May 2005 Activities
Now Playing: (Events 24-35)
Topic: e - May 2005
(12 events in May)


EVENT #24 - KISHWAUKEE RIVER CANOE TRIP - FREE
May 1, 2005

We had a large group of paddlers assembled on a cold, windy, blustery day. The Kishwaukee River is a small winding river alternating between farmland and woodland. The section we paddled was predominantly woodland. It often has logjams due to its narrow channel. Within the first 100 yards the lead canoe, equipped with a bow saw, had to cut a "doorway" through a log jam. The strong headwind really hindered some less experienced paddlers as they approached the dorway of the logjam. They tried several times to negotiate the narrow passage and finally capsized in the attempt. Wet paddlers combined with the cold and wind were a bad mix, so a cell phone call was made to a parent to picked them up. We paddled back to the start and said goodbye to them. The rest of the canoe trip went on without incident. We took out at Pearson's Farm and the "survivors" congratulated each other.


EVENT #25 - FIRST CLASS EXPRESS - $15
May 6-7, 2005

This overnight event at MacQueen Forest Preserve was held in conjunction with Cub Pack 132. Our younger Scouts worked on advancement towards Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class. Using our giant gas griddle, a great breakfast was cooked for everyone. It was a beautiful time of year to camp at a great forest preserve. Many Scouts progressed on their ranks and also served as mentors to some of the Cub Scouts.


EVENT #26 - ST CHARLES BICYCLE RIDE - FREE
May 7, 2005

We rode a 100k bike ride, using backroads across DeKalb County into Kane County. A more challenging route of hills can be found along Beith Road/Town Hall Road/Campton Hills Road enroute to St Charles. We returned via the Great Western Trail to Sycamore, then the DeKalb-Sycamore Bike Trail to DeKalb.


EVENT #27 - TROOP EQUIPMENT DAY - FREE
May 8, 2005

This Saturday we concentrated on organizing our troop garage and trailers. We emptied the contents of the garage onto the church parking lot and sorted through items. Tents were inspected. Cooking gear was cleaned. We disposed of a great deal of old unused items that were of little or no use. We were able to also organize and inventory the equipment in two utility trailers. It was a long day, but at the end of the day our garage was visibly changed with our organization improved.


EVENT #28 - OREGON BICYCLE RIDE - FREE
May 15, 2005

This afternoon event was 50-mile ride which began in Oregon, Illinois where we traveled south and then east to Rochelle where we feasted at Wendy's. From there we biked under uncertain skies through Creston, Malta, and finally DeKalb. It was a mixture of the rolling woodland of the Rock River Valley and then across the farmland of Ogle and DeKalb counties.


EVENT #29 - KISHWAUKEE DISTRICT CUBOREE - FREE
May 20-22

This was our 4th service project of 2005 and it benefitted Scouting. Held at Three Fires Scout Ranch, our troop camps at this weekend event while serving on staff. We do two projects. One project is running an outdoor cooking booth, where we teach Cubs and parents how to make chocolate euclaires over a campfire. The other major project is to provide food service to the 500 Cubs, parents, and staff who attend the event.

OUR BREAKFAST MENU - Breakfast featured two types of french toast (cinnamin french toast and pain perdu), deep fried doughnut holes, buttermilk pancakes, and two kinds of breakfast sausage. We also provided fresh fruit, oatmeal, plus hot chocolate, coffee, milk, orange drink, and apple juice for beverages.

Everyone was on their own for lunch. For lunch our troop feasted on polish sausage and spit roasted pork tenderloins, plus chips, cookies, and juice.

OUR DINNER MENU - For dinner we provided a giant feast of roast pig, hams, potato rolls, sweet'n'sour meatballs, baked beans, hot dogs, polish sausage, potato salad, apple sauce, salad bar, cookies, cakes, pies, pudding, fruit salad, brownies, bananas, plus hot chocolate, coffee, milk, apple juice, topical punch, orange drink, and lemonade. We tried to provide something for everyone. The long line of hundreds of people were served in less than 20 minutes by creating 4 serving lines that kept people moving along briskly.


EVENT #30 - FIRST LUTHERAN SUN SCHOOL PROJECT - FREE
May 22, 2005

Our 6th service project benefitted our sponsoring organization, First Lutheran Church. They had a luncheon honoring their Sunday School Teachers and commemorating the last day of Sunday School for the year. Troop 33 grilled hot dogs, bratwurst, and hamburgers. We also contributed 9 dutch oven cobbler desserts; strawberry shortcake, blueberry, cherry, black forest, peach, caramel apple, hawaiian pineapple coconut, etc.


EVENT #31 - HOPE HAVEN FOOD DONATION - FREE
May 22, 2005

Our 5th service project for 2005 included donating quantities of fresh oranges, apples, salad fixings, fruit salad, potato rolls, potato salad, hot dogs, and milk. The food donation benefitted two locations for homeless people in DeKalb, the Hope Haven long-term apartment facility on Dresser Road, and the Hope Haven Homeless Shelter on Rockwell St.


EVENT #32 - EMERGENCY MOBILIZATION - FREE
May 24, 2005

This project helped boys complete their Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge. Using a phone tree Scouts were mobilized and directed to meet at the First Lutheran Church. Once assembled, the Scouts worked on organizing some of our troop equipment as a special project.


EVENT #33 - PORT BYRON BIKE RIDE - FREE
May 28, 2005

Starting at the Mississippi River in Port Byron, Illinois we biked east across the farmland of Illinois, though Prophetstown, crossing the Hennepin Canal, finally ending our ride at Amboy, Illinois with our serpantine route taking us on a 100 kilometer bike ride.


EVENT #34 - MEMORIAL DAY FLAGS PROJECT - FREE
May 29, 2005

Our 7th service project of 2005 involved placing American flags along historic Lincoln Highway through downtown DeKalb from 8th St to Castle Drive. We set the flags up at 6:00am and then took them down again at 6:00pm.


EVENT #35 - MEMORIAL DAY PARADE - FREE
May 29, 2005

Our Troop 33 Scouts marched with Troop 32 and some Cub Packs and Girl Scouts as the Scouting contingent of the DeKalb Memorial Day Parade. Along with bands, fire dept trucks, police, military units, and local politicians we marched through Downtown DeKalb turning north to end at the landscaped grounds of the Ellwood House Museum.