New Los Padres Summer Camping Guide Published

Did you want to know more about Summer Camping opportunities offered by your Los Padres Council?  Do you have a Boy Scout who wants to attend Resident Camp, NYLT, or the Lifeguard Academy? Are you the parent of a Cub Scout who wants to attend Cub Resident Camp at Rancho Alegre, Cub Day Camp, or one of our Shooting Sports Days? Do you think it would be wise to have a trained lifeguard on your outings or someone trained in Wilderness First Aid for your back country adventures.  Learn about all these opportunities by clicking here and then sharing this information with others in your unit. You will be getting 12 pages of the most useful information to help you in your summer planning. And if you want to register go to the top box in the left column titled "Camping"

Scout-O-Rama is coming!!!

Scout – O – Rama

February 4^th, 2012
Town Center Mall
Santa Maria
F R E E

“What is a Scout-O-Rama?”

It’s one of the best way for us to show our communities all the great things that go on in Scouting. It is 40-50 Scouting units in the Town Center Mall with nearly 2,000 Scouts, visitors, friends, and family all wanting to see what Scouting is about.

“Why Should Our Unit Participate?”

It is a lot of fun! It is a chance to show off why your unit is the best. It is a chance to see other Scouting units and community organizations in action.

“What Can Our Unit Do?”

The possibilities are limitless!!! (except for the space and rules of the mall): Pinewood derbies, space derbies, rain gutter regatta, rubber band target shooting, soap carving, realistic first aid, model campsites, monkey bridges (think safety!), map and compass, leather work, mask making, and the list goes on. Plan now for your display (remember to make it interactive) and mark the date on your calendar. Complete packets will be distributed to all units in November.

“Is There Anything Else We Can Do?”

YES. We need your help planning SCOUT-O-RAMA 2012. Please contact Lynn Johnson via e-mail at lynnhjohnson@gmail.com or Ron Walsh via e-mail at rwalsh@bsamail.org if you are interested in helping.

2012 Scout Leader's Guide to Scout-o-Rama

Pictures from 2011 Scout-o-Rama

KCOY Story on Scout-O-Rama 2011

RSVP on Facebook

Help us spread the word about Scout-o-Rama by downloading and printing the above poster (PDF format) and placing it in your business establishment, church, or community building.

See you at Scout-O-Rama!

“Become a Friend of Scouting”

“Prepared. For Life.”

Each year, our Scout parents, leaders and community friends are asked to support some of the hidden costs of Scouting. The Los Padres Council, which serves more than 9,000 youth and adults within San Luis and Santa Barbara counties, provides numerous benefits and annually spends in excess of $150 per youth to provide the Scouting program.

Friends of Scouting (brochure attached) provides for our Scouts and to numerous others.  Our goal this year is to have 100% of our Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Varsity teams, and Venture crews to hold a Friends of Scouting presentation. Each units full participation will guarantee that our Scouts and the thousands other Scouts across the central coast will receive the Scouting program in 2012.

Please contact your local council service center to schedule your Friends of Scouting (FOS) presentation today.

CHANGES TO CALIFORNIA CHILD SAFETY SEAT LAW TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1, 2012.

Just a friendly reminder to all of our great parents and Cub Scout Leaders that the new seat belt law that takes effect January 1, requires that all children age 8 or younger must be properly buckled into a car seat or booster seat, and in the back seat. In addition, children age 8 or older that are not tall enough for the seat belt to fit properly must ride in a booster or seat as well.

A child fits an adult seat belt when:

• They can sit against the vehicle seat back with their knees bent without slouching and can comfortably stay in in this position throughout the trip.
• The lap belt is low on the hips touching the upper thighs
• The shoulder belt crosses the chest, but is not on the face or neck

Previously the law required that children remain in a booster seat until age 6 or they weighed 60 pounds.

The ticket for violating this law is significant. For each child younger than age 16 who is not properly secured, parents (if in the car) or the driver can be ticketed for more than $475 and receive a violation point on their driving record.

Most children impacted by the new law can remain in the booster seat they already have. If it is necessary to buy a new one, low back boosters can be purchased at major retailers for between $15 and $25.

Never let children put the shoulder belt behind their arm or back. In a crash, the child could sustain major injuries, including head and spinal cord injuries. If children are putting the shoulder belts behind them that is a sign that they still need a booster.

Drivers of Scouts on outings should be prepared with booster seats for all those younger Cubs that are affected by this new law. Remember, SAFE SCOUTING is no accident!

For more information about car seats, the new law or help in determining if your child still needs a booster seat, call your local health department, or the California Highway Patrol, or the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Los Padres Council's CONSTRUCT CHARACTER Day

Thanks to our Council President, Laurie Tamura, and the Santa Maria's Contractor's Association Executive Director, Robin Hayhurt, and Jerry Bunin, of the Homebuilder's Association of the Central Coast, Rancho Alegre got some much needed improvements.

Halsell Builders, Sahara Construction, Lahr Industrial Welding, and Cal Portland Cement and their employees spent the the day at the Ranch. Improvements that were done included a much needed repair to the deck of the Dining Hall, a concrete walkway from the parking area to the front porch of the Rancho House in Larsen Meadow, new steps leading tot he cargo container that is now at the Shotgun Range in the meadow, framing for a shade structure over the tables outside of Friendship Lodge, painting the deck at Friendship Lodge, painting the deck at the Health Lodge, and installation of two sets of doors under the Dining Hall to secure that area for storage.

Please see the photos for a look at all the great work that was done. Nearly 25 volunteers helped out with the projects, which translated into over $15,000 worth of improvements to the camp.

If you are looking for some great contractors to do improvements, new construction, or repair to your home or business, please consider using one of the firms listed above. They are true professionals, and great supporters of Scouting! We can't say enough for their investment of time and dollars in our camp.

To see additional pictures about the fine work done by these contractors, click here.

COUNCIL RECEIVES LIFESAVING AED’S

Thanks to a great local Scouter, the council has received 3 state of the art Automatic External Defibrillators (AED’s). Two of the devices are now installed at Rancho Alegre (one in the dining hall and one in the health lodge) and one is located in the Santa Barbara office. Our friendly Scouter has requested we not use his name, but he happily directed the donation of these devices to us from an organization that was not going to use them any longer. These lifesaving devices are a great safety addition to our council, and complement the one we already have in use at Camp Mabel French. We are also very proud of the fact that every member of our Council Staff has been trained in CPR and in the use of the AED.

Los Padres Council

Serving Scouting in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties

4000 Modoc Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93110

(805) 967-0105; fax: (805) 967-5094