MARCH 2023 NEWSLETTER
Namaste, Scouts & Families!
Following up on our January and February newsletters, please read on for the highlights so far — with a special focus on the launch of Troop 60G! — and important updates for the months ahead.
SCOUTMASTER’S CORNER
Greetings Troop 60! I am very pleased to announce the official formation of BSA Troop 60G (Girls) New Delhi, India. We have nine Scouts in this group thus far and have already completed two campouts. A big thank you to Peacocks Patrol Leader Cam Eastman and Assistant Patrol Leader Jaya Stapleton, who will now rise to become the new Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL), respectively, for 60G. A sincere thank you to Troop 60B (Boys) SPL Aakash Bello and ASPL Shivraj Sidhu for their guidance on the formation of this new group within Troop 60.
Congratulations to Troop 60’s six newest Scouts, who have completed the crossover from Cub Scouts Pack 3060 Webelos. John Beillard and Ananth Gokhale have joined 60B; Ariana Cooper, Rosemary McKenney, Chaitanya Soni, and Cada Wilcox have joined 60G. We welcomed these new Scouts at a special campfire ceremony on Feb. 25 at Camp Wild, where they walked across a symbolic bridge accompanied by their dedicated Den Chief Owen Farmer. In their first night adventure, the new Scouts traversed the woods and rocks back to Troop 60’s nearby campout (The Crashpad) with the senior Scouts leading the way.
Each Scout climbed to new heights this weekend at The Crashpad — quite literally climbing bare rock faces and rappelling from tall peaks. Many Scouts also earned their Totin’ Chip and Firem’n Chit for knife, ax, saw, and fire skills. Four Scouts learned to play bugle calls as part of their work towards earning a Bugling Merit Badge, counseled by Michael Balonek, who came in from Varanasi with his sons, Lone Scouts Micaiah and Samuel Balonek. Special shoutout to Tristan Schwarz for stepping up as Acting Patrol Leader for the Grump Old Eagles Patrol and leading this patrol to great success at this campout.
We look forward to more adventures this spring, and to summer camp in Nepal (see below) for those who can come. Be Prepared!
Yours in Scouting,
Alexander McKenney, Troop 60G Scoutmaster
SCOUT LEADER SPOTLIGHT
Camryn Eastman,
Troop 60G Senior Patrol Leader
- Birthday: November 23
- What brought you to Scouting? I started Scouting in Australia with my friends, I enjoyed it so much I decided to continue when we came to India. Although it is a bit different here!
- When did you join Troop 60? November 2021
- What is your current rank? Tenderfoot, and I have almost completed 2nd Class rank
- What was the first merit badge you earned? My first merit badge in Australia was Kayaking in 2020, my first merit badge in India was Swimming in June 2022.
- What was your favorite merit badge to earn? The Art Merit badge in Australia because I worked on it with my friends
- What was the most challenging merit badge to earn? Swimming as it takes longer than some of the other badges I have earned
- Which merit badges do you still want to earn? Reading and Disability Awareness.
- What is your goal for Troop 60 this year? To work hard with the other Scout girls to advance our ranks.
- What is your favorite thing about Scouting? That there are lots of different activities, skills to learn and badges to earn.
- Favorite camping meal: Pasta with cheese.
- Where else have you been involved with Scouting? In Australia.
- What do you like to do when you’re not busy Scouting? Reading, writing stories, and working hard at school.
- Anything else you would like Troop 60 to know? That I like to be organized with lists and schedules.
ADULT LEADER SPOTLIGHT
Alanna Gregory,
Troop 60G Assistant Scoutmaster
- Birthday: July 12
- What brought you to Scouting? My daughter Cam, who started with the Scouts in Australia and has continued in New Delhi.
- When did you join Troop 60? November 2021
- What is your role(s) with Troop 60? Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 60G and Merit Badge Counselor for Reading, Art, and Disability Awareness.
- What is your favorite merit badge or rank requirement to help Scouts earn? I am excited to be starting as a Merit Badge Counselor for the first time with the Reading merit badge at this month’s Extravaganza!
- What is the most challenging merit badge or rank requirement to help Scouts earn? Being part of a brand new troop, with girls in the AES Scouts BSA program for the first time,* the foundation skills for Scout and Tenderfoot ranks are our current focus. There is a lot for them to learn!
- What is your goal for Troop 60 this year? To continue to grow our Troop 60G — to have two patrols by the start of our next Scout (school) year!
- What is your favorite thing about Scouting? Seeing Scouts be brave: trying something new, conquering their fears, supporting and encouraging each other and persevering when it gets hard.
- Favorite camping meal: Anything slow cooked over the fire in a camp oven.
- Where else have you been involved with Scouting? In Australia.
- What do you like to do when you’re not busy Scouting? Baking and cooking.
- Anything else you would like Troop 60 to know? When camping in Australia, there are lots of creatures who might try and eat your food or get into your tent. I’ve had a Tasmanian devil raid my food and a wombat in my tent!
*Editor’s Note: Scouts BSA expanded its program to officially include girls in 2019. For the past few years, girls have been participating with Troop 60 as Lone Scouts; as of March 1, they have their own troop. Welcome, Troop 60G — and Happy Women’s History Month!
SIGN-UP FORMS & CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer Opportunity: March 4
Cub Scouts Pack 3060 will be selling lemonade and sodas at the AES PSA’s Holi festivities on Saturday, March 4. This booth helps the PSA keep event staffing costs low, and it’s the pack’s first and only fundraising opportunity for this year; they could use a few big Scouts to give them a hand and show them how it’s done (Diwali and IFF style)! If you can spare 45 minutes between 11:30 and 3:30 p.m., please sign up here.
Merit Badge Extravaganza!
Scouts and Merit Badge Counselors will come together for a “Merit Badge Extravaganza” at AES from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 11. Sign up here to participate in one or two sessions! If you have any questions, please reach out to Advancement Chair Kathryn Farmer via email (ktolfree@hotmail.com) or WhatsApp (+1 831 236 5943).
Camp Nepal: July 22–29
Want to attend summer camp with Troop 60? Registration opens for the Far East Council’s Camp Nepal on March 1. Please sign up on our interest form and let Scoutmasters Tyler (boys) and Alexander (girls) know ASAP if you may be interested in going — space is limited!
Dress for Scouting Success
- A few adult-sized Troop 60 Class B T-shirts are still available for Scouts and parents! (See photos above.) Need one? Want an extra? Please bring 1200 INR to the March 7 meeting and/or Merit Badge Extravaganza on March 11.
- Need to order a Class A uniform (the khaki colored one)? Talk to your Scoutmaster about ordering options.
- Want to help out? We’re seeking volunteers — Scouts and/or parents — for designing and organizing special patches and future uniform and T-shirt orders. (We may be able to lower our supply costs by working with a local vendor, but we need more volunteers for this type of project.) Interested? Please contact Nicole Gupte for more information.
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
Save the Dates
- March 1: Registration opens for Camp Nepal
- March 4: Orienteering, 9:30-11 a.m. @ Lodhi Gardens
- March 7: Troop Meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. @ AES MPR1
- March 11: Merit Badge Extravaganza, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. @ AES
- March 21: Troop Meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. @ AES MPR1
- April 1-3: Campout @ Rishikesh
- April 11: Troop Meeting, 6-7:30 p.m @ AES MPR1
- April 18: Troop Meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. @ AES MPR1
- April 28-30: Campout @ TBA
- May 2: Troop Meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. @ AES HOP
- May 16: Troop Meeting, 6-7:30 p.m @ AES HOP
- May 21: Court of Honor & Troop Elections, 4-6 p.m. @ AES HOP
- July 22-29: Summer Camp @ Camp Nepal
PHOTO GALLERY
Crashpad Campout: Feb. 24-26
Rickshaw Patrol (Mumbai) Campout: January
The Rickshaws enjoyed their first campout at a beach in Vasai. Scouts did Dutch oven cooking, played beach volleyball, and learned proper care and use of knives, axes, and saws.
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
Don’t be a stranger! Reach out via WhatsApp to anyone mentioned in this newsletter or click on these links for helpful information: