The troop hosted their first fundraiser for the 2023-2024 school year at the end of October. We sold pastries and coffee after all the morning masses, and hot dogs, chips, and drinks (the “St. George Combo”) after all the late morning and afternoon masses. The raised funds will go towards future events for the troop (camp outs), as well as supplies (arrows and targets).

The troop hosted an activity tent at our parish’s annual All Hallow’s Eve party where kids could slay a dragon using toy boys and arrows in order to win candy. Fun was had by all.

The October event took place at a very popular hiking spot up neat Auburn named Hidden Falls. It was a 3 – 4 mile hike roundtrip, with a break in the middle to hold a formal membership meeting where officers were be elected for the upcoming troop year.  The following agenda was sent out:

9:00 AM – Meet in parking lot; opening prayer.

9:15 AM – Hike to Hidden Falls & Coon Creek via Poppy View Trail -> Hidden Falls Access Trail -> North Legacy Way (approx. 2 miles)

10:15 AM – Snack break; membership meeting (agenda to follow)

10:30 AM – Knife safety review

11:00 AM – Return hike & Rosary via Creekside Trail -> North Legacy Way -> South Legacy Way (approx. 2 miles) 12:00 PM – Concluding prayer at Hidden Gateway (near parking lot).

This was our first camp out as a troop, and we reached max capacity at our group camp site, having over 12 fathers with their sons attend. It was a cold and rainy weekend, but that didn’t dampen the trip too much or the spirit of our cadets. Friday evening included a quick dinner and a campfire rosary. Saturday morning started off with lauds, the divine office morning prayers, and then breakfast. After breakfast and some archery practice, the cadets then hiked down to the lake, with fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. A majority of the cadets had some luck catching small fish in the lake, and one group even got a catch on their canoe! After lunch, we then hiked to the historic Malakoff Diggins mining town, which included a museum tour and video talking about the history of hydraulic mining, which was the reason for the town’s success (and ultimate demise) in the mid 1800’s. After the museum tour, the group split up with some dads touring the town, and some dads going down to the river to gold pan with their sons. The evening concluded with another campfire rosary, as well as smores. Sunday morning started with lauds once again, and then a generous breakfast, and finally camp break down. This was a great first campout for the troop, which was mostly paid for by the boys fundraising efforts selling pastries, coffee, and hotdogs the prior year.

To conclude the first year of our troop, we celebrated with a family BBQ followed by a badge ceremony. The cadets received their official patches for their next rank, in addition to two other patches: the Troop shield and the American flag, as well as a St. George prayer card. Thanks to our commander, James, for leading a successful year!

Our April meeting focused on a number of grade 2 program activities (basketball, soccer, how to use hand tools), in addition to BB guns and archery.

The schedule was as follows:

8:30 AM              Mass at St. Stephen’s

10:00 AM            Arrival & Orientation

10:15 AM            Opening Prayer; Brief Meeting

10:30 AM            First Activity

12:00 PM            Lunch (hot dogs / chips)

1:00 PM               Second Activity

2:00 PM               Third Activity

3:00 PM               Chaplet of Divine Mercy & Rosary

3:30 PM               Snack

4:00 PM               Fourth Activity

5:00 PM               Fifth Activity

6:15 PM               Dinner (spaghetti & meatballs)

7:15 PM               Campfire & S’mores; St. George Presentation by Grade 5 Boys & Senior Cadets

8:00 PM               Concluding prayer & departure

Each activity was led by one of the fathers who has a son in that grade.   

Our March meeting focused on gold panning and California’s historic gold rush. The meeting was held at Marshall Gold Discovery Historic Park in Coloma and included a park tour with a tour guide. It concluded with fathers taking their sons gold panning.

The weather finally agreed with our troop this month and we proceeded to do firemanship training with the cadets. The following agenda was followed:

• 8:30AM – Meet @ a lieutenant’s house
  Opening prayer

• Layout of the fire rings (each father will build his own fire with his sons)
• Where to locate your fire
• Four ways to build a fire
• How NOT to start a fire
• How to start a fire and use fire starters
• Setting up your cookware
• 9:30AM – Fathers build fires with their sons and get cooking.
• 11:00AM – Fires are extinguished. Clean up site.
• 11:45AM – Concluding prayer

Campfire Cooking Suggested Supply List

For Cooking:

• 12-inch cast iron skillet (other sizes can work)

• Cast iron Dutch oven (optional, for making biscuits)
• Coffee pot or percolator (optional, needs to be able to be over fire)
• Small bottle of cooking oil or stick of butter, or both
• Pancake instant mix
• Sausages/bacon/ham/other (your preference)
• Eggs (optional)
• Tube of biscuits (if you bring a Dutch oven)
• Several paper towels (or a roll)
• Spatula (can be metal or heat-resistant plastic)
• Instant/ground coffee or hot chocolate.
• Plates, cups, and utensils (disposable is okay, reusable is better)
• Syrup/butter (optional for pancakes)

For Fire:

• Bundle of hardwood firewood (available at most supermarkets)
• 3 or 6 bricks (clay preferred over concrete due to better heat resistance)
• Small shovel for moving hot coals
• Potholder/oven mitt
• Matches/lighter
• Newspaper/drier lint/jute twine for tinder
• Other fire-starting methods
• Hatchet/small axe (we can share if needed)
  Note: Walmart/Sportsman’s Warehouse has supplies that will work for a lot of the needed equipment at lower prices than REI or BassPro.

Due to another rainy weekend, we postponed firemanship training and planned an event in the classrooms at St. Stephen’s to train the cadets on various skills from their troop manuals.

The first part of the training was how to properly carry and fold the American flag. The cadets were taught that the flag should never touch the ground and that when carrying the flag the stars should always face forward. They also learned how to properly fold the flag into a triangle.

The second part of the cadets training was on fishing. One dad taught the supplies needed, including the proper state license, and places where to go. Another dad taught the kids basics of fly fishing, tying flies, and how to properly cast. Finally, once the rain cleared, the boys were able to go out to the church field and practice how to cast a line using actual fishing poles.