RSVP by May 1 for the second annual Button Gwinnett District community service day! Last year, almost 80 Scouts and parents/leaders from a dozen units showed up to help at our first day of service. Date: Saturday, May 6 from 9:00am-noon at Shorty Howell Park in Duluth. All types units are welcome. E-mail your headcount (broken down by age please) to activities@gwinnettbsa.org by May 1. (RSVP is required by Gwinnett Parks). 

Kudos to Pack 608 for using their spring Big Trip as an educational field trip AND a Good Turn!

Cubmaster Steve Kenney says: "Like many Cub Scout Packs, we go on an annual “big trip.” During our annual planning session, we decided that we would travel to Tybee Island to visit Fort Pulaski and the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. As part of our trip we wanted to do some community service, but we had not made a decision on the project. Then Hurricane Matthew slammed into Savannah in October 2016...."  Read more here: http://blog.atlantabsa.org/cub-scout-service-project-fort-pulaski/

Troop 648's charter organization, Norcross Presbyterian Church located at 3324 Medlock Bridge Road Norcross GA 30092, has agreed to host Dr. David Fitzpatrick to conduct CPR on Friday, 5-5, at 6 PM.  He will also provide us WFA training on Saturday and Sunday, 5-6 and 5-7, from 0800 to 1700 with an hour for lunch each day.  He can train up to 14 but we have 5 committed from troop 648 already.  Only 9 slots are available.  Cost is $180 for WFA and $35 for CPR.  Reserve a slot for $50 in advance and make checks payable to IWME. 
You can email me at kbdye@comcast.net, first come, first served. 
Mail me the check at my home address, 5032 Bridgeport Lane Peachtree Corners, GA 30092

Dr. Fitzpatrick has taught WFA at Camp Daniel Boone.  He is an incredible teacher and has a wealth of knowledge since he has traveled the world on professional expeditions.  I guarantee this will be the best WFA class you’ve ever had!

Dr. Fitzpatrick’s bio:
Dr. David Fitzpatrick, MD, FAWM, FAAFP

A longtime lover of the outdoors and supporter of youth activities, especially the Boy Scouts of America.  In 20 years of being a BSA leader, Dave led two sons to Eagle Scout and started a Pack and a Crew.  Dave has been teaching Wilderness Medical skills for 9 years as a Wilderness First Aid instructor, Wilderness First Responder instructor and director of a Wilderness Advanced Life Support class.  Dave has edited texts in the field of Wilderness Medicine and published an article in the peer-reviewed medical literature.  Originally trained as a Family physician, Dave also spent 7 years as an Emergency Department physician prior to returning to the office and training as a Wilderness Medicine physician.  He earned his Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine in 2008.  In the Spring 2015 climbing season, he served as a camp physician at Base Camp, Mount Everest.

Class Info

The International Wilderness Medicine Educators 16 hour Wilderness First Aid class is brought to you by a practicing Wilderness Medicine doc. Click here to learn about Dr. Fitzpatrick. We will guide you in the skills and techniques that the physician receiving your patient would want you to have. Instructors are active, registered Scouters with decades of experience in Scouting, medicine, and education. Classes will focus on practical care in the austere environment, prevention and preparation, as well as extensive improvisation. Click here to learn more about IWME and class availability.

Did you know...on Monday, August 21, over 100 million US residents will be in the path of a total solar eclipse for the first time since 1918? And the "path of totality," as it's called, is a 60-mi wide swath that will cut through most of TN, SC, and a teeny slice of GA this year. The next eclipse that will be this close will be in Florida in 2045. Several Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups - and families - are taking advantage of the close proximity of this rare event. (Girl Scouts has even already made a commemorative patch!)

Join hundreds of your fellow Scouts and Leaders as we cheer on the Braves for the first time in SunTrust Park. Discounted tickets will be available, and a portion of each ticket goes back to support our local Scouting program. Be sure to arrive early to take part in the Scout Parade around the field and be the first of your friends to experience SunTrust Park from the players' point-of-view!