Scout Sign A publication for and about Scouters in our Council July 2017 Vol.13 #07 http://ocscouts.org/newsletters/newsletters.html July-August Council Calendar 2-8 Jul Summer Camp Week 3 4-Jul Independence Day -Office Closed 9-15 Jul Summer Camp Week 4 10-Jul Council Training Committee Meeting 10-14 Jul Impeesa District Day Camp 15-Jul Awahili District Day Camp 16-22 Jul Summer Camp Week 5 19-28 Jul National Jamboree 22-Jul Durham Bulls Campout Night & Game 23-26 Jul Cub Webelos Resident Camp 26-28 Jul Highlander Lego Explosion Camp 31-Jul-4- Aug Crosswinds District Day Camp 2-Aug Properties Committee 9-Aug Council Camporee 2018 Planning Meeting 10-Aug Commissioner Cabinet Meeting 12-Aug Open COPE 14-Aug Council Training Committee Meeting 17-Aug Finance Committee 21Aug-1 Sept Popcorn Disticts Kick-Offs 24-Aug Executive Committee 25-26 Aug Trade-O-Ree 26-Aug Open Shoot 26-Aug NC Football Cllub Campout Scoutmaster Thoughts Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It's about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others' success, and then standing back and letting them shine. Chris Hadfield Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 1
2017 Occoneechee Eagle Count Wood Badge S7-421-17-2.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 12-13 New Outdoor Ethics Courses Available By Meredith Blackwood www.ocoutdoorethics.org 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 www.occopeclimb.org As a Scouting Leader, you accept the responsibility to help your Scouts grow into being good citizens. A part of this responsibility is assisting them being good stewards of the natural world in which we play and explore. While you can find some great information in the various adult handbooks, there is nothing like taking an in person training course to expand your knowledge. This goes not only for the basic position trainings, but is also important in the world of outdoor ethics. The Occoneechee Outdoor Ethics team offers several different training courses throughout the year to help you become a better leader when it comes to Leave No Trace Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 2
and Tread Lightly! requirements. While all of our courses can be found on the Council calendar, I d like to draw your attention to two brand NEW courses. The Outdoor Ethics Orientation Course is the most basic course that any leader, no matter their position title, should take. This course is designed to introduce the concept of Outdoor Ethics to a group with little experience in outdoor ethics and is designed to get participants started on their adventure in outdoor ethics. While this is an introduction level course for ALL levels of Scouting, this is a MUST course for all Cub Scout leaders! There are two courses currently on the Council calendar for July 6 th and August 9 th at the Council boardroom from 6:30 8:00 pm. This course will help demystify the confusion of what BSA means by Outdoor Ethics as it is related to Leave No Trace, Tread Lightly!, the Outdoor Code, and the Land Ethic. Are you aware that the Troop leadership position of Leave No Trace Trainer no longer exists? It was replaced in January 2016 by the Outdoor Ethics Guide Position of Responsibility. While this position does not require a training course at this time, there is a brand new Outdoor Ethics Guide Course that will help your youth gain the knowledge to better serve their unit in this position. There are two courses on the Council calendar for October 28 th and December 16 th from 10:00 am 1:00 pm. Each Troop is highly encouraged to have at least one youth in this important junior leadership position. Finally, the Outdoor Ethics Committee/Team is happy to provide an informational booth, activity, or presentation at any Scouting event such as Roundtables, District camporees, Cub Scout day camp, District training events, etc. In that spirit, new this year is the College of Outdoor Ethics at the University of Scouting! You will be able to find all of the courses that you have seen in the past all in one place, including a couple of new offerings. We look forward to seeing you there on November 4th! 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 American Backyard Campout (summer long) http://nwf.org/great-american-campout.aspx NC Environmental Education (Monthly Events) http://web.eenorthcarolina.org/core/event/cal endar More info on page 10-11 Leave No Trace Trainer Course September 29 October 1, 2017 Camp Reeves Registration Now Open on the Council Calendar! Only 6 seats left.
Send your District news to: ocscoutsign@icloud.com SAVE THE DATE: 10 th ANNUAL LDS MERIT BADGE CLINIC Cub Scout Fun Starts Here! What Is Your Cub Scout Pack Doing? Tell us about your ceremonies, AOL, camping, community service, special activities, field trips, etc. Send us your Pack news and photos. Share your STORY Earn the National Summertime Pack Award, because summer s not the time to hibernate https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/05/02/ halt-hibernation-with-the-nationalsummertime-pack-award/ Calling all Scouts! Please save the date, come participate in and celebrate together the 10 th Anniversary of the Annual LDS Merit Badge Clinic November 10th and 11 th, 2017. This event is open to all Scouts regardless of their Troop sponsorship or locale. Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this Clinic is free of charge to all participants and features Merit Badge Counselors that are registered, trained and eager to share their time, experience and talents with Scouts seeking advancement opportunities! Last year, 940 Scouts attended and worked on a whopping 1,998 merit badges. A total of 199 Scout Troops were represented across 11 Clinic venues. Scouts from the Triangle, outlying areas and as far away as New York attended. The Scouts collected 3500 pounds of food for a number of local food banks, demonstrating that the Scout Slogan Do a good turn daily is written on their hearts. Friday evening, November 10 th will feature a three-hour Merit Badge Clinic block followed by morning and afternoon Clinic sessions on Saturday, November 11 th. This looks to be a very special weekend for advancement opportunities, fun and fellowship with Scouts! We hope to surpass last year s attendance and food donations as Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 4
we celebrate 10 years of Scouting excellence at the Clinic! For more information on this special 10 th Anniversary Merit Badge Clinic go to LDSMeritBadgeClinic.com. Registration will be available mid-october at www.meritbadge.info. Look for the event under November 10 th. For information contact: Steve Hanna; stevehanna@email.com; 919-375-3113 There s a new Patrol Leader Handbook and Senior Patrol Leader Handbook https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/05/16/ check-out-the-new-patrol-leader-handbookand-senior-patrol-leader-handbook/ 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 16 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 Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 5
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 https://www.facebook.com/groups/956 94562902/ Occoneechee Council https://www.facebook.com/occoneech eecouncil/ Southern Region Area 7 Venturing https://www.facebook.com/groups/113 27804303/ Southern Region Venturing https://www.facebook.com/groups/srv enturing/ Useful websites Southern Region website http://next.srventuring-bsa.org/ National Venturing website http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/ Venturing.aspx Getting The Most from Venturing Send us your Sea Scout News and Photos OA NEWS Opportunities available to all our Crews: National Jamboree 2017 - Occoneechee Council will carry one full Venturing Crew Send us your Venturing News and Photos Operation Arrow 2017 More info on page 14-15 Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 6
Send Us Your OA News And Photos Download the official app of the 2017 National Jamboree If you make listening and observation your occupation you will gain much more than you can by talk. Sir Robert Baden-Powell They heard you: Why the 2017 Jamboree will be even better than the last one What to expect at the 2017 National Jamboree stadium shows Where to go Camping https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rkr2eizo hgjokfq55tg3bvduavkezff18yvmnofcpc/edit?pre f=2&pli=1 Multitasking camping gear: 5 items that can serve more than one purpose Check out these and other interesting articles at: http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 7
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. Phone: 888-421-7268 Fax: 910-426-5670 Street Address: 717 Hope Mills Rd Fayetteville, NC 28304 Scout Shop Hours Monday - Friday Saturday Closed Sunday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. http://www.facebook.com/occoneecheescoutshop For more information please contact Robert Shaw at shawrw5@yahoo.com or call 919-260-2720 SCOUT SHOP NEWS Occoneechee Scout Shop Anne J. Hendrix, Senior Store Manager Boy Scouts of America, Supply Group Phone: 919-850-0301 Phone: 888-421-4744 Fax: 919-850-0392 Street Address: 3231 Atlantic Ave Raleigh, NC 27604 Cumberland Scout Shop Tony Garcia, Store Manager Phone: 910-426-5684 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 Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 8
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 Contact Information for Occoneechee Council Office Phone: 919-872-4884 Phone: 800-662-7102 Fax: 919-872-1159 Street Address: 3231 Atlantic Ave Raleigh, NC 27604 Web: www.oscsouts.org High AdVenturing Northern Tier Florida Seabase www.praypub.org Do you want to receive the Scout Sign newsletter via email? Email Veronica at: vporterf@bsamail.org SBR Check them all out at: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/highadve nturing.aspx Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 9
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) www.gbbc.com Keep America Beautiful http://www.86it.com (Wake County) http://www.keepdurhambeautiful.org http://fayettevillebeautiful.com http://keepmoorecountybeautiful.org National Wildlife Week (March 14-18) www.nwf.org National Arbor Day (March 17) www.arborday.org Let s G.O. (Get Outside)! (April 1-30) www.childrenandnature.org John Muir Day (April 21) http://vault.sierraclub.org/john-muir-exhibit Earth Day (April 22) www.earthday.org National Kids to Parks Day (May 20) https://www.parktrust.org/kids-to-parks/ Falls Lake Youth Fishing Tournament (May 21) http://www.ncparks.gov/falls-lake-state-recreation-area/events-and-programs Great Outdoors Month (June) http://www.greatoutdoorsmonth.org/ National Trails Day (June 3) http://nationaltrailsday.americanhiking.org Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 10
National Get Outdoors Day (June 10) http://nationalgetoutdoorsday.org National Marina Day (June 10) http://nationalmarinaday.org Great American Backyard Campout (summer long) http://nwf.org/great-american-campout.aspx Serve Outside September (S.O.S) http://childrenandnature.ning.com/group.naturalserviceweek Take a Child Outside Week (Sept. 24 30) http://takeachildoutside.org National Public Lands Day (September 30) http://www.neefusa.org/public-lands-day Christmas Bird Count (December-January) http://www.audobon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-coungt NC Environmental Education (Monthly Events) http://web.eenorthcarolina.org/core/event/calendar Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 11
S 7-4 2 1-1 7-1 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 7-4 2 1-1 7-2 Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 12
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 27604 OR: Deliver this application to the Council Service Center, 3231 Atlantic Ave, Raleigh, between 8:30am-5:00pm/Mon-Fri. Name: Address: Phone: E-mail Address: District: Unit: Scouting Position: Shirt Size: Select a Course: S7-421-17-1; 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 S7-421-17-2; 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 Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 13
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 2013. Among other improvements, staff members will have greater access to Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 14
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 following @OperationArrow 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 Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 15
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: http://mclnational.org/contact/locator/tabid/737/default.aspx 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:, email: 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 919-810-2786 Marines in Red Jackets Marines in Summer Dress Occoneechee Scout Sigh July 2017 Vol. 13 #7 16
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