Philmont is looking for summer workers! Please visit our Troop FB page or follow the link below for more information.

Philmont Summer Employment

It is not to late to sign up for Forestry Day on February 11. All fees and registration forms must be turned in by Feb. 6. The event will take place at the HCC extension off of HWY 18 in Raymond.

At Fall Camporee, we followed General Grant’s 200 mile land campaign of May 1863, as he crossed the Mississippi River at Bruinsburg and won battles at Port Gibson and Raymond, and captured Jackson. Attempts to stop the Union Army at Champion Hill and Big Black River Bridge failed; and Confederate General Pemberton was forced to retreat to the city of Vicksburg. Here Pemberton had the advantage of the fortified hills and high bluffs that made his defense nearly impregnable. The 6.5 mile Confederate perimeter included gun pits, trenches, lunettes, forts and redoubts; with nicknames such as Fort Hill, Stockade Redan, the Great Redoubt and Square Fort.
Grant was anxious for a quick victory and, after a hasty reconnaissance, ordered an attack – which was repulsed. Two days later, Grant hurled an entire division of 30,000 soldiers – but they were driven back a second time with severe losses. When these direct assaults failed, Grant decided to starve the city into submission, and the Siege of Vicksburg commenced on May 25.
For the next forty-seven days and nights, the citizens and soldiers experience the shock and awe from a constant barrage of 220 infantry artillery pieces and naval gunfire from Admiral Porter’s fleet in the river. Vicksburg was surrounded by 70,000 Union soldiers. Frightened citizens sought shelter from the bombardment in caves dug into the hillsides. The summer heat was unbearable, water supplies dwindled, and mule meat became a delicacy. By the end of June, the soldier’s daily ration was a handful of peas and rice per man per day.
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This brings us to the 2012 Western District Spring Camporee, where Scouts will learn the rest of the story of the Vicksburg Land and Water Campaign – while hiking the Vicksburg National Military Park.
Troops will bivouac Friday and Saturday nights on the outskirts of Vicksburg at historic Camp Wilkerson. Scouts will be served their meals “military style” under a tent commissary. On Saturday morning, Troops will be shuttled to the Military Park where they will hike the 14-Mile Hike Through History.
On Saturday night, back at Camp Wilkerson, there will be a campfire with an Order of the Arrow Callout, followed by a Cobbler Tasting and Coffee Judging. Camporee participants will be awarded the “inner-circle” to the Fall Camporee patch – with the image of the USS Cairo gunboat. There will be a booth set up at Camp Wilkerson where Troops can also purchase the commemorative patch for completing the 14-Mile Hike.

We have had so many of our Scouts having their Eagle Board of Reviews over the last several weeks and more are coming! We are so proud of each of our Scouts and all they have accomplished while in Troop 88. It is hard to believe we have had OVER 100 Troop 88 Scouts make Eagle! What a GREAT testimony for our Troop, Scout Master, parent volunteers and the First United Methodist Men’s Club of Clinton, who has sponsored us for so many years! We also need to thank the First United Methodist Church of Clinton for sponsoring our program and allowing us to use their facilities, buses and supporting our Scouts!

Thank you to all who are using the Troop Kroger reloadable Gift Cards. Your dedication to reloading the cards has helped the Troop tremendiously! Our Scouts are able to get the tools needed to help with their Scouting. Please let Dee know if you know of anyone else who would like to have a reloadable card. All money loaded HELPS our Troop!

Dee also has Mazzio cards for sale for only $5.00. This is a GREAT deal with all money going back into the Troop Funds. The coupons themselves are worth well over $5.00. Coupons include Free Small Pizza, Free Salad Bar, BOGO items and many more!

Be Fit For Life 5K Run/walk or 1 mile fun run: The Andrew Jackson Council, Boy Scouts of America is hosting a 5K run/walk to benefit the youth in our 22 county service area. One of the aims of Scouting is to teach young people to be “Physically Fit”. Our goal with this event is two-fold to help teach young people about living a healthy lifestyle with exercise and to raise awareness of the Scouting Programs in Central Mississippi. The 5k will be held on March 24, 2012 at the Council Office. Race starts at 9. We are need of Racers and Sponsors. Please see the attached flyer. To register for the race or for more information click here: The Flyer

Be Fit For Life 5K Run/Walk: Registraion Forms

You can be part of the most exciting Scouting event ever—the 2013 National Scout Jamboree! It’s so big it only happens once every four years. Check out mountain biking, paddleboarding, zip lines, canopy tours, rafting, kayaking, and much, much more. The jamboree will be July 15–24, 2013, and it’s the very first event at the BSA’s new jamboree home, the Summit, in the mountains of West Virginia.

It’s going to be big, it’s going to be wild, and we want you and your friends to join us!

Don’t miss out—sign up today before registration ends!

If you have already applied to attend the jamboree, make sure your friends have signed up, too! You will definitely want to share this experience with them.

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

See you at the Summit!

NYLT will be held at Warren A. Hood Scout Reservation from Sunday, July 15th to Friday, 20th, 2012.

This training is available to youth in Scouting’s Troop, Varsity and Venturing Programs.

Participants should arrive at Warren Hood Scout Reservation on Sunday morning from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. in Class A Uniform. Eat lunch before you arrive.

The course opening ceremony will commence at 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 15th and continue through Friday, July 20th at 8:30 p.m.

Parents/guardians are invited to attend the course closing ceremony which will be held on Friday, July 20th at 8:00 p.m.

The cost of the NYLT course is $195.00. A $50 deposit is required with registration. Full payment is due at the Andrew Jackson Council Office by Friday, June 15th, 2012.

In order to conduct the course a minimum of 30 youth must be registered and the course fee fully paid by June 15th, 2012.

Sign up has begun for this awesome camping experience. This year, the theme will be the “Civil War”. The campout will be held on November 4-6 at “Camp McPherson”. Please sign up by the next Troop meeting and pay all dues if you are planning on attending this campout. Let us know if you have any questions

BSA Troop 88 is having their annual firewood fundraiser!! The Scouts have split several logs of seasoned firewood and have piled them into 1/2 cords, estimated. Each 1/2 cord, estimated, only cost $100.00! All money raised goes directly to help the Scouts with financial needs associated with camping and community projects. Please inbox me if your are interested in purchasing some firewood for the upcoming winter season