SHAC Communication for COVID-19 Response
The leadership of the Sam Houston Area Council would like to present our responses to the COVID-19 outbreak and protocols for Scouting operations going forward. For more information, please click
here
.
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2020 BSA National Membership fee increase
The value of Scouting is undeniable for those within the program and the greater public, and we are committed to continuing to offer this unmatched opportunity to young people and families nationwide.
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has worked to keep the membership fee as low as possible. Unfortunately, operating costs have continued to rise and COVID-19 has compounded the need to increase the fee to maintain the program.
The membership fees will take effect August 1, 2020, for new members in the 2020-2021 program year. For renewing members, the new fee will take effect on October 1, 2020. The updated unit charter fee will take effect August 1, 2020, for all new and rechartering units.
To ensure we have the resources to fulfill the promise of Scouting, the updated national membership fee is
- $66 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts participants
- $42 for Exploring participants
- $42 for all adult volunteers (includes cost of background check)
- $75 for a unit charter fee
- one-time $25 joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing
These fees do not include the council insurance fee of $4 for all registered Scouts and leaders.
For more information, please visit
here
.
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2020 District Day Camp / Twilight Camp
Our very first Virtual Cub Day Camp and Day Camp Outdoor Sports Days!
Even though our in-person
District Day Camps
will not be held this summer, we are "PREPARED" and will “DO Our Best”.
Instead of the traditional in-person day camp, a
virtual day camp
will be held for 2020. An
Outdoor Sports Day
is also being planned.
Virtual Day Camp registration is now live. Please click
here
to register.
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Camp Strake Summer Camp - Cancelled
Unfortunately, at this time we have had to cancel traditional summer camp programs for the summer of 2020. Our camping team is currently developing an alternate plan for a condensed Scouts BSA camp program at Camp Strake in July that incorporates current governmental guidance and social distancing. Please click
here
for more information.
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Merit Badge Days
Saturdays and Sundays in July and August
Tellepsen Scout Camp
Scouts in troops can participate in one-day merit badge classes held at Tellepsen Scout Camp on Saturdays and Sundays in July and August. Please click
here
for more details.
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Safety moment
Camping is a long-honored tradition for many families, including the BSA family. Timing, supplies, and location should be determined ahead of time so you can make the most of your camping experience. For more information, please click
here
.
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STAY CONNECTED, LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
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Scouting at Home
The Sam Houston Area Council has compiled a list of resources to assist with at home Scouting. These resources include Scouting activities, weekly challenges, and digital educational tools. For more information, please click
here
.
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Membership
As our nation begins to open its doors and life slowly creeps back to “normal”, Scouting has emerged as a program that can stay the course. The creativity of unit leaders and Scouts alike has been exciting to see; the amount of care and support that Scouts have poured into their community all across the nation has been inspiring. We can all be proud to be Scouts! For more information, please click
here
.
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Family Friends of Scouting
As we begin to hopefully put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us and return to a sense of normalcy, we are hoping to see our Scout meetings return to the same sense of normalcy with their venues, days, and times of their meetings. With this we will begin to restart our annual Family Friends of Scouting campaign to ensure that we are able to offer the same, or more, resources to our local communities that we have in the past. Please see the below video that offers a great overall explanation of our annual Friends of Scouting Campaign.
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Several of our Packs, Troops, and Crews have had to postpone their Blue and Gold Banquets or Court of Honors due to the pandemic. With those beginning to be rescheduled we would greatly appreciate the opportunity to complete the annual Friends of Scouting presentation for 2020. Please expect a communication from one of our district volunteers or Scouting professional to see how we can best assist you and fit into your schedule. If you would like to financially support Scouting now, you can always click
here
. We appreciate your help in making sure that we are able to tell the Scouting story and the vast impact of our program to your unit’s families and in offering them a chance to support our annual Friends of Scouting campaign.
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Popcorn
The Trail’s End popcorn fundraiser is a great way for Scouts to fund their adventure. The Trail’s End selling app is improved from last year, Scouts can accept credit cards on all sales with no transaction fees. The online sale is already up and running. Register your Scout to sell online! For more information, please click
here
.
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National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT)
NYLT courses will not take place in the summer of 2020, please stay tuned for announcements about plans for rescheduling these courses.
Please monitor the
NYLT page
on the council website for further information about modified plans for the Summer 2020 NYLT courses.
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Powder Horn - October 22-25, 2020
Powder Horn is an action-packed, hands-on, six-day course that helps Scouts and Scouters learn how to implement high adventure activities into their troop, crew or ship.
Learn more by clicking
here
.
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Wood Badge - September 18-20 and October 3-4, 2020
Wood Badge is the Boy Scouts of America's ultimate leadership training, and consists of A: five full days of group training, usually held over two weekends, and B: completion of a 5-part plan of action (called a “ticket”) over the following 18 months. For more information and upcoming course dates 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.
All scheduled activities for SHAC have been canceled through June 1, 2020 – with that, we are working to find a new date for your class.
Click
here
for Safety moment topics.
Click
here
for a listing of resent Safety alerts.
Click
here
for Incident reporting information.
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Part-time Onboarding Specialists
The Sam Houston Area Council is currently looking for Part-Time Onboarding Specialists to start in July/August, to help the New Unit Development Department with organizing new Scouting units. The Onboarding Specialists will guide new Scouting units through the steps of new unit organization. This process consists of assisting new chartering organizations in the identification of adult volunteers/leaders, assisting the new leaders with program planning, budgeting and scheduling, guiding the new leaders through district and BSA resources to become trained, and guiding the new adult leaders through the start-up of the new unit's programming to ensure the program is launched and the new unit is chartered.
Candidates should have knowledge of the Scouting programs with an understanding of unit organization. Spanish speaking is a plus. Interested applicants should send their resumé to our Onboarding Director, Marcus D Jackson
marcus.jackson@scouting.org
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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. This course must be completed by all registered leaders, and is highly recommended for parents and other adults working with youth. For more information, please click
here
.
For an update on National BSA's Consideration of Bankruptcy, please click
here
.
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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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2020 District Day Camp / Twilight Camp
Our very first Virtual Cub Day Camps and Day Camp Outdoor Sports Days!
Even though our in-person
District Day Camps
will not be held this summer, we are "PREPARED" and will “DO Our Best”.
Instead of the traditional in-person day camp, a
virtual day camp
will be held for 2020. An
Outdoor Sports Day
is also being planned.
Virtual Day Camp registration is now live. Please click
here
to register.
|
|
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 and 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 McNair Cub Adventure Camp at Bovay Scout Ranch by clicking
here
.
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Merit Badge Days
Saturdays and Sundays in July and August
Tellepsen Scout Camp
Scouts in troops can participate in one-day merit badge classes held at Tellepsen Scout Camp on Saturdays and Sundays in July and August. Please click
here
for more details.
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National Scout Jamboree
July 21-30, 2021
Live Scouting’s Adventure
The jamboree is the best of Scouting rolled into 10 days of fun, friends, and adventure. You won’t want to miss out on this incredible Scouting experience. For more information and to register, please click
here.
To keep up with the latest information, visit the
Summit website.
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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 Scouts BSA Troops. For more information, please 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 can enjoy the amazing beauty of Bovay Scout Ranch rolling hills, trails and vast open spaces.
For more information click
here
.
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Merit Badge Days
Saturdays and Sundays in July and August
Tellepsen Scout Camp
Scouts in troops can participate in one-day merit badge classes held at Tellepsen Scout Camp on Saturdays and Sundays in July and August. Please click
here
for more details.
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SHAC Venturing
SHAC Venturing Calendar 2020:
September 23, 2020 – Venturing Committee Meeting, at the Cockrell Scout Center at 7:00 p.m.
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Sea Scouts Fleet
The Sea Scout Fleet Committee Zoom meeting, Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 7 p.m.
Sea Scouting builds character through high adventure. Join for the water, stay for the fun
Resources, Events and Activities. Learn more by clicking
here
.
Sea Scouts from SHAC win two of six National Sea Scout Leadership Awards.
Click
here
to here from Martha Grace Fields, National Boatswain's Mate
Save the date for
our virtual campout - June 12-13 click
here
for more information.
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National Scout Jamboree
July 21-30, 2021
Live Scouting’s Adventure
The jamboree is the best of Scouting rolled into 10 days of fun, friends, and adventure. You won’t want to miss out on this incredible Scouting experience. For more information and to register, please click
here.
To keep up with the latest information, visit the
Summit website.
|
|
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 Venturing Crews. For more information, please click
here
.
|
|
Weekend Unit Camping
Units that plan to schedule Shooting Sports Activities need to read the new Shooting Sport Manual. Crews can enjoy the amazing beauty of Bovay Scout Ranch rolling hills, trails and vast open spaces.
For more information click
here
.
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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 over 100 years, the Order of the Arrow (OA) has recognized Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. For more information, contact your
OA chapter
.
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