Neck Coolers

Neck Coolers: If  you think your son/daughter will use a neck cooler on the trek then you may also make or send one with them.  You can purchase them on Amazon or at Deseret Book. 

Neck Coolers are also easy to make. There are many options on Pinterest or you can go to this blog for instructions. 

They are a great way to stay cool in the heat. 

There are also cooling towels that once they are wet have a cooling technology that can be activated by snapping the towel. They can be purchased at Costco, Big 5 or Amazon.  

The reason they are a good idea is that one of the bigger concerns on trek in July is the heat.  The neck coolers and towels will help keep trekkers cool. 

Updated Schedule for Activities

Tuesday, June 20 - make seats for buckets/equipment check

Tuesday, June 27 - square dancing

Tuesday, July 4 - No Mutual - Happy 4th of July!

Tuesday, July 11 - Trek Story Night & pass off requirements for Trek Challenge

Tuesday, July 18 - No Mutual

Wednesday, July 19 - Youth Temple trip to Idaho Falls, meet @ church at 5pm

Thursday, July 20 - Ward Pioneer Activity (dinner, pioneer games, square dancing)

Sunday, July 23 - Bring all equipment (sleeping gear in a black plastic bag with bucket) to the church between 6-7pm for packing. (Keep your possibles bag with you for travel)

Monday, July 24 - Meet at the church by 6am!! 

July 24-28 Pioneer Trek to Martin's Cove/Sixth Crossing/Rocky Ridge

July 28th - We will return home Friday afternoon, church parking lot

Making Seats for Your Trek Bucket

Are you ready for the June 20th activity?  Here are some more detailed instructions on what you need to bring and how it will be done.  If you can't come you can make your seat at home. 

Items needed:

1 - 5 or 6 gallon bucket - I recommend a 6 gallon bucket for adults, smaller youth might be okay with a 5 gallon bucket.
1 - Gamma lid
1 - cut 10.5 inch diameter circle from foam board (can be purchased at the dollar store) Cardboard can work but it is generally not strong enough in relation to the Velcro. When pulling it away it tends to break and bend.
1 - approx. 14x14 inch square of fabric for the top of the seat. Depending on how much batting you want inside the seat depends on how big of a fabric piece you may want. We did not use a lot of batting when we made our seats. So if you are planning on more padding, use a larger piece of fabric.
Batting to pad seat with
12 inches of sticky back Velcro (comes with an adhesive on the outside of the Velcro)
hot glue gun - you could also use duct tape but we did not try this method. 
scissors
sandpaper - to sand sides of circle to fit, 10.5 inches is slightly bigger than needed.
exacto knife (bring one if you have one, they work best for cutting out the circle from the foam board.)

Start by cutting out the 10.5 inch circle.  Cut out the desired amount of batting to fill your seat.  Use the glue gun to adhere the fabric around and over the batting and foam board circle.  Trim any unneeded fabric.  Adhere pieces of sticky back Velcro where you want it to adhere to the top of the Gamma lid.   The Velcro needs to adhere to the foam board, not fabric, or it will pull away. So please trim the extra fabric from the middle of the back of the seat. Make sure your top and bottom pieces match up. We originally adhered in 4 places but found that 2 was enough. You can decide what works best for you. Removing the lid with 4 was more difficult but it is more secure.  You should be able to remove the seat and open your gamma lid when you need something from inside your bucket.

Why 17 pounds?

Please aim for keeping the weight of your items (minus the weight of the bucket) to 17 pounds.  The members of the handcarts were limiting to only 17 pounds for personal items including their clothing and bedding.  This experience is an opportunity for us to live on less like they did.

Items of Business

Change in Activity Schedule

We will make the bucket seats On Tuesday, June 20th instead of June 13th. On June 13th we will be cleaning out the scout trailer, setting up tents, checking equipment.  Please come help us with that.

Permission Slips

It is time to turn in your permission slips! We are working on the family groups and would like a firmer number. I also don't want to chase down permission slips in the week before we go.  So it would really make my day if they were turned into me at mutual or next Sunday.

Permission and Medical Release Form

Medical History Forms

In addition to the permission slip, we are asking parents to fill out a medical history form for their son or daughter. This will enable our medical professionals to more efficiently and effectively provided treatment if needed.  We would like all adults and youth attending trek to fill out the medical history.  This is the link: http://www.scouting.org/ filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/ 680-001_AB.pdf. Please return them to the trek coordinators or the medical team leader, Meagan Pierson.

 

One new item needed for trek: Please have your child bring a pie tin, Frisbee or plastic plate with rounded sides for eating meals. This is in addition to bringing a set of camping utensils: fork, knife, spoon. 

Shoes

If you have not purchased new shoes and you need them for trek, NOW is the time! Your shoes need to be well broken in before we trek. It is also a good idea to hike in the socks you will be wearing to determine if they prevent friction that would cause blisters. 

Update to Trek Calendar

We will meet at 7:00pm at the church unless otherwise indicated:

Tuesday June 6, 8:00pm, yes 8pm - meet @ Garth Stoddard's for a hike and outdoor movie night watching "17 Miracles"

Tuesday, June 13, 7pm - Joint YM/YW Equipment Check, clean & organize scout trailer, set up tents, etc.

June 14-16 YW Overnighter to Island Park (details to come)

June 17-18 Stake Conference

June 18th - Father's Day!

Tuesday, June 20 - make seats for buckets

Tuesday, June 27 - square dancing

Tuesday, July 4 - No Mutual - Happy 4th of July!

Tuesday, July 11 - Trek Story Night & pass off requirements for Trek Challenge

Tuesday, July 18 - No Mutual

Wednesday, July 19 - Youth Temple trip to Idaho Falls, meet @ church at 5pm

Thursday, July 20 - Ward Pioneer Activity (dinner, pioneer games, square dancing)

July 24-28 Pioneer Trek to Martin's Cove/Sixth Crossing/Rocky Ridge

Trek Calendar

Tuesday, May 9, Identifying Pioneer Ancestors

Tuesday, May 16, CPR/First Aid class for all YW  (YM will have to schedule their own)

Sunday, May 21, (Ward Conference ) 4:30pmTrek Leader Training *mandatory* for all adults/leaders attending trek. If you cannot attend please contact us so we can cover this information with you.  We are required to have NHT (National Historic Trail) training before we go to trek because some of our trails are original historic trails on BLM land.

Tuesday, May 23, "What's in a Name?" Choose your pioneer story & learn it

Wednesday, May 31 Cultural Celebration Practice at Stake Center

Friday, June 2, 2-8pm Dress Rehearsal for Cultural Celebration at Holt Arena

Saturday, June 3, 9am-3pm Dress Rehearsal for Cultural Celebration at Holt Arena

                               4-5:10pm Ticketed Dress Rehearsal

                               7:00pm Performance

Sunday June 4, Idaho Falls Temple Rededication (please see bishopric for recommends)

Monday, June 5, Idaho Falls Temple reopens for ordinance work

First week of June - exact dates TBD for a YW overnight activity. We will pass off camp certifications at this overnight activity.

Tuesday, June 13 - Sew neck coolers and make seats for buckets

Tuesday, June 20 - Medical Prep?

Tuesday, June 27 - Square Dancing

Tuesday, July 4 - No Mutual - Happy 4th of July!

Tuesday, July 11 - Trek Movie night, pass of requirements for trek challenge

Wednesday, July 19 - Youth Temple trip to Idaho Falls 6:30-8:30pm

Thursday, July 20 - Ward Pioneer Activity (dinner, pioneer games and square dancing)

July 24-28 Pioneer Trek at Martin's Cove for all youth. Meet at church Monday, July 24th at 6am. We will return Friday afternoon.

Other Important Information:

We need volunteers to help us between Wed night and Thursday night with moving vehicles from one of our campsites to another campsite while we trek over Rocky Ridge on Thursday.  You could also be a part of our Pioneer Express Relief party if you come. Please contact us if you could come from Wed night to Thursday night to help move vehicles. We will have our testimony meeting Thursday night and would love to have you join us. You could stay with us through Friday morning too of course but you would need to bring a tent.

If you are going on trek please attend the trek activities with us.  You will be able to choose a pioneer to walk for on trek at our activity on May 23rd (if you don't already have an ancestor to walk for). If you already have a pioneer to walk for, still come. Bring the story with you. We will also talk about learning from them. If you cannot come you may still choose a pioneer from the Martin/Willie/Rescue companies.  If you want us to choose one for you, we can do that too.  Just let us know.  If you already have an ancestor in that group please let me know and email me their picture (if you have one) and what you have of their story. 

If you are on a committee but not attending trek, you do not have to attend the NHT training on Sunday, May 21st at 4:30pm. But please attend any meetings for the committee you are on.

Committee chairs are as follows:

Medical: Megan Pierson

Food: Gary & Laree Packard

Transportation/Equipment: Ray Poe & Garth Stoddard

Storytelling: Karen Stoddard

Historian: Jen Bachman

Dance: Jan Carpenter

Clothing: Donna Rodgers

Music: Bernee Stoddard

Everyone going on trek, youth or leader, needs to have a 5 or 6 gallon bucket with gamma lid for the June 13th activity.  We will be making the seats for them.  Bring the bucket and lid (labelled) with a 14 x14 square of fabric for the top, batting for the seat, 12 inches of sticky back Velcro, and a 10-1/2 inch diameter circle cut from foam board for the seat. You can cut this out at the activity but it requires an exacto knife and those may be in short supply. Please bring scissors, exacto knives, extra batting, fabric, sandpaper, foam board and glue guns if you have them. We will also make neck coolers that night. If you have a sewing machine, please let me or Donna Rodgers know and bring it that night for sewing neck coolers. I will post this information on the trek blog too.

Clothing for Trek

Sister Rodgers has been kind enough to put together some resources to help your youth compile the clothing they will need for trek:

The Clothing Committee will be available to help you if you want or need help sewing pioneer clothes. It would probably be best to contact them after the Cultural Celebration for the Idaho Falls Temple as they are busy sewing for that. We will not have an activity to sew the pioneer clothes or haversack/possibles bag. We will have an activity on June 13th to sew the neck coolers and make the seats for our buckets.

Please contact the following ladies for individual help with sewing:

Donna Rogers

Barbara Cook

Carol Mahar

Deanna Judy

Here are some websites to purchase your youths clothing for trek.

If you want to sew your own I found some patterns suggested in the site.   It would be great for the parent or youth sewers to share the patterns with each other as they are quite spendy.    I can help duplicate the patterns if necessary or provide the basic pattern for the skirt, bloomers and bonnet.   I did find that some of the links in these sites are not available.   Also note the need to spray all clothing with tick repellent Permethrin before packing and completely dry them before packing.  Each youth will also need a sturdy bag or haversack to carry  their journal, lip balm etc.

We would like to know who may have sewing machines that could be brought to a YM/YW activity where we will have the youth help with their own neck cooler. If so you may contact myself:   donnadrodgers@centurylink.net  or Robyn.

Please feel free to contact me with anything concerning the clothing.

ONWARDS PIONEERS!

Sister Donna Rodgers

http://handcart-trek.org/clothing.html

https://sites.google.com/site/ashburnstakeyctrek2010/pioneer-dress-guidelines

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/56435801554804590/

https://www.amazon.com/Forum-Novelties-Womens-Prairie-Costume/dp/B00IYP3BHC

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/36802921927061453/

https://www.pinterest.com/audreyhanks/pioneer-trek-ideas/

http://www.pastpatterns.com/1830.html

Trek Leader Training Meeting

So much to plan and prepare for, so little time! We have scheduled another leader training meeting for

Sunday, May 21st at 4:30pm

Cultural Hall 

Yes, you need to come even if you came to the meeting on May 7th. All leaders attending trek are required to attend NHT training. NHT training is information about use of National Historic Trails. We will also discuss other logistics of trek. The meeting will be in the cultural hall. If you cannot come please let us know so we can go over the material with you. 

Trek Challenge

In order to be better prepared for our pioneer trek we have issued a challenge to all youth and leaders going on trek.  The first four goals are required and then you can pick two optional goals to complete the challenge. Those who complete the challenge will be eligible for a great prize. No, we don't know what that is yet but it will of course be awesome. We would love the youth's input on what they might like. When you have completed the goals, just let the trek coordinators know.

Required goals:

o   Memorize Alma 38:2

o   Learn about your pioneer and share the story from memory with your family or leaders before trek (without reading it).

o   Learn how to prevent heat stroke/exhaustion.

o   Log at least 8 miles per week of walking, hiking, running, or other type of exercise.

Optional Goals. Choose 2:

o   Read your scriptures for at least 5 minutes every day for a month.

o   Attend the temple at least once before trek.

o   Memorize the Hymn True to the Faith.

o   Read or listen to the conference talk, “True to the Faith,” by Gordon B. Hinckley, April 1997 General Conference or May 1997 Ensign.

Trek Training Meeting!

Sunday 4:30pm

Thank you to all of our volunteers!  We will have a trek training meeting this Sunday at 4:30pm in the cultural hall of the Michelle Building.  We would like everyone to come that has volunteered to help in some capacity whether you are going to trek or not.  An email was sent about this meeting including the a spreadsheet with the trek assignments. Please contact Earl Stoddard if you have questions about what your trek assignment is.  Thank you!

Update 4/10/17

Thank you to those who were able to attend the Trek Fireside last night.  We know that we probably didn't answer every question so please contact us if you need more information. We will know more details soon but for now it would be good to get started with sewing pioneer clothes. We should have a clothing committee soon that would be available to help with projects. 

Please turn in permission slips for your youth.  Leaders do not need to turn in permission slips.

Each person on trek will be given a pioneer for whom they will trek.  We want the youth to research their own ancestry to find out if they have someone who crossed with the Willie, Martin, Hunt, or Hodgett companies or was part of the rescue party from Salt Lake.  If they do not have an ancestor in one of these groups they will be assigned one. Please let us know as soon as you can if you have an ancestor in one of these groups.  In addition, we want them to find a "pioneer" ancestor of their own. This "pioneer" could be the first person baptized in their family or have crossed the plains with another company or that inspires you in some way.  Learn their story by heart and be prepared to share it with your trek family. They only have to bring the extra pioneer story if they did not  already have an ancestor in the Willie/Martin/Hunt/Hodgett/rescuers group. It is encouraged that they bring the extra ancestor story for their own benefit but it is not required if they are already trekking for a pioneer ancestor in the Willie/Martin/Hunt/Hodgett/rescuers group. 

It would be good to purchase the 6 gallon buckets with gamma lids but you do not need to make the seat covers for them yet.  We may do that for an activity. 

Welcome!

Welcome to the Highland 6th ward Pioneer Trek Blog! 

Please check here regularly for updates.