Saturday, June 15, 2019

Makahiki 2019

I hope you're all having a fabulous weekend in spite of all the rain and humidity! At least we had beautiful weather today, nice and sunny! A complete turn around from yesterday when we're loading up the Tracks and Gear. We all got soaking wet! And then had a PLC Meeting after that. But nonetheless, we had a great day at the 2019 Makahiki! It's so awesome to be indoors, we don't have to worry about the weather, And being in air conditioned comfort, the best of both worlds! I just want to say A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's, Adult Leaders, and Parents who came out today to help support our Robot Obstacle Course Activity! It was a huge success!

A BIG THANK YOU to all the people on the Set Up Crew. Thank You for getting up early this morning and rushing down to the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall to help set up our Activity Booth. We set up our Booth pretty quickly. And realized that Troop 176 had switched places with us. Not sure how that happened. But we had a huge Fire Hose Enclosure right in the middle of our Booth. And we we're very tight on space. But luckily, our neighbor Troop 488 had to much space. And they offered to give us an extra 10 feet of space. THANK YOU to Scoutmaster Albert Rivera for helping us out. 

We sat around after we we're all set up. And enjoyed donuts and waited for the opening Ceremony. THANK YOU to Ben Ronquillio for bringing the all pasteries. At 8:00 am, we all gathered together and lined up in front of the Exhibition Hall. After some inspiring words from Dr. Neil Atebara, and a beautiful opening Ceremony and presentation of the Colors by Troop 11, an all Girl's Troop. And then some kind words of appreciation from Ellison's Dad, Claude Onizuka. Jeff Salzbach officially  opened the Makahiki. And then it was non stop action from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Our Robot Obstacle Course has always been a very popular activity for Makahiki goers!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Greg Yoshida for planning and organizing this Makahiki Activity. Aaron and Greg scored all the freebies for their efforts, a nice T-Shirt and Cap, a free lunch and free parking. We gotta volunteer next year Gang! THANK YOU to Jeff and Andrea Eshelman for allowing us to use all their Robots and Tablets. And for bringing the extension cords, outlets and charging stations. A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's, Adult Leaders and Parents who stayed the whole day! We we're extremely heavy on the first two shifts and didn't have anyone for the second half of the day. But it all worked out. Special Thanks to Eagle Scout's Devin Kiyohiro, Jonathan Sivalop and Life Scout Gavin Verzon who took charge and addressed the need at hand. They lead by example and the other Scout's followed their lead. That's true leadership at it's finest! Outstanding Job Boy's! 

A HUGE THANK YOU to all the people who stayed and was a part of the Break Down Crew. THANK YOU to Greg and Aaron Yoshida for transporting the Track and Gear to, and from the Blaisedell Exhibition Hall. MAHALOS to Karen and Gilbert Batangan for the Starbucks Coffee. That hit the spot! The entire operation involved so much coordination and hard work! And all of your participation, efforts and support made it all possible!  It was so nice to see Cub Master Ryan Peralta, Committee Chair Sasha-Dees-Besas, and our Cub Scout Brother's across the way from us. They we're running a Nerf Gun Activity. Not your ordinary Nerf Gun. These we're Nerf Gun's on steroids. Both of our Booth's we're very busy all day! The day went by so fast! Thanks again to everyone who participated!

Hoomaluhia Camp

I hope you all had a very enjoyable weekend! We had our Annual Weeblos Over Nighter. We all know, historically, whenever we go to Hoomaluhia it always rains. And the tradition continues. We had heavy down pours at times. But they came in spurts. It was pretty overcast the entire weekend! The sun peaked through the clouds once in a while. So it was cold most of the time. Especially at night.

We promptly left the Church at 5:00 pm. We got to Hoomaluhia before 5:30. We had to line up and wait our turn to enter the Park. It was a very busy weekend for Scouting. Including Troop 75, there we're 2 other Troops there, a Cub Scout Pack and 2 Girl Scout Troops as well. The Parking Lot was full of vehicles, and the Park was busy with Scout's running about having a great time! All the Grills and Stoves going, the sounds of Scout's having a good time! It was like a Camporee! 

A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's, Weeblos, Adult Leaders, and Parents, and Siblings for coming out this weekend to participate in this Weeblos experience. The Weeblos had an excellent time! We did not go on the Hike for safety reasons. Instead we did some fishing in the pond. And the Scout's shared their knowledge. The Weeblos got a first hand experience of what is involved in a Camping Trip. And what the Scout's responsibilities and duties are. That was a lot of fun! New friendships we're made. And the Weeblos are very excited to cross over to Boy Scout's. We had a nice Camp Fire, with skits, jokes and full body Jan Ken Po. We roasted marsh mellows afterwards. 

All of the Troops had Campfire. It was so cool to see all the Camp Fires going! Troop 329 from Kaneohe had a massive Camp Fire. That's the Troop that beat me out for our regular sites. They had 4 Camp Sites.Their fire shot over 8 feet in the air. We we're a little worried about that getting out of control. But it was all good. Because the weather was so unpredictable. The Boys decided not to play Capture the Flag, Instead they just hung out, enjoyed each others company, and entertained themselves. 

A HUGE THANK YOU to Ryan Peralta of Pack 75 for organizing and coordinating the Weeblos Over Nighter. MAHALOS to Pack Parents Denise and Thomas. Thank You to Weeblos, Aiden, Daylen, Caleb and Thomas. It was a huge success! We really enjoyed hosting the Weeblos. Hopefully these Weeblos will continue their Scouting Careers with Troop 75. 

A HUGE MAHALOS to Damien Boncales for purchasing the food for the Adults and Staff. HUGE THANKS to Iron Chefs, and Grill Masters Damien Boncales and Vernon Verzon for their awesome culinary skills! A HUGE THANK YOU to our Tow Masters, Todd Kaetsu and Vernon Verzon! You're always there in the clutch! You guys are money! THANK YOU to the Scout's for making the Weeblos welcome, and for sharing your knowledge and experiences with them. You guys did an outstanding job of telling them how much fun they will have, all the new things they will learn, and the adventures they will experience. Great leaderships Boy's! You guys set a very fine example! It's positive experiences like this that will make them want to continue their Scouting Careers. Great job!

Kualoa Camp

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe weekend! Our first Camp of 2019 is in the books. We had a great time! The first Camp of the year always has a little bumps and hurdles. To say the weather was uncooperative is an understatement. We we're subjected to all the elements of Mother Nature, strong wind, whipping rain and really cold temperatures. Especially on Friday night while we we're setting up. One section of the framed roof and tarp took off and flew right over our heads while we we're trying to put the legs on. Bent one of the poles pretty badly. But Damien was able to straighten it out. We had to use ropes to hold each roof section down while putting the legs on. It took us twice as long to get set up.

A HUGE THANK YOU to all the brave Scout's and Adults who toughed it out this weekend. The only break we got was the rain stopped after Friday night. But the bone chilling cold and wind did not. It was overcast most of the time. A lot of us wore jackets for most of the weekend. However the boys did go swimming when the sun came out for brief moments. At night the mercury dipped into the 60's, everyone had to bundle up. I told the boys to sleep in the Trailer and under the Dining Fly on Friday because the wind was so strong. And I didn't want their tents to collapse on them in the middle of the night. But a few brave Scout's pitched their tents along side the Dining Fly and used it as a wind break. They survived the elements. I seriously thought about cancelling the Camp, but we toughed it out. 

The Boys hung around the Dining Fly due to the windy cold weather. They worked on requirements and amused themselves. They did have a little war game with Nerf Guns on Saturday. They wanted to play capture the flag at night, but it was to cold. We did enjoy some beautiful sun rises in the morning. And the gorgeous Koolau's during the day. Although the weather was bad. we managed to have a good time. We made the best of it. It was a great time of camaraderie and bonding.

A HUGE THANK YOU to our Iron Chefs/Grill Masters, Damien Boncales, Todd Kaetsu and Vernon Verzon. Thank You very much! The Staff ate very well! This included Jonathan Sivalop and Gavin Verzon. A HUGE THANK YOU to our Tow Masters, Todd Kaetsu and Vernon Verzon. Thank You to Viene and Michael Lam for the hot Spanish Rolls. We ate that up in heartbeat. Mahalos to Roxanne and Eddie Sivalop, and Esther Mefford. They used their headlights to provide lighting for us while we we're setting up on Friday. It was a big help! Great job to our Senior Scout's! Thank you for your outstanding leadership and guidance. Awesome teamwork to all the Scout's for working together and making the best of an unfortunate situation! We're very proud of all of you!

Friday, June 14, 2019

Good Turn

Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all had a very nice safe Memorial Day weekend! Short work week! It sure has been pretty hot lately! Doesn't matter indoors or out! You just can't escape the heat. But still, lucky we live Hawaii! I just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to the Scout's and Adults who participated in this year's Good Turn at the Punchbowl Cemetery Of The Pacific. We had a smaller turnout than usual, 7 Scout's and 3 Adults. But that's OK, Troop 75 was represented. I think next year we'll just join Pack 75 on their Bus.

Our day started with a nice Bus ride to Punchbowl. No AC through, we had to open all the windows. We arrived just before 11:30 am. The Bus dropped us off at the top. After departing the Bus we made our way down to the entrance. Away from the Cemetery to have lunch. We rested for about 30 minutes. And made our way back up to the Ceremony Tent. We got seats and waited for the Ceremony to begin at 1:00 pm. 

The Ceremony started with the Posting of the Colors. And keynote speakers, a  Rear Admiral, her Captain Husband, and Jeff Salzbach officially opened the Ceremony with some very nice, touching words of honor and pride. And how all the people interned at Punchbowl made the ultimate sacrifice. For this Country, and so that we can be free.We had a moment of silence, then the playing of taps. The Marine Corp Band played a medley of Armed Forces Anthems. As each Anthem was played for the different Branches of the Military. The active and retired Soldier's and Vets stood and we're recognized. That was really nice!

At the conclusion of the Ceremony. Thousands of Scouts and Cub Scouts proceeded to put the flags and leis at each of the more than 38,000 graves. It was so magical to see the how the flags and leis appeared and spread across the Cemetery like a big wave! The Cemetery floor was covered in less than an hour.  After doing our Good Turn. We proceeded down the hill to get our ice cream and juice from Meadow Gold. And walking to our Bus at the bottom of the hill. It was a great day! 

A HUGE THANKS YOU once again to the Scout's and Adults who came out to represent Troop 75. THANKS to Sasha Dees-Besas for getting the Bus for the Troop. THANK YOU to all the Pack 75 Cub Scout's, their Leaders and Parents for joining us and helping to make this Good Turn a huge success! It is always an honor and a pleasure to interact with our Cub Scout Brothers.

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Urban Camp 2018

Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! We had a wonderful time at our last camp of the year! A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's and Parents who participated. I would like to send Get Well Wishes to Evan Eshelman and Justin Boncales! I hope you're feeling better. Jake, Evan and Justin we missed you guys this weekend! I was a little worried about the weather. But it turned out to be a beautiful weekend for Urban Camp!

Our day started with a nice Bus Ride to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. It was a little bumpy as we traveled parallel to the Rail Route. The Bus arrived a bit late, it was packed usual. So we had to stand for most of the ride. We arrived at Ala Moana around 10:15 am. We made our way to Center Stage to plan the days activities. By the time the Boys decided what they we're going to do. It was 11:00 am. So they decided to do the Scavenger Hunt after Lunch. We walked around the Mall until 12:00 pm. And  went to the Shirokiya Japan Village for Lunch. We had a very nice lunch, including desserts. We even had entertainment, Hula and Japanese music and song.

After lunch the Boy's broke into two groups and started their Scavenger Hunt at about 1:30 pm. They we're accompanied by their Adult Chaperones. The Boy's had a time limit of 1 hour and 15 minutes to get as many items checked off their list. It was a fun activity! Thank You to Kamren Ide  for putting together, and coordinating the Scavenger Hunt. Then it was time to walk up to Pagoda. We got to the Pagoda Hotel after 3:00 pm. We checked in. And we all settled down to relax until dinner. The Boy's decided to go to Sam's for Pizza, and to Walmart for dinner. They stayed in for the evening. And enjoyed free movies and video games. 

A HUGE THANK YOU to Vernon Verzon and Ryan Oshita for helping to get the Rooms, being Chaperones, and for staying overnight. Thank You to Roxanne Sivalop, Karen and Gilbert Batangan, and Viene and Michael Lam for helping to Chaperone the day activities. Mahalos to Viene Lam and Shari Evans for transporting all the overnight gear. Special Thanks to our Senior Scout Leaders. Thank you for your outstanding leadership. Great job!


Friday, September 28, 2018

Kokololio Camp

Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all had a very nice safe weekend! The heat and humidity was terrible! Especially on Friday! It was like that the entire weekend! On the brighter side, the ocean was nice and very refreshing! We had our last Trailer Camp for the year. Next month's Camp will be the Waimano Trail Survival Camp, and November is Urban Camp. No Camping in December. A HUGE THANKS to all the Scout's and Parents who participated this weekend! We had a fabulous time! 

It was a very long ride to Hauula. Took us about an hour to get there. We made good time, even with the Friday traffic.We arrived at 6:00 pm, and quickly put up the Dining Tent. The Boy's put up their personal Tents. And settled in, and prepared dinner. After a very delicious dinner. We just relaxed and enjoyed the camaraderie of each other's company. It was so hot and humid, our energy just left us.The Boy's used their time constructively, they put up the Flag Pole, worked on rank requirements and practiced their knots and lashings. It was a long tiring day. And we all retired early.

We woke up bright and early on Saturday morning, and we're treated to a magnificent Sunrise! The trade winds started blowing to cool things off a bit. But it was still very hot and humid. After a hearty breakfast. The Boy's spent the better part of the morning exercising, and went for a nice brisk run. Then after that. It was time to hit the beach to cool off! Adults as well.The water was a nice 75-80 degrees. The sun was out, and the ocean was so refreshing! We spent the next few hours body surfing and boogie boarding, before breaking for lunch. 

After lunch, we rested and went back to the beach. We spent the rest of the day in the water. It was hard to get out of the water. We all had a very nice Saturday night dinner. We we're exhausted from swimming all day. So we just relaxed and enjoyed the cool evening air the rest of the night. The Boy's made a very nice Camp Fire. And they did skits and shared their jokes with us. The Boy's turned in shortly thereafter. They we're tired. We did have a little drama. Early Sunday morning we we're awakened by loud vulgar yelling. Apparently the people camping next to us got all their Fishing Gear stolen. We felt so bad as them. It was a Husband and Wife and 8 Children. And the guy was venting his anger. The Thieves apparently came into our Camp as well. But Gavin and Justin we're sleeping in the Dining Tent. And that deterred them from ripping us off. And they we're heard wandering around our tents. It took awhile to settle our nerves. Not long after that we had a heavy down pour of rain. And it was on/off rain until we left Sunday morning. We had to break down in the rain. We all got soaked. Thank goodness Pearl City was hot and sunny so everything dried quickly.

A HUGE THANKS to our Iron Chef's, Steven Ogata and Ryan Oshita. THANKS to Grill Master Vernon Verzon. Thank You for all the delicious food. Special Thanks to Steven Ogata for the Fresh Oysters that we enjoyed hot off the Grill! Thanks to Todd Kaetsu for the Rib Eye Steaks. The Staff always eats very well! Thank You to Viene Lam for bringing a Stove for the Staff on Saturday morning. We missed it during the Trailer check. Mahalos to our Tow Masters, Ryan Oshita and Todd Kaetsu for taking the Trailer to and from. 

A HUGE THANKS to Eagle Scout Matthew Ogata, Life Scout's, Gavin Verzon, Justin Boncales and Rustin Kaetsu. Thank You for your great leadership and for being such outstanding Teachers for our younger Scout's! Congratulations to Joseph Oshita, who completed his Scoutmaster Conference for Tenderfoot. Very well done Scout's!

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Summer Camp




Hi Troop 75,

I hope you had a great weekend! Although the heat and humidity was brutal, we still manage to enjoy our weekend! The 2018 Summer Camp is in the  books as another fabulous week of camping, camaraderie, learning and fun! CONGRAULATIONS to all the Scout's! You all worked very hard to earn your Merit Badges and departed camp with new skills. I'm sure you made new friends. And became closer to your fellow Scout's.

It was a great week of many activities and fun! Not only for the Scout's, but for the Adults as well. The Adults competed in Cave Man Golf, Frisbee Tag and Dodge Ball in the Octagon, to name a few. Troop 75 was very well represented! There we're a bunch of Scoutmaster Conferences completed, as indicated in Mr. Jeff's daily e-mails. Congratulations to all the Scout's who ranked up. Special Congratulations to Alex Nagamine for completing the Mile Swim. That's quite an achievement! And Congraulations to William Mefford for getting an award for First Aid. The weather could have been better. But rain is always anticipated at Camp Pupukea. 

A HUGE THANK YOU to the Adult crew, Jeffrey Eshelman, Damien Boncales, Vernon Verzon, Ben Ronquilio, Ricky Mefford and Todd Hamilton. These dedicated Dad's braved the elements for a week with our Scout's! Outstanding job! Thank You for being there for the Boy's! Special THANKS to Dan Kiyohiro who took care of all the paper work, blue cards and did all the behind scenes work to make Summer Camp happen, and makes sure all the blue cards, awards, certificates and paper are in order at the end of Camp. Heads up Troop 75 Ohana, this was Dan's last year of coordinating. Someone else needs to step up and take the torch! THANKS to Paul Campbell for taking care of the Medical Forms. It's a hard task to keep track and police all the attendee's.

A HUGE THANKS to the Camp Iron Chef Vernon Verzon for keeping everyone very well fed! Great Job to Camp SPL Gavin Verzon and Camp ASPL Justin Boncales! Outstanding job of leadership Boy's! Thanks to the Kaetsu Ohana and all the Parents who stopped by Camp to visit and bring food and snacks for everyone! Thank You to our Tow Masters, Jeffrey Eshelman and Vernon Verzon. Mahalos Jeffrey Eshelman for the daily updates and pictures. 

Everyone had a fabulous time. It was a nice safe week of Camping and fun for the Troop! Great Job to all the attendee's! You guys rock! 

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Makahiki










Hi Troop 75,
I hope you all had a wonderful, safe weekend! We participated in the 2018 Makahiki on Saturday. It was a huge success! Our Booth is always busy with very interested, and tech savvy kids! As we show cased a little technology of our own. We did the same activity as last year. The remote controlled Robots. The participants had to navigate the Robot through an obstacle course as quick as they could. The Drivers seem to get better each year. 
A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's, Adult Leaders and Adult Volunteers. Especially to the ones who stayed the whole day, and the ones that stayed beyond their shift! Thank You for taking time on your Saturday to help out. We had a very nice turn out! Mr Al wants to express his deepest apologies for not being able to be there to help, He was at home with the Stomach Flu. And did not want to spread his germs. He was able to make it down after the event to help transport the robot tracks and accessories back to the container.
A BIG THANK YOU to Greg Yoshida and all the Scout's who helped Mr. Yoshida load up his Van on Friday night. Thank You to everyone who came out early Saturday morning to help set up. Thanks to Jake and Cody Tamaye for the Cameras. And the Eshelman Ohana for the Monitor and extra Tables, Chairs and Candy. Thank You to all the Adult Chaperones. Thanks to all of you for another successful Makahiki! Mr Al felt so bad he was not able to share in the experience! He'll be there next year for sure!

Friday, January 26, 2018

Kualoa Camp 2018

Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! The first Camp of 2018 is in the books. The weather was not very desirable. I can count the minutes the sun was out on one hand! It was very windy and cold! It rained a lot! Heavy at times. Blowing in from all directions. When you see the Boys wearing a jacket during the day, you know its cold! But it also protected them from the on and off rain. That's how it was throughout the entire weekend! But we all had a blast!

A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's, Adult Leaders and Parents. Thank You for coming out and participating.  And putting up with the nasty weather. But what's a Scout Camp without a little element from Mother Nature. The Boys made the best of the unfortunate weather conditions! The Boy's did Rank Advancement requirements, as most of the time was spent under the Dining Fly due to rain. Awesome time management Boy's.

The Boy's did go swimming, and even did a little fishing in the pond on Saturday. In spite of the very overcast and chilly conditions. They played football, and a lot of cards to keep themselves amused. Some of the Boy's went Crab hunting. We could not do Camp Fire due to the unpredictable weather. The Boy's we're treated to hot Cinnamon Rolls for dessert. Thank You to Damien Boncales for baking them in the Dutch Oven.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Damien Boncales for purchasing the food for the Adults. And for preparing and cooking the meals. With the assistance of Steven Ogata, Vernon Verzon and Todd Kaetsu. Thank you Vernon Verzon for the delicious ribs which went well with Damien's Kalbi. Thank You for all your hard work. Special Thanks to our Towmaster Todd Kaetsu for transporting the Trailer to and from Camp. And for the Donuts and butter rolls on Sunday.

MANY THANKS to our Scout Leaders! Awesome leadership! Great job of the making the best of a bad situation. To all of the Scout's, outstanding teamwork of putting up and breaking down Camp. You guys rock! It was a very memorable camping trip! Great way to start the year. Looking forward to more fun and adventure in 2018! Thank You!

Taking down the lights

Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! 2018 is well under way and we are already getting busy with Community Service and helping our Scouts from Pack 75! I just want to say A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's and Parents who came out this afternoon to help take down the Christmas Lights at the Momilani Community Center. Thank You for taking the time to help our Community.

Breene Harimoto was very grateful for our help. We had a nice turn out, so we we're finished in 30 minutes. We hung around and talked for awhile. Mr. Harimoto provided cool refreshments and snacks for everyone. Some of the Boy's enjoyed their refreshments and left to get ready for the Pack 75 Uniform Inspection.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Scout's Daylen Masaki, Devin Kiyohiro, Matthew Ogata, Cody Tamaye, Jonathan Sivalop and Remi Evans for taking the time to help the Pack with their Uniform Inspection. It went very well! Our Scout's did an outstanding job! Committee Chair Sasha Dees-Besas was very thankful for our help. Great job Boy's! 



Saturday, November 11, 2017

Urban Camp 2017

Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all had a nice enjoyable weekend! It was a great weekend for our Annual Urban Camp. The perfect ending to another awesome year of fun, learning and adventure in Troop 75! The weather was perfect! I just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's, Adult Leaders and Parent Volunteers who helped out with Urban Camp!

Our day started with a nice, but bumpy ride to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. The bus route was filled with potholes and bumps. Due to traveling along the rail construction path. We arrived at Ala Moana around 10. We all met up at Center Stage to plan the activities for the day. We broke up into 4 groups. The first activity was a Scavenger Hunt. It was a nice walk around the Shopping Center to get all the items on the list. That took us to lunch. We met up at 12:00 p.m. at the Food Court.

We enjoyed a nice lunch. Then everyone headed to the new Arcade called the Lucky Strike. It's very much like Dave n Busters. Except they don't have Pool Tables. But they did have a 4 four lane bowling alley up stairs. We spent the rest of the day there. The Scout's played and the Adults sat down and watched football until it was time to walk to the Hotel.

We checked into our Hotel Rooms and the Boy's settled down. situated themselves and relaxed until dinner. Some of the Boys went to swim in the pool. We left for dinner around 6:00 p.m. We went across the street to Walmart for the goodies and snacks for later. And we bought our dinners from L&L and Kozo Sushi and went back to the Hotel to eat. The Boys we're tired and did not plan any night activities. They hung out in their rooms and entertained themselves. I think they spent all their money Lucky Strike.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Dan Kiyohiro for organizing and coordinating the Urban Camp. Special Thanks to Roxanne and Johnathan Sivalop for coming up with the Scavenger Hunt. Thank you to Dave Masaki and Dan Kiyohiro for transporting all the gear to the Hotel. And A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Parents and Adult Leaders who helped chaperone this outing. And Thanks to the overnight crew, Dan Kiyohiro and Ken Nagamine. We all had a fabulous time! Thank You all for always being there for our Scout's!

We are done camping until 2018. We all look forward to new adventures in the coming New Year. Thank You Troop 75 Ohana!

Have a wonderful week!

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Container Painting








Hi Troop 75,

I hope you're all enjoying this gorgeous day in paradise! We are lucky we in live Hawaii! It was a perfect day to do Phase 2 of the Container Service Project. It was so HOT! Minimal breeze and working in the sun. Made for an exhausting morning. I just want to say A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's, Adult Leaders and Parents. Thank You for sacrificing a part of your Saturday to come out and help paint the Containers.

We met at the Momilani Community Center by Breene and Cliff. After a brief instructional meeting. We set up two Easy Ups, a table, chairs and a Water Cooler. We broke up into two groups. One group applying the final coat on the PCCA Container. And the other putting on the primer coat for the Troop 75/Pack 75 Container. We waited for the primer to dry(1 hr.) and applied the final coat. We started at 07:30 am. And were done by 11:00 am. Everyone worked so hard in the blazing sun! Great teamwork and Scout Leadership! The Containers look so nice! Their reflective, so you need sun glasses when you stand next to them in the sun!

One more coat of paint will need to applied to both Containers. And the roof has not been touched yet. We need to apply a Reflective Paint for the roof. The second coat of paint and the roof will be done at a later date. Breene, Cliff and the Momilani Staff were very grateful and pleased with the work we did. I will make arrangements with Breene to set up a time to do Phase 3 of this Service Project.

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who came out to help. Thank You to Roxanne Sivalop for bringing the ice. And a thank you to Dan Kiyohiro for picking up the Water Cooler. Thank you to ASPL Daylen for your great leadership in organizing the Scout's and leading the way. Thank You to our Scout's! Outstanding teamwork! We completed the Project sooner than expected. Due to the many hands, it made things go so much faster!

After we cleaned everything up. We had pizza and refreshments afterwards. The Boys went through 6 large pizzas from Sam's in a heartbeat! We had to cut our rest and relaxation short because a lot of the Boy's had to attend the Citizenship In The Nation Merit Badge at 2:00 pm. A job very well done!

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Camporee 2017

Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all had a great weekend! It was a gorgeous weekend for our last outdoor camp of the year. For the most part, it was sunny and hot! There was an early Saturday morning down pour. And the nights we're a bit chilly. But it was all good! Thank goodness the trade winds returned on Saturday to cool things off. Just in time for the activities. We all had a fabulous time! A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Camporee participants! Thank You for making this camp so special! We have had many great memories throughout the year. But this camp ranks up there as one of the most memorable!

We had a nice drive to the Windward side on Friday afternoon. We got there a little later than usual, but had enough light to set up the Dining Tent. We pitched our tents and had a nice dinner. We turned in early to get a good night rest for the busy day ahead. We woke to a beautiful sunrise. The sun shone through the lush unspoiled valley revealing it's beauty. Set against the foot of the majestic Koolau Mountains. Just the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. Starry skies at night. And a beautiful rainbow on Sunday morning. It doesn't get much better than that!

We had a nice hearty breakfast, then cleaned up. We rested. And prepared ourselves for a great day of competition. We attended the Flag Ceremony to officially begin the days competition. Our Boy Scout's proceeded to each station and the Adults manned our BB-8 Robot Obstacle Course. That was an instant hit! Our Scout's competed very well. They had plenty of heart, determination and good sportsmanship! They represented Troop 75 well! They made us all very proud! Great job Scout's! Very well done!

The days activities we're split into two parts with a lunch break in between. The Activities were completed in time for the 3:00 pm guided tour of the Movie Sets. That was a tough 3 mile hike, for the Adults anyway! The first part being up hill. We hiked up to the Jurassic World Film Location and rested. Then proceed back down to the valley floor to see the rest of the movie sets. We made it back by 5:00 pm. It was a great tour! We relaxed and then had dinner. The Saturday night campfire and awards ceremony was great! The perfect way to end the Camporee. Although we didn't win any awards. We had an awesome time! After campfire the Scout's just kicked back. It was a long eventful day.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Andrea and Jeffrey Eshelman for organizing and coordinating so we could attend this Camporee. Thanks to Jeffrey for towing the Trailer to Camp. And Thanks to the Eshelman Ohana for purchasing the food. Thank You to Iron Chefs, Jeffrey, Andrea and Damien for preparing the food for the Adults and Staff. Thank You to Todd Kaetsu for towing the Trailer back, and for the Sunday morning pastries. Thanks to all the Adults for your support and help. Thank You to SPL Ian for your outstanding leadership. And Thanks to our Scout's, awesome teamwork and sportsmanship! You guys are the best!

Camp Wicklund 2017


                           Photo album

Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all had a great weekend! We had beautiful weather for our "Survival Camp" at Wicklund. The sunshine, cool tropical breeze, clean water and starry skies at night. It doesn't get much better than that! The temperature dipped at night. But it was nice! A HUGE THANK YOU to all the Scout's and Parents who came out this weekend! We had an awesome time!

Our weekend started off with a nice drive to the North Shore. We got there with plenty of light left. The Boy Scouts proceeded to put up two Easy Ups as a place to gather, and a secondary shelter in case the clouds decided to rain on us. The Boy Scouts chose to build their shelters on the beach. They really used their creative imaginations and constructed some pretty ingenious shelters. We we're treated to a gorgeous sunset to end our Friday! It was great to see James and Paula again!

It was so cool to see the different types of freeze dried meals and canned goods. They all looked somewhat appetizing. They used various methods for heating their meals. From Sterno Stoves to Jet Boil Burners. The best part, NO dishes, pots or pans to wash! The Boys were very well prepared! Great job Scout's! We're so proud of your survival skills! They also had cookies and chips for snacks.

We did a service project on Saturday morning. We pulled weeds and vines along the property line adjacent to Dr. Tim's house. It was a cramp space, about 3 feet in between the fence and the Wicklund house. We also cut down two big Koa trees that we're over growing into Dr. Tim's property. That took some thinking to do. We had many hands and completed the project quickly. Then it was lunch time. The Wicklund's had previous engagements and were unable to see the finished project. But I'm sure the Wicklund's will be very pleased with the work we did. 

The Boys spent the rest of the day on the beach. Dr. Tim let us use his Kayak and SUP Board. Mr. Dave took some of the Boys down the beach to catch O'ama. They caught a bunch. Ricky had the most hanapa'a action. Didn't even need bait. Daylen showed them how to clean it. And Rustin fried them up, it was a delicious before dinner snack! It was an afternoon of enjoyment! The Boys had dinner, went sand crab hunting and topped off the evening with a nice campfire. We completed a Scoutmaster Conference for Ricky. Congratulations!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Todd Kaetsu for towing the Trailer to and from Camp. Thanks to Damien Boncales for picking up ice and glazed donuts for Saturday night dessert. Thank You to Vernon Verzon for bringing the ono pasteries and butter rolls from Paalakai Bakery on Sunday morning. Mahalo and great job, to Camp SPL Daylen and our Senior Scout Leaders. Awesome leadership Boys! Thank You to all the Scout's for your hard work and for being the best Scout's in the 808!

Enjoy your Sunday! Have a wonderful week!

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Container Clean Up




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Hi Troop 75,

I hope you all enjoyed the hot and humid weekend! It was nice and breezy at the Momilani Community Center last weekend, but it was still very hot! I just want to say a HUGE THANKS to all the Scout's and Parents who came out last weekend to help with the Container clean up.

We had a very nice turn out and got the task accomplished faster than anticipated. Outstanding team work Troop 75! We sanded the surface with home made sanding blocks. We cut small pieces of 2X4 left over from the Makahiki Robot Track Project, and stapled sandpaper to them. Thank Jeffrey Eshelman for the great idea.

The Boys teamed up and sanded one Container at a time. Our task was to rough the surface for better paint stickiness. The Containers we're 40 feet long and 10 feet high. It was a lot of area to sand. The Adults did all the high sanding including the roof. It took about an hour for each Container. Then we Power Washed the surface. The Containers look new! Great Job Troop 75! The Pearl City Lions Club, along with the Troop 75 Adults will primer and paint each Container at a later date.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Jeffrey Eshelman, Dave Masaki and Ken Nagamine for bringing their Power Washers. It made the job so much easier and faster. Thank You to Ben Ronquilio for the Coffee and Pasteries. The Eshelman Ohana for the snacks. Mahalos to the Parents who brought the Dust Masks, their Ladders and Power Tools. Thanks to Jake Tamaye and Ben Ronquilio for taking the pictures. Thanks to Tammy Kaetsu for bringing the Cooler and ice. Thank You very much everyone! It was an awesome team effort! The Project was a huge success! 

Enjoy the rest of your week!



Summer Camp 2017

                                           Photo album
Hello campers,
I hope you all had a great time at summer camp. I have gathered up all the pictures that I could find on summer camp and hope you enjoy them.

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Matthew Ogata's Eagle Scout Project

Matthew Ogata's Eagle Scout Project
July 1, 2017
Hi Troop 75 Ohana,

I hope you're enjoying your weekend! It was a rainy Saturday morning, just as the Weatherman predicted. But thank goodness it cleared up, the sun came out and dried up the rain just in time. It turned out to be beautiful day for an Eagle Project. A little hot and humid, but we we're thankful. A HUGE MAHALOS to all the Scout's, Parents and Siblings for coming out to help with Matthew Ogata's Eagle Project.

We gathered at the Oahu Urban Garden. The morning started with Matthew briefing everyone on what needed to be done. And the Boys broke up into teams to paint the concrete barricades and the concrete bases for the Street Lamps. With the assistance of the Pearl City Lions Club. The Boys painted the handicap stripes in the newly resurfaced parking lot. We had some technical difficulties with the Striper that sprays the white lines. But Thanks to Dave Masaki for coming to the rescue and getting it started and running.

MAHALOS to Todd Kaestu and Steven Ogata for blowing all the debris away in the Bus turn around. That was a huge area to clear! Then the Pearl City Lions Club striped the perimeter of the area. We cleaned up and had a very delicious lunch and cool refreshments. MAHALOS to Steven, Melba and the Ogata Ohana for your generous hospitality. The Eagle Project was a huge success! And The Oahu Urban Garden Staff was very pleased and very grateful for our help. Awesome Teamwork! Great Job Troop 75 Ohana!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Have a great week!

Aloha,
Mr. Al

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Family Camp 2017

Family Camp 
June 2017


Hi Troop 75 Ohana,

I hope you're all enjoying this beautiful weekend! We we're blessed with gorgeous sunshine and cool tropical breezes for our Annual Family Camp at the Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center. We couldn't ask for better weather! We did get a little shower on Saturday night. But it passed quickly, and we we're able to do our Saturday evening activities. A HUGE MAHALOS to all the Scout's, Parents and Siblings for coming out and spending the weekend with the Troop.

It's so nice not having to set up the Dining Fly and doing all the normal activities associated with a regular Camp. Camping at the QLCC is more of a staycation. With COOL AC, a commercial kitchen and comfortable sleeping quarters. Nice hot showers and clean bath rooms. Doesn't get much more comfortable than that gang! We we're greeted by Uncle Junior and after a quick briefing. We presented our donation of School Supplies. And a pretty Orchid to the Queen. Uncle Junior was very grateful for our thoughtful generosity.

We got our selves settled in and had a nice dinner! The Boys entertained themselves for a bit and went to bed early. Everyone was up bright and early on Saturday morning. We had a nice hardy breakfast and headed to the Ma'o Farm for a tour. The Ma'o Staff showed us the entire process from soil prep to distribution to the public. It was fun and very educational. Organic Fruits and Vegetables are the best. No chemicals! It's as natural as you can get. "No Panic" "Go Organic" is their motto. We got to sample some of the products, it was so ono! We also helped them with a small service project eradicating invasive weeds. We we're back at QLCC by lunch time. After lunch we took a walk to 7-11 for some ice cold treats.

On Saturday night we had an awesome dinner! Steaks, BBQ Chicken and Spaghetti! Everyone ate very well! After a little blessing rain. We had Camp Fire. The Boys did skits, told jokes and challenged each other to full body Jan Ken Po. You stand back to back. And using your whole body, you turn and make paper, rock or scissors. It was so much fun! Then everyone enjoyed Smores and Roasted Marsh Mellows afterwards. The Boys played quiet games and went to bed. A great weekend of fun and fellowship! 

A HUGE MAHALOS to Jason Furuta for organizing and coordinating this memorable event. and for purchasing and preparing the Food for the Adults and Staff! There we're so many people who made this Camp a success! It was busy, but a very productive weekend. We did three Scoutmaster Conferences. And even did an Adult Board. The new Scout's who attended, earned their Tottin and Fireman Chit. Congratulations, very well done! A Huge Mahalos to the Scout Staff for teaching them these skills.

A Huge Mahalos to all the Scout's for your very respectful behavior while at the QLCC and on the Field Trip to Ma'o Farm. Great job! To our outstanding Scout Leadership. A HUGE MAHALOS to all the Adult Leaders, Parents and Siblings! Thank You for a fabulous weekend! Thank You for all your hard work and dedication! I cannot Thank You guys enough! MAHALOS to Ann Nagamine, Sandy Yamamoto, Dan Kiyohiro, Damien Boncales and Vernon Verzon for sitting in on the Scoutmaster Conferences and Adult Board.

A SPECIAL MAHALOS to the Sunday Breakfast Crew! Thank You so much for getting up very early, and working so hard to prepare Sunday breakfast! Everything was so delicious! You guys Da Bes! Mahalos to our Towmaster, Todd Kaetsu. Our Iron Chefs. To our Grill Masters, Vernon Verzon, Dan Kiyohiro, Ken Nagamine and Todd Kaetsu. Special Mahalos to Gilbert Batangan and Damien Boncales for entertaining the Adults on Friday night with their Guitar artistry and beautiful voices! We all kind of joined in. It was like a night at the Karaoke Club.

It was very hot in Nanakuli, as it usually is! But we all had an awesome time! We had fun, we learned something new, made new friendships and we ate well! Another memorable Troop 75 experience! Thank You all!

There will be NO Troop Meeting next week Friday. The next Troop Meeting will be on Friday, July 7th. Have a wonderful week!

Aloha,
Mr. Al

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Court of Honor June 2017

Court of Honor
June 10, 2017

Hi Troop 75 Ohana,

I hope you're all enjoying this 3 day Kamehameha Day weekend! We had our second Court Of Honor of 2017. It was a hot and humid evening! We had a smaller than usual turn out. But that's OK, we had a great time of fellowship and great food.  A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all of our Scout's. We're so proud of all of your accomplishments!

It was a short evening. We introduced some of our new Scout's and their Parents. The Troop has grown by 11 new Scout's. With the possibility of two more joining. We acknowledged our newest Eagle Scout, Justin Basuil. And Eagle Palm Recipients, Devin Kiyohiro and Brant Yamamoto. Then enjoyed a fabulous pot luck dinner and ono desserts. We had a lot of awards to give out. But we zipped through program in 35 minutes.

For the first time we awarded the National Outdoor Award. There we're 12 recipients. This award is earned by a Scout who demonstrates exemplary knowledge and experience in performing high level outdoor activities. The award consists of up to six emblem segments positioned around the perimeter of a beautiful center emblem. The segments represent six areas of emphasis, Camping, Aquatics, Conservation, Hiking, Riding and Adventure, with vigorous requirements to earn each segment. Our Scout's earned the Camping, Hiking and Aquatics segments, 

To earn this award you must be First Class, earn certain Merit Badges and put in so many hours of other vigorous outdoor activities. It's a very honorable achievement. With a little more effort, you can earn Gold and Silver Devices(pins). We awarded 11 Gold Devices tonight. And there's the National Medal for Outdoor Achievement. It's the highest recognition a Boy Scout can earn for exemplary achievement, expertise and skill in multiple areas of outdoor endeavors.

It was a very enjoyable evening of recognition, fellowship and good food. A HUGE MAHALOS to Roxanne Sivalop and the Ladies of the Activities Committee. Thank You for another great Troop 75 event! MAHALOS to all the Adult Leaders and Volunteers for your time, dedication and support of the Troop! Mahalos to everyone for all the delicious food and desserts. I really appreciate it! I can't Thank You enough! And to our wonderful Scout's! Thank You for being such great Scout's! You make us so proud!

Enjoy your Sunday and Kamehameha Day! Drive safely! Have a wonderful week!

Aloha,
Mr. Al