Stuck at home?  Helping with projects around the house?  Earn the Home Repairs merit badge at the same time!

Mike Lawrance is the merit badge counselor for this badge.  This badge is unique because it allows for parent supervision. So take pictures or videos of you completing the required tasks and email them to mike at lawrancemike2@gmail.com.  He will meet with each Scout in May to go over requirements 1 and 2.  Just email Mike and let him know you want to start the badge.  

Click for workbook
Click for requirements

Northern Star Council just added a Scouting From Home page and it lists upcoming courses that merit badges across the state are providing for youth, along with other online opportunities. It's brand new, so give it a couple days and see how many classes get offered for the near future.

Second Class Hiking Requirement and Hiking Merit Badge

Encourage all scouts to take a family 5-mile hike or more.  Share routes around town you can find on Google where they can take a hike using nearby trails like Dakota or Luce Line. They can also travel to a state park or Three Rivers Park for more scenic trails.

For those who need the Second Class requirement 3b, "Using a compass and map together, take a 5-mile hike (or 10 miles by bike) approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian," this is a great time to get it done.  They can take video or pictures on their hike and describe the hike to their Scoutmaster or Instructor to have it signed off. 

If Scouts already have the 5-mile hike complete they can begin work on the hiking merit badge.  Requirements are HERE.

The 5-mile hike from Second Class is one of the requirements for the badge, so they will already be part way to completion.  There are also 3 10-mile hikes, a 15- and 20-mile hikes that are needed.  So, hike your way outside and earn an Eagle Required Merit Badge in the process.  

Mike Lawrance is a newly minted Hiking MB Counselor, so just reach out to him before starting the badge at lawrancemike2@gmail.com (and CC your parents).  We can deal with blue cards when we get back to regular meetings.

Sunday March 22nd, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Sunday March 22nd, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Monday March 23rd, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Tuesday March 24th, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

We have lined up multiple sessions for the Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge, this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  Sign up for the class that best fits your schedule. Our own Tyler Akins will be leading the class. Login details will follow after you have registered.  The course is two hours long and has some pre-work required beforehand.

• Prepared means you have researched the topic, done any necessary activities, and have taken notes (preferably in the workbook).
  
• Notes are necessary to prove that the work was done outside of the class. You can reference them during discussions.
• Incomplete preparation results in an incomplete merit badge. We can follow up at a later date and get those other requirements signed off.
  
• Read the requirements and be prepared to meet them as worded.
  
• Everyone needs to participate in discussions in order to get credit for the requirement.
  
• There are only a couple hours. We need to stay on topic to complete the class.

Notes for each requirement
1. Earn the First Aid merit badge. Can be done before or after the class. Need proof of the merit badge's completion before the requirement is signed off.
2a. Discuss the 5 aspects. Done in class with notes from everyone.
2b. 5 aspects applied to 10 situations. Prepared outside of class.
2c. Family plan, kit, meeting. Note from parent and discussed in class.
3a-d. Specific emergencies: Prepared to demonstrate and discuss during class.
4. Attracting aircraft. Prepared to demonstrate and discuss during class.
5. Transportation of injured person. Demonstrated during class. A volunteer near you is required. Props may be necessary and videos of the Scout doing this activity will be accepted.
6a. NIMS and ICS. Notes are taken in advance, prepared for a discussion.
6b. Working with emergency agencies. Notes are taken in advance, prepared for a discussion.
6c. Community emergency management director. Need a name and how to contact them or their office, plus what they do for the 5 aspects.
7a. Emergency service project. Discussed in class, practiced outside of class due to video chat. Bring ideas of how we can help with COVID-19.
7b. Troop mobilization. Bring a plan and we can assemble the plans into our troop's emergency service plan.
8a. How Scouts can help. Have the information written down for the scenarios.
8b. Emergency service pack and family's kit. Bring your pack and your family's kit. We'll talk about the items in each.9. Household hazards, escape plan, accident prevention program. Prepared and ready to discuss.

Most won't get the merit badge in one session. Requirement 7a, for instance, requires an emergency service project, which is something you rehearse in a simulated emergency or an activity performed during a real emergency. There's no time in the class to do that one. If there's demand, we can schedule a follow-up class or have as-needed discussions with the Scout and their parent.

Due to all official scout meetings being canceled we will no longer be meeting for instruction night; instead we will be doing an online version. Our upcoming instruction night was going to cover the physical fitness tests, ax, knife, and saw care and safety. We will reschedule our fitness tests to another day and you can watch the 10 minute video below for the ax, knife, and saw care and safety information. We will NOT be covering the safety and care information at another instruction meeting so it is important you learn this skill by watching the video. As of right now we will be having our next sign-off meeting will be April 20th from 6-7 before our troop meeting.