Upcoming Events

Training for Cub Leaders in June

Since Leaders often move up with their Den on June 1st, there are several people looking for training including a couple new Tiger Den Leaders from different units. At the request of several people, I have scheduled dates to offer Cub Leader Position Specific Training in the coming weeks. - Jim Graney

Location: Etna, NY at either Jim Graney's house or Etna Community Association's Houtz Hall (Etna is located between Freeville and NYSEG in Dryden) depending on the number who signup.

Advance registration required to insure proper quantity materials for all trainees. There is no charge for this training.

To register and get directions, please call Jim Graney at 607-347-4302 or email jgraney@twcny.rr.com 

Here's the details:

• Tiger Leader Position Specific Training 
  For all new Tiger Den leaders - Thursday Evening June 25th at 6:30pm
  Please register by Monday June 22nd.
• Cub Leader Position Specific Training 
  For all Wolf and Bear Den leaders Tuesday Evening June 30th at 6:30pm
  Please register by Friday June 26th.
• Webelos Leader Position Specific Training
  For all Webelos Den leaders - Wednesday Evening June 24th at 6:30pm
  Please register by Monday June 22nd.

Fall Nature Camporee
October 16-18, 2009
Lime Hollow Nature Center, Cortland

Fall’s the time to get your Troop out of doors, and what better way than to start work on some of the nature and conservation-oriented merit badges? It’s still early in the planning, but we hope to offer instruction and at least partial credit for Nature, Fishing, Geology, Environmental Conservation, Forestry, Bird/Mammal/Reptile/Insect Study—who knows? Camporee Chairman Glenn Reisweber and his crew are sure to produce a camporee worth coming to!

Council Centennial Camporee
May 15-16, 1910

It's early days, yet, but planning has started on the Centennial Camporee to mark the new Boy Scout program!
Watch the Centennial Camporee page for more details. 

Blair Atholl Scottish International Patrol Jamborette
July 13-August 4, 2010 

Sign up now to attend the 2010 National Jamboree!

Scouting will be celebrating its 100th birthday in 2010 with a huge National Jamboree at Fort AP Hill in Virginia. 

Scouting Paradise, Jamboree Style

Nestled in the rolling green hills of Virginia, close to our nation’s capital, Fort A.P. Hill lies near many historical Civil War landmarks. This 76,000-acre facility has hosted the national Scout jamboree since 1981. The Boy Scouts of America uses approximately 3,000 acres of land to support a city of more than 43,000 Scouts and leaders.

What is There to Do?

You name it! The jamboree program reflects the skills of Scouting—physical fitness, environmental conservation, our national heritage, and the true spirit of Scouting.

See yourself rappelling, discovering scuba, kayaking, rafting, and sailing. Experience trap shooting, archery, bikeathlons, buckskin games, confidence courses, conservation trail, and more! There is not enough time in the day for all the exciting activities that are there waiting for you to try.

Daily activities include an incredible merit badge midway, arts and sciences, a re-creation of Baden-Powell’s original Scout camp on Brownsea Island, an American Indian village, regional entertainment stages, and many other activities. The arena shows are a highlight for all participants. The jamboree is Scouting at its very best!

100 years of Scouting!

A century of the finest outdoor and leadership experience a boy could have! This tradition lives on at the pinnacle of the 100th Anniversary of Scouting—the 2010 National Jamboree. Yesterday merges with tomorrow at the greatest Scouting event of the century. It is the opportunity of a lifetime, one you will never forget. DON’T MISS OUT on this special moment in time!

Baden-Powell Council Troops

The Baden-Powell Council will be sending two troops to the Jamboree. Each troop will have 36 Scouts and four leaders. Boy Scouts must be at least First Class Scouts, completed the sixth grade or be at least 12 years of age by July 1, 2010, but not have reached their 18th birthday by August 4, 2010. 

The places will fill up fast, so be sure to get your request in as soon as possible! If you are a Scout who is interested in being in one of the Council's troops, or an adult leader who is interested in being considered for a leadership position in a Council troop, you should go to the National Jamboree website and submit an on-line registration form.

 
Scouts 12 and over on 7/1/2010 only

Adult Leaders - sign up now for National Staff positions!

Jamboree staff positions are open to adult men and women who meet required qualifications. Adult staff members must have been born before July 26, 1984. Youth staff members must have been born between July 26, 1984 and July 26, 1994, and be registered members of the Boy Scouts of America. Jamboree staff applicants are submitted online directly to the national office. An electronic process has been developed for councils’ review, evaluation, and approval. The Web site will be accessible through www.MyScouting.org.

Announcements, Announcements, Announcements!

Nine Eagles in Lansing!

On June 29, 2009, the Lansing Star printed an article about the nine Eagles (or near-Eagles) at Lansing High School (or is it "webbed"? it's an on-line newspaper).  Congratulations to all involved! It's always great to see some good publicity for Scouting. 

Cortland Dairy Parade

A number of our units participated in the Cortland Dairy Parade in June 2009. As you can see from the photos ("thanks" to Will Newman),  a Good Time was had by all.

New Requirements for Tour Permits

Effective January 1, 2009, there are new requirements for tour permits. Specifically:

• As of January 1, 2009, Hazardous Weather training became required to be completed by at least one person in a unit for the unit to receive a tour permit.

• As of January 1, 2009, the tour permit requires that at least one person on the tour has completed Youth Protection Training within the past two years.

Both of these courses are available through the national Web site www.scouting.org. To get to training information, click on Volunteer, then Training, and you will see the new and improved training resource page.

Has your training passed its "shelf life"? 

The National Training Committee has issued a reminder that some BSA training has a "shelf life", and must be renewed on a regular schedule. If you have any of these certifications, check when you last took them!

Two Years: 
Youth Protection Training (YPT) *
Climb On Safely *
Trek Safely *
Safe Swim Defense
Safety Afloat
Camp Visitation
Chainsaw Safety

Three Years: 
BSA Lifeguard
Paddle Craft Safety
Swimming & Water Rescue

Five Years:
National Camp School (five camping seasons).

* = This course is available online through the national Web site www.scouting.org. To get to training information, click on Volunteer, then Training, and you will see the new and improved training resource page. 

Updated Merit Badge Counselor List

May 24, 2009

The District Merit Badge Counselor list has been updated with all of the applications which Jim Lake had pending when he retired as Chairman last month. Five new counselors were added, and a number of deceased and departed counselors were removed. The list is now ordered by Merit Badge, then by city, and last by name. I think this will make it easier to find counselors in your troop's area. 

If you have any more updates or corrections to the list, please send an e-mail to advancement@TompkinsCortlandScouts.org and we'll update the list.

You can download the list here in PDF format - to protect the counselors' privacy from internet robots and search engines, the file requires a password to open. The password is the Scout Motto (You know what that is, of course.) Run the two words together without a space and all lower case.  

The latest list can always be downloaded from the district resources web page. 

Spring 2009 Cub Adventure Weekend
"Knights in Armor"

Over 300 participants took part in the Cub Adventure Weekend. 
For lots more information and pictures, see the 2009 Adventure Weekend web page. 

District Cook-o-Ree
April 25, 2009

The District Cook-o-Ree was a great success, with Scouts from 8 troops participating. 

For a description of the event and more pictures, see the Cook-o-Ree web page

District Advancement Committee Changes

As was announced at our April Roundtable, Jim Lake has stepped down after 18 years as District Advancement Chairman, first in the Tioughnioga District and for the past nine years in this Taughannock District. I think I join everyone in thanking Jim for his efforts over so many years. Jim isn't leaving district service, however - he's staying on in the Commissioner Corps as Assistant District Commissioner for Cortland County and Unit Commissioner for several units.

At the same time, the Council Advancement Committee has been working on instituting basic changes in the way the District Advancement Committees in all of the districts will be working in the future. In the past, the emphasis of the District Advancement folks has been nearly entirely oriented toward Eagle recognition (approving and signing off on projects, and Eagle Boards of Review). While this will remain an important function, and there will be some new procedures involving the Eagle process which will be implemented over time, the goal going forward is to have a broad-based Advancement Committee which will promote and support advancement at all levels in all units - Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops and Venturing Crews (with the Commissioner Corps) - and provide advancement opportunities at council and district activities.

Over the next few months, the District Key Three and Committee will be actively recruiting to set up our new Advancement Committee, so that they will be in place and ready to go to support all of our district's units as soon as possible. If you are interested in helping out on this new Advancement Committee, or if you have (or know of) a Troop or Pack Advancement Chairman or former leader or unit committee person who should be approached about serving, please let us know!

In the meanwhile, our District Chairman Brian Wilbur has appointed the District Commissioner (me) and Assistant District Commissioners (Ben Brown, Jim Lake and Tom Szebenyi) to act as an interim Advancement Committee to handle whatever approvals and signatures are required until the new ongoing Committee is up and running. This will ensure that there is no impact on Scouts who are currently working on their Eagle as the transition from Jim to the new Committee is accomplished.

New Merit Badge Counsellor applications should be handled as before - send them to Council with Adult Applications, and the interim committee will review them. I hope to have the Merit Badge Counsellor list posted to the District Website in the near future, and to keep the most up-to-date list there as time goes on.

I have set up a new "generic" district e-mail address - advancement@TompkinsCortlandScouts.org - to which all e-mail relating to advancement should be sent from now on. Any e-mail sent to this address will be automatically forwarded to the DC and ADC's at this time. As the new Advancement Committee is formed, the forwarding will be changed over to them, so that the transition should be seamless. If you have a Scout who needs help or approval for his Eagle, have him contact advancement@TompkinsCortlandScouts.org, and the mail will get to the right people.

We appreciate your patience during this transition.

Yours in Scouting,
Mike Brown, District Commissioner

Take a Hike!
District Cub Event - Saturday, April 4th

See the rest of the pictures on our Scrapbook Page!

District Mall Show
February 14, 2009 at the Shops at Ithaca Mall

The Cubs woke people three time zones away at the 2009 District Mall Show - click here for more pictures!

Winter Scout Skills Camporee
January 24-25, 2009 at Camp Barton

Around 120 Scouts and leaders from 11 Troops enjoyed a weekend at Camp Barton in our annual Winter Camporee. Take a look at the pictures on the '09 Winter Camporee Web Page!

B-P Council Distinguished Unit Program

The Baden-Powell Council is pleased to announce a Distinguished Unit Program that offers financial incentives and breaks to Units that qualify. Benefits extended to Distinguished Units include:

• $25 Per boy discount on Resident Camp Programs
• Preferential consideration to qualified families in the campership allocation processes (In- Council Units Only)
• Free Year Round Weekend Tent Camping Privileges at any Council Camp.

All qualifications must be met between the end of the previous year's summer camp program and prior to the unit attending camp in the current calendar year. If a unit qualifies after the early bird camp deadlines, late fees for payment still apply; if a unit has paid in full before the early-bird deadline, a rebate check will be issued.

For details on the requirements to attain Distinguished Unit Status, download a flyer in PDF format from the Camp Barton website. 

Craft and Service Opportunity and Meeting Program for Cub Packs

The local chapter of the House Rabbit Society asked if the Cubs would be interested in making toys for rabbits in local shelters - specifically, toilet paper or cut-up paper towel rolls stuffed with hay. I can vouch for the fact that a hay-stuffed toilet paper tube is the bunny equivalent of Tickle Me Elmo or Barbie. The HRS notes that "this could be a good opportunity to talk about ecology and recycling as well as bunnies and animal care and giving to others."

Pack 80 made lots of bunny toys when Scone MacBunny visited the pack in January, and the rabbits at the Tompkins County and Central New York SPCA have been nibbling on them ever since. Packs 86 and 188 had a visit in March, and Pack 55 in April. If your pack is interested, contact me and I'll be happy to talk to the pack, show some pictures, and bring Scone MacBunny for the Cubs to see and pet. I can provide hay and other fixings, so long as the Cubs can bring their own toilet paper or paper towel tubes. 

YiS,
Mike Brown, District Commissioner

International Scouting Opportunities

1. International Scouting Candidates database

I've received the following notice from National. If you, or any of your co-leaders or Scouts or Venturers, are interested in being added to their Scouting Candidates database, please e-mail me at DC@TompkinsCortlandScouts.org and I'll put in a nomination. 

- Mike Brown
B-P Council International Representative

2. European Camp Staff Program

Through the European Camp Staff program, young leaders from the Boy Scouts of America have the opportunity to learn more about Scouting in Europe by working at a European Scout center. If you know a Scouter who will be 18-30 years old next summer, let him or her know about this opportunity! You can download a PDF version of this notice to give them. 

Aim: The aim of the European Camp Staff program is to assist young people in developing their leadership skills and to encourage intercultural learning. This is achieved by providing the individual with a residential experience as a volunteer staff member at a Scout center in another country.

Framework of the Typical European Scout Center: Scout centers in Europe do not operate in the same way BSA camps do. The staff members of a typical European Scout center are usually involved in many different aspects of operating the center rather than specializing in one particular area. This is different from the situation in a BSA camp, where staff members are usually assigned to a particular activity or skill with which they work for the majority of their time at camp. In addition, Scouting in Europe normally operates on a coeducational basis, with males and females having the opportunity to be equally involved at all levels.

How to Apply: All participants in the European Camp Staff program must be between 18 and 30 years of age and must be volunteers registered with the Boy Scouts of America. To ensure that the experience is a worthwhile one, participants should be prepared to commit themselves to work for a minimum of six weeks.

The interested person should obtain an application from the Boy Scouts of America's International Department, complete the application and submit to his/her local Council for the Scout Executive's approval. The completed application should be mailed to the International Department for processing.

Centers available in 2009: For information concerning the centers available for 2009, please visit the European Camp Staff Program page on Rovernet.eu. Do not apply directly through the website - you must apply through the International Department.

Travel Costs: It is the responsibility of the participants to pay their own travel to and from the Scout center. The European Scout Region will refund up to 50 percent of the individual's travel costs. The refund will be made in autumn, once the assignment has been completed and the participant has returned home.

In the United States, the European Camp Staff program is administered through the International Department of the National office of the Boy Scouts of America. The address is:

Boy Scouts of America
European Camp Staff Program
International Department, S221
1325 West Walnut Hill Lane
P. O. Box 152079
Irving, Texas 75015-2079

Web site:  http://www.scouting.org/international
E-mail: lisa.marquis@scouting.org

It’s Official! U.S. Mint to Produce BSA Silver Dollars

The Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 5872) passed in both the House and the Senate, and has been officially signed into law by the president. The bill was first introduced by Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX) last April. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) championed the bill in the United States Senate.

About the coins:

• 350,000 silver dollar coins will be produced by the U.S. Mint in 2010
• Minting of the coins will occur between February 8, 2010 and January 1, 2011.
• For each coin sold, there is a $10 surcharge that will directly benefit Scouts in hard-to-serve areas, adding up to $3.5 million in new revenue for the BSA Foundation! These funds will become available after the coin sales are completed, probably late in 2010. Grant request requirements and guidelines will be developed by the BSA Foundation and shared with local councils in advance of fund availability.
• The picture of the coin in this announcement is a concept drawing. The design is not finalized just yet.
• The rules: Each silver dollar must show its designated value and have the inscriptions “2010,” “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” “United States of America,” and “E Pluribus Unum.” The coin will weigh 26.73 grams, have a diameter of 1.5 inches, and contain 90% silver and 10% copper.

This legislation brings some amazing new opportunities to the BSA! You can read the full press release issued jointly by the BSA and Congressman Sessions’ office.

I’m sure you all share our excitement about this great honor and gratitude to Congressman and Senator Sessions for their dedication and support of Scouting.

More to come!

Bob Mersereau
National Director
100th Anniversary Celebration Project

District e-Mail Addresses

E-mail addresses have been set up at the TompkinsCortlandScouts.org domain to help with communications to the District Scouters. These addresses will automatically forward messages to one or more District Scouters - this will allow us to add new people or switch destinations as personnel changes without changing the e-mail addresses.  For the list of addresses, see our Contact Us page. 

Look for the Rating!

All publicity for Taughannock District activities should include a “rating label” indicating for which program(s) the activity is age-appropriate. For more information, and downloadable graphics for use in publicity, see our Scout Activity Ratings page.

Monthly District Meetings

Second Wednesday: District Leaders' Roundtable and Commissioners' Meeting - 7:30 - Dryden High School. The monthly roundtable is the principal training and communications program for the District. All units in the District should have at least one representative attend each roundtable. Preferably, this is the unit leader and/or assistant(s), but Committee Members and parents are also encouraged to attend. Troop Senior Patrol Leaders and Venturing Crew Presidents are also welcome. The Roundtable will start with a general meeting for all positions, then there will be separate breakouts for Cub packs, Scout troops, (hopefully) Venture/Explorer crews/posts, and Commissioners. District Committee members and Chairs of District program committees are also encouraged to attend Roundtables. Note: there are no roundtables in July or August, and the June roundtable is usually a picnic. 

Watch this page and be sure you're subscribed to the Taughannock Announce e-mail list for last-minute announcements!

Dryden High School is at 118 Freeville Road (Route 38 North), on the right about half a mile from the intersection of Route 13 and Route 38 North in Dryden village. Look for the Queen Diner on the Route 13/38 North corner. Note this is Route 38 North (Freeville Road) leading to Groton, not Route 38 South (South Street) leading to Owego! Click here for a map (courtesy Google Local)

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Looking for the contact list that used to be here? It's been moved to our Contact page. 

News and Announcements - Upcoming Events

Monthly Meetings - Roundtables - Organization Chart - District Scrapbook
Internet Advancement System - Unit Locations and Contacts on a Map - Downloadable Forms