Smoke Signals

header 5

September 10, 2011

SCOUTING promises you the great outdoors. As a Scout, you can learn how to camp and hike without leaving a trace and how to take care of the land. You'll study wildlife up close and learn about nature all around you. There are plenty of skills for you to master, and you can teach others what you have learned. Everyone helping everyone else-that's part of Scouting, too.

SCOUTING promises you friendship. Members of the troop you join might be boys you already know, and you will meet many other Scouts along the way. Some could become lifelong friends.

SCOUTING promises you opportunities to work toward the Eagle Scout rank. You will set positive goals for yourself and then follow clear routes to achieve them.

SCOUTING promises you tools to help you make the most of your family, your community, and your nation. The good deeds you perform every day will improve the lives of those around you. You will be prepared to help others in time of need.

SCOUTING promises you experiences and duties that will help you mature into a strong, wise adult. The Scout Oath and the Scout Law can guide you while you are a Scout and throughout your life.

Adventure, learning, challenge, responsibility - the promise of Scouting is all this and more.

"The Promise" is on page 1 of the 1998 edition of the Boy Scout Handbook

In This Issue

September 11th Remembered by Scouts

Eagle Scout and Volunteer Recognition Reception

_______________

Featured Links

9/11 Remembered - 10 Year Anniversary

Boy Scouts of America Troop 888 (a combined charter of Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic

Church & St. Andrew's United Methodist Church) will hold an open to the public "Flag Retirement Ceremony", Sunday September 11 at 6 PM in solemn memory of the 10 year

anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States.

BSA Troop 888 is part of the Sewell Eagle District of the Istrouma Area Council. The current roster is composed of over 60 scouts from home and various public and non-public

schools in Southeast Baton Rouge. The Troop has over 30 adult leaders guiding the youth and the Scoutmaster is Mr. A. Val Browning.

The event will take place (weather permitting) in the open field of:

St. Andrew's United Methodist Church

17510 Monitor Avenue / Baton Rouge, LA 70817

(across from St. Michael's Catholic HS)

In compliance with fire safety standards, St. George Fire Protection District Chief of Fire Safety, Darian Williams, has been properly notified and our troop will maintain appropriate fire safety measures on site.

Any visiting Scouts attending the event are requested to wear their respective units' Field

(formerly Class A) Uniform. Please bring a lawn chair for your comfort if desired.

Additionally, we are accepting US Flags to properly retire from the public at this time.

CONTACT: Darrell Ourso, Troop 888 Committee Member

Email: greenwillowbr@gmail.com

Cell: 225-229-4329

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REMEMBERING THE FALLEN AND CELEBRATING FREEDOM

First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge is planning a service to remember the 10th anniversary of the terrorist aircraft attacks on New York's Twin Towers, the attack on the Pentagon in Arlington, VA and the aborted attack which ended in the field near Shanksville, PA, when passenger heroes prevented an attack on Congress in the nation's capitol.

Pastor Oren Conner and the First Baptist Church of Baton Rouge are providing the church sanctuary for this service on Sunday, September 11th at 5:00pm to remember those who died and to commemorate past and present local first responders, military, police, firemen and emergency medical personnel. This free service is open to the public. Choir and singing will be led by Dr. Benjamin Harlan, Professor of Church Music at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The Baton Rouge Caledonian Pipes and Drums will also play, as only they can. The 3/23 U.S. Marines will provide the color guard and the Fire Marshal Honor Guard will also perform. The Boy Scouts will also participate in the program. Governor Jindal, Mayor Kip Holden and our legislative delegation, as well as firefighters and first responders will be invited to attend. This will be a God, Country and Service Memorial for our First Responders, who will be our special guests.

Blitz day patch

It's POPCORN Time!

Remember Blitz Day is September 17th - All Scouts get out and SELL, SELL, SELL to earn this patch!

Leaders:

Show-n-Sell Distribution is September 16th at

Group Contractors

15055 Jefferson Hwy

Baton Rouge, LA 70817

Training Information!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

COUNCIL Training

What: Leaderfest 2012

When: January 21, 2012

Where: Broadmoor High School

Come and join your fellow Scouters for a day filled with fun and learning opportunities. A wide selection of classes for Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing leaders will be offered. Even if you are not a registered leader, interested parents can attend and learn how to help the unit continue to present a quality program to our youth. Classes range from Youth Protection Training to backpacking to holding Courts of Honor and everything in between.

If you would like to teach a class at Leaderfest, please contact Nancy Simien at nsimien@bellsouth.net or by phone at (225) 769-8746.

Sewell Eagle District

What: BALOO Training

When: September 24, 2011 8am - 5pm

Registration and Check in - 7:30am

Where: Camp Carruth

Cost: $15 - includes lunch plus training materials

Contact: Nancy Simien @ 225-769-8746

_____________________________________________________

The Istrouma Area Council will be updating all training records in our Scoutnet computer system. We started with Woodbadge, Commissioner training and will continue by also doing all types of leader training.

If you have completed any training in this council or out of council, feel free to email your training records or copy of course certificates to Mary Liotto mliotto@iac-bsa.org

Sea Scout Base - Galvaston
seabase galvaston

Consider a trip to the beautiful Texas Gulf Coast for Troops and Crews in 2012!

It is the mission of the Sea Scout Base - Galveston program to provide nautical education and high adventure aquatic activities that will introduce youth to leadership, citizenship, and teamwork, while fostering nature and marine studies within the Galveston Bay area and the waterways of the Texas Gulf Coast.

There are 3 specific programs that are offered at the Sea Scout Base ~ Galveston.

Live Aboard Sailing

· Welcome Aboard, as you set your sails to explore the intracoastal waterway and head south toward the Freeport area. Along the way you will learn

significant sailing skills and live aboard the boat for our entire journey!

Coastal Kayaking

· The Coastal Kayaking program begins with kayaking orientation, followed by a 9 mile kayak to Galveston State Park. The other leg of the trip takes you

inward to the rivers, lakes and bayou waters of the Texas gulf coast region. The majority of this program requires camping.

Galveston Nautical Adventure

· This program offers a mix of both the Live Aboard Sailing Program and the Coastal Kayaking, with significant program emphasis around the small boat keel boat sailing instruction.

Side Programs

· The side programs are a way to get off the water for a day in the middle of your adventure and enjoy the Galveston area. These programs may include a trip to Moody Gardens or a ghost tour through the historical Galveston area and a visit to one of the many nautical treasures of the area such as the tall ship Elissa. Side programs vary from program to program and also serve as a back-up program in the event of inclement weather conditions.

Click here for Sea Base - Galvaston

We NEED your help!

LSU Football Parking

Attention All Scouts Ages 12 and Up!

Earn $$$$ for Philmont, Northern Tier, Sea Base or the 2013 National Jamboree by helping with the parking at Tiger Stadium during LSU home games! We need at least 50 Scouts and/or adults per game. Scouts and adults can earn $50 per game to be applied to any High Adventure BSA event. If the Scouts are age 12 or 13 they must have an adult attend with them.

If you are interested please email Tyrone Black at tyblack@iac-bsa.org or Roslyn Davidson at rdavidson@iac-bsa.org.

Over the Edge for Scouts!

We need your help!

This is an exciting new event for the IAC and we are looking for volunteers interested in promoting and planning this unique opportunity for Scouts and the Baton Rouge community.

How exciting would it be to rappell down one of the tallest buildings in Baton Rouge, say the Shaw Building, One America Plaza or even the State Capital?

If you are interested in helping with this event or going "Over the Edge" please contact LaMarr Walker at lamarr.walker@scouting.org or call the Council office - 225-926-2697.

See how fun it can be!! Los Angeles goes Over the Edge

Commissioner Corner

Mike Nolan - Council Commissioner

FAQs for Journey to Excellence

Where can I find information regarding the new performance recognition award, Journey to Excellence?

For volunteers, information is available on www.scouting.org/volunteer and click on "Scouting's Journey to Excellence" just under the heading called Quicklinks. For professional's information is available on MyBSA>Resources>Mission Impact>Organizational Solutions>Journey to Excellence, scroll down to the bottom that page to click on the link.

Shouldn't the Journey to Excellence program be introduced at recharter time for the coming year?

The new Journey to Excellence program is being implemented now, so every unit will have the opportunity to review and start working on it at the beginning of 2011, regardless of when they recharter.

Is there a report that I can get from the Council Service Center that will help me determine how many of my scouts have advanced during the past year?

Yes, the report is called Unit Advancement Summary Report. Your local Council Service Center can print this report out and it will show every boy in your unit and what advancements they've earned in the past year.

In the retention requirement, can we count our drop outs?

No, you can count age outs and transfer outs, but cannot count drop outs.

In the training requirement on the unit scorecards, can you please define "all" when referring to "all leaders"?

All leaders include all registered adults with the unit no matter what their position.

If a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, or Varsity Scout advances more than one rank in a year, does the unit receive credit for more than one advancement?

No. The standard is for individual youth earning at least one advancement during the year, not for the total number of advancements during the year.

Does earning the Scout level count as advancement for a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity Scout in a team?

No, Scout is the joining requirement, not advancement.

What is the latest version of the scorecards?

The documents that are on-line are the most current. National has begun to put the date on the bottom of page two of the scorecards so you can always tell which is the most current.

Reference: Journey to Excellence, FAQs, www.Scouting.org.

Sons of the American Revolution SAR logo

Arthur M. & Berdena King Eagle Scout Scholarship

Open to all Eagle Scouts who are currently registered in an active unit and have not reached their 19th birthday during the year of application. (The application year is the calendar year, 01 Jan. to 31 Dec.) The year that Eagle was awarded is not restricted. College plans do not need to be completed in order to receive the cash scholarship. Three cash scholarship awards are given: As the National First Place winner - $8,000.00; Runner-up - $4,000.00; 2nd runner-up - $2,000.00. You may apply more than one year if you meet the age requirements but no more than $8,000.00 total may be granted to any one Eagle Scout.

For more information and application: CLICK HERE

avondale header
Camping News

Avondale Society

The Avondale Society is a group of dedicated people who are interested in the preservation and continual improvement of the Avondale Scout Reservation. The Avondale Society also has a newsletter called the "Avondale Advocate", there are currently five issues. For more info, go to www.campavondale.org and click on the "Avondale Society" tab on the right hand side of the page.

Funds from the Avondale Society have just purchased a new 110-gallon 3-point hitch sprayer for the Reservation. We are currently herbiciding the dams with this new piece of equipment. Thank you for your continued support of OUR Reservation.

Sincerely,

The ASR Staff

Cub Scout Holiday Camp 2011

Holiday Camp for 2011 is now accepting registration for Scouts and adults. All Cub Scout ranks with their leaders and parents are invited to participate.

So what is Holiday Camp you might ask? For those that are new to Cub Scouts or if this will be your first time, Holiday Camp is a 4 day/3 night resident camp held for Cub Scouts and only Cub Scouts. Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and Webelos 1 and 2 are invited to participate in a multitude of advancement activities. Careful, a lot of fun is always infectious when attending Holiday Camp and it is extremely contagious.

Some of the activities to be held include:

Archery

BB Guns

Crafts

Sports and Academics

Evening Campfire

Movie Night

Horseback Riding Beltloop (for the first time at Holiday Camp)

Youth can attend with their parents, their leaders, their Den, or with their Pack. Tiger Cubs must have a one-to-one ratio (parent/guardian) attending with them. All other ranks must have a four-to-one ratio (4 scouts/1 adult) in order to attend.

Holiday Camp provides one of the greatest benefits of Scouting, quality time with your son! The climate is cool and chilly, the food is terrific, the people are the greatest, more advancement program in four days than you can get at one time anywhere else, and spending time with great friends.

The 2011 Holiday Camp brochure and registration form can be found on the Council website at www.iac-bsa.org. Mark your calendars as Holiday Camp will be held from November 19 - 22, 2011 at Camp Avondale. Youth registration fee is $175 and $70 for adults due to the Council office by October 26, 2011.

We're also looking for volunteers who would like to assist in educating Scouts in many areas of Cub Scout advancement. Contact either director for more information about volunteering or any other Holiday Camp related questions:

Nancy Simien Philip Territo

Program Director Camp Director

(225)405-5397 (985)969-3048

nsimien@bellsouth.net territop@bellsouth.net

Click here for Holiday Camp Registration

Join us for a Cool Adventure-Winter Camp 2011

What are you doing during between Christmas and New Year's? Come join in the fun at Winter Camp! Earn a few Merit Badges! Eat some good food! winter camp patch

Winter Camp is a five-day camp (three days of merit badge work). Check-in is on December 27 and camp ends on December 31. We have a good volunteer staff made up of a mix of adults and older Scouts. We are offering 40 merit badges.

The cost of winter camp this year will be $170.00 per Scout plus any course fees. Any Boy Scout that has attended a long term camp is eligible to participate.

Please register early as we are taking the first 250 Scouts to register. Winter Camp has been completely full the last several years. The merit badges are assigned based on the registration date. The earlier you register the better chance of getting the classes that you want. Registration should be in no later than October 14.

Scout leaders come have some fun also or volunteer to work on staff.

See the Council web-site for details and registration information.

Please direct any questions to Mark Bray, Winter Camp Director at (225) 926-2697 or Peter Davidson, Winter Camp Program Director at (225) 806-0997 Day or (225) 769-7925 Home.

HORSE PROGRAM - On Demand

We would like to introduce you to a new program available at Avondale Scout Reservation, Camp Avondale. A horse program designed for Troops, Crews and Webelos to work on their appropriate achievements related to horsemanship or just have FUN! All you have to do is schedule with Dawn and she will set you up for a weekend of FUN!

If you would like to learn more about this program, please contact Mrs. Dawn McKnight at 225-244-5038 or email her at bayoubearcharters@wildblue.net for a presentation.

See the following flyer for a sample Webelos Weekend - new Horse Program:

webelos horse weekend

For more information about all our camping opportunities please visit the Istrouma Area Council @ www.iac-bsa.org or the Camp Avondale website at www.campavondale.org

Council Calendar of Events

August 2011

9-16 Show-N-Sell Popcorn Distribution

9-17 Popcorn Blitz Day

9-17 CPR & First Aid Training - Joe Farlow's 9434 N Parkview Dr, Baton Rouge

9-19 Executive Board Meeting - 12:00

9-23 Order of the Arrow - Fall Ordeal

District News

Avondale District

Avondale District Boy Scout Fall Camporee

Dates: October 14-16, 2011

Location: Kevin Tombs' property in Norwood.

Theme: "The Amazing Race"

Overnight camping and check-in will be done on Friday evening, but Saturday morning arrival is allowed. Round robin events will begin at 8:30 AM on Saturday morning, so don't be late! Contact James Riente at JRIENTE@entergy.com or Mark Bray at mbray@iac-bsa.org for more information.

Check www.avondaledistrict.org for directions to the Camporee

________________________________________________________________________

Greetings from Bogue Tuchenna District!

With school in full swing right now, I hope everyone is enjoying their first pack, troop, and crew meetings!! As always, we have LOTS of great information about upcoming leader trainings and fun activities for our Scouts and volunteers on our District website, so please take a moment to visit our website at www.btbsa.org

Click on "events" and you'll find the 2011-2012 calendar and there you'll see that we have BALOO and Leader Specific training coming up in September 2011. Please contact Peter Simoneaux, our District Training Chair at pwsimon@yahoo.com if you're interested in signing up for any of our upcoming trainings!

The beginning of the school year also means that it's POPCORN TIME!!! Our wonderful District Popcorn Chair, Tammy Durst, stands ready to help your unit exceed its fundraising goals again this year, so please feel free to contact her at btbsapopcorn@gmail.com

NOTE: We have a Roundtable DATE CHANGE for September....many of us wanted to be able to cheer on our awesome New Orleans Saints for their opening regular season game on September 8th, so we have MOVED our September Roundtable meeting to Thursday, September 15th. In October, we will go back to holding it on the second Thursday of every month at St. Timothy's Methodist Church in Mandeville. Roundtable Meetings begin with fellowship at 6:30PM, followed by important District announcements at 7PM, and then we head into our Roundtable breakout sessions for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venture Crews. All adult volunteers are welcome to attend Roundtable anytime!

Again, please feel free to contact me, your District Executive, at 985-264-0878 or email me at abitatoo@gmail.com if I can help you in any way...I'm so proud to serve you and our Scouts!

Enjoy Scouting!!

Dorothy Garcia

District Executive

Bogue Tuchenna District

________________________________________________________________________

Chappepeela District

"When a boy finds someone who takes an interest in him, he responds and follows."

Lord Baden Powell

Welcome back Scouts and leaders! Summer was a terrific season for Scouting as our Day Camp once again saw increased participation and Boy Scouts attended Summer Camp both at Camp Avondale and at six other camps.

Packs are gearing up for Fall Round-Up recruiting to help new Scouts and parents join our great organization. Troops, the Packs need your help. As their leadership is occupied speaking to parents and getting their children registered we're asking Troops associated with Packs to be in attendance of their School Night to assist.

Pack School Night's for Scouting:

Pack 4 - September 13 at Little River Pentecostal Church, Tickfaw

Pack 100 and 121 - September 13 at D. C. Reeves Elementary, Ponchatoula

Pack 164 - Completed welcoming 33 new Scouts with room for more

Pack 165 - Completed welcoming 17 new Scouts with room for more

Pack 170 - Completed welcoming 19 new Scouts and 4 Leaders and counting.

Pack 172 - September 15 at Albany Elementary Assembly Building, Albany

Pack 251 - Completed welcoming 28 new Scouts and 6 Leaders and counting.

Pack 340 - September 20 at United Methodist Church, Amite

Pack 452 - September 22 at Chesbrough Elementary Cafeteria, Kentwood

The biggest annual fundraising event for Scouting has begun. Our District has 21 units participating this year. Packs, Dens, Scouts, and families are doing their part to help Scouts pay their way for a terrific year of camping events, District and Unit activities, and all of the prestigious awards and recognitions to come from a fun and productive year.

For more information on Scouting in Chappepeela

(985)969-3048 or email territop@bellsouth.net

______________________________________________________________________

Sewell Eagle District

Join us for Cub Scout Family Camp XVI

"Scouting is Out of this World"

October 14-16, 2011

Lake Magee, Avondale Scout Reservation

Early Registration Ends September 29, 2011

Regular Registration Ends October 12, 2011

After Oct. 12 you must register and pay at the gate!

For more information contact Shannon Ganaway @ 225-766-7828 or Gwangi at gwangi.shipp@scouting.org

eagle knott silver beaver knott

Save the Date

What: Istrouma Area Council's Eagle Scout and Volunteer Recognition Reception

When: Sunday, January 29,2012

Where: Catholic Life Center

1800 South Acadian

Baton Rouge, La.

This event promises to be the biggest and best yet. The Istrouma Area Council positively impacts more than 7,636 young men and women and have more than 2,911 dedicated adult leaders. This Annual Recognition Reception serves as the premier event to recognize our achievements and accomplishments from 2011. Nominations for the Silver Beaver can be submitted to the Council office on or before November 4,2011.

Please see the Silver Beaver nomination application HERE!

The goal of our newsletter is to keep the volunteers, parents and Scouts informed about our Council and the BSA so that each Scout we touch will have the best Scouting experience possible. Please send back any comments you might have as to how we can improve.

Please send any comments or concerns to:

cletusrobinson@gmail.com or lamarr.walker@scouting.org