November 2014

Meetings will be Wednesday Dec 3 (previously we had a meeting on the 10th)  and our Xmas party will be on Wednesday Dec 17th tentatively at Lisa G's house. This year we will have a cookie exchange, each child brings two dozen cookies and then we share them with each other so everyone gets a nice mixed tray to take home.

Belmont shore parade is Saturday December 6, meet on Quincy Ave to line up at 6pm, parade starts at 7pm. Please wear uniform, comfortable shoes, red/white or blue sweatshirt under vest. I will have santa hats for the everyone to wear. You can wear Xmas gloves, necklaces and hold jingly bells to shake while we are walking. I need a few parent volunteers to walk with the kids, anyone interested?

We are planning a caroling event for Saturday December 13 at 2pm in a nursing home in the Bixby Knolls area. I will send out a confirmation email once it is officially set up. There is a fire station near the retirement home we thought we could sing some carols for the firemen and give out cookies. This event will be hosted by Natalie and count as her meeting for the year. Stay tuned for more info on this event. Pencil it in your calendar.

See you on December 3rd, 6pm at the council. Please have your workbook in a 3 ring binder and bring it to the meeting, we will be decorating brand new canvas bags to hold our new workbook and other camp fire items gathered throughout the year.

I am working on the meeting assignments for the kids, these will be handed out early January and start the end of January, beginning of Feb. I am also working on getting some guest speakers to come to a future meeting as well as planning a wetlands event in the Spring.

November/December 2014

Hello Rocket Cats!

Hope everyone had a great time at our pumpkin carving party, we can make this event our new fall tradition to get us into the Halloween spirit!

Next meeting is Wednesday November 5, 6pm at the lodge.  PLEASE BE IN UNIFORM, we are taking our photo for a Kiniya poster. We will continue with our "formal business meeting"at the start and I really need everyone to be on time, 6pm sharp. I am expecting the kids to take their roles seriously (president, vp, secretary etc) and if we are missing a person they cannot read their part or fulfill their assigned job. From now on the first 15 minutes of our meetings will be formal with kids discussing group business, we will rotate officers so it is important each child gets a turn being president. If your child is a historian, they are allowed to take photos at our meetings and events, they can print up and share photos with fellow members. We will continue through the next few years rotating kids through so everyone gets a feel of what each office is like. Thanks for understanding we need to start on time each meeting.

Wasewagan bead fair is Saturday November 15-16. You should receive info in the mail about what to bring, we will meet at 8am at Mcdonalds by the council for a quick breakfast and be on the road by 8:30. So far we have Art, Chris and myself driving up which will be enough drivers for the number of kids going. 

I have collected dues from Aliyah, Alissa, Natalie, Carly, Conner, Lizzie and Nicolas. Still need dues from Nate M, Nate N, Scott and Emily: dues are $75.00 checks made out to Camp Fire. Please bring a check to the next meeting, November 5.

Kiniya is Thursday November 20 at 7pm (arrive by 6:30 at the flagpole at Shiwaka) Our service project was to donate gently used jackets and coats to charity. Please drop of your coats to Lisa G by Wed Nov 5 at the latest (our next meeting). Remember to BE IN UNIFORM at our next meeting so we can take a photo of all the kids in their uniform with all the collected jackets. 

December meetings are Wed Dec 3 at the lodge and Dec 17 is our cookie exchange Christmas party. 

Belmont shore parade is Saturday Dec 6, more info to come

Starting in January, each child will be responsible for one 30 minute lesson plan for a future meeting. I will hand out a packet of meeting ideas next Wednesday, you and your child will choose your first,second and third choice. Once I assign you a meeting, I will give you the full lesson plan you can use to plan your meeting. Remember, we are working on lesson plans throughout the year on five trails (trail to knowing me, community, future, creativity, environment) Each trail represents a colored bead, each lesson plan earns that bead. When looking over the lesson plans, you can modify them somewhat but you need to get the over all idea across. If you have another idea you would rather do (such as have a special guest come and talk to the kids, teach the kids something or take a field trip) please let me know so we can make sure we have a good balance of topics covered during the year. The kids LOVE special guests and field trips, we haven't had as many as I would like. Discuss with your child what skill they have or talents, something that inspires them and see if you can get a lesson plan that fits. We can be creative.

 I will assign each child a lesson plan and meeting date so you will know exactly how much time you have to plan it. In the past I have had kids cook/bake at their house, special guest Game Warden came and did a talk, one child had a party to celebrate her mexican heritage with a pinada at the park, one child shared her family traditions for birthdays which included making a special bread from the country they were from etc etc... The sky's the limit! Remember you can just follow the chosen lesson plan as well, I will give you guidelines. 

Basically the 30 minute meeting will be 15 minutes lesson (teaching something) 15 minutes craft or activity. This can be modified however you need but this is the basic format. The kids run the meeting, you would be surprised how much the kids LOVE to run their own special meeting. This has been very successful in the past.

Thank you ! I look forward to seeing everyone on Wednesday!

Sept/Oct 2014

Hello Rocket Cats!!

Coming up: first meeting is Wednesday Oct 1, 6 to 7pm at the council. This year we are continuing to work on our Indian name(s) and moving through the four trails on the Adventure Level trail.  We earned several beads and two patches at Shiwaka this year, we will purchase those after we collect dues for the year and hand them out soon.

Dues are $75 per child for the year, please bring a check at our first meeting made out to "Camp Fire". This money helps Lisa and I purchase beads, patches, awards and to sign up for group activities like Kiniya an and the Belmont Shore parade. Every event at Camp fire has a group fee attached so we need the funds so we can easily sign our group up.

Saturday October 18 Fall halloween carnival, we will discuss this event at our first meeting on Oct 1. Carnival is from 4 to 7pm.

Monday Oct 20  Neighborhood association Bingo Night at Millikan cafe, 5:30, dinner is provided. (Lisa will bring drinks and dessert)

Wednesday Oct 29 Pumpkin carving meeting at my house (7140 Killdee street, 90808) 6 to 7pm. Bring your pumpkin, carving tools and dress for a mess. Parents can stay and help, siblings are welcome as well.

Bead Fair Weekend at CAMP WASEWAGAN !! November 15-16, Cost is $82 per camper, $77 per adult (I will be going with my husband, Art will be going, depending on how many kids sign up we might need another parent to go) Deposit is due Saturday Sept 20 which guarantees your space but OBLIGATES YOU  for the total payment by Sat Oct 18.
This event is coming up fast so mark your calendar and get your deposit in to Camp fire asap. We need to get a head count so we know how many drivers are needed.

Ok see you guys Oct 1!!

Camp Shiwaka August 11-15 2014 Session 3

Camp Shiwaka: our theme this year is "Dragon Days and Castle Knights"

Some Objectives for Camp Shiwaka this year:
earn "Our amazing earth" fire maker emblem (nature hike, map skills, water conservation, recycling and a group project to be completed by the end of the week)
earn a variety of beads
helping our group with team work, supporting each other and bonding
learning how to sit still, listen and follow directions from leaders, co leaders, day camp aides and other staff members
learning outdoor skills: specifically fire building and wood chopping
learning to follow a recipe, cooking over the campfire, proper food prep techniques
learning new camp songs, feeling confident to sing them in front of others
organizing the camp site, keeping it neat and clean, getting chores done in a timely manner
getting dirty and having fun!

We will be cooking lunches Tuesday, Wednesday and dinner Thursday night. Friday morning we will make breakfast together.
  Tuesday: Mock Tacos, grilled peaches, golden nuggets
  Wednesday: Quesadillas, refried beans, grilled corn, chips and salsa, muddy buddies
  Thursday dinner: Hobo packets, fruit salad, s'mores and banana boats
  Friday: pancake cake with nutella, bacon, fruit

We have a very large group this year (14 kids) so I need everyone to be on time in the morning, picked up promptly and in correct clothes/shoes. No flip flops, sandals or ankle socks allowed in camp.

Monday: 9-9:15am arrive at the flagpole for opening songs. Bring a sack lunch (please don't pack capri sun type drinks with the little straws), bottle of water (if labeled can be used all week), wear sunscreen and hat. BRING A WHITE T-SHIRT we will decorate it with our theme for the week. Everyone must have a ditty bag with plate, cup, bowl and utensils plus a sit upon.
pick up is 3:30p Monday-Wednesday (please be prompt, thank you)

Tuesday and Wednesday 9am-3:30 (we are cooking each day, no lunch needed)

Thursday: 2:30 arrival, please bring a sleeping bag, pillow, pj's, jacket, bug spray (the mosquitos can be bad in the evening time), toothbrush and toothpaste, change of clothes for the morning and your POLO SHIRT/VEST/CF UNIFORM (we will have a ceremonial fire that night).  I need one or two parent volunteers to spend the night with us Thursday night and help with breakfast in the morning. Let me know if you are interested.

Friday: I need several parent volunteers to come early Friday morning to help with breakfast, packing up and breaking down camp. Let me know if you are available to come by 8am, Camp is dismissed between 9:30 and 10am. All parents should plan on arriving to pick up their child by 9:30 at the latest. We will be hustling and bustling cleaning up, breaking down camp and packing up.

Remember, Monday I will give each parent a shopping list for items we need during the week. It will list the item, quantity and when we need it. I will have two large ice chests, one for food and one for ice plus two water containers for drinks. The kids get really hungry during the day so we will have a snack each morning as well as our lunch. The kids will be exhausted after camp so make sure they get enough rest for the next day. It looks like the weather will be in the mid 80's next week so we will drink lots of water and take breaks as needed.

See you Monday August 11th!!

2014 April-June

Monday is the cake auction, please let Lisa know if you are coming (March 24, 5:30pm, Millikan high school, potluck bring a main or side dish please, no desserts needed)

April meetings: 9th and 30th at the council 6 to 7pm. we will be getting ready for Grand Council Fire, the kids will be learning a short speech they will do at the ceremony and this year they host the Camp Fire Law song, singing in front of everyone and teaching the hand signs.

Saturday May 3rd Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center nature walk. We will meet at the Upper Back Bay in the Interpretive Center parking lot at 10am. We can do a self guided tour of the center, they have a short movie we can watch and then take a walk together around the back bay. It is very hot and dry there, unless we have some june gloom, so wear comfortable clothes and shoes, hat, sunscreen and water.  I plan on being there about an hour 1/2 but we can stay as long as everyone would like.

Sunday May 4th  Grand Council Fire at the council, more details to come. This is a formal camp fire event which means the kids must be in uniform, dark blue pants, white polo and vest. jackets are ok, shoot for red, white or blue if possible. The kids will be out in front of everyone leading a song and reciting a short speech so pay close attention to how they look please. Remember parents pick kids up at the lodge after the ceremony, the kids will be excused first.

Wednesday May 7th is our parent meeting to go over registration, Spring Camp Out, summer events and answer any questions you might have. Please no kids at the parent meeting.

Friday May 16 to 17 is the Spring Camp out and pancake breakfast. We will discuss this at the parent meeting.

Wednesday June 11th is our last get together this year, we are signed up to attend the Ropes Course/Challenge at Camp Shiwaka, starting at 3:30 it is a 4 hour event. There might be a fee for each child, some of the fee will be paid from our candy sale earnings, I will let you know before the event. This is a very special, very cool course and is designed to help groups learn trust and to handle challenging situations. Fear of heights is addressed and the staff is highly trained to work with groups of kids. Local fire fighters have used our course, it is that good so i hope everyone can attend.

Camp Shiwaka is August 11 through 15, Lisa and I will be running camp this year, we will discuss this more at the parent meeting.

March-June

I am planning a field trip to the Peter and Mary Muth Center in Upper Back Bay for the spring, please let me know if Saturday or Sunday mornings work better for your family. I am shooting for April or May, should be a couple hours for a visit and walk.

We have the pancake breakfast tickets to hand out, the spring camp out is Friday May 16 to Saturday May 17 this year, please mark your calendars. We are planning a parent meeting for Wednesday May 7th (no kids please) so we can get registration for next year done, plan spring camp out and plan for Camp Shiwaka. I am hoping to lead camp this year along with Lisa instead of paying a youth counselor so we will need a few parent volunteers to help us that week. It's super fun and most parents find it a really unique experience to hang out with the kids all day.  We will also decide on our end of year party for the June 11th meeting.

Cake auction is Monday March 24th, more details to come

Grand Council Fire is Sunday May 4th, 6pm at the flagpole

Meetings: April 9, April 30, parent meeting May 7, end of year party June 11

Candy Sales

We have a meeting this Wednesday Jan 8 from 6 to 7pm at the council. We will be working on our Sparks Champion projects and have an art lesson. Nick is signed up for snacks for this meeting.

The candy sale kick off is Monday Jan 13, 5:45 to 8pm at Millikan High School ( 2800 Snowden Ave 90815). This is a potluck so everyone needs to sign up for a main dish, salad, dessert, drinks or paper goods. Bottled water is preferred as it is not too messy to clean up. Please sign up at tomorrows meeting for a dish or paper goods to bring. I will have the sign ups for the bank and store candy sale dates at the kick off event. Please make sure you copy the dates correctly and check the blog often for any changes to the schedule. If you don't show up for a sale, especially a good location, that means someone else will miss out on selling so be mindful of what you sign up for. Marie Newton will be helping me with the bank deposits this year, every week you need to coordinate a drop off with her so we can be sure to get all the money in the bank in a timely manner. I will add on as many sale date/sights as you need, don't worry if you don't get all the spots you want in the beginning. There are always people who give back good sights toward the end, so I can sign up for more as we go. Please don't wait until the last minute and tell me you are stuck with a ton of candy. If you communicate with me I will do my best to help you get rid of it but I work full time and have two kids selling so I am super busy. Candy sales start officially on Friday Jan 17 and end Feb 16. All money needs to be turned in by Monday Feb 16 so we can do a final deposit Tuesday Feb 17. I will organize the tables, chairs, posters, sale box this weekend and have them available in front of my house when the sale starts. Please bring back the tables/chairs etc immediately after each sale. Sometimes we need them for another sale right away and it is hard to track down who has what and where. It is a great idea to have your own little table/chair set up you can use your own. I have done that for several years and it has been much easier not worrying about tracking down the table/chairs each time.

I will be picking up the candy this Saturday at 10:30. Please come by and get your candy around noon if possible, I don't have a lot of storage space so I need to get the candy distributed asap. If you can't make it on Saturday, let me know when you can pick it up so I am home when you come by.

Jan 29 meeting at the council 6 to 7pm