CYC Volunteer e-Bulletin - Join Us For Council Dinner, and more ...

Attention Leaders -- Be on the lookout for a special monthly update on ConnJam 2012, our Council-wide Jamboree. Debuting last month, it is designed to give you a regular update of programs and activities, as well as useful information you need to participate with your unit.

www.ctyankee.org/connjam

Greetings!

We're already well into 2012 and there is an exciting year in store. Possibly one of the more exciting themes for this year is the fact that it is the 100th anniversary of the first Eagle Scout Award. This gives us a unique opportunity to truly build a National Eagle Scout Association network within our service area that engages Eagle Scouts from within and outside of our current ranks. Our goal is to build on the common bond of being an Eagle, and find ways to reconnect and reengage with our alumni. Council Vice President and Eagle Scout Chris Caruso is chairing a steering committee to begin the planning. If you have ideas or would like to be involved, please emaileagles@ctyankee.org.

Emerson Ball, far right, is congratulated on earning his Eagle as his parents, David and Julie proudly look on. Credit: Bill Bittar/Patch.com

For any Eagles reading this, there is a great opportunity coming up quickly. A couple years back, the Boy Scouts of America sought to identify all the Eagle alumni and we came up with over 4,000 locally (nearly 1.5 million nationally). This year, in partnership with DK publishing, they are teaming up to create a special book commemorating the 100 years of Eagle Scouts, written by Eagle Scouts, like you.

Here's how you can participate:

Tell the BSA what being an Eagle Scout means to you and how it has influenced your life. Or tell them about a favorite memory along your trail to Eagle.
Keep your submission to 250 words or less.
E-mail your writeup to licensing@scouting.org with the subject line "Eagle Scout Book."
Send it by midnight on Feb. 28, 2012.
If you have a photo of yourself in uniform and would like to share it for consideration, attach it to your e-mail. The photo's resolution should be at least 300 dpi at 5-by-7 inches to be usable.

In early April, the BSA and DK will select testimonials to put in the book, and those Eagle Scouts will be contacted directly.

There used to be an old saying in the Boy Scouts. We know where our Eagle Scouts lived when they were 16, but we had no idea where they were now. The surveys of the past years has helped us track down nearly 70 percent of our Eagle Scout alumni. We are looking forward to inviting them to once again smell campfire and reconnect.

-- Save The Date --

Council Program Kickoff

Wednesday, May 16

Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard

Bridgeport

Come be a part of the largest Program Kickoff in Council history!

Join Us at the Council Recognition Dinner January 26

Scouting programs are great because of the dedicated volunteers and senior Scouts who make them happen. Most do not ask for the recognition, but it is certainly appreciated when it comes. The annual Council Volunteer Recognition Dinner and Annual Meeting is Thursday, January 26, 2012 at the McClinch Family Center in Trumbull. Join us as we celebrate the past year and recognize some Scouters whose impact has gone a long way toward making Scouting great. Congratulations to Peter Anstett, Arnold Feintuck, Caroline Griffin, Michael Kraus, Dan Marazita, Gordon Parmalee, and Roger Williams who will be recognized with the Silver Beaver Award.

Download a detailed registration form here and find ways to recognize these Scouters with an ad in the dinner program.

Go Big, Get Wild at National Jamboree 2013

Get ready! The 2013 National Scout Jamboree is coming and it ain't your father's jamboree. We're talking seriously high adventure, people! Whitewater rafting, zip-lining, rappelling, mountain biking, hiking, and more - with 50,000 of your closest friends at the brand new Summit Bechtel Reserve in the wilds of West Virginia. Start planning now to be a part of history at the very first jamboree at The Summit -- July 15-July 24, 2013.

Click here to register for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Summer Camp Kickoff February 2

Mark your calendar now to attend the Council's 2012 Camp Kickoff on February 2, beginning at 6 p.m. with refreshments and the program from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The kickoff is at the Fairfield Grace United Methodist Church. Come meet the key staff and get your leader's guide. RSVP to Carolyn Cruson at ccruson@bsamail.org.

Download a registration form with details and directions.

Training Corner

Trainer's EDGE

Do you have an interest in training? Are you a pack trainer, or going to be participating on NYLT or Wood Badge staff this fall? Join us for the annual Trainer's EDGE workshop on Saturday, March 3, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Council Resource Center. Space is always limited to register early.

For more information on Training, please contact your district executive or email Council Training Chairman Ray Spagnuolo.

Scout Night at the Globetrotters

The deadline for purchasing tickets to the Scout Night with the Harlem Globetrotters has been extended to Friday February 10th. Tickets are $17 each ($8 off the box office price). Please note - If you already purchased tickets and are now interested in additional tickets, the seats will not be together.

Don't miss out on this fun evening of entertainment by the world famous Harlem Globetrotters.

Follow this link to download a registration form.

Killingworth Scout Earns $1,000 NESA Scholarship

Congratulations to Clayton Douglas Rountree from Killingworth, CT who was awarded a 2011 $1,000 Merit Scholarship from the National Eagle Scout Association. NESA will award 153 scholarships to Eagle Scouts through various funds in 2012. These scholarships vary in size from $1,000 to $50,000. For information or applications, visit http://www.nesa.org.

For a complete listing of all Scouts who earned scholarships, please click here.

Voice of the Scout Coming in 2012

In 2012, the Boy Scouts of America will launch its first nation-wide program to directly engage our members, parents and volunteers with a program called "Voice of the Scout." This will ensure that we are delivering what you expect out of our programs. We can't do that without listening to you about your experiences in Scouting.

When you receive the survey, please take a few minutes and tell us what you think and encourage your parents and Scouts over the age of 14 to do the same. We must stay connected to your experiences so we can provide the best possible Scouting experience for you and your Scout. We promise your time will be well spent.

For more information, please follow this link.

Scouting in the News

Monroe Scout Earns His Eagle

Emerson Ball, 17, a Boy Scout with Troop 163, collected and refurbished used bicycle helmets for people in the Bridgeport area who depend on cycling to commute to their jobs and to attend college classes. It was a joint effort with Golden Hill Methodist Church in Bridgeport and Phil Philbrick of Monroe, who has been collecting used bicycles for those in need over the past 16 years.