1st Class Scout P. Gray at Troop 21 summer camp, Jag Lake

4th Grade Webelos left to right include K. Hanrahan, E. Bingham, K. Maxey and S. Kodziki, taken at IMR Day Camp in June 2008

Troop 260 at LeFeber Northwoods Camps this past summer

Klondike-
Where: Indian Mound Scout Reservation
When: February 6-8, 2009
This year’s Klondike is sure to be more exciting than ever. The theme and activities are still being decided upon to make sure that the Scouts will have more adventure than ever before. Jeff Milani will be the chairman for this year’s event. If you have any questions regarding the 2009 Klondike, please feel free to contact him at (414) 313-1429.

Friends of Scouting
Thank you to all units who have signed up for their 2009 Friends of Scouting presentation date. Iron Horse District is off to a very strong start to this year’s campaign. Great job Iron Horse!!! The Friends of Scouting presentation is very important for each unit to have - it is a chance for each family to hear the story of Scouting and what has happened in the past year. Please make this a priority on your unit’s calendar. Iron Horse was very successful in the 2008 campaign and would like to keep the tradition going for 2009. If you have not scheduled your presentation, please contact Bernie Barczak at (414) 545-0254, to do so.

2008 Fall Popcorn Recap
We ROCK!!! A huge thank you to Sue Idzikowski, the Iron Horse District Popcorn Kernel. This year the district sale was up 53.3% over last fall. This fall we sold over $125,000 worth of popcorn, this is up from $81,500. This increase is definitely due to Sue’s hard work contacting each unit and coaching them through some of their challenges. Thank you for all the units that made this possible and just think of all the great adventures the boys are going to get to experience because of the money that was raised! Great things are on the horizon for us!

Iron Horse Top 5 Selling Units:
Pack 148 Wilson School in Wauwatosa $15,170
Pack 474 Lincoln School in Wauwatosa $13,785
Pack 578 Franklin School in West Allis $12,980
Pack 536 St. Gregory in West Allis $9,800
Pack 558 General Mitchell School in West Allis $7,950

Top Selling Scouts in Iron Horse:
B. Probst - Pack 578 - $2,930
C. Klug - Pack 578 - $2,635
K. Maxey - Pack 474 - $2,500
E. Swanson - Troop 536 - $1,520
T. Kessler - Pack 148 - $1,520
K. Zdrojewski - Pack 516 - $1,465

Iron Horse District Recognition Dinner
It is time for all you hard working volunteers to take a night off and have some fun. This year’s dinner will be on March 1, 2009, at Klemmer’s Banquet Hall. This is the time to recognize your fellow volunteers that have went above and beyond their call of duty. Let everyone know how great your unit and volunteers are. For more information on award nominations, please contact Alex Behrend at (414) 443-2853. See you all there.

End of the Year Reflection
Another year has come and gone in record time. 2008 was a great year for Scouting, especially in the Iron Horse District. More youth were brought into the Scouting movement and many had their first outdoor activity. For many Scouts, 2008 has been the year that they received their first rank advancement or their final rank advancement, Eagle.

I have the amazing honor of working with each of you in different roles throughout the year. I have had the chance to be introduced to many of your families and friends… for that I am grateful. Thank you again for all you do for our future, because of your countless acts of kindness we are making the world a better place to live.

Thank you and I look forward to 2009!

Yours in Scouting,

Alexandria Behrend

Calling all Cub Scout Leaders and Parents- You are invited to our Monthly Roundtables
Have you ever been stumped for an idea for a Den or Pack Meeting? Have you ever had a question about a district event? Have you ever just needed to talk about Scouting? Well do we have a place for you! You are invited to the monthly Roundtable Meetings. Meetings are the second Monday of every month at the Scout Service Center. Here are the topics and dates that will be discussed for the entire year. The roundtable is a great place to come to get the format for your meetings, you are literally able to take what you learn and do that night and deliver the program to the boys the next month. If you are a seasoned veteran or a brand new leader or parent, please come and share your Scouting stories. If you do have any questions please feel free to contact Jane Busse, 414-259-0914. See you there!!!!

November 10 - (This is a Council wide Roundtable)Theme “Holiday Lights”
December 8 -  Theme “A-MAZE-ing” Games
January 12 - Theme “American ABC’s”
February 9 - Theme “When I grow up”
March 9 - (This is a Council wide Roundtable) Theme “Jurassic Park”
April 13 - Theme “Leave nothing but footprints”
May 11 - Theme “A Camping we will go”
June 8 - District Wide Picnic, Volunteer recognition at Greenfield Park

Scout’s Honor Unit
Starting in 2008 and continuing through 2010, we will honor those units that go above and beyond the call of duty for the young people that they serve. These special units will be designated as Scout's Honor Units and will lead the way for the rest of the council. This special recognition will not come easy, but will bring worthy praise and tools to continue to build and strengthen the unit. In order for Scouting to have the greatest impact on a young person's life, we must retain Scouts in our programs as long as possible. Scout's Honor Units will stand on the foundation of Centennial Quality programming and strive to fulfill the promises of fun and adventure.

Just as a Scout's Honor is sacred, so to is your commitment to provide the best programming possible, and we hope to recognize your unit as a Scout's Honor Unit. For more information and your unit's progress, please contact Alex Behrend, (414) 443-2853 or abehrend@mccbsa.org.

Iron Horse District Leadership Team
District Chair: Chris Layden; District Commissioner: Tom Arnold; Vice Chair Membership: John Ballogh; Family FOS Chair: Bernie Barczak; Community FOS Chair: Mark Lake; Activities/Civic Services Chair: Lynn Lyles; Training Chair: Vicki Dubis; Advancement Chair: Steve Olsen ; Cub Scout Roundtable Cmsnr: Jane Busse; Boy Scout Roundtable Cmsnr: Pat Gerber; Merit Badge Dean: Richard Reinhard, 543-7260; Senior District Executive: Alex Behrend, (414) 443-2853 - abehrend@mccbsa.org.

If you wish to submit pictures, articles or Scouting stories on the Iron Horse District’s web page, please submit to Alex Behrend.