January has come and gone and our New Year is well under way. The Troop backpacking trip to Enchanted Rock was cancelled due to the possibility of freezing weather.

• David Nguyen’s Eagle project kept us busy learning how to work with concrete. Congratulations to David on a good job that the Notre Dame parishioners will enjoy for many years.

• District dinner was held January 23^rd to recognize the adult Scouters that provide support to the Boy Scouts in Tatanka District.

• First Aid Meet was held January 31^st—congratulations to the Scouts that attended and represented Troop 1113 with Troop spirit and teamwork!

• February got off to a good start with national Scout Sunday on the 1^st, followed by a Boy Scout Week, ending with Scout Sabbath on Saturday the 7th.
• Order of the Arrow elections were held at the troop meeting on the 3^rd.
• February 10^th is the court of Honor and Potluck supper. If any parents are willing to help with this bit-annual event, please contact the Troop Secretary, Kiki Decker at 281-495-0814.
• February 21^st is the UT Merit Badge fair in Austin UT Campus.
• Troop elections will be held February 24^th. Remember that Star, Life and Eagle ranks require six months service as a Troop officer to complete.
• The troop is working on the Criminology Merit Badge this month. Thanks to Assistant Scout Master Robert Rodgers and Troop Committee Member Dominick Adamo for teaching.

March brings the first taste of Spring. For a fisherman, that means the white bass are running up the rivers and creeks and the speckled trout are moving into the shallows from their deepwater winter homes. For the Troop, March finds us preparing for the District Camporee on the 26-28^th. The Camporee will be hosted by Troop 1113. Additional adult participation will be needed to ensure a successful event for our Troop and the Scouts of Tatanka District. If you are available to help on Camporee Staff, contact me; if you are available to assist with the Troop, contact Joe Sellers, the acting Scoutmaster for this event.

Has anyone looked at the school calendar lately? The 2003-2004 school year has about 70 days remaining on it. Wow! Where has the time gone? Scouts, one of the few truths I know is that—the older you get, the faster time seems to pass by. This is why our Scout motto is to "Be Prepared". Whether we are going camping, to school, or over to a friend’s house to just hang out, one step leads to another and time passes. In 70 days you can pass or fail at school, you can advance a rank in Scouts or you can sit and watch as time passes….Be Prepared!

Doug Bohn >>--<<

Scoutmaster T1113