Summer Camp Promotional Dinner
Transcription
Summer Camp Promotional Dinner
VOICE OF THE PIEDMONT COUNCIL February/March 2015 www.PiedmontCouncilBSA.org Piedmont Council, Boy Scouts of America Volume XXXI, Issue 1 Summer Camp Promotional Dinner Wednesday, February 4, 2015 – Camp Bud Schiele A ttention all Scoutmasters, it is hopefully bring another round of once again time to start planning excitement for your scouts and leaders. your trip to the best camp in the We will be looking for a number of 10Southern Region, Camp Bud gallon hats at the Scoutmasters Schiele. In an effort to make dinner, but please, leave your sure that your troop is horses at home. “Prepared” to attend Promotional packets, camp this summer, including the 2015 please plan to Leaders Guide, attend our annual will be handed Scoutmasters out at this event. Dinner on Wednesday, Information about the SUMMER CAMP 2015 February 4, 2015. dinner has been mailed to all This will be your troop's first Troops. If you did not receive opportunity to hear about the exciting the notice, please contact Kara Miller at programs planned for 2015. Our theme t h e S c o u t o f fi c e v i a e m a i l a t for 2015 – Wild Wild West – will kara.miller@scouting.org WILD, WILD, WEST! Scout Sunday and Scout Sabbath S cout Sunday will take place on February 8, 2015, and is the start of Scout Anniversary week. The Scout Sabbath will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2015. If you haven’t already, your unit should make arrangements to take part in a worship service at your chartered organization or if you are sponsored by a Civic Organization, you can still participate by making arrangements with a place of worship that one of your parents or leaders attend. This is a great time to show the congregation that Scouting is a part of their community and is making a difference in the lives of our young people. Here are some ways that Scouts can participate in a worship service: Scouts and Leaders should be in Class A Uniform, have Scouts serve as ushers, have a Scout read a scripture passage, perform a flag ceremony at the beginning of the service (if appropriate for your worship service), have Scouts serve as altar bearers or acolytes, ask members of the congregation who were in Scouts or were Eagle Scouts to stand up and be recognized, have the troop historian present a slide presentation of your unit’s activities as people are gathering before the service, and have the troop’s chaplain’s aide offer a prayer during the service. Remember that a Scout is Reverent and Scout Anniversary week only comes once a year. Therefore, make every effort to participate and express the importance of participation to your Scouts and Leaders. Please remember that the Eswau Huppeday Lodge will be providing our meal at no cost to anyone and we ask that each unit only bring your “key” summer camp leadership. We ask that you try to limit participation to only two per unit to ensure that all units have the information needed for a successful 2015 summer camp experience. Registration for the Scoutmasters Dinner is due by January 30, 2015. Register online at www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org. Special Recognition for FOS Contributors! Each Friend of Scouting to contribute $175 or more to the Piedmont Council 2015 FOS campaign will receive a commemorative reproduction print of the Hintermeister painting, A Scout is Loyal. These historic limited-edition prints cannot be purchased. Only Friends of Scouting contributors will receive one as a thank you for their support.* Once your pledge of at least $175 is fully paid, you will also receive a limited-edition Hintermeister Council CSP. * Quantities are limited. IN THIS ISSUE... Council Calender ................2 Council Program News .......2 Camp Card Sale .................2 CSC Camp-ins ...................3 TEDxHickory......................3 Eagle Banquet ....................4 BALOO ..............................4 2014 Eagles.......................5 Merit Badge University ........6 Winterplace Ski Days..........6 Webelos Woods .................7 Wood Badge ......................8 World Friendship Fund ........9 Ski Beech ..........................9 Summer Camp.................10 Gem Show.......................11 Scout Shop......................11 PRAY...............................12 FOS .................................13 Pangea MUN....................14 International Corner ..........14 Memorials .......................15 Scouting In Action ............15 District News ..............16-21 Page 2 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org PIEDMONT COUNCIL CALENDAR VISIT THE PIEDMONT COUNCIL WEBSITE FOR CALENDAR UPDATES FEBRUARY 1-7 Scout Anniversary Week 1 Winterplace Ski Day 4 Scoutmaster Dinner – 6:30pm, Camp Bud Schiele 8 Scout Sunday, units attend worship services with their unit 14 Valentine’s Day 19 Council Training committee 21 Piedmont Council Merit Badge University – MBU 21 Venturing Banquet 22 Winterplace Ski Weekend 25 Council Banquet – Lincolnton Civic Center MARCH 1 Ski Beech weekend 7 Camp Bud Shiele-Camp Day of service 9-10 Pangea Model United Nations Conference – www.PangeaMUN.org 13-15 Exploring Emergency Preparedness Event – Camp Bud Schiele 14 Baloo Training – Smith Lodge at camp 17 St. Patrick’s Day 20-22 Woodbadge weekend #1 26 Venturing Officers Association meeting – VOA 27-29 OA Spring fellowship – Camp Bud Schiele 27-29 Webelos Woods – Cub Camp 28-29 Catawba Science Center Bears camp-in ABOUT SMOKE SIGNALS... Smoke Signals is published by Piedmont Council, BSA, 1222 E. Franklin Blvd., Gastonia, NC 28053; Phone 704-864-2694; Fax 704-867-2046. Council Key Three: Andy Wells, President; James Reid “J.R.” Simpson, II, Commissioner; Connie Bowes, Scout Executive. Smoke Signals is produced regularly to inform our volunteers about Scouting activities in the Piedmont Council. Volunteers are encouraged to submit ideas for articles. Publication deadline is the fifth of the month for the next month’s issue. Each District Executive is responsible for the timely submission and content of district articles. Smoke Signals is available online at www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org. Follow the Piedmont Council online www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org and at facebook.com/PCBSA February/March 2015 PIEDMONT COUNCIL PROGRAM NEWS T he Training Committee had their last meeting of the year with a new focus. They will be working with each District to identify leaders who need basic training for their positions and getting them trained. The Woodbadge Course for those needing advanced training is now taking registrations. If you have completed basic training for your leadership position, please give consideration to Woodbadge. The Council Camping Committee developed SMART Goals for the Executive Board to consider. These focus on our Camping Program and the facilities at the Piedmont Scout Reservation. Once approved, these goals will help us make our Camping Program even better. The Scoutmaster Advisory Board approved our Summer Camp Program Theme which will be a Wild West or Cowboy theme for 2015. The Leader Guide will be on line soon with details. The Scoutmaster Dinner on T February 4th will be a great opportunity to find out what's new and to meet some of the staff. The Council Advancement Committee is now working with the Summer Camp Staff to enhance our Merit Badge Program. They are also working on updating the Merit Badge Counselor List. President Mark Williamson and Vice President of Program David Hunt have recr uited Peter Browne from the Gemstone District as the Activities and Civic Service Chairman. Once that fourth program committee is in place, planning for the Rendezvous can begin. As of now, the Rendezvous has been postponed for one year from Fall of 2015 to Fall of 2016. This opens up October of next year for a Cub Camping activity and District Camporees. Submitted by Thad Cloer Program Director of the Piedmont Council, BSA thad.cloer@scouting.org • 704-472-6847 2015 Camp Card Sale Is HERE! he 2015 Camp Card sale is HERE, and the cards are ready for distribution! Many units now find the Camp Card sale one of the favorite and easiest fundraiser of the year. At the time of this publication many of the details for the 2015 Camp Card Sales were still being decided. However, the Piedmont Council will continue to provide sales incentives that will help motivate each Scout within your unit. Additional consideration is being giving to allowing units the benefit of keeping the commission in the same way as the current popcorn sale. This will allow for your units immediate use of commissions for camp deposits and other unit needs. Final details, sales incentives and Camp Card promotional materials will be given out at each Febr uar y Roundtable. Start making plans now to take advantage of this outstanding fundraising opportunity for your unit and more importantly your Scouts! If you have any questions, please contact Jim Crook at the council service center or by email at jimmy.crook@scouting.org . Wanted! Scout News for Smoke Signals Sent stories/pictures of Scouts to: Smoke Signals: Scouting in Action, PO Box 1059, Gastonia, NC 28053 Or email to Kim Deese at kim.deese@scouting.org. Please, do not insert pictures in another program such as Word or Publisher. Sorry – prints can’t be returned. We look forward to sharing your stories with the Piedmont Council! February/March 2015 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org CUB SCOUT PROGRAMS AT CATAWBA SCIENCE CENTER Join Catawba Science Center and Piedmont Council of Boy Scouts of America for a night to remember. Camp-in classes feature activities from the Cub Scout Handbook, allowing campers to work toward activity badges. All registration forms must be signed by Scout leader. Please send registration forms in together, as a pack. Space is limited to 100, so register early! Note: Piedmont Council is not accepting registrations or payments for camp-ins. Register online at www.catawbascience.org/education/scout-camps WOLVES CAMP-INS February 13-14 & February 20-21, 2015 Registration Deadlines: January 30 for the February 14 Camp-in; February 6 for the February 20 Camp-in. WOLVES CAMP-IN ACTIVITIES Science of Kites – Learn the facts of flight as you follow Bernoulli’s principles. Build your own kites and learn how to fly them safely. Wildlife – Become acquainted with an endangered species as you work toward the Wildlife Conservation belt loop and academics pin. Machines – Experiment with levers, incline planes and more. Make and use a windlass. Native American Lore – Make a Native American craft and learn a legend. Play a game that children once played when Columbus came to America. Morning activities include exploration of CSC exhibits and Science Shop, plus a digital program in CSC’s planetarium theater. Activities conclude at 9:30 a.m. BEARS CAMP-INS March 20-21 & March 27-28, 2015 Registration Deadlines: March 6 for March 20 Camp-in; March 13 for the March 27 Camp-in. BEARS CAMP-IN ACTIVITIES Magic in Action – Put on your top hat and take out your wand as you become a magician, with a little help from science. Electrician – Sparks will fly as you investigate the world of electricity and build a circuit. Astronaut – Have a space adventure in CSC’s digital planetarium theater. Build your own constellation viewer. Bring an empty paper towel roll with you. To register for CCS Camp-ins, go to: www.catawbascience.org/education/scout-camps/ TEDxHickory 2015: Early Bird Registration T he 4th annual TEDxHickory will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2015 from 10am-4pm at the SALT Block Auditorium. We are currently screening over 20 presentations to choose the best 10. This is by far the best set of presentations we have received in our four years of existence. The theme for this year is: SPARK!. Presentations cover the areas of education, psychology, motivation, creativity, effectiveness, and imagination. We are limited to only 100 attendees. Tickets include lunch and after-event reception. Early registrants receive a TEDx T-shirt. I hope that you will seriously consider attending. It will be well worth it. Visit www.tedxhickory.com for more information and to buy tickets. Page 3 Crime Lab – Learn a few of the techniques used to solve crimes, including fingerprinting, chromatography and mystery powders. Morning activities include exploration of CSC exhibits and Science Shop, plus a digital program in CSC’s planetarium theater. Activities conclude at 9:30 a.m. IMPORTANT INFORMATION Cost: $40 per Scout/CSC members, $45 per Scout/ nonmembers. One adult leader per six Scouts is free, additional adults are $15 each. Payment must accompany registration forms. Registration received after deadline is an additional $5 fee. Registration as a pack is strongly encouraged. What to Expect: A full evening of classes and two light snacks. Evening ends with an optional educational movie and downtime before lights out at midnight. Wake up and light continental breakfast begins at 7:15. Exhibits open for exploration. What to Bring: Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow, toothbrush, toothpaste, and spending money for the Science Shop. Wear comfortable clothes in which you can sleep. Where to Come: Catawba Science Center, Ground Level Lobby (located off Third St. NE, near library entrance). CSC is located on the SALT Block, 243 3rd Ave. NE, Hickory. When: Check-in begins at 5:45 p.m. in the Ground Level Lobby (library side). Orientation begins at 6:15 p.m. Refund Policy: Refunds are available two weeks prior to camp in, minus a $10 administrative fee. No refunds available after this date. For more information: visit www.CatawbaScience.org or contact CSC at (828) 322-8169. Page 4 February/March 2015 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org 2015 Eagle Scout Banquet Honoring 2014 Eagle Scouts T he Piedmont Council is proud to announce 2015 Eagle Banquet Chairman, Mr. Tom Alexander. Eagle Scouts. their parents, and Mr. Tom Alexander Banquet Chairman troop leaders are encouraged to make plans to attend the Annual Eagle Scout Recognition Banquet, honoring the Piedmont Council’s 2014 Class of 173 Eagle Scouts. The banquet will be held on Wednesday, April 22, in Hickory, North Carolina. Details will be mailed. The Eagle Banquet is the Council’s largest formal event with attendance exceeding 500 each year. Each Eagle Scout is individually recognized for his accomplishment and paired with a local community leader to learn more about a career field of their choice. The event will also feature a prominent keynote speaker in addition to honoring select civic or business leaders that have positively impacted Scouting and their community. Hosted by Piedmont Council, BSA .A.L.O.O. is a oneday training course in basic outdoor camping, in accordance with BSA policy. This course is design to introduce new leaders and parents in preparing for pack overnights. At least one B.A.L.O.O. trained leader in attendance is mandatory for packs to camp overnight. B.A.L.O.O. covers: • Aims & Purposes of Cub Scout outdoor programs • Campfire Programs • Planning an Overnight Outing • Cooking • Health & Safety • First Aid & Sanitation • Outdoor Ethics • Stoves, Lanterns & Fire Safety • Outdoor Activities • Equipment PIEDMONT COUNCIL RECOGNITION BANQUET HONORING THE CLASS OF 2014 EAGLE SCOUTS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015 Catawba Valley Community College Hickory, North Carolina See the complete list of 2014 Eagle Scouts on page 5 of Smoke Signals. Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation B PIEDMONT COUNCIL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA B.A.L.O.O. When: March 14, 2014, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Where: Smith Training Lodge at Cub Camp, Piedmont Scout Reservation, 668 Boy Scout Rd, Rutherfordton, NC 28139 Cost: $15.00 Registration Deadline: March 6, 2014 Other Information: Please wear your uniform. Please bring a pencil and notepad for notes. Sessions will be held outside, please dress accordingly as this will be a rain, or shine event. Lunch provided NOTE: This is an adult training class, with limited outdoor activity that is required by National, BSA for Cub Scout Leaders to take Cubs camping. Questions? Please contact Gene Annas catawbascouts@gmail.com 828-850-3710 Register online at the council website: www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org, or Snail Mail: Piedmont Council, BSA, Attn: BALOO, P.O. Box 1059, Gastonia, NC 28053 February/March 2015 Page 5 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org Piedmont Council’s 2014 Eagle Scouts EAGLE POST/TROOP # SCOUTMASTER BATTLEGROUND DISTRICT Steven Balck 119 Kelly Black Charles Benton, III 118 Brad Cornwell Michael Cole 92 David Estridge Elijah Cook 413 Kenneth Cook Nicholas Costigan 413 Kenneth Cook Johnathan Cromer 117 Darryl Bridges Tyler Hendrix 100 Fred Blackley Samuel Herring 107 Robert Ledbetter, Jr. Michael Hess 101 Allen Hansen Daniel Hogan, II 413 Greg Cook Cody Hoyle 114 Scism, II Jacob Hunt 413 Greg Cook Ryan Jones 117 Darryl Bridges Caleb Kahn 402 Thomas Earls Nicholas Matola 92 David Estridge Dalton Peeler 117 Darryl Bridges Andrew Peeler 413 Kenneth Cook Justin Pritchett 107 Robert Ledbetter Joseph Rogers 117 Darryl Bridges Nathan Sipes 39 Curtis Hardee Austin Sipes 39 Curtis Hardee Daniel Tedder 101 Allen Hansen Joey Yip 104 Gary Romich CHIMNEY ROCK DISTRICT Benjamin Harris 132 Dean Perry, II Kenneth Lovelace 129 Terry Henderson Tyler Moore 125 Jonathan Carlisle FOOTHILLS DISTRICT Charles Adkins 263 Chuck Heavner Jeffery Bosshart 266 Shane Coffee Jacob Burkes 280 Jerry Adams Richard Garren, III 275 Robbie Huffman Joshua Huffman 275 Robbie Huffman William Kent, III 254 Steve Barlowe Wesey Myles 264 Lewis Callihan, Jr. Jonathan Raby 266 Daniel Coffee Davis Thibault 265 Dennis Thibault Jared Webb 274 Joe Hawkins GEMSTONE DISTRICT Christian Arnett 363 Merlyn Perry Austin Bray 332 Tom Carriker Maclean Bridges 166 David Addington Jesse Brown 158 David Kay Boone Carson 618 Stanley Watkins Colbert Counts 618 Stanley Watkins Caleb Cronce 360 Randall Ford Christian Dalton 158 David Kay Joseph Doll 363 Merlyn Perry Blake Draves 173 Jonathan Crawford Evan Drose 173 Jonathan Crawford Jonathan Erwin 332 Thomas Carriker Ryan Gottberg 171 Bryant O'Tuel, Jr. Matthew Hatcher 360 Randall Ford Robert Henderson 171 Bryant O'Tuel, Jr. Stewart Hough 166 David Addington Garrett Iler 171 Bryan O'Tuel, Jr. Reid Ingram 173 Jonathan Crawford Landon Johnson 157 Jason Ludlow Cameron Karbo 377 Michael Bernhardt EAGLE POST/TROOP # SCOUTMASTER Dylan King 377 Michael Bernhardt John Kremar 166 David Addington Cameron Lawing 173 Jonathan Crawford Scott Lee 360 Randall Ford Ethan Marlowe 619 James Harner Elias McMurry, Jr. 348 James Hunter Joseph Petlier 332 Thomas Carriker Timothy Rogers 171 Bryant O'Tuel, Jr. Stephen Scheuerle, Jr. 173 Jonathan Crawford Scott Towne 332 Thomas Carriker Logan Vance 360 Randall Ford William Vance 360 Randall Ford Luke Ware 173 Jon Crawford Kyle Watkins 618 Stanley Watkins HEARTLAND DISTRICT Alex Akers 80 Allen Smith John Ayers 707 John Ayers Mitchell Bowen 78 Kenneth Bowen Bryant Colligan 61 Michael Farmer Philip Cornette 59 Rick Connell, Jr. Casey D'Amato 80 Allen Smith Joshua Feemster 323 Edward Feemster Justin Frix 707 John Ayers Broc Gantt 59 Rick Connell, Jr. Hunter Green 76 William Heafner Alexander Hayes 323 Ed Feemster Dylan Heafner 76 William Heavner Nickolas Henkle 80 Allen Smith Gabriel Hutson 45 Mainess Matthew Lutz 75 Cheryl McKean Joshua Massey 707 John Ayers Jacob Massey 707 John Ayers Tyler McSwain 323 Ed Feemster Gideon Nelson 49 Todd Groves Braxton Rikard 74 Michael Freeman Logan Scronce 75 Cheryl McKean Michael Shaffer 75 Cheryl McKean Gauge Tillman 323 Edward Feemster Bailey Wood 81 Michael Warlick LAKELAND DISTRICT Jordan Beatty 322 Gerald Loftin Hunter Bogert 383 Jeffrey Kaylor Lucas Brown 327 Fred Roseman, Jr. Travis Day 387 Darren Allen William Euton 327 Fred Roseman Andrew Gaither 351 Millinor William Guptill 234 Jason Guptill Houston Hensley 166 David Addington Justin Hollar 771 Todd Rhyne Jake Johnson 300 Corgin Harline Samuel Johnson 325 Billy Propst Cameron Lum 300 Corbin Harline Mitchell Menard 351 Millinor Sean Pittman 771 Todd Rhyne Tristen Propst 235 Kevin Ramsey Joseph Rhyne 771 Todd Rhyne William Rice 238 Kevin Reese Charles Roberts 231 Mark Roberts Christopher Spurlock 333 Gregory Caldwell Jarrett Story 383 Jeffrey Kaylor EAGLE POST/TROOP # SCOUTMASTER Micky Vue 321 Johann Louchez Jackson Webber 231 Mark Roberts Owen Williams 238 Kevin Reese Kevin Woodward 250 Kim McClamrock SWAMP FOX DISTRICT Landon Brendle 812 Joshua Creasman Alexander Brown 210 Shawn Thomas Spencer Creasman 812 Joshua Creasman Samuel Duncan 812 Josh Creasman Dillon Greene 210 Shawn Thompson Jesse Harvey 210 Shawn Thomas John Scholven 805 William Hoyle, III Jonah Trimnal 818 Darin Lenon TABLE ROCK DISTRICT Joshua Alvaradejo 225 Tony Braun Austin Avery 199 Jesse Searcy Nicholas Breedlove 184 Eric Stuenkel Brandon Daniels 898 Travis Foster Samuel Frederick, II 192 Tammy Severt Austin Hallyburton 225 Tony Braun Charles Herrmann 899 William Brooks Jared Massey 184 Eric Stuenkel John Michaels 184 Eric Stuenkel Kevin Nadeau, Jr. 197 Randy Nichols Landon Rudisill 898 Travis Foster Daniel Sanders 202 David Hathcock Drake Summers 899 William Brooks Landon Ward 224 Dennis Earl TWO RIVERS DISTRICT John Alexander 61 Michael Farmer Nathaniel Bowman 58 Richard Wyatt Wesley Bowman 58 Richard Wyatt Jamison Brown 503 Jeff Stoudt Dylan Clemmer 33 Michael Watkins Jacob Cran 143 Michael Cran Andrew Dawson 143 Michael Cran Samuel Deason 11 Douglas Morris Erick Euler 56 Kirk Setzer Trevar Farmer 61 Michael Farmer Dustin Farris 21 John Fletcher Walker Featherston 56 Kirk Setzer Dean Gamble 503 Jeff Stoudt Brendan Granson 56 Kirk Setzer John Gray 62 Charles Decker Thomas Harwell 7 Gene Anderson Benjamin Hester 503 Jeff Stoudt Quentin Hooker 61 Michael Farmer Jameson Kendall 56 Kirk Setzer Cody Koehler 11 Doug Morris Coty Land 33 Michael Watkins Matthew McKinnon 21 John Fletcher Dylan Messick 54 Daniel Gamble Craig Nance 56 Kirk Setzer Lewis Pappas 143 Michael Cran Russell Reece 56 Kirk Setzer Trenton Riddle 28 Dan Baker Kaleb Setzer 56 Kirk Setzer Jonathan Shannon 21 John Fletcher Alexander Smith 143 Michael Cran Robert Wallace 4 Charles Gallman, Page 6 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org MERIT BADGE UNIVERSITY 2015 February 21, 2015 • Gaston College, Dallas, NC T he Council Training Team you and the Eswau Huppeday Lodge would like to cordially invite your troop to participate in the 2015 Merit Badge University to be held on Saturday, February 21, 2015. The 2015 location for MBU will be at Gaston College in Dallas, NC. Check-in will begin at 8:00 a.m.; classes will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. The cost for the one-day event is $14.00 for Scouts and those adults taking classes. The fee is the same as last year and includes lunch, teaching materials for the day, and a patch. The Boy Scout Field Uniform is the uniform of the day. Most troops refer to this as a Class A uniform. MBU is an opportunity to learn from professionals and experts in a variety of fields. It is not intended to be an easy way to get a merit badge but rather a well-earned experience. Scout advancement works best when a scout learns, is tested, is reviewed and then recognized. To earn a badge at MBU will require scouts to participate fully and each scout must complete all requirements to earn a merit badge. Scouts who do not complete requirements at MBU will still have a chance to learn new skills and be on the way to completing the m e r i t b a d g e . Tr o o p s s h o u l d m a k e arrangements with MB counselors in their home area to complete any partials. As leaders, you can help your Scouts be successful by registering them for appropriate badges. Younger scouts should be discouraged from advanced badges they may be unable to complete. Troop leaders should know the abilities of troop members and should spend the needed time prior to MBU preparing each scout for his session. Most badges have prerequisites that must be accomplished before MBU day. Please make sure the boys do their homework, stress to your scouts the importance of working hard in class and cooperating with counselors and classmates. Once again, this year registration for individual classes for scouts and scouters will be done online. Troops, not individual scouts or parents should do registration. Please designate one person from your troop to operate the registration process. Classes will open February 5, at 6:00 p.m. You can preregister now and start building your troop's roster. See website for details. Class requirements and class list are also online. If you have any questions or would like to offer to teach a merit badge please contact us at mbu_team@yahoo.com We look forward to seeing you on February 21 for Merit Badge University. Yours in Scouting, The Council Training Team & Eswau Huppeday Lodge Visit the Piedmont Council Website: www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org Follow the Piedmont Council on at facebook.com/PCBSA February/March 2015 Have your Scouts learn to ski and earn the snow sports merit badge or the skiing belt loop! 2015 PIEDMONT COUNCIL WINTERPLACE SKI DAYS February 1 and February 22, 2015 Anyone can attend this event – registered Scouts and leaders, family, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, ANYONE! Bring your Scouts and their families to this Piedmont Council event and receive: • A full-day lift ticket (8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.) • Ski rental equipment (snowboards extra) • A 90-minute lesson customized to your skiing level • A meal voucher valued at over $8.00 • Fun, fun, fun, and more fun! All this, only $54 per person (includes helmet) – Check-in is on Sunday from 8:00 a.m. until noon (704) 864-2694 Ghent, West Virginia LODGING INFORMATION: Special rates for housing at Glade Springs Resort, call: 1- 855-543-7773 February/March 2015 March 27-29, 2015 Check-In 4:00 – 8:30 pm Cub Scout Camp, Piedmont Scout Reservation 668 Boy Scout Road, Rutherfordton, NC T his event is an outdoor camping/training experience for Webelos as well as an orientation of the Boy Scout Program by older scouts! Each den is encouraged to learn cooking skills by preparing the following meals: Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday breakfast. Food and cookware must be provided by Webelos Leaders for their unit. This weekend of outdoor activities and instruction will encourage your second year Webelos to advance in Scouting and will peak the interest and retention of your first year Webelos through direct contact with older scouts. Online Registration Available To ensure your pack's attendance in a timely manner, register online at www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org. You can pay online using several different payment methods. If you choose to pay online there will be a convenience fee added to your total. You may also use the mail-in option but will need to send to Council Office with-in five business days of submitting application. The deadline for registration will be March 20 unless the event is not full. Registration will be limited so register early. Please bring with you part “A & B” of the B.S.A. Annual Medical Record. This health form is required for youth and adults. COST: The cost of this event will be $15.00 per person (per scout and adult) Page 7 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org if postmarked after March 20 the cost will be $20.00 per person. If you need to use Council Tents there will be an additional $2.00 per tent charge. Registration is on a first come first serve basis. Only one vehicle will be allowed per Unit to drop off equipment at your assigned campsite on Friday and to pick up equipment on Sunday. All vehicles will require a staff escort. No vehicles will remain at the campsites. Please notify us of any medical needs or special accommodations due to medical needs when you register. Packs can bring their own tents or rent Council platform wall tents at $2.00 a tent. Units cannot split their tent preference and camp together. Please indicate on this registration form if you will be using Council Tents and the amount you will need (sleeps 3) or if you will be bringing your tent and how many. PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT NEATLY. YOU MAY USE A SECOND SHEET OF PAPER IF NEEDED. We will be emailing information to the contact name given for your pack. Please make sure to include an email address. Mail to: Piedmont Council, BSA, C/O Webelos Woods, PO Box 1059 Gastonia, NC 28053 or register online at www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org 2015 Webelos Woods Registration Form PACK: ________DISTRICT: _________________________________________________ CONTACT NAME: _________________________________________________ADDRESS: PHONE: _____________________ EMAIL: _____________________________________ ______ # of Personal Tents ______ # of Council Tents @ $2 WEBELOS NAME: (Circle W1 or W2) 1. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 2. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 3. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 4. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 5. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 6. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 7. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 8. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 9. _____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 10. ____________________________________________________________ W1 or W2 LIST ALL WEBELOS, ADULT LEADERS AND ADDITIONAL ADULTS ATTENDING (Two Deep leadership and 1 leader for every four Webelos.) LEADER/ADULT _____________________________________ POSITION _____________ LEADER/ADULT _____________________________________ POSITION _____________ LEADER/ADULT _____________________________________ POSITION _____________ LEADER/ADULT _____________________________________ POSITION _____________ LEADER/ADULT _____________________________________ POSITION _____________ LEADER/ADULT _____________________________________ POSITION _____________ LEADER/ADULT _____________________________________ POSITION _____________ Page 8 February/March 2015 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org PIEDMONT COUNCIL WOOD BADGE 2015 N Friday, March 20-Sunday March, 22, 2015 Friday, April 17-Sunday, April 19, 2015 ow is your chance to gain a mountaintop experience by participating in the Piedmont Council's Wood Badge leadership training course to be held in the spring of 2015. This innovative training program provides advanced training for leaders in all five divisions – Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing, Exploring, and Council/District operations. The Wood Badge course is filled with exciting sessions to help volunteers understand how leadership roles interact with each other, ultimately building a quality program for Scouts of all ages. The 2015 Wood Badge Course will be a two week-end course conducted at Camp Bud Schiele in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Course dates are March 20-22 and April 17-19, 2015 and the cost of the training is $175 per participant. Each weekend is comprised of 3 full days of training, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Registration will be limited to a course of 48 par ticipants. Interested candidates are encouraged to complete an application form available from your local District Executive, District Commissioner, or the Scout Service Center. Remit a $50.00 deposit to hold a spot for the course. You may also complete the information below to indicate your interest in the course. You should have completed Leader Specific Training for your registered position in Scouting prior to taking the course. THE WOOD BADGE VISION Have you ever wondered if Wood Badge, the advanced BSA leadership training course, is for you? The article below is copied from the LDS-BSA October 2007 newsletter, and it and other newsletters and information can be found at http://www.ldsbsa.org/. They have graciously allowed us to copy the article to share with you. Your Wood Badge Vision If you signed up for Baden-Powell's first Wood Badge course in the fall of 1919 at Gilwell Park outside of London, you could have learned animal tracking, art, useful knots, and how to cook. And while learning those skills, you would have learned something else. BadenPowell would have probably helped you to catch your own vision of how to lead Scouts. Catching the vision of how you can be a great Scout leader is still one of the purposes of Wood Badge. Though the course has refined somewhat over the years-art, tracking, knots, and cooking are taught elsewhere-and the course has shortened from the original 12 days to six-advanced Scout leadership training is still the heart and purpose of Wood Badge. And the reward of sharing in this hands-on-experience is catching your own vision of how you can help boys feel the spirit of Scouting and become great leaders. CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE Wood Badge for the 21st Century March 20-22 AND April 17-19, 2015 Camp Bud Schiele Name ____________________________________________________________ Unit ______ Leadership Position in Scouting_______________________________ Address _________________________________ City _______________________ State _______ Zip _______________________ Telephone _____________________ Email: ______________________________ T-shirt size:________________________________________________________ Brief Background of Scouting Experience _________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Tear off and return this form to: Piedmont Council Wood Badge 2013 PO Box 1059, Gastonia, NC 28053 February/March 2015 WOOD BADGE 2015 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Careful! It May Change Your Life While a Wood Badge course teaches you state-of -the-ar t leadership principles, I believe the genius behind Wood Badge is that you learn by doing in a patrol setting. You'll acquire leadership tools and practice some models of success, and along the way you'll probably feel something you would like your boys to feel-the spirit of Scouting. And it may change your life. Here's an edited version of thoughts shared this summer by several Wood Badge participants: • "Wow, where do I find the words to say thank you!? You will never be able to know how much you have affected my life for the good." • "I am so thankful to have been blessed to be here at Wood Badge. My testimony has been strengthened. Thank you!" • "Wood Badge changed my outlook on Scouting. I have been converted! Truly converted! I have felt the spirit many times over these six days and have been taught important principles. Thank you! Not only for me but in behalf of the boys I serve." Others May See You've Caught the Spirit of Scouting When you come home from Wood Badge, watch and see whether others notice something different about you. One Scouter shared his family's impression of him after returning to the second half of his weekend Wood Badge course. He wrote, "I just want to say how much this experience means to me. My life is changed for the better. During the break between weekends, my family noticed something had changed. My 4year-old daughter asked my wife, "What happened to Daddy?" Even my wife asked how many times I could go to Wood Badge so I could keep improving. Thanks so much!" Judging by the experience of others, Wood Badge will help you become a better Scout leader. It's also likely that along the way you'll find ways to become a better person. Sign up soon for your Wood Badge experience. Do your best to ser ve others by improving your leadership skills. If you do, you'll help fulfill Baden-Powell's vision that Scouting can bring about God's Kingdom on earth. And by going to Wood Badge, that vision can also become yours WORLD FRIENDSHIP FUND: YOUR HELP IS NEEDED A Page 9 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org ll units, Districts and Woodbadge courses in the Piedmont Council are asked to send any monies collected for the World Friendship Fund directly to the Council Service Center, not to the International Division in Irvine, Texas. When you submit your donations, please enclose a note asking that 50% of your donation be given to the Piedmont Council International Committee and that the balance of your donation be sent to WFF in your name. WFF no longer supports our International Camp Staff members’ travel expenses which are substantial. We need your support to assist out International Scouts and to continue to enhance our summer camp programs with their participation. Thanks for your help! – Kenneth Humphreys, Piedmont Council International Representative Don’t Miss This Piedmont Council Ski Outing! SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2015 All Day Session: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. SKIBEECH For information, call 704-864-2694, or visit the council website at www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org Day Lift Ticket, $54 All Shaped Ski Rental, Lesson, Meal Ticket – retail: $95 Day Lift Ticket, $57 * All Snowboard Rental, Lesson, Meal Ticket – retail: $105 *Includes damage wavier deposit $8 Additional Meal Ticket Follow the Piedmont Council on at facebook.com/PCBSA Page 10 February/March 2015 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org Summer Camp 2015 Payment Schedule and Refunds 1. Site Deposit $50 for every 10 scouts 2. Unit‘s first initial payment of $100 per scout due by April 1. Units that do not make this payment, in some capacity, risk losing their reservation. In-Council Rate $250.00 In-Council Paid by May 15, $230.00 Out of Council Rate $280 Out of Council Rate Paid by May 15, $260 3. To receive the discounted rate, payment in full MUST BE PAID by May 15. 4. If not taking advantage of early discount any payments after May 15 will be at regular rate. Program Fees Summer Camp 2015 T he Scoutmaster Advisory Board met at the request of the Piedmont Council Camping Committee and they came up with some great ideas for Summer Camp. The theme is “Camp Bud Schiele, a Wild West Adventure!” This should help us find our inner cowboys as we saddle up for a lot of fun this year. The Order of the Arrow is once again hosting the Scoutmaster Dinner on February 4, at Camp Bud Schiele. Come out and get your Leader Guide and find out what’s new. Last year we did not do the Scoutmaster Dinner and we got a lot of feedback that said “bring it back” so we did. The late Joe Ratchford said, “it’s like a Councilwide Roundtable, where we get to see friends we usually don’t”. Probably the biggest news is the hiring of Mr. Cale Thornburg as Camp Director. Cale grew up at the camp holding a variety of jobs on the Summer Camp Staff, including Program Director and Assistant Camp Director. The rest of the year, he is a History Teacher at East Lincoln High School, and Assistant Scoutmaster at Troop 74 in Lincolnton. Program fees will apply on some Merit Badge Classes and are due on settle up day at camp or can be paid in advance by May 15. Additional information about fees are located in the Program Section of the Guidebook. Next Summer’s Reservations Scout leaders are able to reserve space for next year at Camp. Reservations can be made on camp settle-up day, (Tuesdays) at camp. The reservation fee is only $50 for every 10 scouts attending. If a unit cancels their reservation by November 1, a full refund will be issued. You may also make your reservation online by visiting www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org. Adult Fees Adult fees cover food, utilities, and other expenses, and are to be paid by all adults staying overnight, except subsidized ‘free adults’ based on the number of Scouts attending. Pre-paid adult fees are fully refundable. Adult fees may be paid upon arrival at camp. Basic Fee 1/2 week Daily Rate High Adventure COPE $75.00 (full week) $38.00 Refund Policy Cancellations on or before May 15: All fees paid are transferrable within the reservation. If the entire unit reservation cancels, the site deposit is forfeited. Cancellations after May 15 and two weeks prior to camp: A refund of all fees paid, less $100 per Scout and request must be in writing or email and submitted to Council Office. Cancellations within two weeks of camp: No refunds unless the Scout in question finds himself in one of these circumstances: a) his family moves out of council b) there is a death or serious illness in his immediate family requiring his attendance c) he himself becomes ill and unable to attend camp. If a refund is granted, it will be for fees paid minus $100 commitment payment when a Refund Request Form is filed upon arrival at camp. These refunds will be measured to the refund policy (see above) and granted accordingly. Refunds will be mailed to the currently registered Scoutmaster in a timely manner, and will be combined with other refunds due to the unit minus any outstanding debts the unit owes the council. $15.00 TBD $40.00 Non-Sufficient Funds For your convenience if your check is dishonored or returned for any reason, we will electronically debit February/March 2015 Page 11 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org Attention Scouts: A Free Field Trip and an Opportunity to Earn the Geology Merit Badge March 27, 28, and 29 • Hickory Metro Convention Center T he Catawba Va l l e y G e m and Mineral Club invites you to the 2015 Unifour Gem, Mineral, Bead, Fossil, a n d Jewelr y Show, “Somewhere in the Rainbow.” This will be their forty-fifth annual gem, mineral, fossil, and jewelry show. This event will be held on MARCH 27, 28, & 29, 2015 at the Hickory Metro Convention Center at 1960 13th Avenue Drive, SE, Hickory, just off I-40 with entrances from Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard and Highway 70. Hours are 9:a.m. till 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 9:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Chaperoned scout groups will be admitted free anytime during this 3-day event. We encourage scout groups to come in uniforms or other identifying clothing to expedite the admission process. A special area will be in place where Boy Scouts may complete requirements for the geology merit badge on Saturday, March 28 from 9:30-3:30 PM and Sunday March 29 from 1:00-3:30 P.M. Scouts wishing to complete requirements should bring the merit badge card to be signed by the merit badge counselor. Scouts should have reviewed the requirements before coming to the show in order to be prepared to complete these requirements. Scout masters should allocate 2-3 hours for participation in this activity. The show will provide the opportunity to view many once-in-alifetime gems. “Somewhere in the Rainbow” is a privately owned collection from the Phoenix, Arizona area. This collection first started in 2008 with the purchase of several world-class faceted stones. The focus of this collection is to make the collection accessible to the public for educational purposes through exhibits in museums, galleries, jewelr y associations, and shows. With over $10,000,000 in value, this collection is considered to be of the highest and unique quality. A portion of this collection will be available for your viewing at the show; an extremely rare opportunity to see such rare gems. This will be the first showing East of the Mississippi. Many of the items are equal to or exceed the quality of gems and minerals found in the Smithsonian. An educational area will house a hands-on display where attendees are encouraged to actually handle labeled specimens and to study them with the aid of a magnifying lens. Club members will be on hand to assist in comparing texture, luster, and other properties of minerals and to answer questions. Demonstrations of the lapidary arts of faceting, cabachon cutting, and tumbling will also be provided by club members. A number of education displays will be available for viewing. An area with black lights will allow visitors to see fluorescent minerals. A special non-touch area will provide an educational experience with fossils such as sharks' teeth. Younger children will enjoy searching for free specimens at a sand table. Participants are invited to bring gem and mineral samples for identification at a booth in the education area staffed by a geologist. Over twenty vendors will be on hand to sell during the show. The club will be selling grab bags containing minerals and fossils for $1.00 each. Geodes will also be available. The Catawba Valley Gem and Mineral Club also has an education committee that will provide programs related to gems, minerals, and fossils in local schools and for various youth groups. Dr. George Max serves as chairman of the education committee. His phone number is (828) 328-9107. Scout and youth groups not requiring assistance with merit badges may visit during any open show times. Please email Dr. Warren Hollar, club educational liaison, at whollar@charter.net or call him at (828) 446-5400 with the name of the troop, pack, or group, number of scouts, date of attendance, time of arrival, or any special needs of your group. The web page for the club is www.cvgmc.com/. New Scout Store Now Open! The Piedmont Council has a new National Scout Store located at the service center in Gastonia. It is open for business now and The official grand opening was held Saturday, January 31, and the store is open for business. Hours: Monday – Friday 9:30a-7pm; Saturday – 10a-2p; Sunday – closed Kathy Keiger, manager; 704-864-2694 Page 12 February/March 2015 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org New Bible Patch Series from P.R.A.Y. BIBLE BASICS RP3: Read to Picture, Ponder and Put into Action B ible Basics RP3 is a new patch series from P.R.A.Y. It is designed to help families, Sunday school classes, and scouting groups GET INTO THE BIBLE. Scouts earning these patches may wear them on brag vests or on nonuniform clothing. Bible Basics RP3 will guide youth to Read the Bible. Youth will be challenged to visualize or Picture the passage, then Ponder its meaning, and finally Put it into action. P.R.A.Y. is launching this series with three patches: The Good Book, Out of the Water, and Birds of the Air. The Good Book patch focuses on getting to know the Bible and why it is important to read it. It is considered the anchor patch and the first patch that should be earned. After that, the patches may be earned in any order. Bible Basics RP3 is a series for all ages (school age and up). Each patch includes questions for younger children, older youth, and adults. It is designed to be done in a family or group setting with all par ticipants (including parents and leaders) earning the patch. These patches are separate from the P.R.A.Y. awards and do not have the same strict guidelines as God and Me, God and Family, God and Church and God and Life. The patches are shorter programs, can be earned by all ages, and do not require workbooks or an application/review process by clergy. Visit the council website for the latest Scouting news! Get council and district event updates, register for activities, find and print necessary forms, access online training, and more! www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org These guidelines make the new patch series ideal for weekend campouts and retreats. Visit www.praypub.org/BibleBasics to download the FREE Bible Basics RP3 curriculum and to find out how to order patches and pins. P.R.A.Y.’s mission is to foster the Christian growth of children, youth, and families through churches and youth serving agencies. P.R.A.Y. is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the Christian religious award program and encourages churches to embrace Scouting as youth ministry. Piedmont Council PRAY Youth Awards for the Third Quarter of 2014 Congratulations to these Scouts for earning recognitions from Programs of Religious Activities with Youth (PRAY) SCOUT’S NAME CITY GOD AND ME – LEVEL 1 Owens, Micah Bridges, Samuel Laws, Wyatt May, Chase Velky, Edward Flynn, Nathan Robison, Nate GOD AND FAMILY – LEVEL 2 Hall, Zachary Hicks, Carier Tate, James Trujillo, Anthony Sullivan, Devin Collins, Camden GOD AND CHURCH – LEVEL 3 Reaves, Mark Reaves, Matthew Reaves, Nick Welch, Cole Velky, Stephen Fyler, Aaron Kessans, Dalton Trujillo, Anthony Goard, Brandon Prokop, Jared Roberts, Andrew Roberts, Nikolas Meadows, Trenton Shepherd, Colton GOD AND LIFE – LEVEL 4 Griffith, David Griffith, Stephen Goard, Joshua CHURCH Forest City Shelby Rutherfordton Forest City Kings Mountain Forest City Newton Forest City Mt. Zion Forest City Forest City First Presbyterian Forest City FUMC Newton Rutherfordton Mooresboro Forest City Mooresville Hickory Hickory Forest City Forest City Forest City Church of God of The Bible Mt Calvary Ev. Lutheran Mt Calvary Ev. Lutheran Gastonia Gastonia Gastonia Gastonia Kings Mountain Mooresville Mooresville Mooresville Statesville Mooresville Statesville Statesville Claremont Conover First A.R. Presbyterian First A.R. Presbyterian First A.R. Presbyterian First A.R. Presbyterian First Presbyterian Fairview United Methodist Fairview United Methodist Fairview United Methodist Fairview United Methodist Fairview United Methodist Roaring River United Methodist Roaring River United Methodist Highland United Methodist Highland United Methodist Forest City Forest City Statesville Element Church Element Church Fairview United Methodist February/March 2015 Page 13 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org 2015 Friends of Scouting Campaign: The Legacy of Scouting – Passing Down the Legacy From Generation to Generation. A Scout is Loyal – and the Loyalty that each of you has shown to Scouting and the Piedmont Council through your Family Friends of Scouting contribution impacts thousands of youth each year. Please accept our deepest gratitude on behalf of over 13,000 young people and volunteers served by Scouting in the Piedmont Council. Our theme for the 2015 campaign is “A Scout is Loyal – Passing the Legacy down from Generation to Generation.” In preparing for this year's Friends of Scouting campaign, we discovered many families here in the Piedmont Council with a rich history of Scouting... from families who pass down the tradition of earning the rank of Eagle Scout, to a family with three generations of vigil honor members of our Order of the Arrow lodge, to one family who has three generations of Silver Beavers awarded by the Piedmont Council (The Silver Beaver Award is the highest level of recognition for a council volunteer). The gift that Scouting can pass down from one generation to the next is a common bond of shared experiences… from earning the same merit badges, How your contribution to Friends of Scouting continues the legacy: The Money Behind Scouting Working together to continue the legacy of the Scouting program. Program Phase: Where’s the Money From? Where Does the Money Go? YOUTH MEMBER • • • • Personal Savings Earnings from Popcorn Scout Show Ticket Sales Parents/Guardians • • • • Uniforms Handbooks Personal Equipment Camp Fees THE UNIT • • • • Membership Dues Popcorn Sales Scout Show Ticket Sales Special Money-Earning Projects • • • • Camping Equipment Registration Fees Boy’s Life Magazine Special Events CHARTERED ORGANIZATIONS PIEDMONT COUNCIL NATIONAL ORGANIZATION attending the same summer camp, going to National Jamborees... or hiking, camping, canoeing or sailing at the same High Adventure bases. These same experiences can be tied together with grandfather, father, and son earning the same award, the rank of Eagle Scout. How many chances do families have today to join together in a common experience like this? As supporters of our annual Family Friends of Scouting campaign, each of you help make this legacy possible – and to ensure the values of Scouting are passed down for generations to come. • Helps keep costs low so every boy can participate and afford Scouting. No boy should be turned away because of costs. • Keeps Scouting strong. The values of Scouting have never been more important than they are today. • Helps make Scouting the best program it can be. Your gift is an investment that will help our young people grow with integrity and character. • Organization’s Budget • Meeting Room • Utilities & Other Expenses Families are encouraged to give based on their interest in the program and their ability to give. • Friends of Scouting • District/Council Activities • Endowment, Foundations & Trusts • Scout Shop • Camp Bud Schiele & Cub Scout Reservation • Smoke Signals Newsletter • Operation of Scout Service Center • Camperships • Professional & Support Staff • Program Support The cost to keep our youth active in Scouting, above and beyond the Unit expenses, is approximately $160 per year. Scouting families play a vital role in the annual Friends of Scouting Campaign because they know the difference the Scouting program is making in their children’s lives. • • • • • • • • • Member Registration Fees Magazine Subscriptions Advertising Supply Service (camping gear/uniforms) National Service Fees Local Council Assistance Program Research/Development Communications Liability Insurance for Leaders and Chartered Organizations Visit the council website for the latest Scouting news! www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org Page 14 February/March 2015 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org Be Prepared for the World Stage through Scouting and Model UN S couting is an international movement that is proven to work across cultural and geographic borders. An important aspect of Scouting is that it allows Scouts to develop valuable communication skills from the exchange with others around the globe. Model United Nations provides a fun way for young people to learn about their world, practice leadership skills, and discover possible careers. That's why the Piedmont Council is a proud sponsor of the Pangea Model United Nations Conference through its International Committee and Exploring program, along with the Hickory International Council, and Lenoir-Rhyne University. PANGEA Model United Nations LEARN LOCALLY. LIVE GLOBALLY. www.pangeamun.com Travel Overseas with the BSA T here are amazing opportunities for Piedmont Council Scouts to travel overseas as members of Boy Scouts of America contingents that attend Scouting events in other countries. This is open to Scouts who are 15 to 17 years old and Venturers 18 to 21 for special events for older Scouts. Adult volunteers 21 or over can also be selected as contingent leaders. You are encouraged to nominate Scouts, Venturers, and Scouters for possible selection to be a part of a BSA national contingent and attend an international Scouting event. Typically, these trips are inexpensive because the BSA International Division picks up most of the cost. Nominate an Eagle Scout (or one approaching Eagle), a Venturer or a Scouter and he/she may get selected to represent BSA overseas at an International Event. In recent years, Scouts from the Piedmont Council have travelled to the Caribbean Jamboree in Curacao, the Ukraine Jamboree, and Japan for their national jamboree. Your nominee may be next! Application Process Here's what you need: • an age appropriate Scout or Venturer to nominate; • a completed BSA Contingent Youth Nomination Form; • a current Passport for the nominee; • and a passport photo attached to the nomination form. To nominate a Scout or Venturer, go to www.piedmontscouting.org, click on Programs, then International Scouting, and download and complete the BSA Contingent Youth Nomination Form. Your submission should show how the nominee has excelled in Scouting, church and community affairs, and why they deserve to represent the Boy Scouts of America at an international Scouting event. This year, Pangea Model UN will be held at Lenoir-Rhyne on March 9-10, 2015. Exploring units from area High Schools and Middle Schools, and other Scouting units will gather and represent UN Member Countries in delegations that will debate real world issues like Cyber Terrorism, Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and Defense of Ukraine. Pangea Model UN is a fun exercise in research, public speaking, and teamwork. Our world becomes more tightly linked everyday. MUN develops leadership skills that young people will need throughout their life by giving them a chance to practice. THE INTERNATIONAL SCOUTING CORNER Do not send the form to the Council Office or to the BSA International Department address on the form. The form has to be reviewed by the Piedmont Council International Committee and signed by the International Representative and Scout Executive before it's sent to the national office. Send your completed nomination form, with attached photo to: John Green International Representative Piedmont Council BSA 502 Norwood St. SW, Lenoir, NC 28645 The Council International Committee will review the nominations and, if the Committee concurs in a nomination, it will be sent to our Council Scout Executive for approval. It will then go to the BSA International Division in Irving, Texas. February/March 2015 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org Page 15 SCOUTING IN ACTION... MemorialS We gratefully acknowledge the following friends who recently presented memorial gifts to the Piedmont Council: Troop 254 Backpack Camping in Doughton Park on the Virginia Border In Memory of: JOHN WAGONER Betty Anderson In Memory of: GARY MIMS Pam Alley Janet Brightman Linda Earls Dolly Mayerchak Travis Houston Jenny Clinton Christy Stewart Cookie Wilkinson Alice Gardner Kanti Rabara Richard Blackburn In Memory of: DUKE KIMBRELL David & Ginger Black Frank & Ann Nixon In Memory of: ALEX HALL Dr. William Current, Sr. Dr. Tom Warren Grayson Kellar In Memory of: ALEX HALL Dr. William Current, Sr. Dr. Tom Warren Grayson Kellar In Memory of: RAYMOND BOYD LEATHERMAN, SR. Bill Hicks In Memory of: RONNIE HAWKINS Allan Propst In Memory of: LUKE & DAVID NICHOLS Patsy Lindsay Foothills District Christmas Party Great fun and fellowship at the Foothills District Leaders’ Christmas party at 1841 Cafe in Lenoir. Page 16 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org PIEDMONT COUNCIL DISTRICT NEWS BATTLEGROUND BATTLEGROUND DISTRICT CALENDAR FRIENDS OF SCOUTING I am in the process of scheduling unit visits for Friends of Scouting. Please provide me with your Unit's next Blue & Gold, Court of Honor, or unit meeting so that a Family FOS Presentation can be conducted. Each unit will get a 10-15 minute presentation on the needs of the Piedmont Council and how Scouting is funded. All that we ask is the opportunity to speak with your parents, leaders, family members, and friends. Please call or email to let me know when is a good time for a unit visit. FEBRUARY 1 Merit Badge College Session 1 at GWU 3 Eagle Board, 6 pm 5 Commissioner Meeting 12 Roundtable February Charters Due 15 Merit Badge College Session 2 at GWU MARCH 3 Eagle Board, 6pm 5 Committee Meeting 12 Roundtable MERIT BADGE COLLEGE Battleground District Merit Badge College kicked off February 1st at Gardner Webb University. It will be held again on the 15th. We have gone to a two week format instead of a 3 week to try and alleviate the number of Sundays spent at MBC. We appreciate everyone who helps with and attends this event to make it such a success. Special thanks to Alan Morgan and Kelli Greene for heading up this event and making sure it continues to be a success in this district. Serving Cleveland County District Chairman Larry Hamrick, Jr. ......... 704-739-3611 District Commissioner Alan Morgan ................. 704-284-3495 District Executive Matthew Taylor ............. 704-995-1892; matthew.taylor@scouting.org BATTLEGROUND DISTRICT NEWS DISTRICT BANQUET Congratulations to all 23 of our 2014 Eagle Scouts! It is an honor to receive this award in Scouting and goes to show all of the hard work put in by these fantastic young men. Also, congratulations to our 3 District Award of Merit recipients! They are all extremely deserving of this award due to their tireless efforts to support Scouting in the Battleground District. A special thanks goes out to John Rogers and Libby Stone who helped make this event so wonderful. Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped to make the district banquet a great success! CAMP CARDS Camp Cards will be available at our February Roundtable this year! This is around a month earlier than last year which should help everyone when it comes to selling and making money for your unit! We have two strong cards again this year with some nice additions that you didn't see last year. Remember that we are selling Scouting and the card is just an added benefit. More information will be available through email and if you have any questions please let me know. February/March 2015 FROM THE DE This time last year I was writing my first Smoke Signals article to you all! What a year it has been as your District Executive. I found something interesting while searching the internet to enlighten people as to what it means to be a scout and thought I would share that information here in the form of an explanation of the Scout Law: A Scout is TRUSTWORTHY. A Scout tells the truth. He keeps his promises. Honesty is part of his code of conduct. People can depend on him. LOYAL. A Scout is true to his family, Scout leaders, friends, school, and nation. HELPFUL. A Scout is concerned about other people. He does things willingly for others without pay or reward. FRIENDLY. A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his own. COURTEOUS. A Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age or position. He knows good manners make it easier for people to get along together. KIND. A Scout understands there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. He does not hurt or kill harmless things without reason. OBEDIENT. A Scout follows the rules of his family, school, and troop. He obeys the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them. CHEERFUL. A Scout looks for the bright side of things. He cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He tries to make others happy. THRIFTY. A Scout works to pay his way and to help others. He saves for unforeseen needs. He protects and conserves natural resources. He carefully uses time and property. BRAVE. A Scout can face danger even if he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at or threaten him. CLEAN. A Scout keeps his body and mind fit and clean. He goes around with those who believe in living by these same ideals. He helps keep his home and community clean. REVERENT. A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others. February/March 2015 CHIMNEY ROCK Serving Rutherford and Polk Counties District Committee Chairman Cooper Flack..............828-245-8061 District Commissioner Kim Henderson ..........828-289-6046 Assistant District Commissioners John May...................828-289-0131 Dr. Mark McCall..........828-859-5839 District Executive Travis Walker .............828-286-3394 travis.walker@scouting.org Chimney Rock District Web Site: : www.chimneyrockdistrict.net FOOTHILLS Serving Caldwell and Alexander District Chairman Jon Blair ..................828-758-1414 District Commissioner Paula Castleman ......828-850-0766 Senior District Executive Chris Scruggs .........828-851-1302 ...........scruffy0007@embarqmail.com FOOTHILLS DISTRICT CALENDAR FEBRUARY 1 Winterplace Ski Day 4 Camp Bud Schiele – Scoutmaster Dinner, 6:30 pm 1-7 Scout Anniversary Week 11 Foothills Committee meeting – 6:30 pm 11 Foothills District Roundtable – 7:30 pm 21 Piedmont Council Merit Badge University –MBU 21 Venturing Banquet 22 Winterplace Ski Weekend 25 Council Banquet 26 Foothills Commissioner meeting – Whitnel UMC, 6:30 pm www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org MARCH 1 Ski Beech event 4 District Committee meeting – 6:30 pm 4 Foothills Roundtable leaders meeting – 7:30 pm 7 CBS – Camp Day of service 6-8 Foothills Spring Camporee 9-10 Model United Nations Conference 12 Foothills Leadership Recognition Banquet – 6:30 pm, First Methodist Church Lenoir 13-15 Exploring Emergency Preparedness Event – Camp Bud Schiele 14 Baloo Training – Smith Lodge at camp 18 Foothills Camp Card Distribution – Philadelphia Lutheran Church 20-22 Woodbadge weekend #1 26 Venturing Officers Association meeting – VOA 26 Foothills Commissioner meeting – 6:30 pm, Whitnel UMC 27-29 OA Spring fellowship – Camp Bud Schiele 27-29 Webelos Woods – Cub Camp 28-29 Catawba Science Center Bears camp-in FOOTHILLS DISTRICT NEWS 2015 FRIENDS OF SCOUTING CAMPAIGN! The Foothills District is off and running striving to reach our goal of $80,000. This year's campaign is being chaired by Adam Sterken from Lenoir. Please help support Adam and the Foothills Friends of Scouting 2015 Campaign!! If your unit has not set a date for a Family Friends of Scouting presentation please do so as soon as possible! FAMILY FRIENDS OF SCOUTING PRESENTATIONS. We need each units help in raising the dollars needed to keep scouting affordable to every youth that has the interest to join. For this year's campaign Page 17 to be successful we need the participation and support from every unit in scheduling and conducting a family presentation! Your family contribution allows us to, keep Summer Camp cost down (actual cost to the Piedmont Council is approximately $555 per Scout), provide FREE ADVANCEMENTS and MERIT BADGES Throughout the Piedmont Council, and much more! In another tough economic year, we must all do everything we can to not allow the TRUE cost of Scouting to fall completely on the shoulders of our youth and their families. Please know that you make a huge difference in whatever capacity you can donate, and if you have any ideas on how or who we can approach to make sure the Foothills District has the success needed in 2015 please let Chris Scruggs know and we will individually approach them in a different capacity. CAMP CARD DISTRIBUTION The Foothills camp card will be distributed on the February 11 from 67:30 pm! That is the same day as our roundtable we are just distributing the cards beforehand!! Please have your camp card chairmen or a representative from your unit plan to come by Philadelphia Lutheran church and pick up your cards and leaders guide. WEBELOS WOODS- MARCH 27-28 Please put in your calendar and promote this great event. This camping experience is a great way to let your Webelos see what the Boy Scout Program is about and also visit the camp. There will be a great crossover ceremony for the second year webelos conducted by the Piedmont Council Order of the Arrow. Your boys will gain valuable knowledge and skills from older scouts as well as just have some good old fun in the outdoors. For more information contact Chris Scruggs or you can log onto the council website to register! Page 18 FOOTHILLS DISTRICT RECOGNITION BANQUET MARCH 12, 6:30 PM AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF LENOIR I would like to ask each unit to please promote the district banquet and also send in their nominations. This banquet is designed to recognize leaders for their hard work and dedication to scouting during the 2014 scouting season! We will have a catered meal for the banquet. We had a lot of Eagle Scouts that got their Eagle Rank in 2014. I would like for each of those scouts and parents to attend as well so we can recognize them on the district level. We will discuss more about the banquet and nominations at the February roundtable! FOOTHILLS SCOUT SHOW I am sure that most packs, troops, and posts are well on their way in their planning stages for the Scout Show booths. As soon as your unit has made the decision on what you plan to do for your booth please contact Chris Scruggs at 828-851-1302 and let him know what you are planning so we do not duplicate booths. The date for the show will be on April 18th and again will be in conjunction with the Caldwell County Youth Safety Fair at the Caldwell County Fairgrounds! Please plan now to participate in the show with a great booth. This event is a great way to inform and educate the general public of what scouts are doing in the community. You may display indoors or outdoors. The district pinewood derby race will be held on May 9th so make sure you hold your unit races ahead of time. Reminder: you are to send your top five winners to participate in the race. The location for the race has not yet been determined but we will share when secured. DISTRICT EXECUTIVE NOTES I would like to thank each volunteer for their hard work and dedication to youth in our area!! Remember, what we do is for the YOUTH!!! www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org GEMSTONE Serving Iredell County District Chairman Dr. Tim Brewer ........704-437-0944 District Commissioner Mike Bernhardt.......704-252-2850 District Executive: Dwayne Cloar ......c.704-495-5564 dcloar@bsamail.org Visit our district Website at www.gemstonedistrict.com GEMSTONE DISTRICT CALENDAR FEBRUARY 3 No Boy Scout Leader Roundtable 4 Camp Bud Schiele – Scoutmaster Dinner 5 Cub Scout Leader Roundtable 13 District Banquet 16 Eagle Board 24 District Committee Meeting 24 Unit Commissioner Meeting 28 Boy Scout Leader Specific Training GEMSTONE DISTRICT NEWS TRAINING C u b L e a d e r Tr a i n i n g , Yo u t h Protection Training, Fast Star t for position, and New Leader Essentials Training can all be completed online at www.scouting.org. If questions, or having trouble getting online, contact Lee Barnes at lee.barnes420@yahoo.com . NOTE: Leader Specific Training can also now be completed online. KLONDIKE DERBY The Klondike Derby will be held on January 31 at Allison Woods. The registration form and information packet is on the district Website. Please register ASAP if you are planning on participating. Contact Peter Browne if you have any questions at peterbrowne_pe@yahoo.com. February/March 2015 DISTRICT BANQUET The District Banquet will be held on Friday, February 13. The location has been changed it will be at the Mitchell Community College Continuing Education campus dining hall. This is located at 701 West Front Street, Statesville, NC 28677. The fee is $12 per person. Registration information is on the district website. Please contact Bill Hicks if you have questions or leader awards to tur n in wchicks@hotmail.com FAMILY FRIENDS OF SCOUTING Please let Dwayne Cloar know of your upcoming Blue and Gold Banquet or Troop Court of Honor. All units are encouraged to participate in a Family Friends of Scouting program to promote support of Scouting and to educate families on how Scouting is financed within the county. BOY SCOUT LEADER TRAINING The district will be having Boy Scout Leader Specific Training on Saturday, February 28. This will be hosted at the Troop 174 scout hut in Troutman. There is no fee for the training. Registration will begin at 8:30 am. RECHARTERS All recharters should be completed and turned in to Dwayne Cloar. If you still have your recharter, please contact Dwayne Cloar immediately. CAMPCARD KICK-OFF Do you have your Scout Show Ticket/ Thrift Card Chairperson picked? Sales will begin soon. Cards will be available February 1. Cards will be distributed at the February Roundtables. Reminder: Remember to bring your aluminum can tabs and soup can labels to Roundtable. DISTRICT WEBSITE Remember to keep checking our D i s t r i c t We b s i t e f o r u p - t o - d a t e Information on upcoming events, contact information, or if you Just want February/March 2015 to check out what is going on in our District. Please checkout our website at www.gemstonedistrict.com. If you have information you would like to have posted, call Seth Overcash at 704-6640 8 2 0 o r e m a i l seth.overcash@windstream.net. SUBMIT PICTURES OF YOUR SCOUTS TO THE PAPERS Thank you to ever yone for submitting pictures and articles to the newspaper. Send pictures of Scouts in action to our local papers and the council Smoke Signals newsletter! Encourage your Scouts to wear their uniform to Scout field trips and events. When submitting photos and articles, p l e a s e i n c l u d e t h i s : “ Fo r m o r e information on local Scouting, contact the Piedmont Council at 704864-2694 or visit www.scouting.org.” Photos can be submitted to: Neighbors of Lake Norman (was Iredell Neighbors), The Charlotte Observer, 20916 Torrence Chapel Road, Cornelius, N. C. 28031; Mooresville Weekly, 209 Delburg Street, Suite 209, Davidson, NC 28036. HEARTLAND Serving Lincoln County, Cherryville, Mount Holly, Stanley District Chairman .............Ed Blackburn District Commissioner Kathy Robinson ......704-435-2756 kmrobinson51@gmail.com District Executive Matthew Burneisen .704-740-8183 matthew.burneisen@scouting.org www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org LAKELAND Serving Catawba County District Chairman...........Mike Carpenter mike.carpenter@prysmiangroup.com District Commissioner Curtis Hamlin..curtis@unigeluk.com District Director ....Michael Montgomery 828-962-6069 michael.montgomery@scouting.org LAKELAND DISTRICT CALENDAR FEBRUARY 4 District Committee Meeting – Best of Beers, 1613 Main Dr NW # B, Hickory, 5:30 PM 5 Roundtable – 7 PM in Conover at First United Methodist Church, 410 1st Ave N, Conover Recharters Due for February Units at Roundtable 19 Eagle Board – Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1686 6th St SE, Hickory MARCH 4 District Committee Meeting – Best of Beers, 1613 Main Dr NW # B, Hickory, 5:30 PM 5 Roundtable – 7 PM in Conover at First United Methodist Church, 410 1st Ave N, Conover 19 Eagle Board – Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1686 6th St SE, Hickory 24 District Banquet – 6:30 PM, Corinth Reformed Church, Hickory LAKELAND DISTRICT NEWS SCOUT SUNDAY AND SCOUT SABBATH Scout Sunday will take place on Feb. 8, 2015 and is the star t of Scout Anniversary week. The Scout Sabbath will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015. If you haven't already, your unit should make arrangements to take part in a worship service at your char tered organization or if you are sponsored by a Civic Organization, you can still participate by making arrangements with a place of worship that one of your parents or leaders attend. This is a great time to show the congregation that Scouting is a part of their community and Page 19 is making a difference in the lives of our young people. Here are some ways that Scouts can participate in a worship service: Scouts and Leaders should be in Class A Uniform, have Scouts serve as ushers, have a Scout read a scripture passage, perform a flag ceremony at the beginning of the service (if appropriate for your worship service), have Scouts serve as altar bearers or acolytes, ask members of the congregation who were in Scouts or were Eagle Scouts to stand up and be recognized, have the troop historian present a slide presentation of your unit's activities as people are gathering before the service, and have the troop's chaplain's aide offer a prayer during the service. Remember that a Scout is Reverent and Scout Anniversary week only comes once a year. Therefore, make ever y effor t to participate and express the importance of participation to your Scouts and Leaders. FAMILY FRIENDS OF SCOUTING Pierre Rheeder is returning this year to serve as the Lakeland District Family FOS Chair. Some units turned in FOS commitment cards at the January Roundtable. If you have not yet scheduled an FOS presentation with Pierre, then please call him at 828-2388630 or e-mail him at scouterpierre@usa.com. Friends of Scouting is our council's annual fundraising campaign that helps to support our operations. “Free” rank advancements, communications through this Newsletter and e-mail communications, the professional staff, the Council Ser vice Center, and year-round maintenance at Camp Bud Schiele are just some of the things that each Pack, Troop, and Crew receives by being a member of the Piedmont Council. Help support your council and participate in FOS by scheduling an FOS presentation with Pierre today! Page 20 CAMP CARDS It is our plan to have the camp cards distributed at the February Roundtable. Stay tuned to the Lakeland District News E-mails for the latest updates on Camp Cards. The cards include better values than before and should be even easier to sell this year! Encourage each of your Scouts to sell a specified amount of cards. It is not unreasonable to expect each Scout to sell 10 cards. This can easily be done in an hour, selling door to door on a Saturday afternoon. Discuss setting goals for Scouts with your unit leadership to see what is appropriate for your unit. If you are not doing Scout accounts so that your Scouts can use the camp card money for Scout activities, supplies, dues, etc. then this is something that you should seriously consider. They are called camp cards for a reason; namely, so that each Scout can earn his way to camp! CAMP-INS AT THE CATAWBA SCIENCE CENTER Wolf and Bear Scouts are welcome to camp-in at the Catawba Science Center for a night to remember (Webelos already had their camp-in in January). Camp-in classes feature activities from the Cub Scout Handbook, allowing campers to work towards activity badges/points. • The Wolves Camp-in will be held on Feb. 13-14 & 20-21, 2015 and will feature activities including Science of Kites, Wildlife, Machines, and Native American Lore • The Bears Camp-in will be held March 20-21 & March 27-28, 2015 and will feature activities including Magic in Action, Electrician, Astronaut, and Crime Lab Visit www.catawbascience.org and click on education/scout-camps to print out the registration forms for these events (or from the home page, click on Education, and then scroll down and click on Scout Camps). Once on the Scout Camps page, you will need to www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org scroll down to the bottom where it says Boy Scout Camp-in Registration Forms and then click on the appropriate link (Wolves or Bears). SPRING CAMPOREE The Lakeland Spring Camporee will be held April 17-19 at Murray's Mill located in Catawba, NC. The theme is “Are you Tougher than a Lakeland Scout.” Cost is $8 per person (adult or Scout) if you register by March 31. After March 31, the cost is $10 per person. Remember that “A Scout is Thrifty,” so save your troop some money by registering on-time. Troop 303 will be hosting the event. Leader guides were distributed at the January Roundtable and were sent out through the district email distribution list. If you aren't on that list and would like to be, then e-mail michael.montgomery@scouting.org and ask him to add you to the list. If you have questions regarding the camporee, then please contact Ralph Bumgarner, the camporee director, at 828-455-9753 or e-mail rbumgarner3@charter.net. LAKELAND DISTRICT BANQUET AND NOMINATIONS FOR DISTRICT AWARDS The district banquet will be held on Tuesday, March 24 at Corinth Reformed Church in Hickory. The banquet will start at 6:30 PM. More information, including cost, will follow and be communicated through the district e-mail distribution list. We are in need of nominations for District Awards. If you would like to nominate someone for a district award including the District Award of Merit, p l e a s e c o n t a c t To d d P u n c h a t lakeland.roundtable@gmail.com. There are Scouters out there who should be recognized, but we can't do that without your nominations. Nomination For ms can be picked up at the Roundtable and they will also be emailed out through the district distribution list. February/March 2015 LAKELAND DISTRICT NEWS E-MAILS If you would like to receive the Lakeland District News E-mails, please e-mail Michael Montgomer y, at michael.montgomery@scouting.org. Please put in the title of your e-mail, “Please add me to your Lakeland District News E-mails.” Michael will send out emails using Blind Carbon Copy so that your e-mail cannot be used by others for non-BSA purposes. This is for official BSA business only. If you are not receiving these e-mails, you may be missing out on important information related to Scouting that is sometimes time-sensitive. TABLE ROCK/ SWAMPFOX Table Rock – Serving Burke County; Swampfox – Serving McDowell County District Chairman.......................vacant District Commissioner ......Abbie Teeple District Executive ................Clint Beilke 731-499-1540; Clint.Beilke@scouting.org District Website www.tablerockbsa.org TWO RIVERS Serving Gaston County District Chairman Charles Gallman ....704-853-8103 District Commissioner ...Duane Jenkins District Executive Patrick Lally .....plally@bsamail.org 704-864-2694 ext. 123 TWO RIVERS DISTRICT CALENDAR FEBRUARY 1 Scout Sunday 3 Roundtable – First Presbyterian Church, 7:00pm (CS), 7:30pm (BS) 7 Scout Sabbath 10 Committee Meeting, Scout Service Center, 7:00PM 13 February Recharter Packets Due February/March 2015 MARCH 3 Roundtable – First Presbyterian Church, 7:00PM (CS), 7:30PM (BS) 7 Daylight Savings Time begins 13 March Recharter Packets Due 14 BALOO Training – Smith Lodge 27-29 OA Spring Fellowship – Camp Bud Schiele TWO RIVERS DISTRICT NEWS ROUNDTABLE February Roundtable is a very important time for us, because we will be distributing our 2015 Camp Cards to our units! We have begun the process much earlier, and worked to get a full card and all contracts secured during the end of 2014 so that we can print and have them out to our units sooner, hoping for another year of great results in our 2015 sale! The fundraising potential of this Thrifty Card is tremendous because it can save hundreds of dollars for those who use it! You can use it as a unit fundraiser or for an opportunity for individual Scouts to earn funds that can be used for Day Camp or Summer Camp. FAMILY FRIENDS OF SCOUTING Please contact Patrick Lally to schedule a time for a brief (5-10 minute) presentation about Friends of Scouting at your upcoming Blue and Gold, Court of Honor, or regular Pack or Troop meeting. Scout families from all the units that supported last year showed generous support of Scouting, which was critical to keeping the Scouting program healthy in our district and council. The focus of this year's campaign is the “Legacy of Scouting,” and your unit's participation this year will help us keep that legacy strong. Page 21 www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org TRAINING UPDATE With the majority of our units having rechartered in December and January, now is a good time to take a look at your leaders and see who is trained, and who can take training to help keep your program strong! For Cub Scout leaders, we have BALOO training next month and our Cub Camp in Rutherfordton, and it is required that at least one person in the Pack has this training in order for you to go camping. On the Boy Scout side, there is Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS), which is the final course required for Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters of Boy Scout troops and Crew Advisors Assistant Crew Advisors of Venturing Crews with an outdoor focus to earn their “Trained” status. This course is an outdoor training experience designed to teach the skills it takes to be a First Class Scout. This event will be coming up in the spring and it will be put on by our District Training team, who are among the best in the council! Please contact Patrick Lally if you would like more information about either event. In addition, please continue to encourage all leaders to complete training courses that are available online at www.MyScouting.org. All leaders must complete Youth Protection training. PUBLICITY With Spring right around the corner, many of our units will be camping more and taking more trips. Help us keep Scouting visible to the public! We have had a lot of great stories and articles written about our Scouts in the Gaston Gazette, so help us keep spreading the g o o d n e w s ! S e n d Pa t r i c k L a l l y (plally@bsamail.org) your pictures or stories about a trip or event your Pack, Troop or Crew participated in, and we will try to get your stories published in an upcoming edition of the Gaston Gazette! Exploring Chairman Dr. Steve Thornburg ...704-484-4004 Exploring Commissioner Tommy King ..............704-739-6319 Exploring Executive ........Richard Churn 704-864-2694, ex. 1121 richard.churn@scouting.org EXPLORING NEWS YOUTH PROTECTION TRAINING If you are an advisory you need to go on online and take youth protection training. ORDER OF THE ARROW Lodge Chief...................Matthew Cook mcook63@gmail.com Lodge Advisor David Cody....... djcody@charter.net Staff Advisor ...................Travis Walker travis.walker@scouting.org ORDER OF THE ARROW CALENDAR MARCH 7 Eswau Huppeday OA Beaver Day – Camp Bud Schiele 27-29 Eswau Huppeday Spring Fellowship – Camp Bud Schiele APRIL 24-26 OA Dixie Fellowship VENTURING Venture President ............Carolyn Tiller Venture Chairman ..............Frank Willis Venture Commissioner.......Boyd Hoyle Venture Adviser ..................Thad Cloer