter CoH. Ranks, merit badges, slide shows (ok, really mini films this time as Rafael has stepped us up to another level!).

And the food.

Ooooooooooh yeah. om nom nom. Great organizing and great contributions by everyone to make a lovely evening.

Full gallery
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Wilderness First Aid training, 2021

After 16 hours over two days, James took 9 adults (Marion, Phil, Kathy, Stan, Gavin, Glenn, Ram, Tristan and Scott [CPR only]) and 5 scouts (Alia, Bryson, Aidan, Pierce, Maanasa) through their wilderness first aid and CPR course.

Policy requires us to have a WFA trained adult on any high-adventure trip. As a troop we like to #BePrepared and have several.

The training was highly relevant and relatable for the activities we do and risks we may encounter. A sampling of memorable facts below:

  • HAFE (high-altitude flatus expulsion) – or Excessive farting – or may be a sign of altitude sickness
  • Shakira – the hips don’t lie – is a great tune for CPR timing (120 bpms!)
  • A dog ball thrower makes a suitable alternative to a SAM splint!

Great hosting by Alia L. and her two cats (very much the star if the show) on a hot weekend

Good enough! more photos clicking above or here.
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Pack 259 Bridging

For reasons they may yet come to fully understand (!) the entire graduating webelos class of Pack 259 joined Troop 260 yesterday – w00t.

All 9 (Ben D., Bobby B., Cruz S., David M., Josheph M., Jaden P., Santiago B., Xavier G, Joshua A.) will find new patrols and a new adventure on the next stage of their scouting journey. Welcome all and their families – adventure awaits!

T260 sucks up an entire pack, and there is still room for more (Hilbert’s hotel?) – gallery here, or click above.

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updated Covid-19 policy

On 18 May 2021 – SCC moved to “yellow tier”. As a result, we have updated our Covid-19 policies. The Committee ratified this new policy today and it is effective until further modified.

  1. We encourage all our families to get vaccinated
  2. We will request vaccination status from all registered adults and youth – and update it over the coming months
    1. We are now required to gather this through medical forms, but may also need an additional check / register
  3. Fully vaccinated adults and youth will follow the County guidelines – no masks outdoors (with the exceptions observed) – and masks indoors
  4. Non vaccinated adults and youth follow the County guidelines – masks outdoors (when distancing isn’t possible) and indoors
  5. Adults will be able to rejoin outdoor meeting spaces, following relevant protocol (above)
  6. Maintain availability of and use of hand sanitizer
  7. Support any youth or adults choice to continue to wear a mask, even if not required
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Latest Troop stats – April 2020

Thanks to Mary B for some help updating the Troop roster (public version with redacted personal info available here and linked from the home page) we have a fresh set of stats about the Troop

We have 37 scouts that are registered or in the process of registering. This does include a few that are inactive but still formally a part of the Troop.

We can see a spread of ranks below. A good number of Lifers stacking up to work through final Eagle requirements and projects, and a good number of new scouts (and some less active scouts) that are starting their journey.

Numbers of active scouts by rank

As we run an integrated Troop to the extent we can, it’s also interesting to look at the gender split. Note that we record gender as provider by the scout on their form which currently only allows for male-female choice. We have 10 female scouts, or 27% of the Troop.

If you have any questions, feel free to drop a question below or get in contact.

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COVID-19 response: keeping the Troop truckin’ – virtually

COVID-19 response: Troop policy (effective immediately)
COVID-19 response: virtual scouting – a guide
Virtual Scouting resources

As the outbreak of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County continues to accelerate, BSA Scout Troop 260 has established the following policy. It is effective immediately, as of March 14 2020. Troop 260 has put in place this policy and associated guidelines to keep scouts and adult volunteers safe during Troop 260 activities as well as be socially responsible in support of limiting the spread of the virus.

Troop leadership (uniformed adult leaders and committee members) is following guidance and recommendations set forth by local and national health authorities. Where ambiguity exists, we are erring on the side of caution.

COVID-19 brings unprecedented and challenging changes to our normal routine. However, there is a determination by troop leadership to keep our Scouts BSA program by using virtual means!

We encourage scouts and adults to read, understand and – where required, suggest improvements to – this policy and the virtual scouting guidelines. At the same time, we challenge scouts and adults to show their scout spirit in adapting to what we all hope will be a relatively short disruption.

— Troop 2/260 Scoutmaster and Chair

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YASP (yet another shed post)

Yes, the new shed is up and our gear was in. But it wasn’t in neatly! And a good Scout is organized and tidy, as we all know. So it was back in action for Yet Another Shed Day (YASD) this time getting shelving up.

A nimble cadre of adults and Scouts chopped, trimmed, screwed and hefted for 4 hours, after which we had all of one long side done, and the start of a short side. We were able to fill up the completed shelving and – wow – it is going to make a huge difference in accessing and using our Troop Gear.

One more session to go! (time to be confirmed)

CLICK IMAGE or HERE to see full Gallery

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Happy New Shed Day!

An exciting update from the new Troop storage shed project manager – David. On 31 December, the crew came to deliver and install the new storage shed on the space we had cleared on the Church grounds.

They arrived early, and worked hard for several hours setting the foundation, and then completing the build. They achieved a massive amount in a short space of time.

The returning Cycling Merit Badge group got a sneak preview inside!

Next stage is to complete the power, consider shelving, and get stuff moved-in! It’s going to be great for the program and for the Scoutmasters to have all our gear onsite.

Thanks to all involved 🙂

CLICK PHOTO FOR FULL GALLERY
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Blood, compress, action!

A hardy bunch of 14 scouts and adults spent the last weekend (and I mean all weekend) doing their CPR and Wilderness First Aid. Scouting guidelines require WFA trained adults on high adventure activities – and that sounds like Troop 260.

These certifications have to be renewed every two years. We refreshed our skills to assess, triage, and decide whether to evac. We are up to date on our RICE, SAMPLE, BACDE, AVPU. Bring on the adventures.

Full gallery here