Troop 227

December 2009 Newsletter

Introduction

Welcome to the seventy-third edition of our Troop 227 Newsletter. To learn more about Boy Scouts, please visit us at any troop activity, speak to a troop leader, or visit one of the following websites.

http://www.bsatroop227.org

http://www.mtcbsa.org

http://www.scouting.org

Battle Above The Clouds

On November 21^st, Troop 227 drove to Chattanooga to hike to the top of Lookout Mountain. This mountain has gone down in history as the “Battle Above The Clouds”, when Union and Confederate troops fought to claim this high point. When we crawled into our tents on Friday night, we could look through our windows and see the silhouette of the mountain. After a hearty breakfast, we began our 1,200 foot elevation climb beginning at the Chattanooga Nature Center. Our five mile hike included a brief stop at Sunset Rock overlooking the beautiful valley below. As we approached the end of the trail, we heard shots going off at a distance. Normally, you would think it the sound was coming from an old scout bus “back-firing” as it drove down Lookout Mountain. When we arrived at Point Park, several Civil War reenactors were firing cannons and rifles to commemorate the 146^th anniversary of the battle. Needless to say, it was a very enjoyable trip for everyone.

An Honored Surprise

As many of you know, our scouts have been sending birthday cards each month to soldiers serving with Smyrna’s Tennessee National Guard unit based in Iraq. Last week, Troop 227 received an American flag which was flown by one of the Guard’s Blackhawk helicopters. Include with the flag was a photograph of the helicopter signed by the pilot and crew. The scouts are very grateful to receive such an honored gift.

Just A Reminder

Be sure to keep your Kroger gift card active by keeping a balance on the card. If you’ve let your card go empty and not used it for 3 months, you’ll need to purchase a new card for credit to continue supporting our troop. So it’s easier just to keep using it faithfully so the credit will keep flowing in!

We do still have some cards if you need one or have a friend, neighbor or family member who’d like to support us. If you’d like more information, please contact Mellie Brackett at 793-5462 or mbrackett@mac.com.

Upcoming Troop Events

- Dec. 7^th – Troop Meeting / Class A uniform

- Dec. 14^th – PLC Meeting @ Brentwood Shoney’s 7:00PM

- Dec. 21^st – No Troop Meeting

- Dec. 28^th – No Troop Meeting

- Jan. 4^th – Troop Meeting / Class A uniform

- Jan. 9^th – 10^th – Troop Outing

Troop Leader Contacts

Scoutmaster

Tommy Primm

Assistant Scoutmasters

Truman Bean

Phillip Brackett

Chris Paul

Andy Richter

Troop Committee

Randy Boyd

Mellie Brackett

Scott Burner

John Hammond, Chairman

Mike Vantrease

Charter Organization Rep

Ray Frizzell