We will be going on a sledding / snowshoeing outing at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Depart from Nativity at 8:00 am, Saturday January 14 (arrive 7:45).  We’ll target coming back to Nativity between 3-4pm.

We will start the day with sledding at Hidden Valley.  Then decide on a good location for lunch (bring sack lunches).  After lunch, we’ll plan on a short snowshoeing hike.

Scouts – come prepared!

• Bring snacks / sack lunch
• Bring water
• Dressed to be in snow (snow pants, coat, gloves, etc.)
• Bring sleds (if you have some)
• Bring snow shoes (also if you have some)

We will all meet at the North Metro Fire Station #61 at 1275 Midway Blvd.  at 6:30 pm, after a tour of station, and the Medic Truck, we will visit about "first Aid" with firemen/medics then walk over to church to finish our meeting at the regular time.  This is keeping up with our theme for the month (First Aid).

 Saturday, April 6 at the Faith Bible Chapel Carr Street Campus.

Where:  Faith Bible Chapel Carr St. Campus (4890 Carr Street – Carr & I-70 Frontage Rd.) 
  The Ceremony will be outdoors, weather permitting.
When:  Registration will begin at 9:30 am

Ceremony will begin at 10:00 am. 
(The exact length of the ceremony will be based on the number of participants, but it will be concluded before 11:00 am.)

Who:  As much of your Troop as possible, especially all the candidates who were on your ballot, their families, your youth and adult leaders, and your Arrowmen.

As you know, we have changed how we handle Order of the Arrow Callouts in Kodiak Chapter (Gateway District).  I apologize that we were not able to have all the callout details ready for you at your election.

The Callout Ceremony should be the beginning of a ceremonial progression that moves from Callout, to Pre-Ordeal, to Ordeal and then later to Brotherhood and then Vigil ceremonies.  The past callout ceremonies, immediately following elections, were frequently rushed and rarely inspirational.  In many cases, they seemed to be just one more thing to get through before tackling the night’s agenda (or before closing the meeting and going home.) 

In order to provide an inspirational Callout Ceremony, and provide an opportunity for family members, etc. to witness the ceremony and “be there for the candidates,” we have decided to hold a chapter-wide Callout Ceremony rather than individual Troop “mini ceremonies.”

What we need from you as a Unit Leader:

• First and foremost, we need you to inform your Troop of the Callout as soon as possible and encourage your Scouts and Scouters to attend. 
• I have attached a informational flyer you can print, cut, and distribute.

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• Please encourage candidates’ families to attend and bring cameras.
• We hope that as many of your Troop’s members as possible, especially your adult and youth leaders and your Arrowmen come to support your OA Candidates.

Please note that the Callout is for youth candidates only.  Adult recommendations are being reviewed by the Lodge Adult Selection Committee and the Scout Executive.  Selected adults will be notified by letter by April 15^th.

Additional pieces of information:

• We will be outside if at all possible.  Dress accordingly.  If it is too wet, windy, or cold, we will move inside, otherwise we want to be outside.  (The forecast looks good, for what it is worth this far out.)
• There is limited seating on concrete bleachers.  People may want to bring blankets, stadium seats, and/or camp chairs.

Reminder, Court of Honor tonight!

Our next Court of Honor is just around the corner (March 14^th), so just as a reminder, your sons need to have all board of reviews and/or merit badge blue cards handed in to me by next week, Feb 28^th in order to have them available and presented for the Court of Honor, March 14^th. Please contact Mike Michalkiewicz @ utlax18@comcast.net if you have any questions.

If you are planning on attending the Court of Honor event, be sure to sign-up here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084FAEAC22AA8-court1