Dec 2 - Wood Badge Dining Out Dec 9 - HLD Training: 3-part for Cub Leaders Dec 11 - HLD Commissioners' Meeting Dec 13 - CCOS Regular Meeting Dec 14- HLD District Committee Meeting Dec 18 - HLD Roundtable Dec 28 - Close Newark office and Scout Shop - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jan 4 - Eagle Dinner Jan 6 - NNJC Training: Venture Leader Basic Jan 7 - OA Banquet Jan 8 - HLD Commissioners' Meeting Jan 10 - CCOS Leader's Meeting, Scout Sunday Jan 11 - HLD District Committee Meeting Jan 12-14 - Klondike Derby Jan 22 - HLD Roundtable Jan 27 - HLD Training: Youth Leaders - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Feb 4 - Scout Sunday Feb 4 - Catholic Award Ceremony Feb 8 - HLD Annual Meeting Feb 12 - HLD Commissioners' Meeting Feb 22 - NNJC Annual Meeting Feb 24-25 - NNJC Scout Ski Days - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Looking Ahead Mar 3 - Merit Badge Rally Mar 3 - Pinewood Derby Mar 24 - HLD Training: SM specific Apr 27-29 - Council Weboree Apr 29 - HLD Banquet May 4-6 - HLD Camporee May 4-6 - OA ordeal weekend May 12 - Scout Show Jun 1-3 - OA ordeal weekend Jun 6 - Program launch Jun 9 - Camp workday Jun 15-17 - OA Section Conclave •
The Chairman's Minute
As the end of the year approaches, I have only a few comments. First I would like to thank all the volunteers who have worked tirelessly and thanklessly to deliver a top notch Scouting program to the youth of the Hudson-Liberty District. I would also like to thank our professionals, Dave and Chelo, who have done more than a yeoman's job to increase the number of youth given the opportunity to participate in Scouting (please read the following articles on Membership).
If you have not yet made an FOS contribution, there is still time. Please consider doing so before the end of the year.
Don't forget the 2007 Hudson-Liberty District Klondike Derby scheduled for the weekend of January 12-14 at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco. Information on how to register will be distributed shortly.
The Activities Committee is looking for volunteers for the Scout Show in May. Contact Bruce Kalogera.
I would like to thank our Camping Chair Rob Rodriguez for putting together an excellent program for last month's Roundtable meeting. The focus was on Camping. Representatives from Floodwood, No-Be-Bo-Sco, Turrell, and Lewis gave presentations on the Boy Scout and Cub Scout programs available, and answered questions from the attendees on this year's Camping Program. The attendees were also reminded that Camperships are available.
Finally I would like to wish all of our membership a very happy and healthy Holiday season and a Happy New Year.
Yours in Scouting, Greg •
Increasing Youth Membership (1)
"Our goal is to end December 2006 with the same number of youth as we had in January," said Senior District Exec Dave Banks last spring, speaking for himself and for DE Chelo Mercado. The number they are trying to reach is 932, and, as of early November, they were getting quite close, with a little over 800 registered. This is a remarkable achievement, considering that the number had dropped down to 535 in April.
However, a closer look shows that Dave and Chelo have actually far exceeded their goal, and have put far more youth on the books than we had in January. Here's why: the starting January number of 932 came from the Council's database and was hugely inflated. The real count of active youth was very likely closer to April's number of 535, and an increase to 800 should be viewed as a major accomplishment.
The large difference between how many Scouts are active versus how many are on the Council's database is a direct result of how units process their paperwork. A firm mechanism is in place to make sure that each new youth gets added quickly into the database, but there is no equivalent mechanism to record dropped Scouts or dropped units. Good information about dropouts is typically not available until May. It is the opinion of Between the Shores that the Council would be better served if they published numbers and set goals in July instead of January.
Dave explained that part-1 dropouts become known at the end of January, and that the remaining part-2 dropouts become known at the end of April. This is because most units in the Council recharter in mid-January. By the end of January, the database knows who the part-1 dropouts are; that is, it knows which youths were dropped from the "on-time" units. (This is the point where Dave and Chelo were told that their goal was to meet or exceed 932.)
Part-2 dropouts become known from late units and dropped units. If a unit fails to recharter in January, the policy is to give it a 3-month grace period to get its paperwork in order. Thus, the end of April is when the database has its best set of numbers; that is, a number that most closely matches the actual number of active youth. •
Increasing Youth Membership (2)
"Recruitment and Retention Tools" is the name of a 2-DVD packet that Scoutmasters recently received in the mail directly from National, with one DVD devoted to each topic. The videos they contain are quite well done and are clearly the work of professionals. The packet also contains a sample of a new "Recruiter" patch that can be awarded to any Scout who recruits a new Scout (which is now a requirement for reaching First Class rank).
The first DVD has five parts:
• Scoutzone Music Video is a series of fast cuts of Scouts doing all kinds of neat things with fast-paced rock music in the background. There are no spoken words or subtitles, just Scouts biking, sailing, climbing, swimming, rappelling, skiing, etc.
• Recruit a Friend is meant to be played at a Scout meeting, since it consists of two boys speaking directly to the Scouts in your troop, and giving advice on how to recruit and how to respond to objections, such as, "I don't have time" or "It's not cool" or "It costs too much."
• The Troop Open House consists of professionals giving advice to a unit's leaders and Committee. They urge us to follow a 3-step process, saying, "It works if you follow every single step." The steps are "The Troop Rally," "Personal Phone Calls," and "The Open House." The video assumes that a troop has no feeder Cub pack and is on its own to get new members. Some advice for the rally is have your boys talk to the other boys present, sell the parents, and schedule your first campout as quickly as possible after the rally. The other segments have equally good suggestions.
• Webelos to Scout Transition stresses need for good communication between the pack and the troop, especially on the part of the Den Leader. The purpose is to keep the Cubs interested in their own program and to get them to look forward to joining the troop. Troops are also urged to assign a Den Chief to each Webelos den.
• What Parents Say is a series of clips of parents telling how happy they are about what the program is and does. Samples: "My son now has more than one adult to look up to" and "I know who his friends are" and "We want our children to succeed in life" and "He used to be painfully shy" and "He found that he can function without mom and dad."
The second DVD is called "Improve Retention," but is actually a tutorial in how to get a Scout to advance to Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class. The assumption is, "Scouts that advance in rank stay in Scouts longer." Thus, when you click on "Tenderfoot," its 18 requirements are listed as a table of contents. When you click on each, a boy speaker tells your Scout what he needs to know to pass that requirement. •
Camp Promotions at the Nov Roundatable
Attendees at the November District Roundtable had the opportunity to hear a series of terrific presenations about our in-council camps. The proposal to center the Roundtable's theme around promotions for summer camps was made by District Camping Chair Rob Rodriguez, who also ensured that representatives came from Scout camps at Turrell and No-Be-Bo-Sco, Cub camps at Lewis and Yaw Paw, and the Floodwood High Adventure Base.
Rob said, "There is a lot to anticipate for the 2007 summer camp season. If your unit has not yet signed up for one of these camps, hurry up! Call Emilie Roth at the Council Camping office to reserve a site and then send in your deposit." Rob added, "If you want someone to visit your unit to give a camp promotion, or if you want to receive an information packet that includes a promotional DVD, or if you simply want more general information, feel free to contact me."
Troop 114 from Union City won last night's First Aid Rally, taking home the trophy by beating last year's winner by 3 points. Scoutmaster Tony Ferrer said that the entire credit goes to his SPL, Ron Pobutkiewicz, Jr.
This event is hosted annually by Kearny Troop 2, with Al Hacker and Dave Lagerstrom in charge. They prepared four scenarios for the Scouts who came to compete:
1. A Scout is on the verge of frostbite during a winter hike. 2. The catcher is spiked in the ankle during a slide into home plate. 3. A Scout takes an arrow in the shoulder from a careless archer at the archery range. 4. A Scout at a campfire is burned by a melted marshmallow, leaps up, trips and falls badly.
WHAT: New Leader Essentials - 9:30-11:00 AM Cub Leader Position Specific - Noon-3:00 PM Youth Protection - 3:00-4:00 PM
WHEN: Saturday, December 9, 2006 9:00 AM Registration 9:30 AM Kick Off
WHERE: St. Vincent de Paul School Troop Rooms, 2nd Floor 80 West 47th Street Bayonne, NJ 07002 (Direction are on page 2 of the flyer, linked below)
WHO: Tiger Cub Den Leaders and Assistants Pack Committee Chair & Members Wolf / Bear Den Leaders & Assistants Webelos Leaders & Assistants Cubmaster & Assistants
WHY: "Every Scout Deserves a Trained Leader"
Fee: $5.00 includes handouts, light refreshments $15.00 if you need the book; Cub Scout Leaders or Webelos Leader
Those staying all day may bring a bag lunch or are free to leave and return. There will be a one-hour lunch break from 11:00-Noon. There will be displays, networking and sharing during lunch.
The "2007 Centennial Quality Unit Award" was recently announced, and application forms were made available to unit leaders. There are six requirements presented in the form of "This is what we commit to now" and "This is how we did as of October 31, 2007." The requirements fall into these categories: 1. Get unit leaders trained 2. Retain existing youth and recruit new ones 3. Recruit new adults 4. Ensure that youth advance in rank 5. Get the youth outdoors 6. Plan a good program and be able to fund it
The form also has two additional goals: meet with your Unit Commissioner and raise funds with FOS and popcorn. Ideally, the Unit Commissioner will encourage you to earn the standard Quality Unit Award, which has its own set of goals to work towards. •
Learn about Lightning Safety
A new page on the Council's training website is devoted to lightning safety. The home page contains a lengthy introduction that is worth reading for these useful tips:
• Lightning doesn't have to go straight down. You can be 10 miles away from the storm and still be in danger. The rule is: "If you can hear thunder, you are at risk!"
• Inside a house is the safest place to be, but stay away from windows (you don't want to be injured from flying glass and tree limbs coming through) and unplug appliances. Stay off the phone and away from the metal plumbing.
• If someone is struck, seek medical help immediately and get to work right away. You may have to apply CPR, and you may have to treat for burns.
There are three manuals in PDF format that you can download. The one called Lightning Safety Course is a slide show for a presentation.
The most useful tip for unit leaders is the 30-30 rule: • If 30 seconds or less "flash-to-bang," seek proper shelter! • Wait 30 minutes or more after the last thunder before leaving proper shelter!
There's also an animated true-false quiz you can use after doing a session (see the above intro for three correct answers).
-o-
The training materials were developed for the Council by Dan Stryker of the Orange Mountains District, who added this note:
"This Lightning Safety Training page was developed for all to use. We will certify individuals who take the course online. They must go through the Lightning Safety Course, read the accompanying Lightning Safety Documentation, and pass the quiz. For anyone who does so, send me an e-mail, and I will send back a Certificate of Completion. To make it official, get signatures from your District Commissioner and from Scout Executive Trip McMillan, who has agreed to do so. You will also receive a wallet card that verifies your certification."
Stryker also wants to encourage unit leaders to conduct their own presentations, which is the purpose of the Teaching Lightning Safety document. He said, "We believe that this training is vital and all of our leaders and Scouts should take the time to understand the dangers of lightning. Education will hopefully save a life."
Dan Stryker Assistant Council Commissioner - Venturing Acting District Chair - Orange Mountains District 201 247-0277, dan@gainsllc.com •
Scout Night: Devils vs. Flyers (Dec 8)
Where: Continental Airlines Arena When: Friday Dec 8 at 7:30 PM Tickets: $27 (not the box office price of $52) Seats: Second level Why: See a great game while NNJC gets $2 from your ticket price How: Order online or use the mail-in order form Special: Anniversary Team Photo Giveaway! Special: Devils Toys for Tots Night!
Kevin Quinn, Devils Group Sales, 201-935-6050 NJDevilsTicketPrograms.com •
The Council's Silver Beaver Awards
Silver Beaver nominations are due by Jan 15. The nomination form can be downloaded from the Council's website (click on the "What's New" link).
The Silver Beaver is the highest award a local council can give to an adult Scouter. It is given in recognition of outstanding and distinguished service to youth and the community. The following guidelines have been developed for your use by the Council Higher Awards Committee.
The council will accept Silver Beaver nomination forms between Sep 1 and Jan 15 each year, to be considered for that year's selection. Nomination forms received before September 1 or after January 15 will be returned to the individual submitting it.
• Nominations are to be made without the knowledge of the candidate. Persons who promote themselves for the award or submit a personal application are automatically disqualified from consideration.
• There is no advantage to having more than one nomination submitted on an individual. "Mounting a Campaign" does not improve an individual's chances of receiving the award.
• The committee will not consider any additional submissions, attachments, or letters of reference. All information must be on this application. If the individual has done more than space allows, include the most pertinent information.
• Nominations are not carried over from year to year. If a candidate does not receive the award, an updated nomination form must be resubmitted the following year. •
Annual OA Banquet (Jan 7)
Please join us for the annual banquet. It's the largest Lodge event of the year. Great fellowship, information about upcoming events, and a good meal will be had by all. We will have slide shows from NOAC, OA High Adventure, recogitions of our new Vigil members and the 2007 Founders Day recipients.
The banquet is at The Graycliff in Moonachie, 2:00-6:00 PM. The cost is $25 ($12.50 for new members). The registration deadline is Dec 24 (no walk-ins). Come in uniform.
Lodge advisor Rob Coonce added this note: Remember to pay your annual dues! OA dues expire at the end of each year. We ask that you pay your 2007 dues now so that we can get an accurate registration count for the 2007 National Charter. •
Hike the Palisades Historic Trail
This information was taken from the Council website:
On Sep 15, 2006, the Palisades Historic Trail turned 30 years old! Organized in 1976 under the leadership of Carl T. Buscher and a team of dedicated volunteers, the Palisades Trail has played host to thousands of Scouts over three decades.
The Palisades Trail runs along the New Jersey side of the Hudson River from Fort Lee to Camp Alpine, and actually consists of two trails. The Shore Trail runs along the bank of the river, is 12.5 miles in length, and usually takes more than six hours to hike. The upper trail is a portion of the famous Long Path. Its 11.3 miles are much easier and can be completed much more quickly.
The trails are closed December through February, plus any time the Parks Commission deems the area unsafe. The trails can be hiked in segments and in either direction.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the trail, a commemorative patch has been commissioned in limited quantities. Scouts can earn the patch by completing the hike.
Emilie Roth at the Council office 201-677-1000 x48, EMRoth@bsamail.org •
Popcorn: The Council's Top Sellers
This information was taken from the Council website as of October 30, 2006:
2006 Top Selling Units
Unit
District
Members
Sold
Pack 17
Orange Mountains
66
$15,175
Pack 54
Iaoapogh Mountains
78
$14,664
Troop 5
Orange Mountains
43
$14,560
Pack 309
Iaoapogh Mountains
105
$13,731
Troop 100
(Lone Scout) Iaoapogh Mountains
1
$12,520
Pack 133
Iaoapogh Mountains
131
$12,509
Pack 55
Iaoapogh Mountains
66
$12,404
Troop 50
Iaoapogh Mountains
51
$12,350
Troop 13
Broken Arrow
51
$12,349
Pack 2
(Cedar Grove) Broken Arrow
118
$12,051
Pack 20
Twin Valleys
52
$11,583
Pack 134
Black Bear
80
$11,544
[Editors note: Keep your eye on the Lone Scout of Troop 100. He has a future.] •
Thanksgiving Greetings from Scouting Friends
Scouting Friends is a special website set up by National and addressed to adults who are not part of the program, but who might want to stay informed, such as someone who was a Scout when young and still has fond memories:
Thank You Scouters! The beginning of the holiday season gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the blessings each of us receive everyday. The Boy Scouts of America is truly blessed, because of the dedicated service provided by our 1.2 million volunteers leaders who deliver a quality program of Character Development, Citizenship Training and Personal Fitness to nearly 5 million youth members.
In addition to the over 1 million registered leaders we are further blessed with countless other Scouting supporters, friends, parents, community leaders, and donors. We could not continue our work with the youth of America without them.
All of us have had people who made a real difference in our lives- parents, teachers, family and for many their Scout leaders. Please, take a moment and thank them, it will make their day -- and yours too.
Happy Thanksgiving! •
A Commercial Sailing School that Caters to Scouts
Several Scoutmasters recently received this advertisement in the mail. Note that the Scouts have their own high adventure seabase in Florida (see below):
Sail School Bahamas has designed an exciting and rewarding sailing program for Boy Scouts and their leaders in the Abaco Islands. With considerable personal experience of working with Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts on sailing vessels, we appreciate the concerns of parents and we understand the particular needs of Scouts and other youth groups. We go to great lengths to ensure everyone who attends one of our Bahamas sailing adventures has a superb time and leaves the Bahamas with memories to last a lifetime.
If you wish to speak with Scout leaders who have sailed with us, please contact us! [Editor's Note: the mailing included a nice endorsement from the Scoutmaster of Troop 451 in Parkton, MD.]
Throughout 2007 we have 5 different programs to offer your Scouts: • Sailing adventure programs • Advanced sailing adventure programs • Combined sailing and scuba diving • Combined sailing and offshore fishing • Combined advanced sailing and scuba diving
We currently have a Special Offer. If your group books with us and you refer another group that also books, we will reward your group with one free place worth $600.
Here is contact information for the Scout-owned high adventure seabase, which runs programs of its own, including camping on a deserted island with snorkeling and fishing, snorkeling around coral reefs from a 41-foot sailboat, and sailing and snorkeling around the Florida Keys with time for bird and marine study. NNJC put together a contingent that went there in August 2006.
Florida National High Adventure Base www.BSASeaBase.org or 305-664-4173 •
