Loading

Thunderbird April, 2020 newsletter

Upcoming Dates at a Glance

All meetings and events are suspended until further notice

  • Roundtable/Program Preview..............................May 4
  • Eagle Board of Review.........................................May 19
  • Swift's Big Kickoff...............................................May 29-31
  • Twilight Camp.....................................................June 8-11
  • Eagle Board of Review.........................................June 16

How can you keep Scouting?

  • Continue advancement by focusing on merit badge requirements that can be completed at home.
  • Contact your merit badge counselor via email, Facetime, etc. (remember Youth Protection training – no one-on-one communication between youth and adult).
  • Do a good turn daily. Look for ways to contribute to your community while staying safe.
  • Stay in contact with friends and families in your unit even if it’s just to say hi via a phone call, Facetime, Duo or Google hangouts.
  • As a unit leader, now is a good time to take online trainings and renew your Youth Protection Training.
  • Encourage unit, district, and Council committees to continue normally scheduled meetings using technology apps such as Zoom, Skype, Facetime, Duo, or Google Hangouts.

For questions, please reach out to your District professionals or Dave Chambliss, Director of Marketing (dave.chambliss@scouting.org)

Hohn Troop enjoying their hikes

You can take your family on a hike on a beautiful weekend in a park that is open. This is the Hohn family at Taum Sauk Mountain outside of Ironton, MO, and the falls are the Mina Sauk falls back in March. Henry is a life scout in Troop 4 and the two little guys are webelos in Pack 4. The first picture is the same group of trouble makers from a hike that they took at Mastadon State Park. Both of those are awesome hikes that he would recommend to any Troop (when group activities are allowed!)

Website for Scouting At Home Ideas

Scouting can take place anywhere – even in the comfort of your home!

Here you will find a resource hub for parents and leaders to help support Scouting at home, with stay-at-home educational activities for any Scout rank, tips for continuing to work on advancements and kid-friendly content that connects Scouting with their daily lives. We will continue to add new content and resources to this hub regularly.

Our goal is to make it easier to deliver the Scouting program by making plans more accessible to Leaders and those who can help Leaders like our parents. Look here for the weekly scout challenge: https://stlbsa.org/blog/2020/03/17/scouting-at-home/

District News:

Next Roundtable - Monday, May 4th

Much like April's roundtable, we will be sending a link to join a Zoom Roundtable meeting. We will be discussing the Program Preview at this meeting. Watch your email for the information on how to join the meeting.

Update on Summer Camp from Ron Green, 4/24/2020

With the return of Spring and the warm weather and with all of us sheltering-in for over a month, our thoughts turn to outdoor activities. I know many of you are wondering about the resumption of Scouting activities and our plans for summer camp amid COVID-19 fears. Families have expressed both excitement and concern regarding the restoration of face-to-face and group activities and meetings. As a parent myself, I understand and appreciate the apprehension. We have one top priority; to keep our Scouts, volunteers, staff, and their families safe.

Summer camp quite obviously is the biggest question right now. While we are hopeful camps will open, the safety and health of our Scouts, volunteers, staff, and their families is of utmost concern. According to the American Camp Association, the CDC is drafting guidance for both day and resident camps. We are heartened by the CDC’s advice that camp professionals not make major decisions until the CDC issues their guidance.

The decision to operate our Council camps will be based on our ability to follow CDC, local, state and BSA recommendations, and our comfort to operate safely with those recommendations. Our staff and several volunteers are committed to taking the time to evaluate these recommendations, best practices and other options to arrive at a decision that keeps our Scouts, volunteers, staff, and their families safe during Scouting activities. To stay up-to-date on the latest developments be sure to follow the Council Website and Facebook page.

Regardless of our decision concerning camp, we want to make it easy for families to make reservations knowing refund requests will be honored.

Regardless of potential operational changes this summer, if a refund is requested, any person or unit will have the opportunity to move any currently paid funds to a summer camp experience in 2021, at the 2020 fee. *

Scouts BSA troops will be offered the same site and week they have currently reserved for the 2021 season.

If resident camps are changed to a day camp or other formats, the difference in fees can be credited to 2021 or refunded, whichever the person prefers.

For anyone who would prefer a refund due to COVID-19 concerns, changes in our camp schedules or formats, or the cancellation of sessions by the council, a 100% refund will be provided if the person making the request does not want to transfer the funds to 2021.

Thank you for your continued involvement in Scouting and supporting the Scouting at home effort!

Stay safe and be well,

Ronald S. Green, Scout Executive/CEO

*2020 rates will be honored in 2021 for those currently signed up and paid for 2020 only.

You can tell a scout built that fire. Thanks for sharing, Mr. Ebert!

Summer Camp Savings!

We are pleased to announce that all summer camp fees will be reduced to the camper savings day levels regardless of your registration date.

A quality camp experience provides children the opportunity to learn powerful lessons of community, character-building, skill development, and healthy living in a meaningful, engaged, and participatory environment.

Click here for information and to register for either Overnight Camp or Family Camp

Activities and Camping

Virtual camping from Pack 51

Oh you are not seeing things. Camping is still on! but in the back yards (and in homes) of Pack 51 members!! They shared some pictures and joined together on a GotoMeeting where they could talk, share campfire stories, and see each other! Don't worry, Cubmaster made sure they all had their cyberchip requirements to join.

But that's not all, the Cubmaster gave an incentive to his group: "If we can get 75% of you all participating via 'distance' scouting events till our camp out - I will set-up a live - "Buzz Mr. Kalhorn's Beard Off" webcam during our camp out!!!!"

I'm not sure how that ended, but great job getting the scouts to stay involved and having fun!!

Summer Twilight Camp is back - we hope

Summer Camp is open to all Cub Scouts, Siblings of Cub Scouts, and Kindergarten graduates, and will offer an unforgettable outdoor experience with activities ranging from Shooting Sports to STEM. Tower Grove Park Twilight Camp is held Monday-Thursday June 15-18 from 5:30 PM-8:30 PM. Units will need to provide their own leadership for this camp. Questions regarding this camp? Contact Camp Director Angela Blumenthal at 314-397-1844 or ablumenthal13@gmail.com To sign up for this or any other day camps, go to the council website: https://scoutingevent.com/312-2020StLouisCityCountyDayCamps

Advancement and Recognition

How are some of our scouts continuing their advancement?
Gus Long-Gabel from Troop 179 getting ready for a Scoutmaster's Conference via Skype

Eagle Board Meetings

We will still meet the 3rd Tuesday of each month, but will do so remotely. "Remotely" does necessitate the Scout to physically mail or electronically mail Eagle paperwork to Chris Hohn, Eagle Chair, so the paperwork is in his possession two days before the meeting. The Board will then proceed with its usual approval process, although remotely. Chris Hohn can be contacted at: chohn@thompsoncoburn.com

Working on Merit Badges at home? Scoutshop.org can help. Click here for the link.

A Pack 51 Webelos working on his game design pin

Upcoming Badge Workshops:

Merit Badge Skill Centers

All dates subject to change due to COVID-19

  • Climbing - Saturdays and Sundays at Upper Limits
  • Chess - Apr 25, June 6, Aug 15, Oct 25, Dec 19
  • Fishing & Fly Fishing or Fish & Wildlife Management - May 3
  • Personal Fitness - May 2
  • Public Health - June 4
  • Scuba Diving - May 18
  • Go to the Merit Badge Skills Center page for full listings and to register: https://stlbsa.org/achievement/advancement/merit-badge-skill-centers/

The Missouri Botanical Garden is offering a series of Merit Badge workshops over the year. Go to mobot.org\scouts

OA

NOAC 2020

What is NOAC?

The National Order of the Arrow Conference, or NOAC, is a weeklong gathering of members of the Order of the Arrow, typically held every other year in early August on a college campus. In 2020, NOAC will be August 3-8, 2020, at Michigan State University. Over 8,000 Arrowmen from all 50 states attend NOAC, making it the second-largest event in Scouting. NOAC consists of both training and fellowship and is the pinnacle of events in the Order of the Arrow.

Registration is now open. To register, go to the NOAC site

Venturing

Swift's Big Kick Off

Join the Venturing and Sea Scout Officers Association and the Swift Staff for an exciting weekend, May 29-31, 2020. Join us as we help to improve the Swift Base and setup some of the programs for the summer. Some of the items we’ll be doing include:

  • Repair shower house (painting, carpentry)
  • Electrical work around camp
  • Painting of Latrines
  • Repair of Tent Frames
  • Improved Mountain Bike Trails
  • Sailboat Setup and Repair
  • Water Break/Diverters
  • Dead Tree Removal

Then after putting in some amazing projects, its time to try out some of the fun we’ve setup. Mountain boards, waterfront, boats, games, sports and more will all be available. Saturday night will be a potluck dinner, with some great evening fun planned too.

Sunday, weather permitting Rock Climbing and Rappelling will be open for your unit.

For all information and registration go to: https://scoutingevent.com/312-swiftko2020

Sarah Buck made her own neckerchief during this quarantine in memory of her last year's summer camp experience . Great work!
Swift Base 2020

Are you ready for adventure? Swift Base has it!

Every week at Swift includes more activities than you can possibly complete. Rock Climbing, High Challenge Course, Rapelling, Low Challenge Course, Swimming, Sailing, SUPs, Equestrian Programs, Mountain Bikes Course and Trail Rides, Ascending, Mountain Boards, and more. Week 1 will be held June 21-27, and Week 2 will be July 12-18. Go to the council site for more information and to sign up: https://scoutingevent.com/312-Swift2020

STEM

STEM Summer Programs

STEM CAMP

2020 Cub Scout Camp NOVA - 7/20/2020 - 7/23/2020 Four fun nights of STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering and Math for our Cub Scouts to enjoy at Cub World! Wolves, Bears, Webelos, and siblings going into 2nd grade and up are welcome! Earn 2 Novas (Swing and Tech Talk) and participate in fun, outdoor STEM learning. https://scoutingevent.com/312-campnova2020

Scouts BSA STEM week - 7/19/2020 - 7/25/2020 STEM Week is an extraordinary experience for Scouts BSA full of many STEM based merit badges and activities. Scouts will attend one merit badge (close to 40 to choose from!) or one NOVA class each day. Afternoon and evenings will include other fun STEM programs and exhibits to experience. https://scoutingevent.com/312-STEMCamp

STEM on CAMPus - June, 2020. Webster University or SEMO. Go to the website for more information: https://stlbsa.org/activities/other-activities/stem/stem-summer-programs/

Ranken Summer Adventure Academies - Summer camps designed specifically for middle school and high school aged Scouts. Participants will have the opportunity to work with college instructors to earn an Auto Maintenance, Electricity, and/or Plumbing Merit Badge while enjoying the college experience, to include hands-on activities in state-of-the-arts labs and dining in the college café. https://ranken.edu/event/scout-bsa-merit-badge-camps/

Training

Safe Environment Program

The Archdiocese of St. Louis has a new The Catholic church has a new Youth Protection program called Safe Environment Program (SEP). This is REQUIRED for all Catholic Scouters as well as all non-Catholic Scouters who interact with youth and use Catholic owned facilities.

Safe Environment Program replaces Protecting God's Children if you have taken that in the past, but you still need to register and watch the required videos for training and certification. The online training and instructions are found at: https://www.archstl.org/Portals/0/Documents/Child_Youth_Protection/PreventAndProtectSTL-Registration.pdf?ver=2019-12-03-170557-267 (notice the passcode is stlprotect to get started).

The deadline is March 10th from some reports but may be extended, so please do this as soon as possible to be in compliance. If you already had Protecting God's Children, then you just need to register and watch the videos (about 45-60 minutes total time). If you have not had Protecting God's Children, then you need to register for that in addition to watching the videos. Thank you for taking this extra measure to help ensure our scouts' safety!!

Thank you to all who contributed!

Please send any stories or pictures for future newsletters to: Kris Ranciglio - richandkris@sbcglobal.net

The end