The Dispatch
Monthly News
for Marin Council Leaders
and Friends

Scouts love fun and adventure. They are curious, inquisitive, and love challenges. When we take them camping, they begin to form a love of the outdoors, an appreciation for nature around them, and they learn skills both social and physical that will carry them through the rest of their lives. It's so important that we provide for them the ingredients they need to enjoy their time in Scouting. 

This is indeed a lengthy newsletter. There are so many activities and resources--i.e., Scout food--that we want you to know about, that it will make long but worthwhile reading.

Some activities are coming up this week, and some are a ways off. This week we have roundtable and the Pinewood Derby Workshop / BB Gun Shoot. Later on, we have Klondike Derby and the Marin Council Recognition Dinner. Father off in the summer, there are many camping opportunities.

So take some time to read through. Pass the newsletter along to other people in your unit. Also, make sure to have other members of your unit sign up to get the newsletter if they are not already. 

Cub Scouts, parents, and pack leaders are invited to Team Talako's annual Pinewood Derby workshop on Saturday, February 8, from 9 to 1 p.m. The workshop is held at the Camp Tamarancho woodshop in Fairfax. Our pit crew will assist you in designing and cutting out your car. Fee for this event is one rock the size of a grapefruit to help Ranger Dana's projects in camp. Please deposit your rock outside of the ranger's office when you arrive. So, bring your car, pink slip, rock, and imagination on Saturday for a great time.

We'll have our Trading Post open for limited sales of Pinewood Derby items, such as car kits, wheels, and weights. Also, if you get hungry the lodge is offering a hot dog lunch, which includes chips, salad, cookie, and a drink--all for $5!

Not having fun yet? The rifle range will be open for BB guns shooting for $5 per shooter. You must have your release form with you. You can download it here. Hope to see you there!  

"Cub Scouts, start your engines! Join us for the February Cub Scout roundtable where we will be sharing with you all aspects of planning and running a pinewood derby event. We will share many ideas and play games. The theme for next month is Pet Pals, and the core value is Compassion. Join us for the FUN !!!"

The Cub Scout camping committee is busy putting together an exciting year of Cub camping events. All the 2014 event information is contained on the Marin Council web site at this link, and the registration forms for the events are posted in the same section as soon as they become available.

• Family Fiesta--May 16-18: A fun-filled family camping event with activities put on by Boy Scout troops and Venturing crews. The entire family is welcome and you can camp one or two nights or just come up for Saturday's activities. This event is held at Camp Tamarancho in Fairfax.
• Day Camp at Tamarancho "Castles and Kings"--July 7-11, July 21-25, and August 4-8: Three separate weeks of action-packed days for incoming second through fifth grade boys culminating in the Friday afternoon campfire event put on by the campers for all the parents. These camps sell out quickly so don't wait too long. Camps are held at Camp Tamarancho in Fairfax. Bus service is available for an extra fee.
• Webelos Woods--August 29-31 at Marin Sierra (Boy Scout camp in the sierras). This event is for incoming 4th and 5th grade Cub Scouts and their parent(s). Scouts will form patrols and each patrol will be led by one or more Boy Scouts. Activities are designed to be similar to Boy Scout troop activities and this year's focus is the Scout Law.
• Cub Scout Adventure Weekend--October 10-12. This event is open to incoming 2nd through 5th graders and their parent(s) and is held at Camp Tamarancho. A variety of activities put on by Boy Scouts and Venturers are planned as well as an evening camp fire and star gazing.
• Tiger Cub Expedition--October 11-12. Jungle Book is the theme, and this event is open to incoming 1st graders and their parent(s). It is a great way for them to experience some of the fun things that Cub Scouts can do as well as introduce them to Camp Tamarancho.

In early spring, we will be sending out a postcard to all Cub Scouts with a list of all these events. Make sure to keep this reminder postcard so your son doesn't miss out on a fun year of Cub Scout camping. For more information email us or check out our web site. 

What is Friends of Scouting (FOS)? FOS subsidizes every Marin Scout's activities by about $250 a year or less than 70 cents a day. Without FOS fundraising, Marin Sierra Boy Scout summer camp would cost about $100 more per week, and you'd be paying double the current fees for summer day camp for Cub Scouts at Camp Tamarancho. That's the difference between what you pay for Marin BSA programs and what they actually cost. FOS is 25% of our yearly budget.

Why should we donate to Friends of Scouting? For the same reason families donate to local school foundations; we donate because we are contributing to our children's education. Just as parent contributions allow our local schools to offer programs not available in many other California schools, Marin Council FOS donations allow our local Scouts and families access to some great facilities and programs close to home at an affordable price.

The unit Friends of Scouting (FOS) packets will be ready mid-February so don't forget to pick them up.

For more information, contact Chris Wells.

When: February 5 

Time: 7:30 p.m. 

Where: LDS Church, 220 N. San Pedro Rd., San Rafael

Come learn about the World Jamboree and find out why this event--similar to attaining Eagle Scout or Ranger/Silver/Quartermaster awards--will be the one of the pinnacles of your Scouting career. The World Jamboree to be held in Japan in 2015 will be a very special experience, and is only open to Boy Scout and Venturing youth ages 14-17.

Who should attend: Boy Scouts and Venturers who will be of age 14-17 by July 2015, parents, Scoutmasters, Advisors, assistant Scoutmasters, and associate Advisors.

Join us to find out about more in a short, casual meeting; you'll hear from former World Jamboree Scouts and leaders about this wonderful once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Marin and Redwood Empire Council's 2014 NYLT Course

June 22 (Sun) 12 noon to June 28 (Sat) 11:00 a.m.

Camp Tamarancho

National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is an exciting, action-packed program designed for councils to provide youth members with leadership skills and experience they can use in their home units and in other situations demanding leadership of self and others.

The NYLT Course is leadership training experience sponsored by the Marin and Redwood Empire Area Councils and held at Camp Tamarancho in Marin. The training is conducted by highly qualified youth staff under the supervision of adult advisors.

The course models a month in the life of a unit. The training consists of a variety of lectures and Scout activities culminating in an overnight outpost camp.

Any questions, contact Erik Masterson Scoutmaster 2014 NYLT Course. You may obtain more information or apply through the Marin Council by clicking this link.  

Technology Quest:

A Leadership Challenge, July 15-19

This course is designed to provide you with a technology-based leadership challenge that applies the cutting edge technology activities, and advanced leadership skills and that motivates you to follow a life of servant leadership by helping others succeed based on the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Law.

The TQ Challenge will equip youth leaders to be better leaders, and to better succeed in all aspects of their school, family life and careers. It will help guide a Scouts' journey in leadership service to others - able to develop all members of whichever team they lead. It provides life skills for now and the future.

Course Activities Include:

• Advanced teambuilding skills
• Geocaching
• Robotics
• 3D Printing
• Engineering
• Biotechnology

Participant Requirements

• Be 14 years of age by the first day of the course
• Open to both youth and adult leaders
• Be in good physical condition and have parts A, B, and C of the BSA annual medical form.
• Be motivated to engage in leadership learning and to pass your skills to others after the course

Program Costs

The cost of the program is $325.00 before 2/28/14, $375 after 3/1/2014. Registration deadline is 5/31/14. This fee covers meals/lodging, training materials, a cap, and t-shirt. Payment in full is due with registration.

Click here for information and registration form.

Click here to email for information. 

FEMA is seeking applicants for its Youth Preparedness Council, a unique opportunity for youth leaders to serve on a highly distinguished national council, self-select a preparedness project, share their opinions, experiences, ideas, solutions and questions regarding youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of FEMA, and participate in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit. They want youth between the ages of 12 and 17.

Once selected, members serve on the council for one year, with the option to extend for an additional year, if formally requested by FEMA.

What better candidates for this than Boy Scouts! Just submit a completed application form and two letters of recommendation no later than February 24, 2014, 11:59 p.m. EST, in order to be eligible. New Youth Preparedness Council members will be announced in May 2014.

For more information about the Youth Preparedness Council and to access the application materials, click this link.

It's not too early to plan for the 2014 camping season. So for those looking for outstanding high adventure camps throughout the U.S., please contact us for a spreadsheet of about 75 (yes, 75) such opportunities.

Add to your pack, troop, and crew calendars the work parties that desperately need help from you all to maintain our very own highly-valued and heavily-used Camp Marin Sierra. These are on the coming 2014 Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. There is important work to do, but also lots of food and fun! For more information about those, email Tim Wells.

Last month, we mentioned the results of the Journey to Excellence evaluations and the common need for all units to address a membership growth plan (with recruitment night) to qualify for "Building the Pack/Troop/Crew" in 2014. Mark your calendars and attend the March roundtable (March 5). At that roundtable, the council vice-president for membership, Andy Odell, will provide you with tools for implementing a successful membership growth plan in 2014.

I highly encourage each unit to send at least one adult leader to the monthly roundtables, not just to get credit for the winter camp lottery, but to get current information about what is happening in Scouting and sharing great ideas with other units. Attendance at the roundtable is only half of the equation, though. I also encourage each unit's participant(s) to share the information they get at the roundtable with their fellow committee members and unit leaders. Informed leaders deliver stronger, more successful programs for the youth!

Marin Council has a dedicated group of Scouters who have been working to expand and improve the shooting sports program. Shooting sports include archery and rifle/pellet/bb gun shooting. It also includes just about anything else we can use to hurl stuff from water balloon launchers to wrist rockets and catapults. Throwing rocks and tomahawks also comes under their purview. If it's not resident summer camp at Marin Sierra or Cub Scout day camp at Tamarancho, they take care of it.

The good news is that there is much more to do. More council events (like the Turkey Shoot) are bringing shooting to Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts after summer camp.

Up next: BB Guns at the Pinewood Derby Workshop. Don't just sit around waiting for Pinewood help, get some time on the range and win big prizes. Click this link for information.

Boy Scouts and Venturers are invited to book a shoot any time. The council has high quality .22 rifles and pellet guns available. Call the council office to book a date and get the application form.

If your Scout or unit has enjoyed shooting at Tamarancho, consider getting trained to help us with the program. Training will be offered for Cub Scout shooting sports as a well as for range masters and rifle and archery instructors. More trained volunteers means more shooting and more fun. Keep an eye on this space for information on upcoming training events. If you were trained previously, get back in touch.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has added another Boy Scout overnight event to the spring as well as the annual fall event. The spring overnight is an indoor camping adventure. The Boardwalk is already receiving calls from excited Scouts wanting more information. Add this date to your event calendar. This event is co-sponsored by the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Here are the details:

2014 Boy Scout Spring Jam

Friday, March 21 - Saturday, March 22, 2014

Indoor camping event for all levels of Scouts

Early Bird Deadline is March 7, 2014

Go to: www.beachboardwalk.com/boyscout  

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

The Oakland A's are happy to announce that the A's Scout Day event will be back for the 2014 season! This year's event is scheduled for Sunday, June 1, vs. the LA Angels. Once again, the event will feature a special pregame festival, parade, and a Scout day patch.

Group tickets are now on-sale. To reserve a group, all that is required is a 10% deposit. Call or email Mason Snyder directly at 510-563-2373 to get started!

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

Age-Appropriate Guidelines

Many people do not know that there are BSA policies regarding what activities are appropriate for which age groups. However, the BSA has made this easy by publishing this helpful chart. Take a look, and use it in the planning of future outings. 

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

Why Scouters and Scouts Love Scouting

"They live in different time zones, and their paths may never cross. But this mom in Miami, dad in Dallas and Scouter in Seattle share one thing in common.