The Bloggers
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In the October edition of Esquire magazine , writer Mike Sager profiles our national president, Dr. Robert M. Gates, and the Boy Scouts of America. Click on the link above to go to the site for the full story, which is available on newsstands now.
The latest issue of the LDS-BSA Relationships newsletter has been published and is available online. In this issue, you can read more about the Priesthood Leadership Conference on Scouting held at Philmont each summer, excerpts from the Scouting Handbook for Church Units, and more.
Are you or someone you know interested in a 2016 High Adventure experience? On October 29, the registration entry period for 2016 Philmont 12-day and 7-day expeditions begins. This short period lasts only through November 19. Who Can Register? Each unit (troop, Venturing crew, Varsity team, post, or ship) is entitled to register for one…
A New-Unit Sales Kit called "Strengthening Your Organization Through Scouting" and the Chartered Organization Resource Guide have both been redeveloped for use by local councils to focus specifically on properly researching, planning, and making productive visits to multiple prospective chartered organizations.
The BSA's 2014 Sustainability Summit at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia on Oct. 27-30 is fast approaching. This platform will enable you to create a unique sustainability vision that can help you grow your membership, raise more money, and make a tremendous impact in your community.
We're excited to announce that the following councils have gone live with Commissioner Tools: Crossroads of America Council (9/18/14) Los Padres Council (9/18/14) Theodore Roosevelt Council (9/18/14) Capital Area Council (10/1/14) Chester County Council (10/1/14) Cradle of Liberty Council (10/1/14) Great Salt Lake Council (10/1/14) Greater Niagara Council (10/1/14) Before councils can start using Commissioner…
Register now for the 2015 season at The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve ! From leadership training to high-adventure, find the program that's right for you and your Scouts.
We're thrilled to announce the release of Paddle Ready-a free, user-friendly iPhone/Android mobile app designed just for paddlers. This resource for a safer aquatics program has been provided by one of our partners-American Canoe Association. The ACA has created Paddle Ready to empower individuals to take responsibility for their safety on the water, build their…
Click to open the Oct. 1 issue The October 1 issue of the Finance Impact e-Letter has been published and is available online. In this issue, you can read more about new credit card technology that will affect councils, an audit referral program, group vendor discounts, Blackbaud webinars, and much more.
As of August 31, 2014, 61 local council affiliated partners representing $123.9 million in assets now use BSA Asset Management, LLC (BSAAM) as an investment manager. In the three months ending on August 31, the fund earned 2.21 percent while the one-year return was 14.93 percent (net of fees).
The 2015 Budget-Building Bulletin is now available. This resource is published annually to help local councils develop their upcoming fiscal year budgets. Please note, councils' executive boards must approve their 2015 budgets no later than December 31, 2014. Several departments within the National Council contributed to this bulletin.
The Philmont Commissary is now offering surplus 2014 trail meals to anyone who has a need for packaged, ready-to-eat meals. Sales are open from now through whenever they sell out. You may purchase any quantity of meals simply by emailing Barry Harper to obtain a 2014 ordering package.
Jamboree-on-the-Air and Jamboree-on-the-Internet will be held October 18–19. JOTA and JOTI are annual World Scouting events that provide an opportunity for Scouts to communicate with other Scouts from around the world! Visit JOTA's webpage, www.scouting.org/jota , and JOTI's webpage, www.scouting.org/joti , for how to participate, download participation certificates, order this year's patches, and much more!
(Reprinted from the September 9 issue of the United Methodist Reporter .) The number of young people involved in Scouting declined from 2.85 million in 2012 to 2.49 million in 2013 (the last full year of reporting). The number of youth involved in scouting programs within the United Methodist Church declined from 365,565 in 2012 to…
If you haven't had a chance to download and listen to the Scouting podcasts created each month by the National Council for Cub Leaders (CubCast) and Scout/Venturing leaders (ScoutCast), new October topics are now available at scouting.org/scoutcast (or via iTunes by searching for "bsa scoutcast").
De Tan Nguyen has been named learning delivery team leader at Scouting University. De gives leadership to the Learning Delivery Training Team in ScoutingU and is responsible for the operations to ensure our customers are appropriately qualified, certified, and trained to deliver training content to volunteers and professionals throughout the organization.
On October 7, thousands of Scouts, parents, volunteers, and chartered organizations will receive the fall edition of our twice-yearly Voice of the Scout survey. Launched in 2012, VOS is designed to measure the value of Scouting in the community and help us deliver experiences that surpass the expectations of our members.
For the fall 2014 release (October 7-22), those unit leaders who see a response rate of at least 50 percent for Cub Scout parents, Boy Scouts/Venturers, or Boy Scout parents will be entered into a drawing to win $500. Drawings will be done at the area level, with a potential of 27 total awards.
Click to see Spring 2014 results The purpose of the Voice of the Scout is to ultimately deliver a Scouting experience that surpasses the expectations of members. In doing so, Scouting will generate powerful, grassroots recommendations that galvanize others to join.
Get the word out to units! While we need feedback from all of our members, the biggest opportunity to increase response rates is to hear more from our parents and Boy Scout/Venturer youth. The unit incentive above should help you generate some excitement as well.
During VOS surveys, those who rank themselves as detractors are asked if they want someone from the council to contact them. Those who opt-in will be asked to provide their name, phone/email, and preferred contact time. This information will be included on the Experience Recovery Report on the MyBSA homepage of Scout executives after the…
Earlier this year, we unveiled the multiyear recruitment campaign called "Build an Adventure," that will give everyone a fresh look at all Scouting has to offer. The campaign was designed for use in 2015; however, when we unveiled the campaign at this year's National Annual Meeting, many councils requested assets this year so they could…
Join us for the biannual National Aquatics Workshop at the Florida Sea Base October 22-26. This workshop is designed for anyone, volunteer or professional, engaged with aquatics activities at the local council, area, region, or national level. Sessions will include updates on what is new to aquatics, updates on aquatics programs of emphasis, and feedback…
The summer issue of Training Times is out ! We are sorry for the delay but there are a couple of items in there that we wanted to finish/release before we sent it out. Look on the "Training Updates" page, and and share it with your trainer friends.
Dreading the next contract you have to deal with? Are your eyes burning already at the mere thought of all that "legalese" and fine print? Never fear-"Contracting 101" is here. The Legal department, in collaboration with the Properties department, will present a live one-hour webinar, "Contracting 101," on September 10 , beginning at 12:30 pm Central…
Click to open the September issue The September issue of the Learning for Life newsletter has been published and is available online. In this issue, you can read more about changes in store for the Exploring program and related materials, as well as access the 2014-2015 LFL License Agreement, learn about professional certifications, and more.
(Reposted from Boys' Life magazine's Scouting Around blog .) The time to register for the 2015 World Scout Jamboree is now. Just in case you're still on the fence, here are few things you need to know … 1. Where is it?
The final inspection was passed and the first divers began using the new Sea Base Scuba Complex shortly before the last crews departed for the summer. According to a recent post made on the Sea Base Facebook page , the new facility will be a huge boost to the high-adventure base's programs, particularly the Scuba Certification…
The National Council has the following lease vehicle for sale: 2012 Ford F-150 4×4 Super Cab XL Approximate mileage: 64,474 miles Exterior color: Tuxedo Black metallic Interior color: Steel gray vinyl Asking price: $17,800 Location: Charlotte, N.C. Equipment/Features: 3.7L V6 FFV Running boards Electronic 6-speed automatic transmission Power windows/locks Trailer tow package Plastic bed liner…
If your Order of the Arrow lodge plans a council camp or service center project during 2015, you can apply now for a 2015 OA Matching Service Grant. All lodges applying for the grant must have been a 2013 JTE Lodge (bronze level or higher) and should not have received a grant from the OA…
An exciting summer of activities may have just wrapped up at the BSA's four high-adventure bases, but it's never too soon to start planning for future treks! Philmont will begin accepting 2016 reservation entries this fall- learn how you can start planning now !
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's direction. We were recently made aware of another recall initiated by the CPSC regarding 2014 GT Fury Expert and Fury Team downhill…
Join us October 27-30, 2014 at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia to discover how to leverage the BSA's sustainability efforts and inspire your council's youth, staff, and alumni. In addition to the main conference, we are holding a special pre-conference workshop called Principles of Sustainability-Understanding its Terminology and Practices-where you will learn skills to…
Click to open the Sept. 1 issue The September 1 issue of the Finance Impact e-Letter has been published and is available online. In this issue, you can read more about special discounts for Scouting families on SAT and ACT test prep programs, as well as an asset management update, and information on an upcoming…
We would like to invite you, your LDS-BSA Relationships Chairman and LDS-BSA staff advisor to join us at our October LDS-BSA Relationships conference held in conjunction with the semi-annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
At the May 2014 BSA national annual meeting, the national Order of the Arrow committee accepted a resolution that OA LodgeMaster (OALM) become the sole means of submitting lodge charter and Journey to Excellence (JTE) petitions. In order to receive a 2016 charter, lodges will need to have all of their membership information migrated to…
To help councils understand the great opportunity that fishing offers for recruitment and retention, it takes a local champion. That is what the Certified Angler Instructor (CAI) program is all about! Trained champions can promote the need for a good fishery and recruit more CAIs within the council as well as qualified merit badge councilors…
Starting in July this year through December 2015, Arrowmen in good standing with the BSA, their local council, and their Order of the Arrow lodge will be able to commemorate the Order of the Arrow centennial by working to complete the Arrowman Service Award.
David Weekley, the newly elected national vice president of marketing of the Boy Scouts of America, wants to make you aware of special scholarship funds that have become available to help offset travel expenses so every council can send at least one volunteer to the NextConnect conferences Aug.
Did you miss out on this year's National Annual Meeting, held in Nashville, Tenn.? If you did-or even if you were there, and would like to see a quick recap of the busy week's events-the latest episode of The Buzz is dedicated to the event's high points, including: The final address from Wayne Perry, the…
The July 15 issue of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is available online. In this issue of the e-Letter , we look at the benefits of moving toward a shared services model for council fiscal management, as well as the ins and outs of calculating insurance costs and some upcoming Blackbaud Constituent…
We are happy to announce the latest new features and improvements that are available on my .Scouting Tools , including the following: New! Organization Security Manager Tool Key 3s at each organization level, including council, area, region and national, now have the ability to grant three people Key 3 access (a.k.a.
Are you hooked on Scouting? Well, you can be. Councils are using the "Hooked on Scouting" program to reel in Cub Scout-age boys who love fishing or who want to learn. The program can help turn Scouting into a family affair and provide a great fishing experience for young boys joining Cub Scouting.
This summer, Philmont Scout Ranch reached the milestone of one million campers. It all started 75 years ago when Waite Phillips offered 35,857 acres of his ranch to the Boy Scouts of America in 1938 to serve as a national wilderness camping area.
The Boy Scouts of America and Jack Link's have teamed up on a multiyear partnership that will make Jack Link's "The Official Protein Snack of the Boy Scouts of America" and the organization's four national high-adventure bases. The agreement will put many of Jack Link's popular beef, pork, and turkey jerky products onto the shelves…
Is Journey to Excellence on your radar? If you are striving to achieve the Gold level recognition, a new set of seminars can help. The Boy Scouts of America Foundation will be conducting three Major Gift Seminars this year as follows: Madison, Wisconsin: September 11-12, 2014 - Madison Marriott West Boston: September 25-26, 2014 - Omni Parker…
The 2014 Boys' Life mini-mags will arrive at council offices around July 21, 2014. Quantities per council will be approximately the same as last year. The 51/2-by-71/2-inch mini-mag is a miniature edition of Boys' Life magazine. Editorial content will be reprinted columns and articles from recent Cub Scout editions of Boys' Life .
Innovative and creative aquatics play structures currently exist in many Scouting settings, with more councils and Scouting groups evaluating the many play structure options entering the marketplace. Many local councils have asked about safety requirements for use of aquatics play structures and guidance in how to operate them.
Earlier this year, we announced the development of Commissioner Tools, a set of resources within MyScouting that will replace the Unit Visit Tracking System. The following 16 councils are currently testing these Commissioner Tools, with the assistance of 67 individual testers who have a broad range of experience and computer skills: Atlanta Area Council Capitol…
It is time to nominate deserving volunteers for the 2015 Silver Buffalo Award. The deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 31. Only electronic nominations will be accepted, using the Silver Buffalo nomination form . Complete and submit this fillable PDF before the deadline to [email protected] .
