Roundtable is held the first Wednesday of each month at the LDS Church at 220 N. San Pedro Road in San Rafael. The regular meetings start at 7:30. It is open to all leaders and interested parents. This is a great time to network, learn, and have fun with fellow leaders in Marin.

Cub Scout Leaders: Want to learn more about the changes to the Cub Scout program which is starting on 6/1/15? Join us at the April roundtable where we will continue to discuss and explore the changes. Invite someone new. And as always, the pack that has the most members in attendance wins the BIGGEST prize of all.

Boy Scout Leaders: Will have a short orientation on summer camp at Marin Sierra. Members can split off to have further discussion in another room if they need to. We will be having people come from out of council to learn about camp as well. Also being disussed will be best practices. And Michael Dybeck will present a special section on Advancement. You won't want to miss this!  

Get your unit's adult leaders signed up now for the appropriate courses all being given at Camp Tamarancho over the weekend of April 24-26. Check out the registration pages for all the details.

• Cub Scout Leader Specific Training, Saturday, April 25, 1:30pm to 4:30pm
• Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO), Saturday, April 25, 8am to 1pm
• Scoutmaster/Asst. Scoutmaster Specific Training, Friday, April 24, 6-9 p.m. AND Sunday, April 26, 1-4 p.m.
• Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills, Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, (conducted by Golden Gate District, SF Bay Area Council, at Tamarancho).

You can come Friday night for BSLST and stay over that night if you want to attend IOLST on Saturday/Sunday, and finish BSLST Sunday afternoon. Continental breakfast will be provided Saturday morning for those that stay over.    

Venturing Leader Training / Crew Committee Challenge 

Saturday, April 25, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sign-in is between 8:00-8:30 a.m. Course will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m.! 

Marin Council Service Center, 225 West End Ave., San Rafael, CA 94901   

Light snack and beverage provided - PLEASE BRING A LUNCH.

Course cost $15 and you must pre-register. No walk-ins! Registration closes 4/21/15

Please take Venturing Leader Fast Start and Venturing Youth Protection before the class at myscouting.org.

For more information and to register online, click this link. 

Questions? Contact staff advisor Chris Wells or 415-454-1081 ext. 111

National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) 

Marin and Redwood Empire Council's 2015 NYLT Course, June 21 (Sun) 12 noon to June 27 (Sat) at Camp Tamarancho.

National Youth Leadership Training 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 sponsored by the Marin and Redwood Empire Area Councils. 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 activities culminating in an overnight outpost camp.

Any questions, contact Erik Masterson  Scoutmaster 2015 NYLT Course. You may obtain more information or apply through the Marin Council by clicking this link.   

Advancement

Merit Badge Counselor renewal verification letters were sent out in February. The form showed contact info as well as merit badges the counselor was doing as well as Youth Protection and registration status. A response was requested by March 31. After this date anyone who has not responded will be removed from the Merit Badge Counselor list. Scoutmasters, email Cynthia Mueller at the office for the most current list.

Merit Badge Counselor training will be held before roundtable, May 6, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Anyone who would like to become a merit badge counselor must take this training, be current with Youth Protection Training, and register with Boy Scouts of America

Shooting Sports

Another BB gun and archery training will be scheduled for interested adults. We are in need of trained adults to operate the ranges at our councilwide weekend Cub Scout events (the only time Cub Scouts can do BB gun and archery). If you would like to take the training and help us in this area please email CJ Carrillo, and let him know you are interested in either archery or BB gun training.

Wood Badge Coming Up

Fall 2015 

"Every Scout Deserves A Trained Leader." At Marin Council, we believe this is more than a saying; it speaks to the commitment all our adult volunteers make in providing the most secure and fun Scouting experience for our youth members.  

Wood Badge training provides the pinnacle training program for adults. You'll engage with expert Scouters who will lead you through a proven course that brings the Scouting process into focus, and provide practical knowledge that you will use at every unit meeting, event and outing. Because, every Scout does deserve a trained leader. Join us!

Download the Wood Badge brochure.  

Powder Horn

The Powder Horn course is designed to help the troop or crew by exposing older Boy Scouts, Venturers, and adult leaders to safely conduct outdoor/high-adventure activities of a fun and challenging nature. The course provides an introduction to the resources needed to successfully lead youth through a program of outdoor adventure and is based upon giving participants an exposure to some outdoor/high-adventure activities.

Presenters are expert consultants--from inside and outside of Scouting--in each outdoor high adventure activity. It is not a certification event. It is for any youth or adult interested in experiencing and implementing a unit-level, high-adventure program.

This is a two weekend course. Our first weekend is at Chesebrough Scout Reservation in the Santa Cruz mountains, and our second weekend is at Camp Marin Sierra. We're also offering an optional week of activities in the greater Yosemite national park area between our first and second weekend.

Happy 2015, Cub Campers!

We're excited about 2015 and continued opportunities for Cub and Boy Scouts alike to participate in Marin Council's Cub Camping program. With the help of Scouts, Scouters, and volunteers, you made 2014 an outstanding year. Let's join together to make this year even better! Dates for the 2015 weekend camps are below.

Weekend Camps

Family Fiesta, Camp Tamarancho, May 15-17 (Registration forms here) 

Webelos Woods, Camp Marin Sierra, Sep 4-6 (Labor Day Weekend)

Cub Scout Adventure Weekend, Camp Tamarancho, Oct 9-11

Tiger Cub Expedition, Camp Tamarancho, Oct 10-11

Read more about Cub Scout Camping. 

Cub Scout Day Camp

For all Wolf through Webelos II Scouts, we will be offering 3 weeks of summer Cub Scout Day Camp at Camp Tamarancho in Fairfax, July 6-10, 20-24, and August 3-7. Webelos II Scouts entering 5th grade in September will participate in an advanced program called Wandering Webelos, which is intended to prepare them for the transition to Boy Scouts. Registration forms are online here. 

Cub Day Camp also offers excellent employment opportunities for youth 14 and older. Youth 15 and older can apply for a number of positions on the camp staff. Youth who will be 14 in June 2015 are eligible for Counselor in Training (CIT) positions. Download the staff application here.

Klondike Derby at Marin Sierra was a huge success. Seventy-six youth and twenty-five adult winter campers braved snowy weather to get up to camp on Friday night. The OA staff members greeted the campers, provided a hot lunch on Saturday, and were instrumental in putting on a great time for all. Fire building, making shelters, snowman contests, slingshots, and snow racing were just some of the fun events.

Thanks to the OA and Lodge Chief Dylan Moynihan with help from: Ryan Moynihan, Kevin Makens, Zack Farnkopf, and Tommy Young.

The Recognition Dinner held on March 16, 2015 honored several Order of the Arrow and Talako Lodge members. Silver Beavers awarded to Mischell Tong, lodge adviser (secretary), and Peter Bauer, lodge adviser (high Adventure); Arrowman of the Year to Michael Swalberg and

Left to right--Front: Kyle Rozell, Karl Menzel, Micky Tong, Peter Bauer, Ed Vorous, Kenn Moynihan, Mark Otavka. Back--Beth Bailey-Gates, Connor Chambers, Michael Swalberg.

Mark Otavka; president's Silver Acorn Award to Kenn Moynihan, lodge adviser for program; and Award of Merit to Beth Bailey Gates, lodge adviser to the secretary, and Dave Rempe.

During the month of March, the Lodge held bridging ceremonies for Cub Scout Packs: 43, 48, 50, 53, 59, and 101. Lastly, members helped with a service project at the Elks Lodge.

The cheerful service of everyone in the lodge made March a month to be proud of.

Help #1: If anyone knows of qualified people who could work at Marin Sierra as a) food services director, b) climbing director, or c) medical officer (EMT or above), please contact Tim Wells asap.

Help #2: The questionnaire re camping and outdoor activities is always available. Leaders/Scouters should continually input data via this questionnaire so that others in the Council may benefit from it. It can be found by clicking this link.  

Kudos and a huge thank you to Kevin Krick of Troop 15 for having the most entries on the questionnaire so far. Click this link to download a spreadsheet of information we have so far. 

Help #3: Please join the Marin Sierra staff, properties committee, and Crew 335 for the Memorial Day work party at Marin Sierra May 23-25. RSVP if you can help. Help us open up camp for the summer because we cannot do it without your help! 

And here's an exciting new activity of the Boy Scout camping committee: we will be inviting one Scout from various units to attend a spring and fall camping committee meeting to elicit their input. The committee will be contacting Scoutmasters to invite older Scouts to participate in this important camping committee activity. 

We are still looking for people to staff the Marin Council camps. 

There are three Cub Scout day camps at Tamarancho this summer and six weeks of Boy Scout resident camp at Marin Sierra. 

At Camp Marin Sierra, we are looking for some over-21 and over-18 people to fill age-restricted positions. We are seeking a new food services director and a climbing director, as well as a couple more food services workers.  

In our last Dispatch, we announced the recently adopted Marin Council policy that to be registered as a Scouting volunteer, adults must hold a current Youth Protection training certification. During the course of the next few months we should all check to make sure our training is properly recorded and renew training prior to expiration.

We want to congratulate Packs 42, 43, 88, Troop 200, Crew 1220, and Ship 1 who have 100% of their volunteers current with Youth Protection Training.

The following units have exceeded 90% of their volunteers being current in Youth Protection training:

Please remember that Youth Protection training must be completed every two years. Only volunteers who possess current Youth Protection training certification will be eligible for registration renewal during the annual rechartering process. There will no longer be a grace period allowed between time of registration and completion of Youth Protection Training.

Volunteers, potential volunteers, and parents can complete or renew Youth Protection training online at myscouting.org.

To support every volunteer being trained in Youth Protection, we can provide a council representative to facilitate Youth Protection training at your unit's committee or parent meeting. These live trainings cover the same material as the online training; however, they allow opportunities for discussion and questions. To request live Youth Protection training at a unit meeting by a council representative, contact one of the executives at the council office.

Thank you for ensuring a secure Scouting environment for the young people we serve. Thank you for completing Youth Protection training.    

FORE!!!!

Mark your calendars for September 21, 2015, for the Marin Council "Be Prepared" Golf Tournament, which will be held at Peacock Gap Golf Club. This fundraising tournament supports Scouting in Marin and is a great chance to have some fun with friends on the golf course while supporting a worthy cause. Sponsorship information can be found By clicking this link. There are a number of sponsorship levels to choose from to showcase you or your company's support.

In addition to a great day on the golf course, the tournament will also include dinner along with silent and live auctions. If you or your business would like to donate goods or services that can be included in our auction, we would love the support. Past auction items have included: fine wines, restaurant certificates, private flights around the bay, spa getaways, sporting goods, and timeshare vacations. If you would like to make a donation to our auction, please download this form.

Individual player and foursome invitations will be available in the coming weeks. The cost for playing in this fundraising tournament is $250 per player or $900 per foursome. A portion of these fees is tax deductible. Supporters may choose to just attend the dinner and auction. Information on a dinner-only option will be forthcoming.

If you would like more information on our "Be Prepared" tournament and how you can support Scouting in Marin by being a part of this event, please contact Michael Dybeck.

Discounted group tickets begin when you reserve 25 or more tickets. The A's only require a 10% deposit to get started. To reserve the best seats, please give Jason Haines a call soon at 510-563-2328 to get the ball rolling.

If you have any questions on group tickets or Scout Day in general, please feel free to give Jason a call. I look forward to working with you! Go A's!

For information, click here.