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October 2012 
Newsletter for Scouts, Supporters & Valued Volunteers | |
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| General News |
 2012 Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award
On September 27th, the Sam Houston Area Council honored Anthony Chase, President, ChaseSource; Eric Mullins, Co-CEO, Lime Rock Resources; UPS, Gulf South District (Stefan Wilson); and Marion Edwards, Distinguished Scouter. With Honorary Chair J. Downey Bridgwater, Luncheon Chair, Jene Guess-Cash and Sponsorship Chair, Charic M. Daniels, the luncheon drew 261 guests and $60,000 in gross proceeds. A proclamation was given to each honoree by The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee. The luncheon was produced by the African American Committee on Scouting, chaired by Lionel Jellins.
Council Recognition Reception, Oct. 15 The Silver Beaver Award is the highest form of recognition that a local Council can bestow on a volunteer for distinguished service in the area. The Sam Houston Area Council has participated in this recognition program since its inception, presenting Silver Beaver Awards in 1931 to W. A. Childress and to E. A. Hudson. Beginning with those first two awards, more than 1500 adult leaders in our Council have been recognized in this manner. See the 2012 recipients...more info
 Scout Night
Houston Dynamo vs. Montreal Impact
Saturday, October 6th
7:30 P.M. - BBVA Compass Stadium
2200 Texas Street, Houston, TX 77003
Ticket Price: $18 per person
The first 100 scouts to purchase a ticket will have the opportunity to be part of the American Flag on the field during pre-game. (Must be 7 years old or older to participate
Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz
Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012
7:00pm @ Toyota Center
For the first 150 tickets purchased, you will have the opportunity to participate in the Basketball Skills Workshop to fulfill some of the requirements to earn a Sports Merit Badge, a Basketball Loop or a Sports Pin. Everyone will receive a commemorative Houston Rockets Gift! (while supplies last). Pricing Order Your Tickets: Call: Cathy Veniegas @ 713-758-7231 Fax: 713-758-7343 Email: cathyv@rocketball.com |
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Attention Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts...The Department of Educational Outreach at Texas A&M University at Galveston offers a variety of field trips and programs in Fall and Spring that assist with advancement.View flyer
Duty to Country...Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9182 in Katy will recognize all veterans who served during Operation Enduring Freedom. The traveling Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon stationed out of Washington, DC will perform at this event. The United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon is a 24-man rifle platoon that performs a unique precision drill exhibition. Location/time: Jack Rhodes Memorial Stadium in Katy, Texas on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. Open to the public, and free of charge.
Continuing Professional Education for CPA's,Attorneys & CFREs... attend this complimentary course On Oct. 23 for credit hours. Be a part of the new Estate Planning Professional directory. For speakers and registration
Wildlife Conservation, Map & Compass Pins... the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center offers two programs: November 10, 9-11 a.m Understand the importance of our natural resources and why we should conserve them. Participate in a service project to help the Arboretum habitat and learn how to make your backyard habitat more inviting. December 8, 9-11 a.m. Come learn all about maps and compasses while hiking the Arboretum trails. Make your own compass to take home.Register
New Fall Schedule for Scout programs at Houston Museum of Natural Science
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Leader Updates | |
Announcing VOICE OF THE SCOUT
We are excited to announce our participation in BSA's Voice of the Scout. This survey program is key way to collect experiences and deliver upon the expectation of our members as they participate in Scouting. Parents, Scouts & Venturers over 14, volunteers and chartered organizations will begin seeing surveys delivered to their email inboxes for Voice of the Scout. The surveys have been designed to be very brief. Take a few minutes of your time to participate! Surveys will stay open for three weeks, then information will be referenced for making key decisions to drive Scouting forward, as guided by our members. We will launch these surveys twice per year, with no household receiving more than one survey every six months. Due to the sheer volume of surveys in this program, we must deliver via email to effectively and efficiently collect opinions. To make the most of this program we will begin asking for emails updates regularly, so email pam.proctor@scouting.org with your most recent email address.
 Popcorn Sale
Howdy folks! Our annual Scouting Popcorn Sale kicks off today (October 1st). Every year thousands of scouts and families participate and raise funds to help maintain and improve the quality of the local Scouting Program. There are cool prizes to win such as gift cards, Aeros Hockey tickets, a Kindle Fire and even a College Scholarship, all while having fun, gaining self-confidence, salesmanship techniques, and other life lessons. For every dollar, Trail's End returns over 70% back to local scouting, and over 30% goes directly and immediately back to local Scouting units. For those of you with family outside the Houston area, you can set up an on-line account and encourage friends and family to purchase their favorites online and the popcorn will be shipped directly to them. Remember that 4 out of 5 consumer's will purchase Trail's End Popcorn when asked. So set a goal, wear your uniform, be polite, be careful, have fun, and good luck on a successful popcorn sale in 2012! Contact your unit popcorn chair "Kernel" to find out how to get started. More on Popcorn Please direct popcorn inquiries to popcorn@shac.org
Council Coordinated Meeting, Oct. 25
Council coordinated is a quarterly District level peer to peer volunteer venue to share ideas and learn what the Council is doing and how each program area can support that effort. All Committee Chairmen and their staff are invited to attend.October 25, 2012 is the next Council Coordinated Meeting at the Cockrell Scout Center. We begin the opening ceremony at 7:00 pm. Register
General Liability Insurance Fee
 Effective Jan. 1, 2013, what is known as the "unit charter fee" will be renamed the "unit liability insurance fee" and will increase in cost from $20 to $40 yearly. The new fee will begin with units that have Dec. 31, 2012 charter expiration dates (a charter period beginning Jan. 1, 2013). All units, including Exploring posts, are required to pay this annual fee when submitting their charter renewal applications. All funds will be applied to the general liability insurance program and help defray expenses.
Go for Gold
Journey to Excellence for the District is a resource for Districts to see how they are measuring month to month towards the end of year GOLD qualification. Some of the needed reports are mathematically intensive so will post monthly.more Other resources for District Operations, here
 Rangemaster Certification...Cub Scout Leaders
Planning to supervise a shooting range at a District or Council event? If you will supervise Archery, BB Guns, Wrist Rockets (Slingshots), Catapults or Rockets, BSA requires all Cub Scout shooting sports to be supervised by a BSA certified Rangemaster. Two courses are available this fall: Oct 9 at the Cockrell Scout Center and Nov 3 at Cub Scout Leader PowWow. For more information, visit here
Volunteer: Fun with Son
We need five volunteers from each district.... Fun with Son is an overnight campout for newly registered Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos Scouts and their adult partner at Camp Strake in Conroe or Camp Bovay near Navasota from October 19-21, 2012. more
Cub Scout Leaders Pow Wow, Nov. 3
Experience a day of fun learning the tools and resources to help your Cub Scouts have the BEST Scout Program possible! Pow Wow is a training convention that takes place in a festive atmosphere designed for pack leaders - the Cubmaster should take all Cub Scout leaders to this learning extravaganza. Come out to learn new things, share ideas and see what the other packs are doing. From 8-4 at the Paul Revere Middle School, 10502 Briar Forest Dr., Houston. More info/register
New Health and Medical Record debuts Sept. 3
An updated Annual Health and Medical Record will be available to Scouts everywhere Sept. 3. Its use will be mandated by Jan. 1, 2014. Units should use this new medical form at their Fall Recruiting events. Accurate medical information is vital to keeping Scouts safe and healthy at all Scouting events. This new format will make it easier for councils and volunteers to have a completed AHMR-as required for all participants. Please link to the AHMR host page so the most recent version of the form can be found.
New Leader Training
There are several training opportunities available in the Sam Houston Area Council. Please consult the Council training calendar for a session that best fits your schedule
Wood Badge Adult Leadership Course
Wood Badge is a six-day advanced leadership course offered four times per year for Scout Leaders involved in all program levels- Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing. Participants will learn techniques to become better leaders. The courses for 2012 are now available
 Outdoor Ethics Course, Oct 5-7
The Outdoor Ethics Trainer course will prepare adults and youth leaders (must be 14 to attend) to teach the new BSA Outdoor Ethics Program. This is the training for all Troop LNT Trainer positions, but again, youth must be 14 years old prior to the course to attend. Everyone who satisfactorily completes the course is qualified to be a resource for units, their district and the Council. All trained participants are qualified to teach BSA LNT 101. The course begins at 6 PM Friday evening at Kuester Lodge in Camp Strake and ends 11 AM Sunday morning. Your $55 fee includes all course materials, 3 meals Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. Register
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Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing, Explorers |
 Fun with Son is an overnight campout for newly registered Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos Scouts and their parent or guardian at Camp Strake in Conroe or Bovay Scout Ranch near Navasota from October 19-21, 2012. Scouts will enjoy BB guns, archery, sling shots, crafts, sports, games, campfire, and more. Admission includes two meals (dinner, breakfast). Registration is now open
Weekend Camping at Bovay Scout Ranch
Enjoy all the wonder and beauty of the east Texas rolling hills and lakes at Bovay Scout Ranch. Conveniently located just 75 minutes from downtown Houston. To register for programs below
Adventure Camp is a weekend camp out for Cub Scouts and their families. Admission covers three meals in the air conditioned dining hall, the Scout's activity supplies and a camp patch for the Scouts. Activities typically include BB guns, archery, water park (weather permitting), BMX bikes, dino dig, lost mine, nature center, Indian village and more. Bovay Scout Ranch certified trained staff members provide the program supplies and lead the activities. Packs, Dens and individual families may register.
 Freestyle Weekend Unit Camping: Troops, Teams, Crews, Packs, or Webelos Dens can enjoy the amazing beauty of Bovay Scout Ranch rolling hills, trails and vast open spaces. Clean campsites, restrooms and showers are available; units may design their own program activities and provide their own meals during these weekends.
Webelos Coyote Trail Xtreme is a specialty Adventure Camp weekend for 4th and 5th grade Webelos. During this fast-paced fun-filled weekend, Webelos work on Arrow of Light requirements while trekking across the Ranch to exciting outpost program areas. Webelos are introduced to the patrol method giving them a unique experience into the importance of team work and an introduction to Boy Scouts. Space is limited, please register early.
Eagle Scout Day of Service
Our Gathering of Eagles in February was themed, "Dedicated to a Life of Service." Let's carry forward...join us for our first Eagle Scout Day of Service on Sat. Oct. 13, 2012, at Yellowstone Academy, a faith-based, non-denominational school serving low-income children in grades K-8. We'll take on a variety of repairs and improvements on the campus, working from 9am until 1pm where lunch will be provided. Yellowstone Academy is at 3000 Trulley St., on the corner of Trulley and Sauer, Houston TX 77004, in the Third Ward. Eagle Scouts...Join us in the start of a new tradition, our first council-wide Eagle Scout Day of Service. Register questions
 The Getaway at El Rancho Cima
Want to camp at El Rancho Cima this fall, well now you can. Getaway to El Rancho Cima and make it your troop's weekend camping destination in the fall and winter. Take advantage of Horseback rides, canoeing, the shooting ranges and on some weekends the ZIP LINES. For more information contact Tami Kinn at 713-756-3309 or click here
Winter Camp
Winter Camp 2012 is right around the corner for Boy Scouts. A "TOP SECRET, Spy Theme" will entice your Scouts to attend and participate in the exciting activities. Look for the merit badge info on November 1. Take this opportunity to register your unit now. Register here
 El Rancho Cima Summer Camp 2013
Troops that sign up by Dec. 31 will save $20 per Scout. To sign up, Please visit the following links. Registration will open September 1st. Get a reservation early to secure the week you would likeHave a blast at Cima this year? Don't wait to secure your place! Fill out a Summer Camp Request Form? Make sure your troop is reserved...contact Tami.Kinn@shac.org Register: Cockrell River Camp Walter Scout Camp at Horseshoe Bend Rough Riders at Hamman High Adventure Base
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE PART OF THE FIRST JAMBOREE AT THE NEW SUMMIT? Are you a Venturer or Boy Scout who will be First Class rank by 2013? The Summit, in beautiful West Virginia...it's going to be big. It's going to be wild. JULY 15, 2013- JULY 24, 2013 more |
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Order of the Arrow |
OA Fall Extravaganza, Oct 12-14
Save the date... Fall Extravaganza is Colonneh Lodge's premier event at Camp Strake. It is a combination of sports, games, expos, shows, ceremony competitions, Native American crafts, PowWows, and so much more. Arrowmen can register and camp with their district for three days of non-stop fun, food, fellowship and celebration. Don't miss the annual Vigil call out following the Saturday evening show. Register
OA Elections
Elections run from September 1, 2012, and must be concluded by November 16, 2012. Please contact the OA Chapter Adviser in your District to schedule an election for your unit and to receive your election forms. It is mandatory that the OA Chapter's (District's) team conduct the OA candidate election (with support from the Unit Arrowman, Unit OA Representative, and Unit Leader). The youth and adult membership requirements remain the same for 2013; however, the number of adults nominated are now based on the number of youth elected. Contact your OA Chapter Adviser for more details. more |
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Support Scouting | |
Corporate Match
Many corporations match their employees' contributions made to the Boy Scouts. Some companies even give financial contributions on behalf of volunteer time given to Scouting. Is your company on the list? If your employer matches or participates in programs that fund the Boy Scouts but is not listed please contact match@shac.org
Send a Memorial or Tribute
Are you looking for a unique way to recognize those close to you? Give a memorial ("in memory of") or Tribute ("in honor of") so that those extraordinary individuals in your life will be acknowledged and handled with great care. Visit The Memorial Tribute Fund to learn more or make a gift.
Honor a Unit Leader
Consider a lifetime membership in the James E. West Fellowship to honor a unit leader. It will endow the outstanding programs we now have and provide the funds to meet future needs. While the James E. West membership is $1000, your donation of only $500 can bestow this honor. Due to the generosity of The Cockrell Foundation Matching Gift Program, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar for endowment gifts of $500-$25,000. These gifts can be pledged and paid over several months as long as they are paid in full by December 15, 2012. Your honoree will receive a certificate, a knot for his uniform, and a lapel pin. Download the Mobile App or please contact Devin.Koehler@shac.org or 713-756-3321. more information
Join the Heritage Society
Have you put Scouting in your Will or intent to do so? If so, you can become a member of the Scouting Heritage Society by returning this form. You will be invited to two special events annually and receive the Scouting Heritage Society Pin. Contact Devin.Koehler@shac.org for more information.
 Make a Difference for Youth Today and Tomorrow
Can $1.37 per day make a difference in Scouting? The answer is YES! Just a 20 oz bottle of soda a day or a couple of fast food meals per month. $1.37 per day is all it takes to help secure the Endowment of the Sam Houston Area Council. Make five easy payments of $100/month for only five months. Your gift of $500 or more will be matched by The Cockrell Foundation dollar for dollar. If you are interested in learning more about the match or to volunteer, download the Mobile App or please contact Devin.Koehler@shac.org or 713-756-3321.
 Donate Your Car for Scouting
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 Boy Scouts of America, Sam Houston Area Council
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Scout Night