The Dispatch
Monthly News
for Marin Council Leaders
and Friends

Check out the many happenings around the council:

• Family Fiesta
• Fishing Derby
• Pinewood Derby
• Camp Power Weekend
• Roundtable and winter camp lottery 
• Youth and Adult Training
• Tour Plans
• Journey to Excellence
•     and MORE!

Be sure to forward this to people in your unit so everyone is informed.

If you would like to insure everyone in your unit is on our email list, send us a list of names with their emails on a spreadsheet, and we'll make sure they are entered. 

Cub Scout Families

Register now for Family Fiesta 2012 at Camp Tamarancho on the Marin Council web site for this Family and Friends weekend experience as we travel Around The World!

Troop, Crew, and Post Leaders

Family Fiesta needs your help! Only a handful of troops have volunteered to help run this annual council weekend tradition. Units that volunteer to support the Saturday program by "Leading a Country on the Globe" receive complimentary overnight campsite (no charge) and lunch is provided on Saturday. We're looking to pack the camp, and we need your support. If your troop, crew, or post would like to volunteer and reserve your seat on the 2012 Fiesta United Nations Committee, please contact Camping Chair Pat Townsley today.

• Building picnic tables
• Getting campsites ready
• Building tent platforms
• Opening the commissary
• De-winterizing Ibach and Murray Lodges
• Setting up the waterfront
• Installing the fishing pier
• Repairing damage from the winter 
• And much, much more!

Don't worry, we won't run out of work. There is always more work than people.

If you can come up, we will house and feed you all weekend. Make it a unit event! However, you must let us know you are coming and for which meals. That will help us plan the food. The meals served are breakfast Saturday through lunch on Monday. Email Tim if you can come up. 

Remember: This camp is your camp! 

• BBQ Dinner by the commissioners (no charge)
   
• Updates and chat with council president, commissioner, and Scout Executive
   
• Winter camp lodge use selection. Priority in drawing is based on Journey to Excellence status for 2011. Gold first, silver second, and bronze third. 

Cub Scout camp staff applications are on our web site here.

Most positions are filled at Marin Sierra; however, we are still seeking someone over 21 years old to work on our mountain biking staff. If interested, the application can be downloaded on our web site here.

Are you sure your group is ready for adventure? Completing a Tour and Activity Plan will help you know if your group has adequate training, planning, and leadership to hit the trail.

Beginning May 1, a new online Tour and Activity Plan will be available to leaders on MyScouting.org, which will replace the prior version. This new resource will be able to pull in information from your unit directly (although training records will not be automatically populated until a software conversion next year). The new online Plan will also assist your unit in sharing tour data within your unit as well as electronically submit your plan to the council for expedited review. Units are encouraged to use this new resource online. A paper version of the Tour and Activity Plan will still be available if needed. Prior versions of Tour Permits have been discontinued and should no longer be used.

Note that there are some differences between the National recommendations and the Marin Council guidelines on when a Tour and Activity Plan is to be submitted. Units are asked to submit a Tour and Activity Plan for review to the council office when:

• You are traveling more than 50 miles one-way outside of your usual meeting place.
• You are conducting an overnight activity (regardless of location)
• The activity includes aquatics, climbing, shooting sports, or orientation flights

At our May roundtable, we will be discussing Tour and Activity Plans and answering your questions regarding the review process. Also feel free to call the council office at 454-1081 if you have a question regarding how and when to submit your Tour and Activity Plans.

As well, here is a helpful video and FAQ document. 

Cub Scout Leader Specific Training

My name is Jim Campbell, and I will be coordinating Cub Scout Leader Specific Training on Saturday, May 19, at Family Fiesta.

In case you are unaware, anyone in your pack who is new or switching positions is required to take Leader Specific Training. It is an awesome opportunity to get new ideas, even if you have experience running a den or pack. I encourage all of you to get with your committees to talk about the need for registered leaders to be trained.

We are on the home stretch of the Scouting season, and it would be beneficial to get all of your committee trained before the end of the school year. That way you can go into the planning season truly prepared for the fall.

This training will be conducted at Camp Tamarancho in Fairfax. We will be in Murray Lodge, starting promptly at 8:00 a.m. and finishing at 12:30 p.m. Parking will be an issue as we are going to be having this training at the same time as Family Fiesta. Please come early and carpool if possible. This is a great opportunity since the vast majority of Cub Scout packs participate in Family Fiesta.

Contact Marin Council to sign up, and I will be checking in periodically to see that you are aware of the time and place we are meeting.

Merit Badge Counselor Training

This course will be held prior to roundtable, May 2, 6:30 p.m. at the LDS Church in San Rafael. Please reserve a spot by email.

Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLST)

Did you miss the course on April 20-21? If there is enough interest (at least 8 people), we will hold another course in May or early June. Email if interested.

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Time to register your Scouts and Venturers for this year's National Youth Leadership Training week at Camp Tamarancho, June 24-30. There is limited enrollment, so get your registrations in ASAP. Scouts who are minimum First Class rank and 14 years old are eligible with Scoutmaster approval. Scoutmaster's who would like to nominate a mature 13-year-old should contact Bill Barton, Marin NYLT Coordinator.

Female and male Venturers are also eligible to attend NYLT.

All troops and crews are encouraged to send their current and upcoming youth leadership. The NYLT program is based on the same leadership methodology as Wood Badge, so your youth and adult leaders will be speaking the same language.

See you at NYLT 2012!

Find out more information and obtain registration forms on our web site.  

National Advanced Youth Leadership Training (NAYLE)

and Philmont Leadership Challenge (PLC)  

Marin Council has been chosen as a location where youth and adult leaders can take National Advanced Youth Leadership Training (NAYLE) and Philmont Leadership Challenge (PLC--the adult version of NAYLE), in a side-by-side setting so that all unit leaders share the same experience. The dates are July 10-14, 2012. 

Put your NYLT or Wood Badge skills to use during exciting Wilderness First Aid, Search and Rescue, and other scenarios as you learn about the life and legacy of Waite Phillips. This powerful course underscores the concept of servant leadership in an action-packed week.

Sign up now as this double offering is only in Marin and Scouts and Scouters from across the nation will be filling the few slots very quickly. Bring your entire unit leadership team!

For more information or to ask questions, contact us via email. 

Here's your chance to be a valuable shooting sports asset to your troop or crew by becoming a certified rifle instructor. Marin Council Shooting Sports will offer a certified NRA Rifle Instructor course.

Pre-requisite: If you are not a NRA certified Instructor in another discipline, you must take the Trainer's Guide (Basic Instructor Training). That 4-hour class will be offered Friday, June 1, at the Marin Council service center from 6:30-10:30 p.m. Cost is $20. Minimum age is 21, and you must be BSA registered.

The Rifle Instructor course is a 14-hour course with a written exam and range time. The class portion will be held at the Marin Council service center Saturday, June 2, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, June 3, from 9-10:30 a.m. Range time will be Sunday, June 3, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Camp Tamarancho.

Cost for this class is $30. Minimum age 21, and registered with BSA only. Cut-off date for registration is Wednesday, May 23. Minimum 4 / maximum 14 people.

Eye and hearing protection is required for the range. .22 rifles will be supplied by the class. Do not bring firearms or ammunition to class. You will also need to bring a check or credit card to the class in order to register with the NRA for your certificates and processing fees which will be about $40. This is separate from the class fee. You will need to be an NRA member (required). Register to be an NRA member at www.nra.org before the class.   

Internet Advancement is available to all units in Marin Council, but who really uses it? Plenty of units use it because once you get started you will be amazed at how quick and simple tracking advancement can be! In Marin Council 13 of our 19 Boy Scout Troops, and 13 of 24 Cub packs are already using IA. Now is a good time for those of you who are not using it to get on board.

The advantages of using IA:

• Alleviates issues in documenting Eagle Scout applications
• Allows for instant credit to be given for awards and advancements
• Allows members to log in, see reports, advancement history, etc.
• Eliminates the need to hand-enter reports and mail them in
• Allows units to track of training, including Youth Protection
• Integrates with other advancement software such as Troopmaster or Packmaster
• Simplifies shopping for awards since you can just print out your advancement reports (which you must have to buy advancement) to bring to the council store

Internet Advancement not only saves your volunteers time, it saves the council staff time by eliminating the hand entering of data. Scout records are updated immediately, and there is no chance of error while trying to hand-enter messy reports.

If your unit is not using IA and would like to get started, contact the council office. You can also find more info by clicking this link.  

Which Journey to Excellence goal is worth its weight in GOLD?

Retention

How is your unit doing on retaining those Scouts who registered with you last fall? The national average is 70.6% and the Marin Council average is 74.4% (that's silver for the council). The Bronze/Silver/Gold retention percentages vary by program. In 2012, the target retention percentages for each program are: packs [B60/S65/G75], troops [B75/S80/G85] and crews [B44/S60/G80]. Since most units in Marin are retaining over 75% of those members, we encourage every unit to maintain (or improve) their retention rate, and those with lower retention percentages should strive to increase their retention. So, what can you do?

Probably the best solution is delivering a fun and interesting (to the youth) program! The more you can get the youth to buy-in to supercharging your unit's program the better. Now, a lot of the planning and executing behind this rests with the leaders for Cub Scout units --- so Scouters "Do Your Best!" However, in Boy Scout, Venturing, and Sea Scout units, the youth should have a key and inclusive role in planning and executing a fantastic program. Guide them and let them take the unit to the next level.

How about those new Scouts who are bridging into troops from the packs? Share the challenge, and encourage your older Scouts to make it their goal to make the new Scouts' experience so great that they'll stick with Scouting and want to continue with similar wonderful experiences in the future!

About that pot of gold, units who have a high retention rate have dynamic programs that lead to the strong potential for increased growth. 

How can Scouts and leaders be ready for adventure? Find some essentials to get "PREPARED" by clicking this link.

Friday, April 20, 2012, a foursome of Scouters won the 1st Annual Jose Tamayo Memorial Tournament sponsored by the Santa Rosa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The golf tournament was held at Windsor golf course. Redwood Empire Council board members, Allen Christensen, Bert Bangsberg, Tom Ford, and Marin Council board member, Chris Cardinal, played the demanding 18-hole layout, making 12 of 18 birdies on their way to victory .

More than 110 players, supported by a variety of local business sponsors, turned out at the inaugural charity event. One of the strategic goals of the Redwood Empire Council is to expand and serve the Scouting needs of the youth within the Hispanic community. Allen Christensen, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for AltaPacific Bank said, "We have great hopes for our council's ability to serve the Scouting needs of the youth within our Hispanic Community. Over the past few years, I have been fortunate to meet many great leaders who are desirous of introducing programs such as Scouting to the Hispanic youth. It is also a great passion of our council president as well as other members of the board and staff."

Congratulations to the Boy Scouts!

Thank you to all those that participated recently in the online Voice of the Scout survey. The Marin Council is dedicated to meeting the needs of our volunteers and the youth we serve and continuously improving the delivery of Scouting in our area. The feedback we received from Voice of the Scout surveys will help us address those issues that are important to you. We appreciate your honest and thoughtful comments.