Dear Advisors
and Crew Committee Chairs:
This is your
monthly e-bulletin to all top Crew leaders in the Golden Arrow District.
Please delete or edit items not relevant to your Crew, then forward
to all your volunteers.
***If
your current Adviser / Committee Chair are not receiving this email and
passing it on to you. Please send me full contact
information and Crew # for the missing person(s). Thanks!
***
*** To add a
new recipient, please send me full contact information, volunteer position,
and Crew #. ***
***
Please check
that we have your Crew leadership info correctly listed on the Golden Arrow
web site at
http://www.goldenarrow.org/venture-units.html contact
James Cauble with updates***
*** Please
forward the EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES Section on to your Crew Officers ***
*** This plus
the last two months of this e-bulletin can be found on http://www.goldenarrow.org/news.html
**********
ROUNDTABLE, DISTRICT, AND COUNCIL MESSAGES **********
1)
NOVEMBER
ROUNDTABLE: There is no planned Venturing Roundtable for
November. The next one will be held on Thursday 4
December starting at
6:45 PM,
when the program will include a demonstration of Supermarket Backpacker
cooking.
2) VENTURING
LEADERSHIP AWARD: The Venturing Leadership Awards are available for both
youth and adults who have demonstrated leadership within their unit or in
the wider world of district, council, school, and community.
Nominations are due in by no later than
31 December
2008.
If you have someone who should be recognized for their hard work in
Venturing, please help us by preparing a nomination. The form can be
obtained from the FORMS section on the SHAC website. Submit the completed
form to SHAC, Attention: Thomas Franklin. Send a copy of the completed form
also to George Crowl at george.h.crowl@gmail.com, so he can track it as
well.
Ericka Lawson (adult) and Christine Grebode (youth) received this award for
2007 and will be presented with the award at the December Venturing
Roundtable.
3) GAD
VENTURING ROUNDTABLE COMMISIONER: David Coughlen is the new GAD Venturing
Roundtable Commissioner. He can be contacted via email
at david.coughlen@hexion.com and at work phone
832-366-2345.
4)
NEW
ADULT LEADER
FORM:
Last year BSA worked hard to ensure that all potential new leaders undergo a
Criminal Background Check (CBC).
Adult leaders already on seat have been notified if they lack a
CBC
and were requested to follow up ASAP. Below is the link
to the most current and correct adult application form. Should you have any
paper adult applications that do not look just like this version (28-501F),
please destroy them as the
local
councils are prohibited from accepting them.
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/28-501F.pdf
Remember that
applications need to be completely filled out, especially these key items:
SSN,
DOB, crime questions, references, and applicant signature; the Committee
Chair signature; and the Charter Organization Representative signature.
When you
become the Committee Chair or Advisor, you MUST turn in a properly filled
out and signed
NEW
adult leader application to the Scout Office. Until this happens, the old
volunteer remains as the leader of record. No form = no
official change.
5)
MOVES OR
PHONE NUMBER CHANGES: If you, your leaders, or your families move, remember
to phone in any address and telephone updates to the Scout Office. If you
phone in these changes as you learn about them, you save yourself a chore at
rechartering time, and the families continue to get Boy’s Life without
interruption. The direct phone of the Council registration desk is 713
756-3328.
6)
NEW
LOCAL TOUR PERMIT: Please note that a new Local Tour
Permit has been posted to the SHAC web site (under Forms):
https://www.samhoustonbsa.org/Home/Forms/LocalTourPermit/Local%20Tour%20Permit.PDF
Expiration
dates for training are asked for, as appropriate for that activity: Safe
Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, Youth Protection Training, CPR, Hazardous
Weather Training - 2 years
7) DISTRICT
COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS: The Golden Arrow District only runs because a core
group of volunteers helps the paid staff to plan and execute the program.
Service at this level is very rewarding because your investment of
time and energy has a very broad impact across hundreds to thousands of
youth. Nominations are due by November 6 for the next year of
service. Can you volunteer, or do you know a good
person? Send the name and contact information to Victor
Trevino, victortrevin@hctx.net You can see the current
District Committee jobs and roster here: http://www.goldenarrow.org/committee.html
The elections are November 20.
8) RECHARTER
WORKSHOP: On November 13, we are offering training in how to properly
fill out your Unit's annual paperwork. It is not hard if
you know what to do! Every Unit should send the
responsible person, because an hour invested now could save you several
hours of frustration and re-do. The location is St. Paul
Presbyterian,
7200 Bellaire
Blvd
just inside US 59. For more information contact BJ
Yother, bj_yother@hctx.net
9) FRIENDS OF
SCOUTING FAMILY CAMPAIGN 2009: If you haven't already,
please send the name and contact information for your 2009 FOS Unit
Coordinator, plus your FOS presentation date between Jan. 12 and your feeder
school’s Spring Break, by November 6 to Jeff Hutchinson
jeff.hutchinson@shac.org
Your 2009 FOS
Unit Coordinator should be email savvy, detail-oriented, able to keep good
records, and able to keep up sustained interest over a 8-week period to get
the job done in a rapid and efficient way. Their introductory training will
be
8 p.m.
Dec. 2 or (repeat) Dec. 4 at
St. John
the Divine, and materials will be passed out approximately
January 11,
2009
10)
CENTENNIAL QUALITY
UNIT:
Your 2008 actuals and 2009 plans must be turned in this month to keep
you on the path to achieving this prestigious honor annually.
For questions Jeff.Hutchinson@shac.org
********** ADULT TRAINING ********
11) TRAINING
OVERVIEW: Our goal is 100% trained leaders. This
consists of a "Fast Start" online training, then online Youth Protection
Training followed by live training "Venturing Leader Specific Training”, see
below. Other Districts also offer these trainings; a
list of training opportunities around the Council is available on the SHAC
website.
12) ONLINE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER TRAINING: Beginning
January 1,
2009,
Planning & Preparing for Hazardous
Weather Training must be completed by at least one
adult prior to any activity requiring a tour permit.
http://www.scouting.org/Applications/MyScoutingFull.aspx
13)
IOLS (Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills): This class consists
of an evening orientation followed by a weekend campout. See District
website for details - no advance registration is required and cost is
usually about $35 including shared food costs.
www.goldenarrow.org/training/outdoorskills.html The
next upcoming dates are an orientation on
April 15,
2009
at location St. Paul’s Presbyterian, 7200 Bellaire Blvd @ US59 with the
weekend campout on April 25-26. http://goldenarrow.org/training/outdoorskills.html
14) VENTURING
LEADER SPECIFIC TRAINING: All adult volunteers who work with Venturing crews
need the VENTURING LEADER SPECIFIC TRAINING. The next opportunity for this
is in Golden Arrow District on
Saturday
January 10,
2008
from
9 am
to
3 pm
at the home of Troxel and Kelia Ballou,
3842 Grennoch
Lane,
Houston
[inside
West Loop
610 off Stella Link between Bellaire and Beechnut/North Braeswood].
Requested donation for the training is $7 (due at the training), which
covers training materials and lunch. For those trainees who have not taken
the New Leader Essentials training, an NLE will be offered immediately
before the
VLST
(i.e., at
7:30 am).
NLE is required along with
VLST
for one to be considered a trained Venturing adult. To complete your
registration please arrive at least 15 minutes before the training (7:15 am
or
8:45 am)
that you will be taking. Please contact Kelia Ballou at kelia@ballou.cx or
713-661-1309
(H) to pre-register or for more information.
Eight adults
have signed up so far. There is still room for a couple
more. Please contact Kelia by this Thursday evening.
15) WOOD
BADGE: Wood Badge is a mentally-intense 6-day leadership course designed for
all adult Scouters. It is hoped that every Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity
Scout, and Venturing leader, as well as Council and District leaders and
professionals, will take it to help you focus on your responsibilities,
identify a goal, help you work toward that goal -- and give you the personal
tools to reach it. Upcoming classes in 2009 include:
-
SR-xxx
March 5-7 &
March 26-28, 2009
(begins Thursday at
7:30 a.m.,
ends Saturday at
5:00 p.m.)
-
SR-xxx
April 3-5 & April 24-26
(begins Friday at
7:30 AM,
ends Sunday at
5:00 PM)
For
more information and applications go to: http://www.shac.org/Home/Training/WoodBadge/
16) POWDER
HORN: Powder Horn will happen over three 2 day weekends;
21/22 March 2009, 4/5 April 2009 and 2/3
May 2009.
The first session will be at El Rancho Cima and we’ll have people
there starting Friday afternoon 20 March to let those in to a camp site.
The other two weekends will be at different, closer to home camps.
More information to follow, stay tuned. Bill Berry our course
director can be contacted at scoutmaster@SR637.org if you’d like to join
before the rush.
17) CANOE
TRAINING: Prepare for adventure safely by training all your adult volunteers
with these classes: http://www.samhoustonbsa.org/Home/Camping/Activities/CanoeProgram/
18)
COMMISSIONER'S CONFERENCE: Save the date: December 6
at the
Cockrell
Scout
Center.
You can train to become a Commissioner, or just select from a variety
of helpful how-to classes: Council Resources, Time Management, International
Scouting, Religious Awards, Recruiting Techniques, Budgeting, and so forth.
Attendance of all commissioners is strongly encouraged; any other Scouters
who want to learn more about the Commissioner Service or just have an
interest in the topics being presented are welcome to attend.
************
EVENTS
AND
OPPORTUNITIES **********
19) VENTURING
RENDEVOUS 2009: The Circle 10 Council is hosting a Venturing Rendezvous
April 3-5,
2009
at
Camp
Wisdom,
Dallas,
Texas.
Activities include: Shooting Sports (Pistols, Black Powder Rifles and
Shotguns), Land Navigation/Map and Compass /
GPS,
Archery, Casting, Canoe tug-of-war, Casual Socializing and games including
Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Blind Volleyball, One Eyed Volleyball, Capture
the Flag.
http://www.northtrail-data.org/venturing/rendezvous_flyer.html
20)
CHAMPIONSHIP
POW WOW: Several hundred American Indians, representing dozens of tribes,
celebrate their heritage with tribal dance contests, arts and crafts,
ceremonies, singing, and teepee exhibits on November 8-9. Free
admission, $2 parking at the Trader's Village site on
North
Eldridge
at US 290. For information see http://www.tradersvillage.com/en/houston/event&e=19&t=19th-Texas-Championship-Pow-Wow
21) AMERICAN
INDIAN WEEKEND: The 7th Annual Colonneh American Indian Weekend will be held
December 5-7,
2008
@ Bovay Scout Ranch. It is open to all Boy Scouts and
Leaders, Venturers and Leaders, all OA members + Cubs, Webelos, and Leaders.
Everyone! The $35 Registration fee includes Saturday lunch and
dinner, Sunday breakfast, event patch, special patch and event tee-shirt.
A full program of activities includes:
-
Men & Ladies Workshops, beginner to advanced, on Saturday
9:00 am
-
5:00pm
-
Dance contesting Saturday evening
-
Dancing, singing, ceremonies, etiquette, outfitting, crafts & Indian
Lore Merit Badge (craft fee will be required)
-
Nationally recognized Indian Speakers and craft presenters
-
Craft Show and contest
-
Large POWWOW
7pm
Saturday evening
If you have
any questions contact Pat Collins at:
281.897.8949
22)
. WILDERNESS
ADVANCED FIRST AID: The Wilderness Medicine Institute will offer a 40-hour
training class over two weekends on February 13-15 and 20–22, 2009 at
Camp
Wisdom
near
Dallas.
This serious class is for adults and Scouts age 16 or older.
For more information, contact Robert Squyres, phone
972-699-0339,
fax
972-699-0058,
or e-mail rtsquyres@sbcglobal.net You can access the
course web site at
http://wmi.nols.edu
23)
MAKING
CAMP
RESERVATIONS: The Sam Houston Area Council has upgraded its web pages
describing all the Council-run camps and current schedules (updated weekly).
Start here: http://www.samhoustonbsa.org/Home/Camping/Camps4/AllCampReservations1/
**********
HIGH ADVENTURE OPPORTUNITIES **********
24) PHILMONT
REGISTRATION FOR 2010: The letter announcing the Philmont 2010 registration
has been mailed out. Those in the Southern Region,
includes SHAC, can register from November 17 to 23, as well as the Open
week, November 24 to 30.
25) PHILMONT
FOR ADULTS: Philmont is open to adults only during the
September through November for hikes (Autumn Adventure).
Need 7 to 12 adults. For more information talk to John
Curry and/or go to website:
www.scouting.org/philmont/camping/season/autumn.html
********** IN
CLOSING **********
26) You can
contact your Golden Arrow District staff by email:
Jeff Hutchinson, District Director (jeff.hutchinson@shac.org) or
713-756-3337
Eric Bolton,
District Executive eric.bolton@shac.org or
713 756-3338
The new mailing address for the Scout Office is
P.O. Box
924528,
Houston
TX
77292
27)
Thanks to our dedicated webmaster James Cauble, our Golden Arrow
District website has a wealth of information: www.goldenarrow.org
Mike
Fitzgibbons - Golden Arrow District Crew e-bulletin Editor – with material
supplied from the GAD Troop e-bulletin, Claudia Hackbarth Editor
"The information presented here is not an official document of the Boy
Scouts of America, but is solely my volunteer work and responsibility."