Many Scout units have a desire to return to Scouting activities, but they have questions about how to do so safely. Additionally, with some traditional meeting locations unable to be used because of the pandemic, units may need additional options. During the recent recruiting webinar on how to hold meetings safely during COVID-19, attendees received tips on the key steps they can be taking right now to find a safe way to return to their meeting activities. More information on those key steps is included in this article. Read it to answer your questions about how to move forward with Scouting right now.

It’s almost time for recharter! Key 3’s have been emailed their unit access code. The online recharter system is available November 1. We are going green this year! All recharters must be completed in their entirety online, including online signatures. Payment will also be collected online at the time of submittal. This will eliminate the need to turn in bulky recharter packets, saving both trees and gas! Full details for your recharter coordinator can be found on our website here. Download the 2021 fee structure sheet.

A Scout is Helpful. This year, more than ever, we must all do our part to support Scouting through popcorn. Each unit is asked to set their unit up to fundraise with popcorn by contacting Tom Kenney. The popcorn sale this year needs little oversight as most units are selling Online Direct which means Trail’s End makes fresh product and ships directly to your customer, and you don’t have to fill your home with unsold product! Best thing is, on orders over $30, shipping is paid by Council! Once your unit is set up to fundraise with Trail’s End, your Scouts can start earning money for your unit and also support the Council. Keep in mind that with Covid restrictions, Trail’s End has enabled a way to fundraise without touching product or having to be face to face with a customer! Learn more about popcorn at the Council’s popcorn page. Contact Tom Kenney at tom.kenney@scouting.org to get started today!

To make things interesting for our Scouts since everything is a little different this year, from today until Nov 2, Scouts can complete the this form (blackout Bingo-style contest) where they check off the 12 action items to claim an entry into a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card!

Trail’s End is excited to announce a brand new Online Direct holiday product line! These delicious treats are sure to excite your Scouts and warm customers' bellies. Act fast, because these products will only be available to order Oct 9-26 and begin shipping Nov 11. Download the holiday lineup pdf for more info. Also download a postcard pdf you can print and utilize to sell the holiday lineup.

Encourage your Scouts to download the app and start selling now!

The new Instagram trend is an inspiring way to encourage Scouts looking to get back outdoors and back to Scouting. Scouts Use #EscapeIndoors to showcase how Scouting continues. Prizes:

Three winners will be chosen for each week of the contest. Each winner will receive a $50 gift card to https://www.scoutshop.org/. Contest ends 10/30/20, 11:59pm. Find how to enter and official rules here.

New Webinar About Recruiting Any Time of Year - Nov 4

This webinar will address ideas on how to invite families to join Scouting no matter what season it is. Register here.

We tell our Scouts that their experiences in Scouting will help them get into college. And it certainly makes sense. Through engaging, immersive activities, Scouts learn how to manage their time, research a subject, communicate with others and work in a group—skills sure to impress any college admissions officer. But when a Scout sends off a college application, the response comes back “yes” or “no.” There’s no further explanation about what exactly did the trick or where the application fell short. Read more.

Silver Beaver Award Nominations - by Dec 20

Don't let a worthy Scouter go unrewarded! The new 2020 Silver Beaver Application Form, which is a fillable pdf, makes the nominations that much easier. Eligibility and Deadlines:

The Pacific Skyline Council, with the approval of the BSA National Court of Honor, may present the Silver Beaver Award to a Scouter who has given Noteworthy Service of Exceptional Character to Youth and is currently registered in this Council. The nominee must be 21 years of age or older and a volunteer Scouter. The award may not be presented posthumously. Former professional Scouters will not be considered within 5 years of their leaving employment with the BSA. The nomination must be submitted on the Silver Beaver Award Nomination Form complete with original signatures. Out-of-date forms will not be accepted for evaluation. All sections of all pages should include as much information as possible for best consideration of the nominee. The nomination form must be submitted to the PacSky office on or before Dec 20. The Silver Beaver Selection Committee will meet early January 2021 to review nominations and make selections on a “blind” basis. Forms submitted without the district committee chair's signature will not be accepted. Please send all applications to Steve Smith at stesmith@scouting.org.

Don Hartline is our camp ranger for both Cutter Scout Reservation and Camp Oljato. While he was able to evacuate Cutter during the wildfires with many of his personal possessions, we are working to get new housing established for him. We are asking for anyone who owns an RV (e.g., trailer, 5th-wheel, motorhome), who would be willing to donate its use to the council for this purpose, to please contact our Director of Outdoor Programs, Davey Warner, at davey.warner@scouting.org.

To help now: DONATE to the rebuild effort To help later: Sign up to VOLUNTEER

2020 Scouting For Food is now Good Turn For America - Month of November

Second Harvest Food Bank is unable to accommodate the Scouting For Food drive this year, due to COVID-19. Because of this change, we are excited to announce the return of “Good Turn for America!” During the month of November, units are asked to complete a service project of their choice to benefit their charter organization, their meeting location, or their immediate community. Some possible ideas include: mask drives, clean-up projects, toy drives, cards for the elderly, cards for service members, food drive for a local pantry, etc. We can’t wait to see what you come up with! We will have a patch available to order at the end of November. Learn more.

Item "3)" has been revised as of 10/7/20 to eliminate getting Eagle materials to the Advancement desk for Discovery and Redwood in order to do Eagle Boards later in the month, and a few other editorial changes. Find them here under the heading "TEMPORARY Procedure to submit Eagle Scout Rank Application, Statements of Ambitions and Life Purpose, Lists of Membership in Organizations outside of Scouts, Honors and Awards, and Eagle Scout Project Workbook."

"Be Prepared" is our motto and there is no better time to financially support Pacific Skyline Council and help live out the motto. This is the time of year that our families typically participate in the annual Friends of Scouting (FOS) campaign. FOS is our Council's single largest direct source of income. 100% of the money raised through our Friends of Scouting campaign benefits the Scouts and Leaders right here locally in PacSky. We know these are unique and challenging times for many, but please help if you can. If you have already given to Friends of Scouting this year, thank you! If not, please consider making your online FOS gift right now. $250 supports one Scout for one year in the program but a gift of any amount is very much appreciated. There has never been a time in the history of the Boy Scouts that a monetary gift will be so impactful and so critically needed. Thank you for your kind consideration!

Save 25% on uniform bottoms (pants, skorts, and/or shorts) with the purchase of any uniform shirt. Boys' and men's centennial uniform shirt styles (poplin and micropoly) are being phased out and prices have been reduced by 25-30%, so now is a great time take advantage of the double-deals and buy! Complete Uniform Order Request Form

You can have your order pulled & be ready for pickup at our Foster City location or have it shipped to an address of your choice. To start fill out this advancement order form.

Is your Youth Protection Training about to expire? YPT is required even when Scouting remotely. And all leaders in your unit must be up-to-date before recharter. Please check your status at https://my.scouting.org. Learn more about YPT here.

Our offices are closed during the shelter-in-place order. We are working from home--find our contact information here. Our shops are open! Locations & guidelines.

We've been working hard to make 2021 the best summer yet! The Pacific Skyline Council is gearing up for summer 2021 at Camp Oljato. Though we were not able to operate in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been able to make great progress on improving the camp thanks to the work of volunteers and staff. Units attending in 2021 can look forward to: a new arrival dock, a new boardwalk to Hopi campsite, new sheds at the shotgun and archery ranges that double as inclement weather shelters, and more! Learn more and register your unit!

Virtual Bobcat Class for New Cub Scouts! - Oct 22

A great activity for all those new Cubs that just joined! In our virtual Bobcat Class, Cub Scouts will earn their Bobcat, the first rank in Cub Scouting. Participants will want to have a paper and pencil/pen, and please note, Cub Scouting is a family program so parents are expected to participate with their Scout. The 30-minute class is FREE. Last day to register is Wed, Oct 21. Learn more and register.

Virtual Cub Scout Den Meetings! - Month of Nov

We want to lend a helping hand to those families and packs that are struggling and finding it hard to run den meetings lately for their sons and daughters. We don't want your Cubs to miss out on a year of this great program. We invite your Cubs to come online and join us for Virtual Den Meetings by rank twice a month! Sign up now if your Cub Scout pack is struggling with doing their own den meetings and you want to keep your Cub Scout progressing through this program during difficult times. October meetings are full. Learn more & register for November meetings. November sched: Tigers - Nov 2 & 16, Wolves - Nov 4 & 18, Bears - Nov 9 & 30, Webelos & AOLs - Nov 11 & Dec 2.

Virtual S.T.E.M. Merit Badge Midway - Dec 5

STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics. A virtual event for Scouts to earn STEM-related merit badges and finish incomplete ones. Registration starts here on Oct 19, 2020 at 9am. $20 per class. 2020 classes: Animation; Astronomy; Chemistry; Energy; Engineering; Fingerprinting; Nuclear Science; Signals; Signs and Codes. Learn more.

1-Day Aviation Merit Badge Workshop with Hiller Aviation Museum - Nov 7, Dec 12

Scouts BSA can earn the Aviation Merit Badge online with the Hiller Aviation Museum! A one-day virtual program includes facilitated instruction, hands-on flight activities, live-streamed exploration of aircraft inside the Museum’s collection and much more! Advanced registration is required. 9:30am-3:00pm. $42. Learn more and register at hiller.org.

University of Scouting - Oct 17-24

This supplemental training lets you pick the courses and topics that interest you to enhance your Scouting experience. Build your own schedule choosing from 50+ classes. Courses are available from Sat-Sat, Oct 17-24 with lots of opportunities on the weekends and in the evenings. Topics include how to keep Scouts engaged in the COVID age; using Scoutbook; High Adventure and Camping recommendations; Eagle Scout Mentoring; Advancement; Patrol Cooking; and more! Register now. Spaces are limited. Check out the catalog.

Help your Life Scout get to Eagle! Learn more. (click then scroll down)

Become a merit badge counselor! Learn more. (click then scroll down)

Roundtables provide leaders with program ideas; information on policy and events; and training opportunities. Learn more (click then scroll down)

Calling all Venturing leaders! Join us for Venturing Roundtables! Mark your calendars, we'll meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 7pm online. Zoom link.

PTC is a National volunteer training center for the Boy Scouts of America. Learn more.

SBR is a National volunteer training center for the Boy Scouts of America. Learn more.

San Francisco Bay Area Council to the north, and Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council to the south.