Tuesday, August 29, 2017

August 2017 Newsletter

Scout Law:  Courteous
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Theme:  How the West Was Fun
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Roundtable Blog:  elkhorncubs.blogspot.com
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Upcoming Events
Basic Training
Elkhorn:  Saturday, Sept. 9, 8 am - 11:30 am, 110 S Main, Millville
Old Juniper:  Thursday, Sept. 28, 6:30-7:30 pm, 135 W Main, Richmond
Old Ephraim:  Saturday, Oct. 21, 8 am - 12 pm, 940 Three Point Ave, Logan

Campfire Program
September Roundtable will be a special event!  We will be holding Roundtable outside, by the firepit.  The staff will perform a brief campfire program, then you, the participants, will put on your own campfire program!  We will provide all the parts, so don't worry about having to come up with anything.  Please bring a camp chair or blanket and a roasting stick (for s'mores of course!).  This is the perfect opportunity for you to experience a campfire program to take back to your pack.  Already a campfire program pro?  Great!  Come help us show how it's done!  The final event of the evening will be a flag retirement, a special moment of patriotism and reverence.  We hope you'll make a special effort to join us in September.

Wood Badge
Wood Badge is a leadership training course which delivers high quality skills and techniques for leaders in all areas of Scouting. It draws from a wide range of sources within and beyond the bounds of Scouting to model the best techniques for developing leadership and teamwork among both young people and adults.
#5:  Sept. 7-9 AND 14-16, Camp Kiesel
#6:  Oct. 12-14 AND 19-21, Camp Kiesel

STEM Activity Day:  Saturday, Sept. 22, 9 am.  Participants will experience a day of dynamic adventures with hands-on experiments.  Adventure zones include: robots, solar van, levers & pulleys, gravity, rockets, bb guns, and geocaching.  Cost is $25 per scout, adults free.

Leave No Trace Trainer Course
Learn more about the principles of Leave No Trace, and how to provide leadership and training for others.  Friday, Oct. 20 - Saturday, Oct. 21, Ogden Service Center

Baden Powell University
BPU is advanced training for all Scout leaders.  Choose from a variety of classes, such as Dutch Oven Cooking, Blue & Gold Banquets, knot tying, neckerchief slides, den discipline, and more! Saturday, Nov. 11, Weber State University
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Training Highlight:  Scouting as a Positive Place
Why do boys want to join Cub Scouting?  Most boys will answer "to have fun," "to be with friends," and "to do things."  Why do parents allow their boys to join Cub Scouting?  Most will say "to be with their friends," "to have good role models," and "for character development."  When we put these answers all together we come up with Scouting as a positive place, a place where boys learn how to get along with each other and learn how to be good citizens who make good choices.  Scouting is a positive place when all activities support the aims and methods of Scouting.  
The Aims of Scouting are: character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness.  We can achieve these aims by participating in activities that fulfill one or more of the following purposes:  character development, spiritual growth, good citizenship, sportsmanship and fitness, family understanding, respectful relationships, personal achievement, friendly service, fun and adventure, and preparation for Boy Scouts.
The Methods of Scouting are:  living the ideals, belonging to a den, using advancement, involving family and home, participating in activities, serving home and neighborhood, and wearing the uniform.
Our activities should be positive and meaningful.  Any Cub Scouting activity should take place in a positive atmosphere where boys can feel emotionally secure and find support, not ridicule, from their peers and leaders.  As our Cub Scouts participate, they need to receive positive reinforcement.  All awards and recognition need to be presented soon after the award is earned and in a meaningful way.  Ceremonies are available monthly in the pack resource sheet at Roundtable, in the pack resource guides at http://www.scouting.org/Home/CubScouts/Leaders/CubmasterResources/PackMeetingPlans.aspx, and the BSA publication Cub Scout Ceremonies for Dens and Packs.
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Resource Highlight:  Cub Scout Ceremonies for Dens and Packs
Ceremonies play an important part in our lives.  We have ceremonies to celebrate birthdays, holidays, graduations, weddings, religious events, and many other special occasions.  Ceremonies are also an important part of Cub Scouting.
Ceremonies should be a regular part of den and pack meetings.  They define the beginning and the end of meetings, and they provide a format for presenting awards.  Using ceremonies stimulates and encourages increased participation in monthly pack meetings.
This soft-cover pamphlet covers the following topics:
  • Staging Pack Meeting Ceremonies
  • Flag Ceremonies
  • Pack Meeting Opening and Closing Ceremonies
  • Induction Ceremonies
  • Advancement Ceremonies
  • Transition Ceremonies
  • Outdoor and Campfire Ceremonies
  • Den Chief and Adult Ceremonies
(Note:  There are several different covers for this book)
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Award Highlight:  Historic Trails Award
Love of America and devotion to our country depend upon a thorough appreciation of the ideals, principles, and traditions that have made our country strong.  Some of the most memorable hikes Scouts take explore history, whether that means tracing the steps of Billy Yank and Johnny Reb at Gettysburg, hiking part of the Oregon Trail or visiting a historic site in their own community. The Historic Trails Award recognizes youth and adult leaders who not only explore history but also share it with other people.  More than 300 trails have been approved. The BSA recommends that hikers use only the historic trails that have been nationally approved.  (Unfortunately, this list can not be found, I am working with the Council to find a list of trails that qualify, but any section of the Oregon Trail or the Mormon Battalion Trail should qualify.)

 Historic Trails Award requirements emphasize cooperation between historic societies and Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Venturing, and Sea Scout units. Scouts should establish a close relationship with a local society as soon as possible when planning a historic activity—most communities have such societies. You can contact the Cache Valley Historical Society at http://cachevalleyhistory.com/.

Reports from many units indicate that these societies have been eager to offer their cooperation by 
• Suggesting trails or sites that are suitable for Scout historic activities and exploration 
• Providing Scouts with historic information about the trails or sites 
• Offering guidance to Scouts during restoration and marking projects 
• Financing the cost of materials used by Scouts for restoration and marking projects 
• Staging historic pageants and ceremonies with Scout participation 
• Directing public attention to Scout historic activities through newspapers, television, and radio 

 Award Requirements 
To earn the award, members of your unit must plan and participate in a historic activity. A unit historic activity requires members to 1. Locate a historic trail or site and study information relating to it. (The information may be obtained from an adult historic society, public library, or people living near the trail or site. To obtain a trail listing, contact the Outdoor Programs/Properties Department at 972-580-7889.) 
2. Hike or camp two days and one night along the trail or in the vicinity of the site. Options include an area hotel or the home of other Scouts. 
3. Cooperate with an adult group such as a historic society to restore and mark all or part of this trail or site. (This may be done during the hike or overnight camp.) Or cooperate with such a group to plan and stage a historic pageant, ceremony, or other public event related to this trail or site—such an event should be large enough to merit coverage by the local press. 

Your unit leader must then file the Historic Trails Award application with your local council service center.  You can download the application form at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/430-066.pdf.

The patch is not worn on the uniform, but can be placed on a patch vest/jacket or blanket.

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