Scout Sign. Scoutmaster Thoughts. Harold S. Geneen. Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned. April-May Council Calendar

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1 Scout Sign A publication for and about Scouters in our Council April 2017 Vol.13 #04 April-May Council Calendar 1-Apr April Fool's Day 1-Apr Carolina Hurricanes Scout Day 2-Apr NC State Merit Badge College 5-Apr Properties Committee 7-9 Apr Crosswinds Camporee 7-9 Apr Awahili District Camporee 7-9 Apr Dogwood Camporee 8-Apr Open Tower 9-Apr Palm Sunday 10-Apr Council Training Committee Meeting 13-Apr Commissioner Cabinet Meeting 14-Apr Good Friday - Council Office Closed 16-Apr Easter 20-Apr Finance Committee Apr Wood Badge Weekend 2 of Apr OA Conclave Apr Canoe Paddle Craft Safety 22-Apr Earth Day 27-Apr Executive Committee 28-Apr Arbor Day Apr Sea Scout Academy Apr Mawat/Shakori Camporee Apr Council Cuboree 29-Apr Cub Scout Shooting Sports Day 3-May Properties Committee 4-May Nat'l Day of Prayer 5-May Cinco de Mayo 5-7 May Impeesa District Camporee 5-7 May Venturing Vortex 5-7 May Camp Staff Development 5-7 May Natural Rock Climbing 5-7 May Whitewater Canoe Basics 8-May Council Training Committee Meeting 11-May Program Committee 11-May Finance Committee 13-May Open Tower 14-May Mothers Day 18-May Council Board Meeting 18-May Commissioner Cabinet Meeting May Paddle Craft Safety May OA Spring Inductions 20-May Armed Forces Day 24-May Advancement Committee 27-May BB Gun & Archery Range Master 27-May Ramadan 28-May Pistol Instructor Course Pt 1 of 2 29-May Memorial Day -Council Office Closed Scoutmaster Thoughts Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned. Harold S. Geneen Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 1

2 2017 Occoneechee Eagle Count As of March 24 Calling all Eagle Scouts! I am working to identify and organize adult Eagle Scouts and would like your help. Specifically, please every Eagle you know and ask them to complete the form found by clicking [here] and if you are an Eagle, please complete the form yourself. There are likely several thousand adult Eagles across the Triangle. When organized, that group will have a significant and positive impact on our community. Organizing adult Eagles requires that they be identified and that their basic contact information collected. Unfortunately records of the Occoneechee Council and the National Eagle Scouts Association are dated and generally lack current contact information, particularly for adult Eagle Scouts. This and the form are intended to supplement those records. Please know that the information is being collected by Eagle Scouts like me and will be treated with respect. Again, please forward this to every Eagle you know and ask them to complete the form found by clicking [here] and if you are an Eagle, please complete the form yourself. Thank you for your help. Keith D Burns Member Nexsen Pruet, PLLC 4141 Parklake Avenue, Suite 200 Raleigh, NC T: F: KBurns@nexsenpruet.com Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 2

3 Council Awards Banquet Oh What a Night! On a fantastic evening, March 4, 2017, the Occoneechee Council celebrated the achievements of a stellar group of volunteers. There were District recognitions, Rookie awards, Veteran s awards, training awards and more. All of these activities led to the presentation of 7 Silver Beaver awards to a group of very deserving Scouters. If you don t know, the Silver Beaver is the highest award the Occoneechee Council can award to a volunteer. The award is not based on scouting activities alone. Nominees are evaluated on service to their communities outside of scouting and on their involvement in their faith communities as well! The big winners of the Silver Beaver award are the communities in which our amazing awardees serve! On this night Art Bisbee, Sonny Crutchfield, Christopher FitzSimons IV, Mary- Charlotte Johns, John LaRocca, Battle Whitley and Kristopher Zeek were celebrated as they accepted this honor in front of family and friends. It was a night they will long remember! I want to take this opportunity to thank the individuals who recognized the contributions of our award winners and took the time to submit nominations. The nomination form for the Silver Beaver award can be found on the Council website. It requires the nominator to put together a complete resume of the activities of their nominee. It takes a little effort, but it s a very small price to pay to thank those who are making such a huge difference for our young people. Please take the time to think about the scouters you know that are not only great leaders in their scouting units, but great contributors to their communities and religious institutions as well. Let s all work together to insure these individuals get the recognition they deserve! If you recognize any of these seven new Silver Beaver winners, please reach out to them and congratulate them for what they have accomplished. You should also thank them for their continued service to their communities and to our youth. I hope you will be motivated to identify worthy candidates for this award in future years. If you have nominated someone in the past who has not been awarded a Silver Beaver, please review that nomination form, update it, and resubmit it. Thank you in advance for your contributions to scouting and for taking the time to think about individuals we should recognize with our highest honor. YIS Dave Runkle, Chair Silver Beaver Selection Committee Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 3

4 2017 Canoe Handling & Safety Courses The Occoneechee Council Canoe Handling and Safety Course is an adult course that will be held on two weekends in April and May. Flat Water Basics includes certification for BSA Aquatics Supervision Paddle Craft Safety. There is no overnight camping for either part of the course and for participants not living near Cary, if you need lodging please for information. Flat Water Basics is offered on April from 6 to 9 pm on Friday evening in Cary and from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday at Lake Crabtree County Park. The course emphasizes: 1) The requirements for Canoeing Merit Badge 2) Teaching methods to instruct youth 3) Requirements for BSA Aquatics Supervision Paddle Craft Safety. This is a hands-on paddling skills course and the majority of time will be spent in a canoe. The cost is $30 per person and will be collected on Friday evening. Kayak instruction is an option for Venture Leaders with prior permission from the course director. Flat Water Basics can be completed without taking Whitewater Basics. Whitewater Basics is offered on May 5 from 6 to 9 pm on Friday evening in Cary and on May 6 we will paddle two local class I/II rivers. Flat Water Basics or equivalent is required before taking this part of the course. The course emphasizes hands-on training and experience in requirements for the Whitewater Merit Badge, trip planning, maneuvering boats in Class I and II rapids, rescue techniques, and safety. The cost is $60 per person and will be collected on May 5. Kayak instruction is an option for Venture Leaders if kayak training was completed during the Flat Water Basics section (or with equivalent skills) and with permission from course director. For information and registration for either course, contact Tom Stalker, BSA Aquatics Instructor, by tom_stalker@ncsu.edu or phone: 919/ Registration is limited to 20 participants. Jim Saunders Cope and Climbing Committee Chair BSA NCS Climbing & COPE Director Camp Durant, Carthage NC 35 20'20.90"N79 33'10.19"W occopeclimb@gmail.com Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 4

5 Keep America Beautiful (Wake County) Wood Badge S is a hands-on leadership skills experience offered to adult volunteers of the Boy Scouts of America. Encompassing two three-day weekends, the course allows Scouters of all backgrounds to come together at camp to extend their understanding of the youth they lead, the adults they work with, and to go to new levels of personal growth and learning. Many describe this course as their mountaintop experience in Scouting the most fun they ve ever had as an adult Scouter. More info on pages Calendar of Conservation and Stewardship Events Let s G.O. (Get Outside)! (April 1-30) John Muir Day (April 21) Earth Day (April 22) National Kids to Parks Day (May 20) Falls Lake Youth Fishing Tournament (May 21) Great Outdoors Month (June) National Trails Day (June 3) National Get Outdoors Day (June 10) National Marina Day (June 10) Great American Backyard Campout (summer long) NC Environmental Education (Monthly Events) endar More info on page A large part of Scouting is our dedication to teaching stewardship to our youth and adult members. As you plan or update your unit calendars for 2017, go ahead and add in a couple of the events listed below. You can join an existing event with many of these organizations or create your own.

6 Send your District news to: March 2017 Scouting Circles Troop 75 Fuquay Varina, NC Cub Scout Fun Starts Here! What Are Our Cub Scout Packs Doing? Tell us about your ceremonies, AOL, camping, community service, special activities, field trips, etc. Send us your Pack news. So, what was called the freezeree campout in February ended up with a Sunday afternoon at 80 degrees. The March backpacking trip to the Uwharrie Park did not turn out quite that way. Camping out began on Friday night to get a fresh start Saturday morning. Share your STORY Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 6

7 A new experience for many of us was filtering the stream water to make it safe to drink. Here we are at the stream each using a filter to get fresh cold water. And Lunch on the way home was so GOOD after the dehydrated food weekend. Resting by the fire after a long day s hike The following weekend we helped Scout Robby Smith with his Eagle Project and then celebrated the Eagle court of honor for our newest Eagle Scout Logan Wilcox. We will get pictures for next month s newsletter. And Then Sunday Morning The Shocker: SNOW Next Month: Inter-Troop District Camporee Giant Yard Sale April 22 - Look for location and come take part. Thank you, Yours in Scouting Celebrate Life Al Milek Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 7

8 Send us your Troop News and Photos Good Citizen Award for Eagle Scouts The Marine Corps League would be happy to attend your Eagle Scout's Court of Honor and present him with a Good Citizen Award. More info on page 21 OCVOA Vortex May 5-7, 2017 Camp Durant Activities: Wilderness Survival Mountain Biking Scout Skills Repelling Low COPE Slingshot Canoeing Kayaking Shotgun Hiking Rifle And more Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 8

9 Venturing Leadership Award Do you have an exceptional Venturer or Advisor who has done great things as a leader in Venturing? Would you like to recognize them for their hard work? If you answered yes the Venturing Leadership Award is for those youth leaders and Advisors who have made outstanding contributions to Venturing. Requirements: Must have been an active member of Venturing for at least one year Hold a leadership position as appropriate for the level of award Show exceptional dedication and give outstanding leadership appropriate for the level of award How to Nominate: Fill out Nomination form at pdf Attach letter of recommendation (Can be from Venturers, Scouters, teachers, places of worship, acquaintances, etc.) Attach additional sheets, if necessary Due Dates: Area: April 30th to Area Venturing Advisor (Rick Daigneault): area7srventuringadvisor@gmail.com) Regional: April 15th to National Service Center, Regional Operations Department National: April 1st to National Service Center, Regional Operations Department **Regional and National forms can also be ed to: venturing.nationaloffice@scouting.org Get Plugged-in to Venturing As we develop ways to know what is happening in our Council with Venturing: We are looking to post something in the Scout Sign each month. If you have any possible write ups about Crews or things going on please send them to ocvoa.communications@gmail.com There are some Facebook pages and groups you might be interested in that are not only for our Council but our Area and Region. We are located in Area 7 of the Southern Region. Below are the links to each of those pages and/or groups. Occoneechee Council Venturing / Occoneechee Council eecouncil/ Southern Region Area 7 Venturing / Southern Region Venturing enturing/ Useful websites Southern Region website National Venturing website Venturing.aspx Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 9

10 Getting The Most from Venturing Opportunities available to all our Crews: National Jamboree Occoneechee Council will carry one full Venturing Crew Where to go Camping Send us your Venturing News and Photos hgjokfq55tg3bvduavkezff18yvmnofcpc/edit?pre f=2&pli=1 Check out the latest issue of at OA NEWS Send us your Sea Scout News and Photos Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 10

11 The religion of a man is not the creed he professes but his life - what he acts upon and knows of life and Operation Arrow 2017 More info on page Send Us Your OA News And Photos his duty in it. A bad man who believes in a creed is no more religious than the good man who does not." Sir Robert Baden-Powell Four options for retiring worn-out American flags Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 11

12 Becoming a Good Leader Part 2 of a 4 Part Series Ready to sew on your square knot? Here s how to wear it Use your Pinewood Derby track as an advancement ceremony centerpiece Check out these and other interesting articles at: The Occoneechee Council s Next Generation Committee is a group of young professionals engaged in the community and are rising stars within their organizations. The Next Generation Committee is dedicated to providing the next generation of leaders for the Scouting program in the Triangle. The group strives to provide valuable service to Scouting. The group, in turn, benefits from top-down mentorship from the Occoneechee Council Executive Board. For more information please contact Robert Shaw at shawrw5@yahoo.com or call When it comes to building strong family relationships, both the quality and quantity of time spent together matter a lot. The more time a family spends together, the better their chances of developing stronger bonds. Engaging in activities like eating together, sharing life s experiences, and even doing household chores are some of the things that families can do together. As the core unity of society, the family should be nurtured, and every member learns the importance of loving and relating to others. It s a good idea to find activities that everyone will be comfortable with. If you live close to a beach, swimming, fishing, surfing, scuba diving and spending time on the sand are activities that can keep the family engaged as a unit. If you happen to live closer to a natural environment, going out on hikes and camping excursions are some of the things you can do together. Family time can also be as simple as watching a movie or using one evening during the week to bake treats or cook a special meal. How much time you spend as a family also depends on the family set up. When the kids are young, families tend to spend more time since young children require a lot of attention and guidance. Teenagers want to spend more time with their peers, but that shouldn t discourage you from spending as much time together. It s by spending time together that you can get to instill the right values in every member. Rafael Jovet-Ramos is an active participant of the Northwood Temple Church and appreciates spending time with his wife and two young boys. Rafael Jovet-Ramos Pack 713 Lion Leader Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 12

13 Troop 713 Assistant Scoutmaster Spring Lake, NC SCOUT SHOP NEWS Occoneechee Scout Shop Anne J. Hendrix, Senior Store Manager Boy Scouts of America, Supply Group Phone: Phone: Fax: Street Address: 3231 Atlantic Ave Raleigh, NC Cumberland Scout Shop Tony Garcia, Store Manager Phone: Phone: Fax: Street Address: 717 Hope Mills Rd Fayetteville, NC Scout Shop Hours Monday - Friday Saturday Closed Sunday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Scout news? The mission of this newsletter is to publish on a monthly basis those events that show Scouting at its best and help you deliver a Scouting program that delivers the Scouting promise. Send your events, Eagle projects, and Scouting news articles (with pictures) to: OCScoutSign@icloud.com Deadline: 20th of every month Publication: 1st of every month Editorial Policy The Scout Sign is a monthly publication that communicates relevant news to Scout leaders about the Scouting community of Occoneechee. We welcome articles (with pictures) that demonstrate Scouting in action, including Eagle projects, outings, and upcoming events that can serve as inspiration to others. While we reserve the editorial decision as to what content is relevant, we will attempt to utilize your content as submitted with only minor corrections to improve readability. Send your content and comments to mailto:ocscoutsign@icloud.com Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 13

14 High AdVenturing Northern Tier Florida Seabase Do you want to receive the Scout Sign newsletter via ? Veronica at: SBR Contact Information for Occoneechee Council Office Phone: Phone: Fax: Street Address: 3231 Atlantic Ave Raleigh, NC Web: Check them all out at: nturing.aspx Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 14

15 2017 Calendar of Conservation and Stewardship Events A large part of Scouting is our dedication to teaching stewardship to our youth and adult members. As you plan or update your unit calendars for 2017, go ahead and add in a couple of the events listed below. You can join an existing event with many of these organizations or create your own. Great Backyard Bird Count (February 17-20) Keep America Beautiful (Wake County) National Wildlife Week (March 14-18) National Arbor Day (March 17) Let s G.O. (Get Outside)! (April 1-30) John Muir Day (April 21) Earth Day (April 22) National Kids to Parks Day (May 20) Falls Lake Youth Fishing Tournament (May 21) Great Outdoors Month (June) National Trails Day (June 3) Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 15

16 National Get Outdoors Day (June 10) National Marina Day (June 10) Great American Backyard Campout (summer long) Serve Outside September (S.O.S) Take a Child Outside Week (Sept ) National Public Lands Day (September 30) Christmas Bird Count (December-January) NC Environmental Education (Monthly Events) Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 16

17 S Wood Badge is a hands-on leadership skills experience offered to adult volunteers of the Boy Scouts of America. Encompassing two three-day weekends, the course allows Scouters of all backgrounds to come together at camp to extend their understanding of the youth they lead, the adults they work with, and to go to new levels of personal growth and learning. Many describe this course as their mountaintop experience in Scouting the most fun they ve ever had as an adult Scouter. What past attendees have said about Wood Badge: At last a training that teaches skills I can use immediately in my troop and even at work -Scoutmaster, Baden Powell District I thought Wood Badge was for Scoutmasters. Little did I know how much I could learn, or how much I could grow as a person and as a female leader, through Wood Badge. There are so many ways I can help in Scouting, and now I feel empowered to do it! -Pack Training Chair, Crosswinds District Great Boy Scouts earn their Eagle. Great Boy Scout leaders earn their Wood Badge beads. -Troop Committee Member, Three Rivers District I felt like I was a scout, learning and having fun at camp. What an awesome experience. -Assistant Scoutmaster, Cape Fear District If you can handle a crew of Scouts in the woods, you can handle Wood Badge. It's the best self-challenge experience there is. -Crew Advisor, Tuocs District S Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 17

18 In order to attend Wood Badge you must: Complete the training requirements for your Scouting position, including any applicable outdoor skills training Be capable of functioning safely in an outdoor environment Complete and submit Annual BSA Health & Medical Record, Parts A, B & C (required!) Be invited to attend Wood Badge. The all inclusive course fee is $235. This includes all meals, 6-days of superb training, T-shirts, hat, and course materials. Mail this application to: Occoneechee Council, Wood Badge, 3231 Atlantic Avenue, Raleigh, NC OR: Deliver this application to the Council Service Center, 3231 Atlantic Ave, Raleigh, between 8:30am-5:00pm/Mon-Fri. Name: Address: Phone: Address: District: Unit: Scouting Position: Shirt Size: Select a Course: S ; March 31-April 2, 2017 and April 21-23, 2017 (Two 3-day weekends) Need more information? Contact Kevin Sloop, Course Director, at kevinsloop@nc.rr.com S ; September 8-10, 2017 and September 29 October 1, 2017 (Two 3-day weekends) Need more information? Contact Chris Murray, Course Director, at murraydude@mindspring.com Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 18

19 Operation Arrow 2017 In 2017, the Order of the Arrow will continue its tradition of providing cheerful service to the National Scout Jamboree. More than 750 youth Arrowmen will answer the call to serve in Operation Arrow by staffing one of the OA s program areas, which include the Service Corps, Trek Guides, and Indian Village. Each program component of Operation Arrow carries a unique legacy of jamboree service and caters to various types of Arrowmen. The OA Service Corps, a tradition dating back to 1950, provides reliable manpower support to other essential jamboree programs. Service Corps staffers work to accomplish projects, both big and small, and exemplify the OA s commitment to service with a smile. The OA Trek Guides lead units on their daylong jamboree trek to the summit of Garden Ground Mountain, where participants spend a day enjoying unique programming. Trek Guides enjoy rugged, outdoor adventures and help their crews find fulfillment in their jamboree experience. The OA Indian Village serves as the hub for American Indian programming. Indian Village staffers educate Scouts on American Indian life by teaching dance, craft, song and drumming. In addition to these teams, the OA will have a small exhibit, shows, recreation, program, administrative services and non-emergency medical transportation staffs. The 2017 National Scout Jamboree staff experience promises to be even more rewarding than previous years, based on improvements made in response to feedback received in Among other improvements, staff members will have greater access to Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 19

20 onsite transportation to shorten the commute between staff lodging and workstations. Additionally, the jamboree leadership is committed to ensuring that all staff members receive at least one full day off to explore other jamboree areas. Finally, staff dining will be improved to include stronger lunchtime offerings and the incorporation of retail food stands in the design of staff villages. These changes are welcome news for new and returning OA staffers who work in intense, highly active programs. The Operation Arrow team has been accepting applications to join our staff since October 2015, and our quota is filling quickly. Interested Arrowmen can find more information on our program areas and a link to apply by visiting the Operation Arrow website or by on Twitter. Prospective staff members should be able to commit to Session 1 (the full two week period), must be at least 16 years old by the start of the jamboree and must meet current BSA membership, training, and fitness requirements. If you are unsure if you are able to commit just yet, but interested in staffing in 2017, you can fill out our interest form and a member of our Operation Arrow leadership team will reach out in the upcoming months with more information. Furthermore, there are several opportunities for highly qualified youth Arrowmen, including Project 2013 alumni, to join our promotional efforts through the Operation Arrow Street Team, our grassroots promotional group, and the Ambassadors Program, a recruitment program for section and lodge leadership. Current and prospective youth Operation Arrow staff members are strongly encouraged to participate in these initiatives. The summer of 2017 seems like a long time away, but planning for the next national Scout jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve is already well underway. The Order of the Arrow will continue to release information about Operation Arrow staff opportunities and how to become involved in the coming months. We look forward to serving alongside you at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in 2017! General questions about Operation Arrow staff and the OA s role at the 2017 National Scout Jamboree can be directed to operationarrow@oa-bsa.org. Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 20

21 Good Citizen Award for Eagle Scouts The Marine Corps League would be happy to attend your Eagle Scout's Court of Honor and present him with a Good Citizen Award. To find a Detachment near you, enter your zip code at: Contact the Commandant of the nearest detachment and have him give you the contact information for their Eagle coordinator and give them the following information: Name of Eagle Scout (s) as it is to appear on the award Court of Honor Location: (Facility and address) Date: Time: of Court of Honor Unit type and number: Requestor's Name:, Requestor's cell phone: Any special instructions: If for some reason you get no response from your local detachment or if they can't attend on the date requested or you are in the Crosswinds District send a note to David Gardener: gardener1941@att.net or call at Marines in Red Jackets Marines in Summer Dress Occoneechee Scout Sign Vol. 13 #04 Page 21

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