Lafayette Leaflet Title  
Welcome to the Lafayette Leaflet, a monthly newsletter for the Lafayette District. In each edition there will be information on what activities, events, and meetings are going on in the district and the Cradle of Liberty Council.
  
All words in blue are hyperlinked and will take you to more information on that topic. For anything not hyperlinked, stay tuned to the next Lafayette Leaflet for more information!
July 9, 2015

 

  

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In This Issue:
Our New District Committee Chairperson.
Saying Goodbye to a Friend.
Hello from Brenda
Eagle Scout Project Approvals
Commissioners Corner
Internet Advancement updates
Cradle of Liberty Scout Band
Renaming the Newsletter Contest.
Training and Trivia
Scenes from Summer Camp
Your Unit Can be in the Leaf
Lafayette District Leadership

 

District Chair

Brenda Sheppard

  

District Commissioner

Ken Houseal

 

District Executive

Tesha Omeis

 

 

Click here for a full list of Lafayette District Leaders.

Our New District Committee Chairperson
by Tesha Omeis- District Executive

Lafayette, Please Welcome Our New District Chair - Brenda Shepperd!


 

Brenda Shepperd has nearly 20 years of experience as a volunteer in the Cradle of Liberty Council.  During this time, she has served in a multitude of positions, including Cubmaster, Committee Chair, Chartered Organization Representative, Roundtable Commissioner, District Commissioner, and, most recently, Assistant Council Commissioner.  In those roles she has also contributed by running Scouting for Food, Lafayette's District Dinner, and Friends of Scouting Presentations.


 

Professionally, Brenda has been in real estate for 12 years, and is currently a realtor for Long & Foster in Audubon, where she provides services related to mortgage, titles, insurance, as well as relocation and settlement.  She is a member of the King of Prussia Rotary and Elks Club.


 

Brenda resides in King of Prussia with her husband Mark and their 6 children, including two Scouts, Anthony and Nicolas, who are in Troop 551 based out of Upper Merion Baptist Church. 


 


 

 

Saying Goodbye to a Friend
Brenda Sheppard - District Chairperson

It is with great sorrow to inform you that Phil Jackson passed away on June 25th after a long illness. For many years Phil has been the Lafayette District's go to person for all Eagle Scout Candidates to receive the final review and sign-off before beginning their Eagle Projects. 

Phil performed this duty until his last days despite that illness.  Phil was not only a Great Scouter, and Eagle Scout, he was a true Gentleman that will be sorely missed by anyone whose life was touched by him. Please join with me in prayer and thoughts for Phil's wife Ginny and their family. 

There will be a Memorial Service on Sat. July 11th at The Village Church (Nazarene), 3044 W. Germantown pike. 

We all remember Phil as being soft spoken and always wearing a welcoming smile. Other things that you may not know about Phil is that he loved camping, he was humble, well respected, and a devout Christian. 

He has many scouting related accomplishments such as: Scoutmaster of Troop 573, ASM T313, OA /Vigil member, District Award of Merit 1995, Silver Beaver 2003. 

Phil will be missed. 

Donations can be made to the Cradle of Liberty Council in Memory of Phil Jackson. 


 

Hello fro, Brenda
by Brenda Sheppard - District Chairperson
Hello. 

My name is Brenda Shepperd and it is my pleasure to serve as the Lafayette District Committee Chairperson for the year 2015. As you know I have been in scouting for a little while now. Much like you I got started because my son Paul brought home a flyer and was so excited to be a cub scout. My husband Mark and l have 2 sons in the program, Anthony who is Life Rank and Nicholas who is finishing up his 1st class requirements at summer camp this week at Resica Falls. They are both in T551 at Upper Merion Baptist Church in King of Prussia.  As Tesha mentioned I have 6 children, 5 sons and 1 daughter. 3 of which are married and out on their own but what she did not mention is my 8 beautiful grandchildren. Some of them are now getting to age where they can join cub scouts. We will see what happens. I am a Real Estate agent with Long and Foster in soon to be the Collegeville office. I also volunteer as an Elk and Rotarian. "Service above Self "is the Rotarian motto.

We have come so far in the last few years in our district and we as the key 3, Tesha our District Executive, Ken Houseal our District Commissioner, and myself want to continue to move our district to continue to be district that others look to for its strengths. So first if you are a registered scouter Thank you for everything you do to make this program a great one for all the boys in scouting not just your own. Secondly we hope you will continue to work with Tesha, Ken and myself to make an even better program.


 

We have started to grow our team of committee members so if you have not gotten a call from me yet you can just save me a little time and go ahead and call me and let me know what your interests would be as part of our committee.

Thank you for taking the time to read our E-Newsletter.

YIS,

Brenda Shepperd

610-247-9257


 

Eagle Scout Project Approvals
Ken Houseal - District Commissioner
For Boy Scouts that are seeking approval for their Eagle Scout Project Proposal.

Please contact Mr. George Pinchock at pinchock@aol.com

Please include in your email: 

Your Name:
Your Scoutmasters Name

Your troop #

Your Email address and Your Scoutmasters Email address. 

Your Phone Number and a good time to call you. 

 

Commissioners Corner
Ken Houseal - District Commisioner

Do you know who your Unit Commissioner is?

 

If you do, that is great! You already know your Commissioner is-


 

Your Friend, another Scouting volunteer like you that cares about delivering the promise of Scouting to our Youth.

Your Representative, your connection to our District and the resources available for you to be successful.

Your Unit's "Doctor" Promoting your Unit 's healthy living as preventative medicine. It is much easier then nursing a unit back to health after falling ill.

Your Teacher - always willing to share knowledge from years of experience and knowledge from ongoing Commissioner training.

Your Counselor, everyone even experienced leaders will need counseling from time to time. No one should ever feel alone in Scouting.

 

If you do not know who your Commissioner is -

It means that you do not have a Commissioner.


 

Why not?


 

Lafayette District has a shortage of Commissioners.

If you serve as an adult leader and you are not in a primary role such as Cubmaster, Scoutmaster or Committee Chairman it is likely you have time to be a Unit Commissioner. Commissioners are Volunteers, consider volunteering as a Commissioner. If you like being around other people with Scouting interests and would like to know more about the Commissioning position contact me at khouseal_1@hotmail.com

 

Commissioners are district and council leaders who help Scout units succeed. They coach and consult with adult leaders of Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, and Venturing crews. Commissioners help maintain the standards of the Boy Scouts of America. 

 

 

Internet Advancement updates for New Cub Scouting Adventures is Completed!
Tesha Omeis - District Executive 

 

 

 

The Internet Advancement updates for the new Cub Scouting Adventures is completed.  Info is below.  Please pass this on to your Pack Advancement person.

 

Impact

  1. Cub Scout Packs will be able to enter the completed dates, as appropriate, for the new Adventure Loops and Pins.
  2. A Pack that has loaded its roster prior to today will need to do new Load Roster to view new Adventures. If there is entry in progress, the Pack should first Submit.
  3. Cub Scout Packs may continue to award items for the prior Achievement program, including Activity Badges and Belt Loops, during the transition period.
  4. Updates have been made to screens and reports to support the new Adventure Loops and Pins for Cub Scouting.
  5. The position of Venturing Participant (VP) has been added to display in the Youth Roster and Advancement selections for Crews and Ships.
  6. The supported browsers now include Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer 9, 10, and 11.
 

ScoutNET PAS is updated with the new Adventure Loops and Pins for selection through Record Achievements - Packs - Awards. Award Codes are 1200 series codes.

 


 

Cradle of Liberty Scout Band

George Pinchock

Cradle of Liberty Scout Band

COL is starting a Council Scout Band. The band is open to registered scouts, varsity scouts, and scouters age 13 and up. Musicians would need to play at a high school level. The band is not intended to compete with any scouts's home unit. There is also a need for adults who play and can help with organizational duties. Please contact band director George Pinchock at  Pinchock@aol.com for more details.


 

Renaming the Newsletter Contest

Tom Shaw - Editor

Renaming our Online Newsletter.

We are holding a contest to rename our Newsletter currently the Lafayette Leaflet.

Contest Rules: The District Name has to be in the title. 

The Contest is open to all scouts and scouters. 

Deadline: August 1st!

Prize: To be determined based upon entries!

Editors Note: Please feel free to reword this.. 


 

Training and Trivia from Bryan on Scouting- Scouting Magazine, BSA

Tom Shaw - Editor

First a Little Trivia:


Which merit badges would each of the Avengers be most qualified to counsel?

When they're not saving mankind from total annihilation, what exactly do the Avengers do?

If they've got some free time, might I suggest they serve as merit badge counselors?

It turns out each of the Avengers - Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye and the rest - would be pretty great at counseling certain merit badges.

In honor of today's opening of Avengers: Age of Ultron, I thought I'd explore which merit badges each Avenger would be best at counseling.

Here we go.

Captain-America-MBCaptain America (Steve Rogers)

Superpower: Olympic-level athleticism, great leadership abilities, incredible physical and mental conditioning

Most qualified to counsel: American Heritage

Why: Because he truly knows what it means to be an American and lives up to those ideals every day, just like an Eagle Scout. In fact, Chris Evans, the actor who portrays Captain America,said he modeled the role after an Eagle Scout he knows.

Others he could counsel: Aviation (he knows a lot about planes), Athletics (he's a superhuman athlete), Citizenship in the Nation (obviously), Personal Fitness (he'll inspire Scouts to do their best when completing fitness challenges)

Iron-Man-MBIron Man (Tony Stark)

Superpower: Genius-level intellect, highly proficient scientist and engineer, built himself that awesome suit

Most qualified to counsel: Inventing

Why: He invented the coolest piece of technology the comic book world has ever seen. His suit gives him superhuman strength and durability while letting him fly and use weapons when necessary.

Others he could counsel: American Business (Stark Enterprises, anyone?), Digital Technology (he's a genius with computers), Electronics (ditto), Robotics (did I mention that super suit?)

Hulk-MBHulk (Bruce Banner)

Superpower: Turns green and stronger as he becomes angrier. As the Hulk, Bruce Banner possesses superhuman strength.

Most qualified to counsel: Athletics

Why: Asking the Hulk to counsel a merit badge may not be the safest idea, but if you can get him to relax and focus for a few hours, Scouts would love watching him complete the 100-meter dash in under a second, fly for hundreds of feet in the standing long jump or do a million pushups in two minutes.

Others he could counsel: Gardening (I hear he has a green thumb), Chemistry (as Bruce Banner only!), Nuclear Science (as Bruce Banner only!)

Thor-MBThor (Odinson)

Superpower: Superhuman strength, has that special hammer (Mjolnir) that lets him transport through time and manipulate the weather

Most qualified to counsel: Weather

Why: Thor, with the help of his mystical hammer, can control the weather. So rather than tellScouts about wind, tornadoes, lightning and rain, he can show them.

Others he could counsel: Astronomy (he's been to space himself), Space Exploration (same), American Cultures (he can talk about how people with different backgrounds and customs can get along)

Hawkeye-MBHawkeye (Clint Barton)

Superpower: Master archer and marksman, skilled at hand-to-hand combat

Most qualified to counsel: Archery

Why: This is probably the most obvious one on the list. Along with Katniss Everdeen, Hawkeye might be the most famous fictional archer around. Though his trick arrows that explode or spray tear gas probably aren't safe for Scouting events, the boys would love earning this merit badge from the world's greatest archer.

Others he could counsel: Rifle Shooting (he's an expert marksman with more than just a bow and arrow), Shotgun Shooting (ditto), Bird Study (OK, maybe that's a stretch)

Black-Widow-MBBlack Widow (Natasha Romanoff)

Superpower: Trained military operative, skilled in hand-to-hand combat and martial arts, excellent spy

Most qualified to counsel: Search and Rescue

Why: She's an elite spy, so Black Widow knows all the tricks for finding people wherever they are. Of course, with search and rescue the person wants to be found, but let's ignore that little detail and consider how awesome it would be for Natasha Romanoff to counsel this merit badge.

Others she could counsel: Rifle Shooting (she's an expert sniper), Geocaching (bet she'll find that cache before you), Insect Study (just kidding)

Scarlet-Witch-MBScarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)

Superpower: Can tap into mystic energy for reality-altering effects, resulting in spontaneous combustion, deflection of objects in flight, and so on

Most qualified to counsel: Energy

Why: A merit badge about producing energy and using it wisely is perfect for the Scarlet Witch, who can manipulate energy to her advantage.

Others she could counsel: Chess (her powers could help her checkmate you in a handful of moves)

Quicksilver-MBQuicksilver (Pietro Maximoff)

Superpower: Superhuman speed

Most qualified to counsel: Personal Management

Why: As someone who can move at supersonic speeds, Quicksilver is able to get a lot done in the blink of an eye. That makes him qualified to help Scouts better understand time management. Though he might not have the patience for it; it's been said that he gets frustrated easily because to him it seems as if the rest of the world is moving really slowly.

Others he could counsel: Athletics (he could run circles around the Scouts)

Ultron-MBBONUS SUPERVILLAIN: Ultron

Superpower: Artificial intelligence, super strength, almost impervious to damage

Most qualified to counsel: Robotics

Why: First off, do we allow robots to be merit badge counselors? What about supervillains? If so, Ultron is the perfect Robotics MB counselor, seeing as he's a robot himself.

What do you think?




Now a Little Training:



2015 Guide to Advancement out now; here are 13 of the biggest changes

2015-Guide-to-AdvancementThe 2015 Guide to Advancement, your official source for administering advancement in all Boy Scouts of America programs, is now available.

View or download it by clicking here (PDF).

The Guide to Advancement is a critical reference tool for anyone involved in advancement in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, Venturing and Sea Scouts.

It's not meant to be read cover to cover. Instead, it's organized and indexed so you can find answers to your advancement questions quickly. I appreciate that the sometimes-complicated topics covered in the Guide are conveyed in plain English.

The Guide to Advancement is updated every two years to reflect changes to programs, requirements and policies. Changes come from a team of national-level professionals and volunteers. Many of the new sections are the result of frequently asked questions that the Advancement team is answering through new policies.

You can find a complete list of significant changes to the Guide in section 1.0.3.0, beginning on Page 7. But I wanted to pick out 13 of the changes I consider the biggest:

1. Merit badge worksheets not allowed for certain requirements

Section: 4.2.0.1

What's new: This language clarifies the official policy on something I've blogged about before: merit badge worksheets. Filling out a worksheet will not be allowed for requirements that use words like "show," "demonstrate" or "discuss."

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"In Boy Scouting, advancement requirements must be passed as written. If, for example, a requirement uses words like 'show,' 'demonstrate,' or 'discuss,' then that is what Scouts must do. Filling out a worksheet, for example, would not suffice"

2. Scoutmaster conferences should be face-to-face, not online

Section: 4.2.3.5

What's new: New language says Scoutmaster conferences should be held face-to-face and not online. That means Skype, which is great for some purposes but not as personal as a face-to-face conversation, is out.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement: "Scoutmaster conferences are meant to be face-to-face, personal experiences. They relate not only to the Scouting method of advancement, but also to that of 'association with adults' (see topic 2.0.0.4, 'The Methods of Scouting'). Scoutmaster conferences should be held with a level of privacy acceptable under the BSA's rules regarding Youth Protection. Parents and other Scouts within hearing range of the conversation may influence the Scout's participation. For this reason, the conferences should not be held in an online setting."

3. New Cub Scout program now included in the Guide

Sections: Changes throughout the Cub Scout sections, including 4.1.0.0-4.1.1.5

What's new: Lots. Language now reflects the new Cub Scout program that launches on June 1, 2015.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement: "Den leaders, Cubmasters, and their assistants conduct meetings implementing the three steps in Cub Scout advancement: preparation, qualification, and recognition. Four separate den leader guides - one each for the Tiger, Wolf, and Bear programs, and one combined for Webelos and Arrow of Light - explain the mechanics for doing so while helping to maximize advancement."

4. New Venturing awards outlined

Sections: 4.3.0.0 to 4.3.4.0

What's new: Almost everything. Last year (2014) saw the introduction of a new Venturing Awards program: Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder and Summit.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"Four awards make up the Venturing advancement track: Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit, but others also are described below. Venturers have until their 21st birthday to complete their awards."

5. Sea Scouts aren't Venturers*

*Updated: This change is pending a vote in May.

Section: 4.4.0.0

What's new: Sea Scouting, previously considered a "special-interest program carried on as part of Venturing," is now separated.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"Sea Scouts are not Venturers." Also: "The Sea Scout Bronze Award is discontinued, and Sea Scouts no longer work on Venturing awards."

6. Unit merit badge counselor lists shouldn't be available to Scouts online

Section: 7.0.2.3

What's new: Units can (and maybe even should) establish a list of registered merit badge counselors. But Scouts should get those names and contact info from a Scoutmaster, not from a list made available online.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"Due to concerns about merit badge counselor privacy, and since Scouts should receive the names and contact information from the Scoutmaster, unit counselor lists should not be made available to Scouts online."

7. Merit badge instruction should be small in scale

Section: 7.0.3.0

What's new: Rather than large merit badge classes reminiscent of a boy's time in high school, the BSA encourages smaller-scale instruction.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"The sort of hands-on interactive experience described here, with personal coaching and guidance, is hardly ever achieved in any setting except when one counselor works directly with one Scout and his buddy, or with a very small group. Thus, this small-scale approach is the recommended best practice for merit badge instruction and requirement fulfillment. Units, districts, and councils should focus on providing the most direct merit badge experiences possible. Large group and Web-based instruction, while perhaps efficient, do not measure up in terms of the desired outcomes with regard to learning and positive association with adults."

8. Merit badge prerequisites get explained

Section: 7.0.4.11

What's new: This whole section is new. It explains merit badges that appear to have prerequisites.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"Some merit badges appear to have 'prerequisites.' The Emergency Preparedness merit badge, for example, requires the earning of the First Aid merit badge. But since the requirement does not state that First Aid must be earned before beginning work on the other Emergency Preparedness requirements, it is not, by definition, a prerequisite. It is just another requirement. Even though 'Earn the First Aid Merit badge' is the first requirement, it need not be the first requirement fulfilled. It is just that the Emergency Preparedness merit badge is not finished until after the First Aid merit badge is completed."

9. Youth observers aren't allowed at boards of review

Section: 8.0.1.0

What's new: No youth should sit in to "observe" a board of review.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"The unit leader may remain in the room, but only to observe, not to participate unless called upon. The number of 'observers' at a board of review should otherwise be minimized. The members of the board of review, however, have the authority to exclude the unit leader or any other observers if they believe their presence will inhibit open and forthright discussion. Youth observers are not permitted in boards of review for Boy Scouting advancement."

10. Guidance offered for boards of review conducted through videoconferencing

Section: 8.0.1.6

What's new: This whole section is new. It covers boards of review conducted through videoconferencing. Face-to-face boards of review are preferred, but sometimes that's impossible. So this section helps explain how to run a successful board of review through this format.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"From time to time, however, as Scouts go off to college or the military, or live in very remote locations, for example, it may be virtually impossible to hold in-person boards of review. In those rare situations where it is unreasonable to expect a Scout to travel long distances, or to wait several months, it is permissible to use videoconferencing."

11. The official Eagle Scout Rank Application is the only one to use

Section: 9.0.1.3

What's new: A clarification explains that the official Eagle Scout Rank Application (512-728) is the only one Scouts should use.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"Scouts must submit the official Eagle Scout Rank Application, No. 512-728, found at www.scouting.org/advancement. No other form or application is permitted. Special worksheets or spreadsheets have been created in some councils that when filled out electronically produce a completed application. Because the official application changes from time to time, and because submitting out-of-date applications can cause confusion and delays, Scouts must not be required to use these tools. If they do use them, they still must complete and submit the official Eagle Scout Rank Application."

12. Crowdfunding for Eagle Scout projects explained

Section: 9.0.2.10

What's new: Fundraising for Eagle Scout projects isn't required. Plenty of awesome projects are completed without fundraising. But if a Scout needs to raise money, he may use crowdfunding to do so, provided he follows the policies outlined in this section. This is something I've blogged about.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"Typical unit fundraisers with which unit leadership is familiar, such as car washes, are the best options. Another alternative, contingent on local council approval, is the use of 'crowdfunding' via the Internet. If this method is used, however, then all concerned, from the Scout and his parent or guardian to the unit leader and those approving fundraising at the local council, should be aware that fees may be involved and that fundraising for something like an Eagle project may or may not comply with the website's terms of service. There can be other issues as well, such as what to do if more - or less - than what is needed is raised. It is important that someone in a position of responsibility reads and understands the website's 'fine print.'"

13. Request for Registration Beyond the Age of Eligibility form created

Section: 10.1.0.2

What's new: This new form is used to register a person who will remain as a youth member beyond the age of eligibility.

Excerpt from 2015 Guide to Advancement"The Request for Registration Beyond the Age of Eligibility, No. 512-935, found in the appendix and at www.scouting.org/advancement, should be used in this process."

See the complete 2015 Guide to Advancement

Go here for the PDF.


Go here for the PDF.




 

Scenes from Summer Camp

Tom Shaw - Leaf Editior

 Troop 551's Gateway from Shawnee Campsite at Rescia Falls Scout Reservation 

Troop 551 Gateway at Rescia

Your Pack, Troop, Post or Crew can be seen to in the Lafayette Leaf!

Tom Shaw - Leaf Editior

Would you like to see your Pack, Troop or Crew in this space!

Our publication does not take a summer vacation!. 

Send us photos from your Camping Experience. Cookout or Family Event. 
Your Eagle Courts of Honor, and your Service Projects to us for publication. 
 

 

Email your pictures, articles, blurbs etc. to  
for publication.