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Venture Crew 59 West Caldwell NJ

Winter Camping 2019

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January 12th to 14th:

The crew arrived at Camp Glen Gray Friday night and settled in to the cabin. After starting their fires and eating their dinners a round of cards ensued followed by bedtime. During the night a watch was set to make sure the fires stayed lit and kept the cabin warm. Unfortunately, some did not wake as they should have and the fires had to be relit.

On Saturday the crew enjoyed a breakfast of crêpes and prepared for the day ahead. Outside of stocking up on wood the crew went on a hike to nearby Boy Scout Camp Yaw Paw, on the way we were blessed with some beautiful sights! After a lunch in the outdoor dining hall there, we headed back to Price Cabin in Camp Glen Gray and made dinner. Following an evening of board games and fried deserts courtesy of Matthew Courtright, we turned in.

The second fire watch also had some issues in the waking department, with some turning in before making sure their replacements were up. That being said Pauline, Bella, Tyler, Matt. C., Jean-Baptiste, Mackenzie, John S. and Evan accompanied by Nora, Matt, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Rogacki and Mrs. Brown had great fun and seem ready to do it again!

Lenape Trail Hike June 2018

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On June 9th 2018, two members of our crew participated in a Lenape Trail Hike. Although crews, troops, and packs had been called to hike the entire 34 miles in one day (and some courageous souls achieved this), our adventurous representatives were slightly more conservative and only hiked a small portion of the trail.

The hike started, for us, at Yantacaw Park and finished at Applegate Farm with a delicious ice cream. Along the way we enjoyed many delightful parks, and Jean-Baptiste even found a National Geographic Folio at a garage sale on the way. Everyone had a wonderful day of it, and both youths (Tim and Jean-Baptiste) want to thank the adults who accompanied them.

Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews 2018

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On April 14th, our venture crew attended the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews held by the Northern New Jersey Council Venturing Officers’ Association at the Council office.

There the three attendees from our crew (Ashna, Mackenzie, and Sandra), learned about such different topics as Creating a Vision, Goal Setting, Communication, Group Decision Making, Planning, Delegating, and Team Development.

While this course is essential if you are looking to do some advancement, we are hoping the 3 attendees will use it to help propel the crew to greater heights!

If you missed the ILSC or want to obtain some of the materials used there don’t hesitate to contact Jean-Baptiste ([email protected]) since he is on the VOA and will be more than happy to help you learn more about leadership in Venturing.

Goal Setting & Time Management 2018

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On March 24th, the crew came together in a conference room of Mount Saint to take part in a presentation on Goal Setting and Time Management.

The presentation was facilitated by Nora Jr., Nora Sr., and Jean-Baptiste. They each taught different sections of the presentation and worked with the crew members present to help them realize what areas they could work on.

This was a very beneficial presentation for members of our crew, seeing how most of them are either entering or going through high school, a time where responsibilities pile up and homework gains increasingly longer due dates.

While this presentation did count for advancement, a copy can be found under training resources for those interested.

Escape the Room March 2018

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The venture crew spent their weekly meeting at Empire Escape Rooms on March 5th. There we were instructed by an alumnus of our crew, Elena, on the protocol and proper use of an Escape the Room location. Once unleashed in the room the crew – represented by Mackenzie, Ashna, Tim, Jean-Baptiste, Andrew, and John – proceeded to tear it apart in an effort to find clues and tips on how to solve the different challenges.

Although we were ultimately unable to Escape the Room, we were truly within seconds of finding our way out. Overall it seems that everyone enjoyed their time, even if some of our members were disappointed with the break in their win streak.

As a crew, this event serves as a reminder of what we can manage to accomplish if we work as a team and just how much fun we can have. We remain grateful to the adults for accompanying us and enjoying our mad dashes via the cameras. This is hopefully not the last of many fun ‘Activity’ meetings our crew will hold and take part in.

March 2018 Meeting

Results for January 2018 Election

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After some rousing speeches and tasty bribes, the crew elected the new officers for the coming 6 months.Congratulations to all and to those who ran but were not voted in, we thank you for the effort and urge you to run again during the next election cycle.

Here are the officers for the upcoming 6 month term:

President: Mackenzie

Vice President of Administration: Ashna

Vice President of Program: Timothy

Secretary: Isabella

Treasurer: Jean-Baptiste

We congratulate you once again on your election and hope that we can not only see your campaign promises fulfilled, but that we can have more of those delicious brownies.

Nominees for January 2018 Election

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As we face the new year the Crew is also facing a new election cycle for the leadership of the Crew. Here are the nominees for the upcoming 6 month term:

President: Mackenzie

Vice President of Administration: Ashna

Vice President of Program: Timothy, Isabella

Secretary: Isabella

Treasurer: Jean-Baptiste, Timothy, John, Isabella

When the Crew next meets, on the 15th of January, all the nominees will give a small speech detailing why they are each most capable for the position, and the Crew will then vote.

Best of luck to all the nominees!

(From personal experience, chocolate might be the best material for bribing…)