Washington District Roundtable
May 11th
7:15 pm - 8:45 pm
Roychester Community House:
Parkview & Harding Avenue, Abington, PA19001
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District Life to Eagle Presentation
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Wednesday June 22 at the Willow Grove Giant Community Meeting Room form 7-9:30PM
This event is for Star and Life rank Scouts who are on the trail to Eagle rank, as well as Scoutmasters, Venture Crew Leaders and Unit Life to Eagle Coaches. Detailed information about the process from Life Scout to Eagle Scout will be presented.
Questions, contact District Eagle Board Chair, Bob Gaston at bgaston@dynamicimaging.com.
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A Scout is Thrifty! Register for Day Camp Before the Early Bird Discount Expires on May 15th!
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The Washington District 2016 Day Camp is July 18-22, so mark your calendars! Day Camp!! Registration is now open online. This year's theme will center around the Olympics.
There will be a $100 Scoutshop gift card to the unit that has the greatest percentage increase in Scouts attending the Washington District Day Camp!
A reminder that Packs who send youth to day camp should also provide at least 1 adult volunteer for every five youth.
Check out our video of the fun our Scouts have!
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Upcoming Community Events/Recruiting Opportunities
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May 13 - Glenside Elementary Spring Fair
May 13 - Rydal Elementary Spring Carnival
May 14 - Simmons Elementary Spring Fair
May 14 - Copper Beech Elementary Spring Fair
May 14 - Overlook Hills Elementary Spring Fair
May 21 - Blair Mill Elementary Blast
June 4 - Horsham Day (Form submission)
June 4 - Cheltenham Rotary Fishing Derby
June 5 - Arts in the Park, Highschool Park, Elkins Park
June 10 - Wyncote Elementary Spring Fair
June 10-12- Abington Hospital June Fete
June 17-18 - American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Hatboro Horsham High School
June 26 - Concert in the Park, Curtis Arboretum
July 4 - Greater Glenside Area Parade
July 4 - Jenkintown Parade
July 30 - Hatboro Moonlight Memories Car Show
July 31 - Concert in the Park, Curtis Arboretum
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Boy Scout and Venturer Volunteers Needed for Day Camp
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Our camp directors are looking for Boy Scout (must be 14 years old and at least First Class rank) and Venturing volunteers to help make Day Camp a success for our Cubs. Registration is online through the district day camp link (above). There is no fee to volunteer and Scouts can earn service hours.
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Upcoming Training Opportunities
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BSA BB Range Master
May 21 9am-4pm
BSA Archery Range Master
May 22 9am-4pm.
Outdoor Webelos Leadership (OWL)
June 4-5
Introduction to Outdoor Leaderhsip Skills (IOLS)
June 4 and June11
or June 5 and June 12
June 26-30 NYLT
The Council's Training Schedule for 2016 can be found here:
Council Training Schedule Link
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Musser Scout Reservation Open House
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For those who do not get the BSA Today, there will be a free open house at council's Musser Scout Reservation on May 14th with shooting sports, STEM activities, handicraft, sports and more. Lunch is available for $5, or you can bring your own. All planning to attend should register so that the event planners can plan according. Registration link below.
Musser Open House Registration
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We would love to get the word out about what your scouts are doing. Holiday events, cool camping trips, baking competitions, doing a good turn daily. Let us know at at
ScoutsInAction@yahoo.com so we can post it.
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Information about the Jamboree and a link to register are found on the council website (colbas.org). Spots for Venturers are very limited!
John Metzger of Hatboro Troop 81 has been selected as a 2017 Scoutmaster for Scouts in the Washington District.
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Check Out or District Facebook Page!
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We Want You! For Commissioner Service
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WE WANT YOU for Commissioner Service. In fact, we NEED YOU. You've been a great Scouting Leader; how about becoming a COMMISSIONER?
Service to Packs, Troops, Crews, Ships and District Roundtable has never been more important. Join our District Commissioner Corps TODAY!
Please contact Washington District Commissioner Tom Mesko 215-740-7904 or tgmesko@gmail.com
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Washington District Committee
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The Washington District Committee is here to serve you, if you have a question about a specific topic contact the corresponding chair. For example if you have a questions about training, contact the Washington District Training Chair.
For a complete list of the Washington District Committee Members here to serve you, click here!
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Key 3 Contact Information:
Ryan Martin
ryan.martin@scouting.org
484-654-9217
Sherry Sutton
charlaynesutton@comcast.net
215-828-7418
Tom Mesko
tgmesko@gmail.com
215-740-7904
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Thank you for reading the May 2016 edition of the Washington District Newsletter, we hope you found it informative and helpful. The Newsletter is sent out the first Friday of each month, so please be sure to check your email at that time each month.
If anyone in your Unit is not receiving the District Newsletter, please let Ryan Martin know and he will add those individuals to the distribution list for the District Newsletter.
Sincerely,
Washington District Key 3
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Washington District Scouts Doing Great Things!
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Congratulations to Alan Eickhoff, who was awarded the BSA Torch of Gold Award at the Council Recognition Dinner
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The BSA Torch of Gold Award is bestowed upon someone who has provided exceptional service to Scouts with disabilities. Alan served as the Scoutmaster for Hatboro special needs Troop 254 for 25 years.
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Pack 97's Webelos Scouts and leaders found a break in the rain and ventured out to Tyler State Park to complete their 3 mile hike. It looks like a fun time was had by all!
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May Roundtable
Roychester Community House
1819 Harding Avenue, Abington
7:15 pm
Who says you have to forgo great taste on a tight budget? May's Roundtable is a joint session on Gourmet Camping Food. Little tips, tricks, and resources, to help make your camping and backwoods backpacking a delight. EVERYONE IS ASKED TO BRING THEIR FAVORITE DUTCH OVEN/CAMPING RECIPE!
There will be some other brief presentations.
The June Roundtable is our District picnic.
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May Membership Chair Minute
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Hello Fellow Washington District Scouters,
My name is Dan Coleman and I am the new District Membership Chair for Washington District. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you over the coming months. I am here to help and assist you in any way I can to attract new families into your Scouting programs. Each month I will write in the newsletter what I have found to be successful actions to take during each month, to attract new families into Scouting.
As Committee Chair of Troop 354 for the last 3 plus years, I have worked with the parents and leaders on various items throughout the year that proved fruitful in attracting new youth and adult leaders. This month's membership focus is...
- Working with your unit commissioner to compare your Unit's internal roster, to the roster on my.scouting.org and submit applications for Scouts not registered
- Let myself and Ryan Martin know what recruitment event your unit would like included on the District flyer submissions to schools.
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A Message from our Day Camp Chair
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Please encourage your families to commit to attending day camp before the early bird registration ends. The second week of camp at half price is still available, so if your unit has families attending either another day camp or resident camp they can attend our day camp for half the cost.
If the online sign up is a challenge for your parents, let us know, we can come to a meeting with laptops and help get people through the registration process.
Adult participation is also needed. An important aspect of attending day camp as an adult besides the savings is the connections we all make. I haven't had a cub scout in 10 years, but here I am running a camp. Someone recently asked me why I do this. I am here because of the people who did this for my boys. I am here because of the people I am getting to work with now. I am here because I believe in the difference scouting can make in the lives of not just the boys, but in our lives as well.
As always please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at all. Hayley Gunther on behalf of the Washington District Day Camp Team 267-252-4429
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A Message from our Advancement Chair
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INTERNET ADVANCEMENT MANDATORY
A reminder that the use of Internet Advancement becomes mandatory June 1 for all units to submit youth advancement and purchase awards. Assistance is available for those units who are not familiar with internet advancement. Please contact Tom Finley at thomas.finley@verizon.net. COUNSELORS NEEDED FOR THESE MERIT BADGES
Washington District currently has 101 merit badge counselors counseling a combined 485 merit badges with each counselor averaging 4.8 merit badges. Of the current 136 merit badges, 119 are counseled in Washington District. The merit badges for which Washington District has no counselors are:
Animation Rowing
Archeology Pottery
Farm Mechanics Sculpture
Horsemanship Surveying
Mining in Society Veterinary Medicine
Model Design and Building Water Sports
Movie Making Welding
Nuclear Science Signs, Signals, and Codes If you can assist with one or more of these badges, please complete an adult application and merit badge applications. PA child abuse clearances are necessary to serve as a merit badge counselor. Questions, contact Tom Finley, thomas.finley@verizon.net.
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2016 Washington District Popcorn Fundraiser
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The details of the 2016 Popcorn Fundraiser are set to come out shortly, but will match very closely to the timeline of last years sale. For those Units who have experience running a Popcorn fundraiser there is plenty your Unit can be doing now to prepare for a successful fundraisier this year.
If your Unit is fairly new, has never done Popcorn before, or just want to find out best practices for having a successful Popcorn fundraiser that drives a fun and exciting program for your Scouts there are a number of resources available. - Have your Unit Popcorn Kernel attend one of the Popcorn Fundraiser and Program Planning seminars listed below.
- Contact Washington District Popcorn Kernel Jeanne Mesko, popcorn.washington@gmail.com for ways to improve the impact of your fundraiser in helping families reduce or eliminate the program costs associated with Scouting.
Wednesday, May 18, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, Valley Forge
Register for the 2016 Popcorn Fundraiser Here!
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Washington District Camp Card Sale
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A reminder that units can turn in Strive for 25 forms and money and get additional camp cards on Monday
nights at the Willow Grove Giant again during the 2016 sale from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Questions, contact our District Camp Card Chair, Julie Hurst at briconlo3@gmail.com or Ryan Martin at ryan.martin@scouting.org.
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Washington District Family Friends of Scouting
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Thanks to the tremendous support of our early contributors, Washington District has raised over $37,000 toward our $52,000 goal (71%) for the Family Friends of Scouting Campaign.
The Friends of Scouting Campaign is the lifeblood of Scouting's fundraising efforts to allow our council (that is all of us!) to continue to provide Scouting to our youth.
It costs our council approximately $150 to fund one Scout for one year in our program.
Please visit www.colbsa.org/donate for more information about the campaign. If your unit hasn't already, you should consider appointing a unit Friends of Scouting coordinator and schedule your 2016 family presentation. Your unit Friends of Scouting coordinator may contact Ed Trauffer, Washington District Friends of Scouting Chair at trauffer@comcast.net or 215 353 6386.
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When is your Units 2016-2017 Planning Meeting?
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We know most if not all of our Units typically do their annual program planning and budgeting during late May and early June. If your Unit already has a date set please share with District Commissioner Tom Mesko. If your Unit has questions about how to do program planning and/or budgeting, or has never done it before please contact Tom Mesko or Ryan Martin.
Additionally, here are some useful links to use for your Units 2016-2017 Program Planning and Budgeting Meetings.
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