Winter Camp
December 26 - 31, 2019
Bovay Scout Ranch
Winter Camp 34 is coming to Bovay Scout Ranch the week of December 26-31st. This years theme will be Wild West!! Please make plans to attend and enjoy this fun week of Scouting. For more information please click
here
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Grow Scouting! - SCOUT ME IN!!!
The weather is cooling off and that means Scouting season is in full swing! Hopefully all of your newly recruited scouts have had an opportunity to go camping and spend some time in the great outdoors. Now is also the time to focus on processing our recharters and making sure that all of the scouts that have signed up to be in our Packs during fall recruiting are in the recharter system. If you find that you are missing a scout on your recharter, contact your District Executive or Commissioner and see if they can tell you why the scout is not in the online recharter system. Once your DE or Commissioner is aware there is a problem, they can help you find a solution, ensuring that all scouts who signed up in the fall are registered with the BSA. And if you have a new scout sign up after your recharter has been started, don’t worry; DE’s and Commissioners can help you with that process too!
Our council is now less than 400 Scouts away from year end growth! Let’s all be a part of making the Sam Houston Area Council win the Gold this year in Journey to Excellence! If every Pack recruited 3 more Scouts & every Troop recruiting 2 more Scouts before Thanksgiving, the Council will achieve Journey to Excellence Gold! Lets all be a part of making our Council earn the Gold!
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STAY CONNECTED, LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
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Recharter
Click
here
to read the Boy Scouts of America's updates on increase recharter fees and background check disclosures. Please click
here
to read the National BSA membership fee increase.
Renewing Your Scouting Membership - Unit Recharters Due December 15th
Every December, all units (packs, troops, crews, posts) are required to renew their affiliation with Scouting. The Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America issues charters to community organizations to enable them to use the Scouting program under their own leadership as a service to their youth and families. “Rechartering” is the process of renewing the charter agreement between the BSA and the organization, and renewing the registration of youth and adult members.
Rechartering on time is critical for units to continue registration without interruption. With an expired charter a unit may not receive rank advancement and other awards for their Scouts, and may have a lapse in insurance coverage.
A representative of each unit completes the paperwork for renewing a charter online. Through the process, information on the chartered organization, youth members and adult leaders is updated as well as BSA National registration fees, Scout Life's subscriptions, and accidental insurance premiums are collected/paid. For many years the Sam Houston Area Council has been able to offer accidental insurance for $1 per participant per year despite the rising costs of accidental insurance. During the 2019-2020 rechartering process there will be a fee of $3 per participant per year for accidental insurance that will help mitigate the rising insurance costs.
If this is your first time to be involved with recharter, or if you need to brush up on how recharter is done, please click
here
to learn more. Or contact your District Executive or Unit Commissioner.
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Attention! Popcorn Sale To The Rescue!
The online popcorn sale is a way to offset the cost of the additional membership fee increase! By selling 4 items online by the end of the year the average Scout earns over $25 dollars in commission which can help offset the 2020 membership fee increase.
Learn more by clicking
here
.
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Souper Bowl of Caring/Scouting for Food
Scouting for Food is a council-wide service project to care for people in our local communities who are hungry and those in need. In partnership with the Souper Bowl of Caring, the project begins Saturday, January 25, 2020, as Scouts distribute door hangers in their neighborhoods to announce the upcoming food drive. Scouts return the following Saturday, February 1, 2020, to pick up and deliver donations to their local food banks and pantries. Click
here
for more information and to register.
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Camp Strake
There is still time for your troop to attend the inaugural year of the Tsuru Scout Camp at Camp Strake!
After we have received final counts and deposits for early registration, space is now available for Week 6 (July 12-18) and Week 7 (July 19-25).
Both in-council and out-of-council units can now register to be a part of the 2020 Summer Camp season. A $30 per youth deposit is due at registration.
Learn more and register
here
.
Summer camp is a week-long council-organized overnight camp for Scouts BSA. The program provides opportunities for Scouts to earn merit badges along their advancement trail.
Summer camp is held at the Tsuru Scout Camp at Camp Strake, a first-class and state-of-the-art facility for Scouts and their leaders. Activities will include shooting sports (rifle, shotgun, archery, sporting arrows), Wild Hex (aerial adventure tower), zip lines, climbing, rappelling, swimming, biking, merit badge classes and more.
To follow the progress of construction, visit
here.
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Camp Staff
Camp staff is an experience that is truly unforgettable. It is a chance to spend your whole summer working at a beautiful camp while teaching kids and having fun. Every day is fully rewarding to you as a staff member and to the campers in whose lives you have made a difference. Camp work is often demanding as we keep a packed schedule running the campers we serve; but the opportunities, rewards and experiences available to you on camp staff are endless. Serving on camp staff is the best way to spend a summer. For more information, please visit our Camp Staff page by clicking
here.
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Scoutbook
TIP: Turn in applications to council staff or to the Council registration desk as soon as possible, and let the council registration staff do the data entry for you.
Entering Scout or adult information from the unit side causes a duplication of that person’s record within Scoutbook. This duplication is very difficult to remove and makes the volunteers work harder. Council staff can only confirm if a person is registered correctly, for further help these steps are suggested-
- Vist the Scoutbook Knowledge Base.
- Visit the Scoutbook discussion forum.
- Contact support by submitting a request.
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Council Recognition Reception
November 19, 2019
Held annually to honor the recipients of the Silver Beaver Award and Heroism Awards. Join your fellow Scouters in recognizing the recipients of the Silver Beaver Award, the highest award a council can bestow on a volunteer Scouter. For more information and to see the list of Silver Beaver recipients, please click
here
.
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Lifesaving and Meritorious Action Awards
Our Council’s Lifesaving and Meritorious Action Committee would like to highlight a Scout and a Scouter who recently earned distinctions for their lifesaving efforts.
On March 12, 2016, Lawrence Bradley (Brad) Hancock and 9-year-old Cub Scout Bradley Hancock were on a family vacation in Mexico when two friends of theirs, a father and a son, became trapped in a dangerous current which took them out to sea. Bradley then assisted Brad who led the effort to rescue their friends from dangerous currents. Both used skills they had learned in Scouting to rescue their friends.
To recognize these individuals, Lawrence Bradley Hancock has received a Heroism Award from the National Court of Honor of the Boy Scouts of America, and Bradley Hancock has received a Certificate of Merit from the Sam Houston Area Council. Click
here
for more information about Lifesaving and Meritorious Action nominations.
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National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT)
December 26 - 31, 2019
Bovay Scout Ranch
NYLT is an exciting, action-packed six-day council-level program designed to provide Scouts in troops, crews and ships with leadership skills and experience they can use in their home units and in other situations demanding leadership of self and others. For more information, please click
here
.
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Hornaday Awards
The William T. Hornaday Awards Are Too Rare. Nationally, the rate of Eagle Scouts is running at about 6 of every 100 registered Scouts. The rate of Hornaday Badges is about one per 10,000 registered Scouts, Venturers and Sea Scouts. While Hornaday Awards are rare BSA awards, the need for conservation projects is great in the Sam Houston Area Council and we are currently running better than the BSA average. Think of the Hornaday Awards as “Olympic medals bestowed by the Earth”. Information on Hornaday Awards can be found
here
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Wood Badge
March 13-15 and 28-29, 2020
Wood Badge is the Boy Scouts of America's ultimate leadership training designed to meet the advanced leadership needs of Scouters in all aspects of the BSA, whether unit, district, or council level – from assistant den leaders to Scoutmasters, from Cubmasters to Venturing Advisors, from committee members to commissioners. It is a fun, energetic and inspiring course guaranteed to infuse your unit with fun and meaning – all designed to fulfill the mission of the BSA, and ensure our youth is getting everything they are promised from the program. Click
here
for more information.
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Nominations Now Open for Philmont 2020!
LIMITED TIME!
The Sam Houston Area Council is now accepting nominations for its Houston Philmont Crews treks for the summer of 2020. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for young men that will be 14 or older by June 23, 2020.
Houston Philmont Crews is a program established for Scouts in the Sam Houston Area Council that would like the unique opportunity to experience the most celebrated of high-adventure and backpacking in a Scouting environment. The Philmont experience can be a life changing event and this program is being offered to Scouts that meet certain requirements and would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend because of financial challenges. For eligible Scout youth all fees, use of ultra-light equipment, backpacking clothes, food and transportation will be provided.
A personal commitment to participate in all meetings and training activities from Scouts chosen is mandatory.
A financial commitment of $100 is required to participate.
To apply, or nominate a Scout: Contact Sam Houston Area Council Michael Moore at
Michael.Moore@scouting.org
or (713) 865-9154.
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Eagle Scout candidates in soon-to-expire LDS units
In order to properly give credit to Scouts who are registered in units sponsored by the LDS church, and who will complete their Eagle Scout Rank requirements
prior to January 1, 2020
, information must be gathered and given to the district advancement chairs, who will pass the information along to the council support service department.
No rank requirements are changing, a Scout registered in an LDS-sponsored unit must complete all Eagle requirements before January 1, 2020, or the Scout’s 18
th
birthday, whichever comes first. This is a matter of preparing the Eagle credential system to expect these names to be entered, even after the unit’s charter has expired.
Please be on the lookout for notifications to come from the district advancement chairs to units affected by this update. Please click
here
for more information.
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Youth Protection Training
Youth Protection Training (YPT) is designed to help keep youth safe from abuse. During YPT, participants learn the Boy Scouts of America’s
Youth Protection Guidelines
, signs of abuse, and how to report suspected abuse. After each section of material, participants will answer questions about that section’s topic. This course must be completed by all registered leaders, and is highly recommended for parents and other adults working with youth.
To increase awareness of youth protection and to create even greater barriers to abuse than already exist today in Scouting, the Boy Scouts of America has implementing several youth protection policies.
- Youth Protection Training (YPT) is required for all registered volunteers, at the time of registration.
- Youth Protection Training (YPT) must be taken every two years. If a volunteer’s Youth Protection Training (YPT) record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be re-registered.
For more information, please click
here
.
For an update on National BSA's Consideration of Bankruptcy, please click
here
.
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ScoutsFirst for Help with Questions, Concerns and Reporting:
The ScoutsFirst Helpline also makes it easier for volunteers and families to address dangerous situations. If a leader or parent has a question about a situation, or something they've seen or if they want to report a possible incident, they can contact the Helpline for assistance. In cases of abuse, they should also notify the local authorities. ScoutsFirst Helpline (844)-Scouts1 or (844)726-8871.
ScoutsFirst for Counseling and Support:
The Boy Scouts of America is committed to providing ongoing support to victims and their families, including counseling. We want to help victims heal, on their own terms, with a professional counselor of their choice. Through the ScoutsFirst Helpline, the Boy Scouts of America offers assistance with counseling to any youth member, former youth member, or the family of any youth member who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting. To reach the ScoutsFirst Helpline, call (844)-Scouts1 or (844)726-8871, or email
scouts1st@scouting.org
. Support is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
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The Sam Houston Area Council is Now Hiring!
We continually search for potential career employees who would like to work in a profession that has a meaningful, rewarding purpose. Bring to the BSA your varied life experiences, education, and perspective, and in return you will have an opportunity to combine those skills and experiences in a career that values and respects others. Scouting is a profession with a purpose!
Check out our current openings
here
.
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Exploring Onboarding Specialist – Part Time
The council is looking for an energetic, driven, detail-oriented individual who enjoys making a difference, being part of a team, and takes pride in quality work.
Position Description: Reporting to the Exploring Field Director, this position is responsible assisting new Exploring unit development, recruiting Explorers, expanding promotions and participating in career-education promotional events.
For more information about this position, please click
here
.
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Enterprise Risk Management Committee
The purpose of the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) committee is to prepare adult leaders to conduct Scouting activities in a safe and prudent manner.
Enterprise Risk Management 2019 and 2020 First Aid Trainings:
- Adult & Child First Aid/CPR/AED Blended Learning: Cost per person: $40 - November 2, 2019, February 15, March 14, April 18, May 2, 2020
- Wilderness First Aid (WFA): Cost per person: $90* - Saturday / Sunday November 9 & 10, 2019 2020: Saturday / Saturday - May 16 & 30, 2020
- First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor Course: Cost per person: $85* - November 23/24, 2019
Click
here
for registration information for these trainings
All Classes will be held at
Cockrell Scout Center, 2225 N Loop West, Houston, TX 77008
*Class fees include lunch
Click
here
for Safety moment topics.
Click
here
for a listing of resent Safety alerts.
Click
here f
or Emergency Preparedness Resources.
Click
here
for Incident reporting information.
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Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Exploring
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Bovay Scout Ranch
Enjoy all the wonder and beauty of the central Texas rolling hills and lakes at Bovay Scout Ranch. Bovay Scout Ranch has a variety of camping opportunities for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA Troops and Venturers. Bovay Scout Ranch has year round camping program opportunities for all levels of Cub Scouts including Weekend Adventure Camps. For more information, please click
here
.
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McNair Cub Adventure Camp at Bovay Scout Ranch
Please reserve your attendance now for the 2019 Fall dates at McNair Cub Adventure Camp at Bovay Scout Ranch by clicking
here
. 2020 Spring Adventure Camp dates are open.
You are invited to explore and enjoy all the wonder and beauty of the east Texas rolling hills and lakes at McNair Cub Adventure Camp at Bovay Scout Ranch. McNair Cub Adventure Camp has a variety of camping opportunities for everyone from Cub Scouts to Scouts BSA Troops and Venture Crews. With year round camping program opportunities for all levels of Cub Scouts including Weekend Adventure Camps and the new Webelos Coyote Trail Xtreme Adventure Camp. McNair Cub Adventure Camp has a great swimming pool and an air conditioned dining hall (closed on Weekend Camping dates). For more information click
here
.
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Weekend Unit Camping
Units that plan to schedule Shooting Sports Activities need to read the new Shooting Sport Manual. Troops, Teams, Crews, Packs, or Webelos Dens can enjoy the amazing beauty of Bovay Scout Ranch rolling hills, trails and vast open spaces. Clean campsites, restrooms and showers are available; units may design their own program activities and provide their own meals during this type of weekends.
The Trading Post will be open on some Weekend Camping dates.
For more information click
here
.
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Webelos Coyote Trail Extreme Camp
November 08-10, 2019
Coyote Trail Extreme Camp is a specialty weekend campout for 4th and 5th grade Webelos. Scouts will work on Webelos skills (e.g., knots, flag etiquette, first aid, Navigation), and be introduced to the patrol method giving them a unique experience into the importance of team work and other skills they will need on their first Scouts BSA campout (e.g., Outdoors, Camping, lashings). Scout fees include four meals• (Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner and Sunday breakfast). Activity supplies, t-shirt, patch, and water bottle. Adult fees include meals only.
Cost: $115 for Webelos and $40 for adults.
For more information, please click
here
.
If you have any questions/inquires please feel free to contact: Geno Aguilar at (713) 756-3304.
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Venturing
Venturing Forums – Venturing forum is to provide training, information, and motivation to Venturing adult leaders and crew officers. The Forum should be considered supplemental training
to Venturing Leader Specific Training. The Venturing Forum provides an outstanding opportunity to continue the Venturing leader training and education that began with Venturing Leader Specific Training.
November 13 - Committee Meeting
December 10 - Venturing Forum
January 8, 2020 - Committee Meeting
February 21-23, 2020 - Venturing Challenge
March 25, 2020 - Committee Meeting
April 14, 2020 - Venturing Form
August 8, 2020 - Venturing Banquet
Follow the SHAC VOA on Twitter @shacventuring
Instagram @shacventuring
Or FaceBook @ SHACVenturing
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Sea Scouts Fleet
There were 175 Sea Scouts and leaders from 24 ships from 14 councils who attended this year's 30th Minto Rendezvous Skills Competition on Sept. 6-8, 2019, which makes this year the largest ever in terms of participation by youths and by units. See more information, pictures and the winning Ships at, Resources, Events and Activities by clicking
here.
The 2020 31st Minto Rendezvous will be hosted by the Austin, Capital Area Council in September.
The Sea Scout Committee meeting Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at 7 p.m. at the Cockrell Scout Center
Sea Scouting builds character through high adventure. Join for the water, stay for the fun
Resources, Events and Activities. Learn more by clicking
here.
For more Sea Scout reference information:
SHAC Facebook page: SHAC Sea Scouts: For up-to-the-minute details.
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United Way of Greater Houston's 211 Helpline and THRIVE
2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE
If you need help finding child care, food stamps, care for an aging parent or a haven from domestic violence, 2-1-1 is the number to call when you don't know who to call. The United Way of Greater Houston's trained HELPLINE specialists are good listeners, blending understanding and expertise to provide information and referrals drawn from a comprehensive database of social services. Annually, the 2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE answers over 957,600 calls for help. Basic needs, like food, utilities and health care, topped the list of requests last year, followed by rent assistance and help finding shelter. 2-1-1 can also be a needed resource for hurricane season.
Additionally, other resources such as United Way THRIVES's workforce development offerings, financial coaching and education opportunities and financial products and services can be accessed through 2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE.
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University of Texas Scout Day
Saturday, November 9th
The University of Texas football program would like to invite all Scouts to watch the longhorns take on Kansas State on Saturday, November 9th.
All ticket purchasers will receive a new 2019 Texas Football Scout patch. Grades 5th and younger can get a pre-game basketball facility tour of the Erwin Center and Cooley Pavilion. After the conclusion of the tour, Scouts will be able to have an open gym at Cooley Pavilion. The first 100 scouts aged 7-12 will participate in Hook Ems Herd (running across the football field prior to kick off). The largest pack/troop in attendance will get an on-field post-game photo Tickets are $30 and $45. The pre-game tours will begin 4 hours prior to kick.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please click
here
.
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Scout Days at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, generously supported by Occidental
Saturday Scout classes for Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webelos work towards Adventures requirements in two-hour classes. Up to two classes can be taken in one day, and entrance to the permanent exhibits is included for the Scout and one parent/chaperone.
There are 13 Merit Badges available during the school year for Scouts BSA at HMNS, including six Eagle Scout-required badges: Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Family Life, and Personal Management.
Like us on our Scouts@HMNS Facebook page
here
or visit
here
for more information
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Scout Geology Badges at the Houston Gem and Mineral Society’s Annual Show
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Humble Civic Center
8233 Will Clayton Parkway (½ mile east of Hwy 59)
Humble, Texas 77338 (Free Parking!)
Reservation is required. Reservation form can be found
here
For information, contact:
Admission tickets available at the door: $8, children 10 and under free
Scout badge program free with show admission
Sessions begin on the hour from 10 AM to 3 PM
RSVP required—first come, first served (limited to 50 Scouts per session)
5 minerals provided, additional specimens for collections may be purchased at show
Sessions meet requirements for Scout Geology Merit Badge (Mineral Resources Option)
Webelos Geologist Pin
PLEASE bring a pencil or pen for writing. This is NECESSARY for Scouts to complete the program.
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BSA + iFLY Indoor Skydiving Up and Away Nova Award STEM Event
November 10
iFLY is proud to collaborate with the Boy Scouts of America and all Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, and Venturers across the nation. Through this collaboration, we offer Scouts a chance to earn STEM Nova Award requirements and experience firsthand how flying accelerates learning.
For more in depth information on our STEM program and partnership with the BSA, please click
here.
This event is open to ALL Scouts registered with the Boy Scouts of America, regardless of rank.
Please click
here
to register for the event
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Donate your vehicle or boat
To donate a car, truck, RV, trailer, boat or motor to the Sam Houston Area Council, please visit One Car One Difference, found
here
. For more information about One Car One Difference, the Boy Scouts of America's Vehicle donation program, please click
here
.
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The Order of the Arrow is the Scouting National Honor Society. For 101 years, the Order of the Arrow (OA) has recognized Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. This recognition provides encouragement for others to live these ideals as well. Arrowmen are known for maintaining camping traditions and spirit, promoting year-round and long-term resident camping, developing leaders, and providing cheerful service to others. OA service, activities, adventures, and training for youth and adults are models of quality leadership development and programming that enrich, support, and help to extend Scouting to America's youth. For more information, contact your
OA chapter
.
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