When you read this, Mark Leeper, Lafayette District Executive and his Fiance', Aliyah Novelli, will be moving to somewhere in the great American Southwest.

Mark, an Eagle Scout, has done an excellent job as our District Executive. Mark picked up the professional Scouting role quickly. I recall the first time we worked together, helping with the District Pine Wood Derby. Mark had helped with weighing cars and together we spent hours cleaning up the graphite lubricant left on the white plastic tables. His future experience attending our District Commissioner and Committee meetings and even the Recognition Picnic were a lot cleaner than his first District event! He very quickly became a friend to the leaders in the District, seemed to be everywhere, always with a ready smile. Remarkably in his first year, Mark guided us through our most successful Rechartering yet.

Please join me in thanking Mark for all of what he has done to move Lafayette District further into its premier status in the Cradle of Liberty Council and in wishing Mark and Aliyah the very best in their new life.

 

Gregg Slocum, District Chair and Ken Houseal, District Commissioner

 

Greg Osborn, COL Director of Field Service and COO will be a special guest speaker at our Roundtable this Wednesday night. Greg will entertain any questions about the departure of Mark Leeper, who best to contact at Council for your specific needs and the road forward as we stay the course to provide the best possible Scouting for the Lafayette District Youth while searching for a new District Executive.

Lafayette District Leaders,

Our District Executive, Mark Leeper has resigned and is no longer available as our Council contact. In the interim this leaves Cradle of Liberty's Director of Field Service & Chief Operating Officer, Greg Osborn, as our Point Of Contact for COL Council. I'm sure Greg would like to be able to respond to your needs directly.

However, I am asking all Pack, Troop and Crew Adult Leaders, rather then directing all Council inquiries to Greg Osborn please direct your inquiries to -

First, Point of Contact is always your Unit Commissioner. If you do not have a Unit Commissioner please contact your District Commissioner or an Assistant.

 

If that didn't work for you, you may try the appropriate person at Council, refer to the COL Staff Directory at - https://colbsa.org/staff/ 

or the Lafayette District Committee Chair responsible - refer to - http://colbsa.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.aspx?orgkey=2795&itemkey=14130

 

There will likely be some changes in points of contact. You will be notified as they take place. Thank you for your cooperation during this hopefully brief interim period while Council searches for and hires a replacement District Commissioner.

Ken Houseal

Lafayette District Commissioner

Hello Lafayette District Leaders and Parents,

It hasn't been widely made known yet however the BSA has adopted a new Youth Protection Training (YPT) course known as "Youth Protection Training 2". This training will replace all forms of YPT covering various forms of Scouting.

What you need to know most is , we are all required to complete the YPT 2 training prior to Oct. 1, 2018. This is regardless of what YPT Training you have completed and regardless of the expiration date of that training. No adult can be a member of the BSA without the new YPT 2 training. No existing member can be rechartered without YPT 2 and no Pack, Troop, Crew or other Scouting Unit will be able to charter or recharter unless every adult member has completed YPT 2. These are the hard facts.

The training can be completed in a little over an hour. Personally I had a bad experience by using an old computer and software. If you use the recommended browser, turn off any pop-up blocker and follow the instructions in the Cheat Sheet below you will have much better results than I.

To complete the required training logon to you're my.scouting.org account and go to the YPT Training page. The "Cheat Sheet" to help you through the steps to complete the training can be downloaded here.

By October 1, 2018, all new and currently registered leaders will be required to complete the updated training. The enhanced and updated content will allow leaders and councils to comply with all current legal requirements. While this may be inconvenient for some, it reflects the BSA's commitment to the safety of all youth. That is the hard fact. If you want to know more about YPT 2 such as why it has been introduced and what it really is about, continue reading.

Thank you for supporting this improved Youth Protection policy by completing the YPT 2 training at your earliest convenience. Do not wait until September!

Yours in Scouting,

     Ken Houseal

     Lafayette District Commissioner

Over the decades, the Boy Scouts of America has been a leader in developing training and policies designed to keep young people safe. These comprehensive policies were considered groundbreaking when they were developed and soon became the standard used by other organizations for safeguarding youth. But when it comes to the safety of children, our goal is to continually improve.

• Youth protection training for youth members will be available in 2019.

In addition to updated training and resources, we recently announced new policies to ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements, including:

• As of January 1, 2018, no new leader can be registered without first completing youth protection training.

• As of January 1, 2018, no council, regional or national leader will be allowed to renew their registration if they are not current on their youth protection training.

• As of September 1, 2017, no unit may re-charter without all leaders being current on their youth protection training. Registrars no longer have the ability to approve charters without full compliance.

By October 1, 2018, all new and currently registered leaders will be required to complete the updated training . The enhanced and updated content will allow leaders and councils to comply with all current legal requirements. While this may be inconvenient for some, it reflects the BSA's commitment to the safety of all youth.

• Adults accompanying units on activities who are present at the activity for 72 hours or more, must also take Youth Protection Training. The 72 hours need not be consecutive.

• New leaders are required to take Youth Protection Training prior to completing the registration process.

•  Units cannot re-charter unless all unit leaders have completed YPT within two years.

Adult Youth Protection Training is required for adult program participants 18 years or older. Adult program participants (Venturing, Order of the Arrow, Exploring) must complete adult Youth Protection Training before submitting their adult application.

The only position exceptions to taking the required the Youth Protection Training are:

• Institutional heads and

• Adult partners in Tiger and Lion programs.

Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to take the training. The training is closed captioned. A Spanish version will be available mid-2018. Facilitator-led training materials and classroom training will be available by mid-2018.

Big News - we have an Assistant District Commissioner of Roundtable, Tom Shaw!

Many of you know Tom from his previous positions in Lafayette District including long time Scoutmaster of Troop 752 in Norristown, organizer of a Spring Camporee at Norristown Farm Park, Assistant Roundtable Commissioner, Newsletter Editor for the former Lafayette Leaflet and various Committee positions. Tom is fully trained as a Roundtable Commissioner and in fact was the Instructor for Roundtable Commissioner Basic at the recent Scouting U.  Please join me in welcoming Tom on his return to our Lafayette District Commissioner Corps.

 

As Commissioners meet or exceed the basic service commitment they earn the Commissioner's Arrowhead Award. Most of our Commissioners earn this within a year of service.

Steve Hutchins, Unit Commissioner, was presented the Arrowhead Award.

 

 

Special recognition was presented to Vermena Lee, the Commissioners Key, for her years of dedicated service as Unit Commissioner for our LDS Church's Scouting Packs and Troops.

 

 

Perkiomen Valley Middle School West is located on Route 73 West of the circle (at the Wawa), in Zieglerville, PA the address is: 

                     220 Big Road (aka Route 73)

                     Zieglerville, PA 19492

 

The first aid meet will start promptly at 9:00 AM and will end at approximately 12:00 PM.

 

The fee for this event will be $7.00 per scout if paid in advance via mail, or $9.00 per scout if registering/paying at the door.

 

Note admission is free for adults who wish to spectate or guide/walk with their patrols.

Payment can be mailed to:

                      Diane Melville at Troop 105

                      606 Penny Lane

                      Schwenksville, PA 19473

 

Registration will close by February 28, 2018. For any question (or late registration) please

email Tim Olden at [email protected] . 

 

Troop 313 invites all Scouts and Scouters to join us at Camp Delmont's Lake Front for the 2018 Spring Camporee on May 4th -6th.

Troop 313 will provide canoes for use at the waterfront, a geocache station, tomahawks and a campfire on Saturday evening. There will be bait available for fishing if you'd like. Please bring your own rods, gear and a fishing license if you're 16 or older. Please remember that all PA fishing laws apply.

We are looking for other Troops to help out with other activities. If there is anything that your Troop enjoys doing and would like to give other Troops a chance to experience, please let us know and we will get it on the agenda.

You can contact Dave Cemini, Scoutmaster for Troop 313, at [email protected] . 

The cost for the event will be $10 per person and you will be able to find the registration on Double Knot.