Our June trip will be a two-night camping trip to Vermont.  We will stay at Underhill State Park and climb Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield (elevation 4,395 ft).  The ridge is above the tree line with some of  New England's largest existing arctic tundra.  We will experience breathtaking views from the top, spanning three states and into Canada.  

The hike to the summit from Underhill State Park will be 5.1 miles round trip and 2,500 ft elevation gain.  We will plan on hiking the Sunset Ridge Trail up and back down.  It is possible, if we have interested scouts and enough leaders, that a part of the group could take a longer route down.  This would include traversing the ridge and coming down an alternate trail.  We will make that decision on the day of the hike based on conditions.

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The Troop will be purchasing another round of Troop T-shirts for Scouts and Scouters.  To ensure we get the proper sizes please submit your shirt size using this form.

Have you heard the term "Court of Honor"?  Are you wondering what it is?  If so here is a quick description that will hopefully clarify things.

Courts of Honor are when Scouts, Families, and Friends come together to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Troop members.  Courts come in two flavors...

Troop Courts of Honor

Troop 437 holds "Troop Courts" are held three times a year.  One in the Fall, One in the Winter, and one in the Spring.  Troop Courts are where Troop members are recognized for their achievements such as Rank Advancement, Merit Badges, Leadership, and other accomplishments that have been completed since the last court.  Troop Courts take the place of a regular Thursday evening Troop meeting and end with "pot luck" style refreshments.  Look for notices in the e-blast newsletters about upcoming Troop Courts.

Eagle Courts of Honor

Obtaining Scouting's highest rank of Eagle Scout is a major accomplishment and as such the Troop hosts a special "Eagle Court of Honor" whenever we have a new Eagle Scout to recognize.  Eagle Courts are planned and scheduled as needed throughout the year and might honor a single scout or multiple scouts as appropriate.  Invitations are sent out electronically announcing the Eagle Courts with a requested RSVP deadline.  All families and scouts from the Troop are encouraged to attend the Eagle Courts to help celebrate the accomplishment - even if you do not know the scout it is still important to participate.  Scouts from the Troop will be asked to arrive before the ceremony to help with set up and preparations.

Regardless of the type of court, be it Troop Court or Eagle Court, all Troop families are encouraged to attend.  If you have any questions, please feel free to let a scoutmaster know.

Sign-ups are due Thursday, May 9th before the Troop meeting ends

The May trip for Troop 437 will be a camping trip to Purgatory Chasm. Always popular with the scouts, this trip includes scrambling over glacial rock formations and through natural caves. For more information visit: Purgatory Chasm State Reservation Mass.gov.

We will be tent camping at Sutton Falls Camping Area, 90 Manchaug Road, Sutton, MA and driving to Purgatory Chasm for the day. Adults attending the trip will be needed to assist with transport to and from Purgatory State Reservation. We will arrive on Saturday mid-afternoon, set up camp, prepare dinner, late campfire and cracker barrel, before turning in. Sunday we will have breakfast, pack a lunch, head to Purgatory Chasm, then return Sunday afternoon. Carpooling will be available starting from and returning to ‘Mac-N-Choose’ on the North side of Rt 110 opposite the Whole Foods (Abbott school lot will be hosting the fair)

Outing: Purgatory Chasm Camping Trip, Sutton, MA.
Leave: 2 PM on Saturday, May 18th - carpooling from Mac-N-Choose for arrival around 3:30PM
Depart: Campsite 9:00 AM on Sunday, May 19th for Purgatory Chasm
Return: To Westford at ~ 2:30 PM
Cost: $30 includes campsite, Saturday dinner and cracker barrel, Sunday breakfast, lunch.

This Thursday is the deadline for early bird pricing for summer camp.  Now is the time to sign up!