Scouting News You Can Use - Week of 5/25/20

SCOUTING NEWS YOU CAN USE

Week of May 25, 2020

Pacific Skyline Council
Boy Scouts of America

Legend:

Cub Scouts

Scouts BSA

Venturing

Everyone

NEWS

Your Support is Needed Now More Than Ever!

"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. Registration fees go straight to National to cover membership and insurance costs. We know these are unique and challenging times for many, but please help if you can. Please know that while we shelter in place, our staff is still working very hard remotely providing service and preparing for a full return to Scouting. 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!

3 Easy Ways to Support Scouting:

Make a Friends of Scouting 2020 donation (button below).
Check with your employer about a Matching Gift, or click here.
Make sure that you submit your Scouting Volunteer hours if your employer has a "Dollars for Doers" program

Join Cosplay Crew 1939 - Fall 2020

Join us on an adventure to learn how to cosplay from seasoned hobbyists and working professional in the entertainment industry. Share your geeky side with other Venturers from all over the US and learn about the communities of conventions, costuming and reenactment. To learn more, download the flyer or go to Venturing page.

Troop 321 Helps Vietnam War Veteran

A Vietnam War veteran in San Carlos that became disconnected as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic is disconnected no more. Henry Small turns 82 years old next month and lives alone in the house he built. The disabled and deaf veteran would go every day to the library for his vital needs and for companionship with library staff. That all ended in March when the library shut down due to the shelter-in-place order. Community groups are helping to meet his daily needs, and more than a dozen people turned up to clear a jungle from his backyard - including Scouts BSA Troop 321. See article and hear the KCBS radio piece here.

Request 2021 Jambo Promotion and Interview Info!

Come join us for the 2021 National Jamboree! The Pacific Skyline Council will be heading to Summit Bechtel Reserve for a pre-tour and the 10-day Jamboree on July 17-30, 2021. Click here for more details. Unit Leadership can request a dedicated presentation at an upcoming meeting here. Those who have already registered can sign up for a discussion with leaders here.

Fundraising with Popcorn while Social Distancing - Fall 2020

Trail's End is developing a sales plan to work with current social distancing rules. They are working on a new direct-to-consumer model, making Trail's End fundraising a safer way to fundraise for your unit. Popcorn sales are critical to funding Scouting in our community. Funds raised by popcorn sales not only support your unit, but also go to support our Council's Scoutreach programs, camp maintenance and improvements. If you haven't sold popcorn recently, give Trail's End a try this year. Sign your unit up now!

New Service Hours Reporting Process

"Service Hour Reporting" accessed via the my.Scouting 'Legacy Web Tools' section was shut down for unit entries on May 6. Units should now log service hours via Scoutbook. Learn more here.

Online Applications

What's the fastest way to register new Scouts and Leaders? What's the most error-free way to register new Scouts and Leaders? By using online registration! We strongly suggest that your unit take a look at turning on the function to allow your unit to accept Online Registration. Your unit will have full control of approving and registering online applications! It's a free service to units, you'll save paper, you'll never temporarily misplace an application, and you'll never run out of paper applications again! See the how-to pdf (updated 5/20/20) for instructions. Please note, the online application system is set up for new Scouts and Leaders. It is not yet designed for transfers or Webelos-to-Scout crossovers!

Rank Advancement during COVID-19

The BSA has temporarily revised certain advancement procedures for Cubs, Scouts BSA, Ventures and Sea Scouts. See all temporary advancement rules and procedures on our Advancement page.

Temporary Procedure for Eagle Scout Service Project Binder Submission

During the Shelter-at-Home Order, the procedure for Eagle binder submission will be as outlined here.

Calling for Day Camp Volunteers!

GET YOUR SUMMER SERVICE HOURS FOR SCOUTS OR SCHOOL! Volunteer to help with day camp activities. Hours are 8:30am-5:00p. Questions? Contact Andrew Wilmes at [email protected]. Learn more about Day Camp.

Scouting-at-Home Ideas Page!

Check out our page of Scouting and other at-home activity ideas here.

It's Easy to Support the Council while shopping on Amazon!

Make sure that you've listed the Boy Scouts of America - Pacific Skyline Council as a designated charity and Amazon will donate a portion of your purchase to the Council. YOU Shop. WE Save. Thank you! Start here, it doesn't cost you a thing.

Your Unit Can Earn a FREE Weekend of Camping!

If your unit meets their 2020 Friends of Scouting goal, your unit will earn two free weekend camping nights at either Cutter or Boulder Creek Scout Reservations! We are asking every Scouting family to make a donation to the Scouting program this year. Learn more and donate here.

OA Virtual Unit Visitations and Elections

Ohlone Lodge is continuing with virtual Unit Visitations and Elections. Scheduling can be done through our election request form. For questions, please contact our Vice Chief of Inductions at [email protected]. The Spring Ordeal has been canceled. Elected candidates now have 24 months from the date of their election to attend their Ordeal and become a member. The next Ordeal will be Sep 18-20 at Cutter Scout Reservation.

Cutter 50th Anniversary Celebration

Reception, Reunion and Rededication. Help us celebrate 50 years of Cutter camping memories with our Reception and Rededication! Learn more.

Aug 4 - New Date - Virtual Reunion & 50th Anniversary Celebration Register
Aug 28-30 - In-camp Rededication Ceremony & Chuckwagon BBQ at the famous Cutter Scout Reservation! Register

Get on the email list for celebration updates here.

CLOSED, but working from home

Our offices and shops are closed during the shelter-in-place order. We are working from home--find our contact information here. Order Scouting supplies here.

ACTIVITIES

Calling all Scouts! 2021 National Jamboree

Registration is going strong! Scouting's flagship event is one-of-a-kind. Held every four years, the Jamboree is an amazing opportunity for participants, volunteers, and visitors to experience the best of Scouting, all in one place. Features include: one of the longest zipline courses in North America, a world-class skate park, ATV offerings, treetop canopy tours, rock climbing, patch trading, stadium shows, and much more! Check out our website here for details and register ASAP - we have only 90 spaces and we expect them to fill fast!

Virtual Minecraft Hour of Code - May 26

F or Cub Scouts ages 6+. Join us for this, ninety-minute workshop to have fun learning and being inspired by computer science and AI. Using the power of code and AI, participants will program the Agent to prevent forest fires and regrow a forest. By the end of the workshop, students will be able to Understand basic AI concepts, Instruct a computer to perform fundamental coding tasks, and Experience how AI is being used in the real-world to promote conservation and sustainability. Learn more & register.

Virtual Code Your Own Video Game with MakeCode Arcade - May 28

For Cub Scouts ages 8+. In this workshop, participants (whom we will call game developers) will use block coding to create games with MakeCode Arcade. Participants will learn about the game design concept of sprites and the computer science concepts of coordinates and variables. They will complete a coding tutorial, Eat the Doughnut, to build a game introducing them to the fundamentals of MakeCode Arcade. Learn more & register.

Virtual Smithsonian Hall of Fossils Tour

- June 1 (new date)

F or Cub Scouts ages 8+. Travel millions of years to the past without leaving your home. In this workshop, participants are transported to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History right from their web browser using 360-degree interactive imagery. Participants will Explore the Smithsonian's famous "Hall of Fossils" in 360-degrees virtually, Learn about natural history in the Jurassic age, Complete a fun virtual discovery hunt throughout the museum. Learn more & register.

2020 Cub-Ons - Aug-Oct

Cub-On is a great introduction to Cub Scout "family camping" and the natural beauty of our coastal area. Cutter Scout Reservation is located in the Santa Cruz mountains in a lush redwood forest! All meals are provided in our dining hall with trained staff at each of our activity areas! Hiking * Fishing * Boating * Archery * BB Guns * Crafts * Swimming * Pocket Knife Safety * Campfire Program Learn more & register

Cub Scout with ping pong ball shooter he made at Day Camp

Cub Scout Day Camp - Summer 2020

Get your Cub Scout outside with time-honored Scout experiences like Archery, Crafts, Sports, Science, Games, and much more! 2020 Theme: Cub Scouts of the Roundtable. Activities: Age-appropriate activities for both Cub Scouts and Webelos including archery, crafts, games, BB guns, and more. Activities vary by location. Learn more & register

See the Oakland A's Play the Braves! - July 22

Enjoy some baseball across the Bay! Catch the Oakland A's playing the Atlanta Braves in Oakland on July 22nd and participate in a pre-game parade on the field! Tickets are $25. A portion of the ticket sales will to to the Pacific Skyline Council. Buy tickets here.

TRAINING

Online Training

If you haven't already taken the required courses for your Scouting position, log on and get trained. There are several Required training opportunities available online, as well as Extended Learning.

Log onto: my.scouting.org
Click on "Menu"
Click on "My Training"
Select YPT if you need to update it (every 2 years)
All other classes, go to "Training Center" and select the courses needed by program.
Take any Trainings needed for your leadership position in Scouting.

This way, you will be ready to hit the ground running when Shelter-at-Home restrictions are lifted.

Powder Horn - Aug 2-8, 2020

Open to both registered adults and youth who are at least 14 years old, Powder Horn is a hands-on resource-management course designed to give you the contacts and tools necessary to conduct an awesome high-adventure program in your troop or crew. This training event is hosted by the San Francisco Bay Area Council (not Pacific Skyline Council). Download flyer, download brochure, learn more & register.

Trainer's Edge - Aug 22

Anyone interested in improving their presentation skills should attend! This course is required for all trainers who train on the District and Council levels (including Wood Badge and NYLT staff). Unit leaders, Commissioners, and anyone else who would like to learn to communicate ideas better are encouraged to attend. This all-day course is taught by Scouters who have years of training experience in the Pacific Skyline Council. Learn more & register.

Wood Badge Postponements

The Spring 2020 course is postponed to this fall. The Fall 2020 course W3-55-20-2 has been postponed to Fall of 2021. Wood Badge is the premier training for all adult leaders in Scouting and will help you in immeasurable ways both in and out of Scouting. Wood Badge consists of two weekends of fun and fast-paced training. Learn more.