Florida Sea Base!!! Troop 732 Obtained a Gold Rating in the BSA 2011 Journey

to Excellence!

Boy Scout Troop 732 The 2010-2011 Program Yearbook

High Adventure—Sea Base

Nineteen troop members and three

troop guests all traveled to the Flor-

ida Sea Base to attend the Out-

Island Adventure, July 15th to July

22nd.

Our troop flew out of Detroit Metro

Airport on Friday morning to start

our adventure to the Florida Sea

Base. We landed in fort Lauderdale

and stayed our first

night in the Bahia

Cabana motel. This

f i rst n ight was a

great kick-off to this

adventure as we

had a great meal at

B u b b a G u m p ’ s

Shrimp House...and

then our very first

dip in the warm wa-

ters of the Atlantic.

Saturday was an adventure in and

of itself in getting to the Sea

Base. We arrived late on Saturday

to a warm welcome by the Sea

Base. This was a VERY high en-

ergy (crazy) group—they kept us

entertained for the week with

plenty of snorkeling and deep-sea

fishing.

A principal point of any boy’s scouting carrier is the opportunity to attend a High Adventure

camp. This year, Troop 732 spent a week at the infamous Florida Sea Base!

We traveled to and from Big

Munson (MUNSON!) Island in war

canoes. This five mile journey was

broken-up by a couple of swim-

ming breaks, but tiring none the

less. The entire week was a fan-

tastic time—we cannot wait to go

back!

Michael Abela Life Scout

Brandon Bau Life Scout

Aaron Bibik Life Scout

Ryan Coppens Eagle Scout

Austin Headman Life Scout

Alan Highe Eagle Scout

Phil Klein, First Class Scout

Will Mullinix Eagle Scout

Jamie Otter Life Scout

Sullivan Otter Life Scout

Ricky Rutenbar Eagle Scout

Alex Ross Eagle Scout

Jonathan Szpytman Eagle Scout

Zane Stempek Life Scout

Ben Abela Assist. Scoutmaster

Rick Coppens Assist. Scoutmaster

Debbie Highe Assist. Scoutmaster

Nathan Mullinix Troop Committee

Greg Ross Assist. Scoutmaster

Colleen Rutenbar Troop Committee

Robb Stempek, ASM Event Coordinator

Ernest Otter

Scoutmaster

Troop 732

Jack Marshall

Crew Mate

2011 Sea Base Staff

Florida Sea Base—Crew Roster

2011 Summer Camp

After a several year hiatus, our

Troop returned to Cole Canoe Base

for our annual summer camp trek.

And we could not have made a bet-

ter decision. After spending several

years at the awesome Migisi camp

site at D-Bar-A Scout Ranch, it was

time to mix it up and return to the

infamous Cole.

The camp was

one of the best in

our Troop’s his-

tory...to be can-

did. The program

and Cole and the

Troop 732 team

that assembled

a r e a l l o f t h e

highest order. The camp staff person-

ally extended themselves to our troop

and each of our scouts truly extended

themselves and took advantage of the

many resources that Cole has to offer.

Our Troop began our week by

showing up a day early, setting-up

our camp on Saturday instead of

coming in on the Sunday with all

the other troops. This gives

our scouts the advantage of

being set-up and prepared

for the first day orientation

on Sunday.

The boys did a great job of

setting up on Saturday and

took a couple of bike tours of the

camp, allowing the new scouts to

familiarize themselves with the

camp.

Sunday morning after our break-

fast, the Troop headed off to the (Continued on page 6)

camp’s outdoor Chapel for a Scouts’ Own

service, a non-denominational religious

service that is conducted by the scouts.

The rest of our Sunday check-in went

smoothly and the scouts began to engage

with the other scouts and adult leaders on

the camp. The scouts

quickly befriended the

camp staff.

Both Corrine (Food Ser-

vice Manager) and JJ (the

Waterfront Director) went

out of their way for us

during the course of our

week, and made sure that

the scouts had lots and lots

of fun. The Entire Cole staff

was awesome and really

enhanced each o f ou r

scouts’ experience at sum-

mer camp.

We will be returning to Cole

the third week of June so

scouts need to start planning and

saving their pennies. Summer

camp is one of the high points of

scouting and each scout needs to

attend as it really helps each boy

in his advancements and personal

growth.

Summer Camp—Cole Canoe Base

Summer Camp—Cole Canoe Base Awards

One of the highlights of the Cole

experience is the closing camp

fire. The Cole Canoe Base staff

puts together the biggest bonfire

we have ever seen, which is fol-

lowed by a full volley of fireworks!

The Friday night program is un-

equaled by any other summer

camp we have attended and the

really leave camp on a total high

note.

Our 2011 team gained a number

of awards, including; Pie-Eating

awards for Sully and Mr. Stempek,

Celebrity Chef award for Mr.

Stempek, Matt accepted the award

for best Gateway, Jordan won an

award for Leather working, Jacob

earned his Hunter Safety certifi-

cate and Kyle accepted the award

for best food at the Beast Feast.

Troop 732 was one of only three

troops to earn the Edward N. Cole

Canoe Base Honor Troop. This

award is given to the troops that

are most active and show the

most scout spirit. Way to go guys!

June Camp—Historic Fort Wayne

We tried a new experience this year and

traveled into Detroit to visit the Historic Fort

Wayne. On the June 3-5th, Scout Troop 732

went on a camp-out at Historic Fort Wayne.

Our scouts had the opportunity to serve as

Color Guard for the for the Fort, as well as

to sleep in the original barracks.

The fort was build between 1842-1851 and

was to be the principal Michigan border de-

fense against British Canada.

One of the scout fam-

ily’s in our troop (the

Kirks) had a relative

that was stationed in

the Fort through WWII,

Richard Henry Stroh-

mer. Born May 4, 1892,

a student at West-

ern, his parents oper-

ated a meat market at

Twenty-first and How-

ard. Nicknamed "Little

Butcher". He spent 21

months overseas in

France. He had a battalion of young troops.

He worked at the Fort with the 31st Michi-

gan National Guard (which later became

part of the historical 32nd, Red Arrow Divi-

sion that did so well in France, 1918, during

WWI.)

Mackinaw Ice Breaker Trip

Troop 732 spend a weekend on the Ice

Breaker Mackinaw Museum. This event was

quite an opportunity for our Troop as not

many groups have an opportunity to stay on

the Ice Breaker. Our Troop was able to live

and work on it much as the Coast Guard

would have when it was commissioned for

service on the Great Lakes. The troop

worked with the staff of the Ice Breaker Mu-

seum staff to plan out a weekend that would

include community service, rank advance-

ments and improving leadership skills.

Shooting Sports Weekends & Qualifications Program

Every year our troop conducts a

Troop Interest Survey with the

scouts. This survey is a private

ballot that allows each scout that

attends summer camp to select

which of the boy scout activities

they are most interested in, and to

offer their own perspectives as to

what events

they think

would be the

most fun for

the Troop.

Each year,

with-out sur-

prise, the

most favored

event (by far) are the shooting

sports activities that are uniquely

offered by BSA.

The BSA shooting sports merit

badges (Rifle, Shotgun & Black

Powder) are not only offered at

summer camp, but are a part of

our Troop’s regular program.

Our troop is privileged to have

three fully trained NRA-BSA adult

leaders. This allows our scouts the

opportunity to attend other shoot-

ing sports events … beyond the

summer camp program. Whether

or not a scout likes to take part in

the actual shooting sports pro-

gram, the training we offer is

without question the best safety

training offered to youth today for

firearms safety. Each Scout that

undergoes this training comes

away with a complete understand-

ing of the do’s and don’ts of han-

dling a firearm.

For those scouts that enjoy this

discipline, Troop 732 also sub-

scribes to the Winchester-NRA

shoot sports qualifications pro-

gram. This allows scouts to earn

patches for a specific shooting sports

discipline, and to earn the rankings

for each level of shooting mastery.

This includes basic practical through

marksman and onto distinguished ex-

pert.

Each of the shooting sports disciplines

offer important and exciting opportu-

nity for the Scouts!

Winchester-NRA

Qualification

Program

1. Basic Practical

2. Pro Marksman

3. Marksman

4. Sharpshooter

5. Expert

6. Distinguished

Expert

Elks Lodge Flag Day The Benevolent and Pro-

tective Order of the Elks is

an organization dedicated

to patriotic service and

promotes the proper

knowledge and respect for

the American Flag, and all that it repre-

sents.

Each Elks Lodge around the coun-

try conducts a Flag Day service

annually on June l4th, the anni-

versary of the birth of the Ameri-

can Flag. Troop 732 participates

each year in the Livonia Elks

Lodge Flag Day Ceremony. The

scouts help to present the ser-

vice, including reading several

written portions of the program

that give the history and meaning

on the flag, as well as serving as

the color guard for the event, conducting

many examples of the American Flag into

the Lodge room for the audience to see.

The Troop 732 scouts do a great job each

year in helping the Livonia Elks Lodge with

the Flag Day celebration. Not only is it a

great way for our boys to learn to honor

and respect our nation's flag, but it is a

great way for our troop to contribute to the

organization that sponsors our troop.

Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony Several scouts from Troop 732 were invited to participate in

the November 10th Memorial Service for the crew of the Ed-

mund Fitzgerald. Tyler Hart, Ryan Coppens, Sullivan Otter

along with Mr. Karmann and Mr. Otter (all pictured with Tom

Farnquist, Museum Director) traveled to the Great Lakes Ship

Wreck Museum at Whitefish Point to take part in the cere-

mony. In the ceremony, the original bell is rung 29 times for

every man lost in the shipwreck, and a 30th time to honor

every sailor that lost their lives on the Great Lakes. Ryan was

able to ring the bell for Bruce Hudson, the only Eagle Scout

on the Big Fitz’s crew: quite an honor.

Each year the troop plans a Wilder-

ness Survival theme event where

the scouts build their own shelters

and practice their outdoor cooking

skills. Always a favorite event for

scouts and scouters alike, we share

good food, huddle around the

campfire and enjoy the outdoors.

National Youth Leadership Training One of the keys to our troop’s moti-

vation and success is the fact that

we have a number of scouts that

are not only troop level trained

(TLT) but have gone beyond this

training and have invested in the

week-long course called National

Youth Leadership Training (NYLT).

Six of our scouts have now com-

pleted this training.

The week is spent training our

youth leaders and is important in

helping the individual Scout and the

Unit grow. The Boy Scouts of Amer-

ica has developed a weeklong train-

ing experience that has proven very

valuable in the training of youth

leaders. The Great Lakes Council

offers the NYLT Course on an annual

basis at D-Bar-A Scout Ranch in

Metamora, Michigan.

The course will stress two areas of benefits to Youth

leaders: (1) outdoor living skills and how they can

be passed on to the other members of the unit, and

(2) the skills of leadership that will make the youth

leader more effective in his

job.

The benefit and growth we

have seen (and parents have

reported) is remarkable. The

scouts learn personal respon-

sibility as well as key motiva-

tional methods that make our

scouting program more fun.

Scouts who have not attended

this program really need to

consider taking this course this summer. Scouts

must be First Class Scout, 13 years old (no excep-

tions), participation in a long term camp and have a

strong personal desire to attend the course.

Wilderness Survival (& Awesome Food) Camp

Patrol Leaders’ Council

Troop Events The 2012 Plan

January 20-23, 2012 — Ice Fishing Weekend

A new adventure for Troop 732, we will spend the weekend in a cabin (or in tents for the hard-core) and try our hand at some ice fishing and winter survival skills.

February 3-5th, 2012 — Sunset District Winter Camp-O-Ree

Survive the Attack of the Zombie Snowman! Need we say more?

March 2011 — First Class Emphasis Camp-Out

Time to get our new scouts stoked-up on scouting and move them forward with their first round of advancements!

April 2011 — Island Lake Camp-Out

Hiking and Biking weekend event, what could be more fun or be better to help the scouts with their advancements.

May 2011 — Kensington Metro Park

A Sunset District WEBELOS camping event. We are helping to support our Sunset District by motivating our next generation of WEBELOS scouts!

June 2011 — Flag Day

A National Elks Lodge tradition, this ceremony is held at the Elks Lodge and is open to all.

June 2011 — Summer Camp @ Cole Canoe Base

After a fantastic 2011 summer camp at Cole, we are headed back for some more fun and to find some of our old friends.

July 2011 — Shooting Sports Qualifications Weekend

Shooting Sports weekend @ Western Wayne County Conservation Association.

August 2011 — High Adventure Trip

High Adventure Trip, Hiking in the Porcupine Mountains or Canoeing on the Au Sable River.

September 2011 — District Fall Camp-O-Ree

Sunset District Fall Camp-O-Ree. Theme to be announced.

October 2011 — Shooting Sports Weekend

Shooting Sports weekend @ D-Bar-A Scout Ranch.

November 2011 — Wilderness Survival

Wilderness Survival Weekend (with lots of good food) A Troop 732 favorite event.

December 2011 — Holiday Celebration

Annual Holiday Party & Sleep-over.

By design, a boy scout troop is sup-

pose to be lead by the scouts. The

adult leader’s role is to assure the

scout’s safety and to properly train

the scouts. The true leaders are the

boys, and how else do you learn how

to do something, but to do it! The

Senior Patrol Leader and the Patrol

leaders are the true boss’ of a troop,

and they meet at least monthly. This

is the Patrol Leaders’ Council (PLC)

and it is what makes a Troop run!