Author: Scoutmaster

Grubmaster Guide
Grubmaster Guide

Grubmaster Guide

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Buying Food for Your Patrol

Attention Grubmasters:  Managing the food-buying task for your patrol is a very important job!

Your patrol members are going to be hungry and unhappy if you don’t buy enough food and leftover food is often wasted if you buy too much.  A Scout is Thrifty is an important Scout Law to remember.  You must keep track of which patrol members are going and if they have paid their money. Knowing your budget, planning your meals, and managing your funds are a big part of being successful in this leadership task.

Plan the menu with your patrol

Get a firm count of how many patrol members are going at the outing prep meeting. If you have 10 patrol members and 7 have said they are going, your budget is $140, not $200. Once you know the number going camping, use the Menu Planner and plan to buy only as much food as your patrol will need.  Buying too much food will cost your patrol extra money and is often wasteful.  Stay within your budget.

Save all your receipts

Place them in an envelope labeled with your name and Patrol, and the total cost of the food, ice and supplies. Buying food for the patrol is supposed to be a break-even proposition. As Grubmaster, it is your responsibility to stay within your food budget.  Spending beyond your budget must be approved by your patrol members.

Packing the food

Do you like squished bread for sandwiches?  Pack the food in ways to protect it in the coolers and totes so it can be safely transported to the campsite.  If needed, the troop will provide a cooler and food tote for the Grubmaster

Remove excess wrappings to reduce weight and trash at the campsite. Zip-lock type plastic bags are an excellent choice.  Instead of purchasing bagged ice, fill one or more clean one-gallon jugs ¾ full of water and freeze several days before departing. Remember to keep the jug’s cap off during the freezing process. By having frozen water jug(s), you can avoid melting ice making your patrol’s food in the cooler all soggy and, if need, you’ll have another source of cold drinking water

At-home preparation will also make cooking at camp easier and quicker.

  • Scrambled eggs? Scramble the raw eggs at home and placed in a tightly sealed container.
  • Diced meats and veggies (chicken, carrots, celery)?  Wash and dice at home and put in separate zip bags.
  • Bacon, ground burger or sausage?  Pre-cook at home. Works great and eliminates grease to make clean-up easier.

It is easier to prepare meals inside in a nice warm kitchen with running water than outside in a barren cold campsite with pouring rain!

During the campout

Patrol leaders – if your Grubmaster will be preparing any food at home, prior to the campout, be sure to remember this effort when planning the duty roster for the weekend.

After the campout

The Scout who bought the food is responsible for removing all food from the food totes and coolers and disposing of it.  Spoiled or ruined food is thrown out.  Food that is okay should be offered to be split among the patrol members.

The Parent’s role

Parental advice, input, and transportation are important to the Grubmaster’s success.  The Grubmaster is the Scout.  He is expected to plan and purchase for the outing.  This means that the Grubmaster goes to the store, not just the parent(s).  Parental advice about nutrition and price comparison at the store is important. 

Note: There are several tips for parents on the back of the Menu Planner to help you during your shopping trip. Tips for parents include:

  • Let your scout do the shopping.  While it’s okay to give your scout a ride to the store (and a little free advice), the scout needs to choose the food and make the decisions.
  • Follow the patrol’s plan.  At least five days before the campout, the patrol is supposed to develop a menu and shopping list for your scout to use.  Our menu planner worksheet helps facilitate the planning process.
  • Make sure you know how many people to shop for. Again, our menu planner worksheet should list a firm head-count for the patrol members attending the outing.
  • Shop early. Part of the logic behind the five-day-out policy is that it gives you several weeknights on which to shop.  You shouldn’t have to shop the day of the campout.
  • On the day of departure, you may pack your cold items in a personal cooler for the weekend or your scout may borrow one of the troops coolers.  Dry goods are best packed in a tote or box to avoid items getting damaged during transport to the camp site.
  • For ice, it is recommended to fill a gallon water jug ¾ full of fresh, clean water and freeze it.  For best results start the freezing process several days prior to the campout.  During really hot months, multiple frozen jugs may be necessary. Avoid bagged & loose ice. They end-up making the cooler a soggy mess by the end of the weekend.
  • Plan to spend between $15 to $20 per scout for a weekend campout. That includes a Friday cracker barrel, three meals on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. For longer or shorter trips, adjust accordingly.
  • Don’t overbuy items like milk, fruit, and vegetables.  While we all want our scouts to eat right – and we strongly encourage them to plan balanced menus – the fact is that we end up throwing away a lot of healthy stuff on Sunday.
  • Don’t buy things we already have. Your scout’s patrol should have checked supplies in the scout trailer before going shopping; we usually have items left over from previous campouts that can be reused.
  • Control costs. You can do this by purchasing store brands, avoiding individually-packaged items, and picking raw ingredients over prepared foods.
  • Turn in your receipts when you drop off the food. The sooner we get your receipts, the sooner we can reimburse you and close out the event budget.
  • Don’t worry. Since the BSA was founded in 1910, there have been absolutely no recorded cases of scouts starving to death on a weekend campout.
How to Restore and Season Rusty Cast Iron Cookware

How to Restore and Season Rusty Cast Iron Cookware

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It’s easy! Whether the troop inherited vintage cast iron covered in rust or your patrol forgot to dry your skillet after washing, the following will show you the couple steps that it takes to easily restore your cast iron to like-new condition.

First, what is cast iron cookware? Cast iron, is the troop’s heavy-duty cookware, usually the dark, heavy-metal skillets, griddles and dutch-ovens. Cast iron is known for its heat retention, durability, ability to be used at very high temperatures, and non-stick cooking when properly seasoned. Seasoning is the process of treating the surface of the cookware with heated fat or oil in order to produce a corrosion-resistant and stick-resistant coating. When properly seasoned and cared for, cooking with cast iron is extremely easily, providing great culinary results!

How to Remove Rust on Cast Iron

A little (or a lot) of rust on your cast iron cookware is no reason to panic. Follow these simple steps to refurbish your cast iron finish, and you’ll be set for your next campout.

Step 1: Scrub and wash your pan

Scour the rusty sections with steel wool. Then wash the pan with warm, soapy water. This step may remove portions of the seasoning, but that’s okay because we’re preparing to re-season the pan.

For stubborn rust, soak the pan in a solution of half white vinegar and half water. Find a container that’s big enough to hold the rusty cookware and completely submerge it into the solution. Let it soak no longer than one to four hours. The acid in the vinegar will dissolve and loosen the rust. After an hour, rinse and re-scour the cookware with your steel wool in warm soapy water. When the rust is all gone, rinse your cookware rigorously.

Step 2: Dry thoroughly

Completely dry your cast iron skillet with a paper towel or lint-free cloth. You can place it on the stovetop on medium-low heat for a few minutes to make sure it’s completely dry.

It is critical that your cast iron cookware is completely dry before continuing with the next step!

Step 3: Apply Oil

With the cast iron still warm from drying, add a very thin layer of cooking oil (Crisco is recommended) to the entire surface of your cast iron with a cloth or lint-free paper towel. Go easy on the oil! You want just a thin layer, not enough to drip or run when you tilt it. Thin layers are important for baking seasoning into the pan.

Step 4: Bake for 1 Hour

Preheat your oven to 350–400 degrees F. Place aluminum foil on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any excess oil. Put your cookware upside down on the center rack. This helps prevent oil from pooling on the cooking surface. Bake for 1 hour. After 1 hour, turn the heat off and allow the cast iron skillet to cool in the oven. This allows the seasoning to further cure and adhere to the iron.

Seasoning and Rust FAQs

I tried to season my pan and now it’s sticky and gummy. Now what?

This will happen if too much oil is used to season your cast iron or if you didn’t heat it for a long enough time. It’s easy to fix! Just pop it back in the oven for another hour, or until the stickiness is gone.

My cast iron looks dull and burnt. How do I fix it?

Cast iron will become dull if it’s heated without any oil on the cooking surface, or if it’s heated without enough oil in the pan to cook the food. The dullness comes when the oil on the pan burns off before cooking. To fix this, just re-season the pan. If your cast iron still looks dull after re-seasoning it, repeat the process until it achieves a slight sheen.

Tips for Preventing Rust

Want to avoid a having a rusted cast-iron skillet in the first place? Keep the following tips in mind:

  • Never soak the pan. Since cast iron is so vulnerable to rust, it’s best to limit your pan’s exposure to water as much as possible.
  • Never, EVER wash with soap! Soap will remove the seasoning you’ve built up from your cast iron and make it much more susceptible to rusting. Cleaning your cast iron cookware is as simple as washing it in hot water, drying it completely and re-applying a thin coat of oil. …that’s it!
  • Don’t let the pan air dry. Wipe off any excess water with a towel immediately after rinsing. To get your skillet bone dry, pop it on the burner to remove extra moisture.
  • Lightly oil after use. Once dried, rub your skillet with a thin layer of vegetable oil after every use before storing.
  • Avoid certain foods: Acidic ingredients like tomatoes or vinegar can eat into seasoning and lead to rust. If you have a well-seasoned pan, this shouldn’t be a problem-but avoid that cooking that tomato sauce in your brand-new skillet.
  • Use often: Cast-iron skillets love to be loved. They’ll start to rust if they’ve been cooped up for a long period of time without much air-circulation or use. This is often the case in coastal climates, where the salty air can have a big impact.

Enjoy Cooking with Your Restored Cast Iron!
Rank Advancement & COVID-19

Rank Advancement & COVID-19

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One of the most frequently asked question raised at Troop 279 is; “how does the current COVID-19 social distancing requirements affect rank advancement?” Below is an excerpt from National’s COVID-19 FAQ page listing the temporary exceptions to rank requirements, valid through September 1, 2020. This deadline will be re-evaluated as needed.

Tenderfoot rank requirements

  • 1b. – Virtual patrol or troop campouts via video conferencing will be permitted.
  • 2a. – During the same day as your virtual patrol or troop campout, assist in preparing one meal with the help of those with whom you live. Tell your patrol or troop why it was important for each person to share in meal preparation and cleanup.
  • 2b. – During the same day as your virtual campout, demonstrate the appropriate method of safely cleaning items used to prepare, serve and eat a meal.
  • 5a. – Explain the importance of the buddy system as it relates to your personal safety on outings and in your neighborhood. Verbally commit to following the buddy system on your next troop or patrol outing.
  • 7a. – Tell how to display, raise, lower, and fold the U.S. flag.

Second Class rank requirements:

  • 1a & 1c. – Virtual patrol or troop activities via video conferencing will be permitted. 
  • 3b. – Using a compass and map together, plan a 5-mile hike approved by your adult leader.
  • 4. – Evidence of wild animals can be demonstrated with information or photos of your local area found online.
  • 5c. – May be completed virtually via video conferencing on dry land.
  • 7c. – Learn about the dangers of using drugs, alcohol and tobacco and other practices that could be harmful to your health. Discuss what you learned with your family and explain the dangers of substance addictions. Report to your Scoutmaster or other adult leader in your troop about which parts of the Scout Oath and Scout Law relate to what you learned.
  • 8a. – May be completed virtually using video conferencing.
  • 8d. – May be completed by comparing costs at three (3) online sites or locations.

First Class rank requirements:

  • 1a – Virtual patrol or troop activities via video conferencing will be permitted.
  • 2e. – On the same day as your virtual campout, serve as the cook. Supervise your assistant(s) in using a stove or building a cooking fire. Prepare the breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned in First Class requirement 2a. Supervise the cleanup.
  • 4a. – By drawing, computer software, or other virtual methods, plan an orienteering course that would cover at least one mile. Explain why measuring the height and/or width of designated items (tree, tower, canyon, ditch, etc.) is helpful. Explain how you would complete your course using a real map and compass.
  • 4b. – Scouts do not need to follow their route.
  • 5a. – Evidence of native plants can be demonstrated with information or photos of your local area found online.
  • 6e. – May be completed on dry land.
  • 9a. – Visit may take place virtually or by phone.
  • 9c. – Outings can include past or future plans.
  • 10. – Invite the potential new member to a virtual meeting or future activity using video conferencing. 
Social Distancing Merit Badge

Social Distancing Merit Badge

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For a limited time, Troop 279 will be conducting a troop-wide Social Distancing merit badge to have a little fun while we’re unable to meet in-person.

All troop leaders are honorary merit badge councilors for the Social Distancing merit badge. No blue cards are necessary for the Social Distancing merit badge, but all Youth Protection guidelines must still be followed while working with a councilor. To learn more about merit badges, please visit the Merit Badge page on the Troop’s website.

Upon successful completion, scouts will receive the Social Distancing merit badge patch to commemorate the activities, sacrifices and personal perseverance during these unique times.

Requirements

  1. Do the following:
    1. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter when practicing Social Distancing, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
    2. Tell what you can do to prevent or reduce the occurrence of the following injuries or illnesses:
      • Irritability
      • Lethargy
      • Gaining weight
      • Cabin fever
    3. Define the following Social Distancing terms:
      • Flatten the curve
      • Self-quarantine
      • Incubation
      • R0 (pronounced “R-naught”)
      • Binge-watching
      • Slow the spread
      • Do the five
  2. List and explain at least 5 different ways to estimate a 6-foot distance. For example, “6 feet equals one Ryan Reynolds” or “the span between potholes in PA”.
  3. Rank the following 20 popular sports from Best to Worst for Social Distancing appropriateness:
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Hockey
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • car racing
    • wrestling
    • volleyball
    • swimming
    • skiing
    • bowling
    • horse racing
    • martial arts
    • weight lifting
    • ultimate
    • bicycling
    • speed skating
  4. Do the following:
    1. Create a list of at least 5 common Social Distancing hashtags, for example #StayHome. Your list may not include #StayHome.
    2. Create a list of at least 5 new hashtags that you feel would help people understand, remember, or implement proper Social Distancing.
    3. Share your two lists with your counselor. Be prepared to explain your new hashtags to your counselor.
  5. Using Discord (https://discordapp.com/), Zoom (https://zoom.us/) or other remote conferencing software approved by your counselor, do the following:
    1. Install and configure the conferencing software on your computer or handheld electronic device.
    2. Help another person install and configure the conferencing software.
    3. Schedule and run a meeting that lasts at least 5 minutes and includes at least 5 people. The people must include yourself, your counselor, and at least one other adult.
  6. Demonstrate to your counselor your ability to socially distance yourself by doing at least 4 of the following Social Distancing activities:
    1. Wash your hands correctly
    2. Cough into your elbow
    3. Wave to another person
    4. Pass someone on a walking path
    5. Correctly put on and take off nitrile gloves
    6. Sew a face mask (https://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/168194/neckerchief-face-mask/)
    7. Order a take-out meal for your family using a phone or the internet. You or your parent may pay for the meal.
  7. Simulate Social Distancing by doing the following:
    1. Live in a simulated quarantine environment by not leaving your house or physically interacting with any other humans except your immediate family for 4 days. During this simulation, complete at least three of these tasks:
    2. Document what you did and present your accomplishments to your counselor, patrol, or troop in a 2-minute presentation
  8. List two types of germs. Briefly describe each one, and tell how they differ, what they do and how you can protect yourself from these germs.
  9. Find out about three career opportunities in the global health industry. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor and explain why this profession might interest you.
  10. Do TWO of the following. Take pictures of your activities. Send or share your images with your counselor and scoutmaster.
    1. Take a family walk or hike
    2. Camp outside in your back yard
    3. Cook a meal for your family
    4. Take a bike ride
    5. Sew a patch on your uniform or merit badge sash
    6. Use lashings to make a useful gadget or structure
  11. Show your counselor your current, up-to-date Cyber Chip.
    • Earn the Cyber Chip: Earning the Cyber Chip can help you learn how to stay safe while you are online and using social networks or the latest electronic gadgets. Topics include cell phone use, texting, blogging, gaming, cyberbullying, and identity theft. Find out more about the Cyber Chip at https://troop279.us/earning-your-cyber-chip/

Click here to download a copy of the Social Distancing merit badge pamphlet.

Adventure BINGO
Adventure BINGO

Adventure BINGO

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Try a little Adventure BINGO while we’re all practicing social distancing.

Complete the adventures with help from family members as needed.  Take pictures as you go!  When you get a BINGO (vertical, horizontal, diagonal only), send your pictures and completed BINGO sheet to ScoutTroop279@yahoo.com.

Click on the image below to download a PDF copy of the BINGO sheet.

Adventure BINGO
Adventure BINGO
Citizenship in the Community
Citizenship in the Community

Citizenship in the Community

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Mr. O’Neill is an approved Merit Badge Counselor for “Citizenship in the Community” for Troop 279 and has suggested the following during this time of social distancing.

If anyone wants to get started on their Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge, you can complete the following items while still maintaining social distancing. Mr. O’Neill can set up video chats with the scouts, but their parents will need to be included!

Requirement Notes:

5. With the approval of your counselor and a parent, watch a movie that shows how the actions of one individual or group of individuals can have a positive effect on a community. Discuss with your counselor what you learned from the movie about what it means to be a valuable and concerned member of the community.

The following movies are acceptable:

  • 12 Angry Men
  • Erin Brockovich
  • Follow Me Boys
  • It’s a Wonderful Life
  • Lean on Me
  • The Man Who Planted Trees
  • Pay It Forward
  • Stand and Deliver

7. Do the following:
a. Identify three charitable organizations outside of Scouting that interest you and bring people in your community together to work for the good of your community.
b. Pick ONE of the organizations you chose for requirement 7a. Using a variety of resources (including newspapers, fliers and other literature, the Internet, volunteers, and employees of the organization), find out more about this organization.

Note that there is an additional requirement to volunteer at least 8 hours in the organization you choose in 7b., which will need to be completed later.

8. Develop a public presentation (such as a video, slide show, speech, digital presentation, or photo exhibit) about important and unique aspects of your community. Include information about the history, cultures, and ethnic groups of your community; its best features and popular places where people gather; and the challenges it faces. Stage your pres-entation in front of your merit badge counselor or a group, such as your patrol or a class at school.

Presentations over the past year have included Mechanicsburg and Enola as the “community”.  There is also the broader idea of the “Harrisburg Area”, or the “Cumberland Valley” that can be used as your “community”.

Also, there is a requirement to choose an issue that is important to the citizens of your community and find out which branch of local government is responsible for this issue.

You will eventually have to interview someone from that branch of government, but for now, you can start to think about “your issue”.   Examples of issue address by previous scouts include:

  • Cars speeding on Wertzville Rd.
  • The need for a traffic signal at Orr’s Bridge Road and Mountainview Road
  • The Township’s need for a new municipal building (being built now on Sporting Hill Road). 

Think about the functions a local government serves, and come up with an issue that you feel is important.   Local government (Township, School District, and County) provides a wide range of services such as emergency services (police, fire, ambulance), trash and recycling, road maintenance and snow plowing, approval of development projects, traffic issues, courts and prisons, recreation, elections, libraries, schools, water and sewer services, and more.  When you are choosing an issue, think about how it is funded and how that relates to its importance. 

Remember, to start a merit, please email the Scoutmasters at ScoutTroop279@yahoo.com before starting. The Scoutmaster will be able to start a virtual blue card for you online through Scoutbook. The next time the Troop meets, you’ll be given your paper blue card.

Also, any communication with leaders or merit badge counselors, online or over the phone, must include a second leader or the parent of the scout.

Please visit the Troop’s website (troop279.us/for-scouts/merit-badges/) to learn more about merit badges.

Scouting at Home
Scouting at Home

Scouting at Home

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To help keep your scout skills strong, below is a list of rank requirements and merit badges you can do at home and/or with your family. Older scouts, use this time to “brush-up” on your skills.

Record everything you do. TAKE & SHARE PICTURES! Please send pictures to scouttroop279@yahoo.com and lets show everyone that this virus isn’t going to slow down Troop 279!!

When troop gatherings resume, Scouts can be tested on rank requirements by their Patrol Leader, Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters or any member of the troop that holds the First Class rank or higher.

More information on rank advancement can be found on the troop’s website (troop279.us/for-scouts/advancement/), including handy worksheets for each rank.

  • Scout Rank
    • Complete, review and/or practice requirements #1-6
  • First Class Rank

Get Outside
Though common-areas (pavilions, restrooms, etc.) at state parks and recreational areas are closed, trails and nature hikes are still available. A quick google search of hiking trails in central PA returns numerous results, including:

Back-Yard Camping
Pitch a tent in your back yard! Take pictures and record your outing!

Merit Badges:
There are several merit badges that can be completed almost entirely at home. “Bryan on Scouting” posted a great article on “Merit badges for social distancing.”

In short, many merit badges have numerous requirements that can be researched, studied and/or completed at home. Scoutbook has a full listing of all current merit badge requirements. When working on merit badges independently, it is recommended that you use a workbook to help capture and organize your work. Merit Badge Wookbooks can be found on USscout.org (scroll 1/3 down on the page).

Please email the Scoutmasters at ScoutTroop279@yahoo.com before starting a merit badge. They will be able to start a virtual blue card for you online through Scoutbook. The next time the Troop meets, you’ll be given your paper blue card.

Remember, any communication with leaders or merit badge counselors, online or over the phone, must include a second leader or the parent of the scout.

Please visit the Troop’s website (troop279.us/for-scouts/merit-badges/) to learn more about merit badges.

Contact Troop 279

St James Presbyterian Church
1425 Orrs Bridge Road
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
scouts@troop279.us

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