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COVID-19 Information Update 9/1/2020
The Pathway to Adventure Council requires all Scouts, registered leaders, and unregistered leaders adhere to the Guide to Safe Scouting, the BSA Restarting Scouting Checklist, and the City of Chicago’s Phase IV “Protecting Chicago” Reopening Framework. Additionally, Scouts and Scouters should have a current BSA Annual Health and Medical form, part A and B on file with their unit. These procedures and health forms are required for all Scouting activities and events, including unit meetings, Order of the Arrow gatherings, district events, council events, and service projects, such as Eagle Scout projects.
As a part of the City of Chicago’s Phase IV “Protecting Chicago” Reopening Framework:
- Everyone should practice social distancing and wear a face mask.*
- All indoor gatherings are limited to 50 or less people - including leaders, Scouts, and family members.
- Everyone should practice social distancing and wear a face mask.*
- Youth protection guidelines must still be followed.
- All outdoor gatherings are limited to 100 or less people- including leaders, Scouts, and family members.
- Everyone should practice social distancing and wear a face mask, except during physical activity.* Physical activity includes free play, games, sports, transportation (walking, cycling, hiking), and recreation.
- Youth protection guidelines must still be followed.
- Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned after each use.
- All Scouts, leaders, and family members should stay home if they feel ill or have come into contact with someone with COVID-19.
*Children under 2 years old and those with health conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask are exempt from this precaution.
Furthermore, if you travel to a state deemed a COVID-19 hot spot by the City of Chicago, you must self-quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state. A full list of states included in this Emergency Travel Order is updated every Tuesday and goes into effect the Friday of the same week. For the most recent list of states impacted, please visit the City of Chicago’s Emergency Travel Order Website.
All PTAC activities, meetings and events must follow the City of Chicago’s Phase IV “Protecting Chicago” Reopening Framework. If you are visiting a city, state, or area with stricter requirements, you MUST follow the stricter requirements of the place you are visiting.
The following resources have been compiled as a convenience for you but may not be the most complete list for your event, activity, or meeting. Please be sure to check the COVID-19 restrictions and requirements BEFORE your event, activity or meeting.
National Resources
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Wisconsin
Pathway to Adventure Properties
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Robert J. Welsh Center for Scouting - Now Open!
We are pleased to announce that the newly renovated Robert J. Welsh Scout Service Center in Munster, Indiana is now open. The Scout Shop and Service Center are open Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm
Thank you for your patience as we've renovated the Munster office! We hope to see you there soon!
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Member Care Services Now Offered by PTAC
Beginning this month, all Member Care (Help Desk) service requests will now be handled by local councils. PTAC will be able to assist you with password resets, member ID merges and other similar account support functions. You can view the full Scouting Wire announcement here.
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Cub Scout Adventure Day
We invite the families of new Cub Scouts in 2020 to experience the fun of Cub Scouting at Adventure Day! Scouts will earn their Bobcat (joining rank) Badge as they hike from station to station. Start their Scout Skills practicing knots. Learn how to build an at-home fire extinguisher at the STEM Station and get the supplies to build it at home. Take a turn catching some "fish" on dry land at our backyard bass station. We welcome you to come out and see what Scouting has to offer. Everyone must register including new Scouts, parent/guardians, and siblings.
Pick the time session on the date that works best for you. Registration is free and masks are required. Staff will be sanitizing stations between groups. This event is for new Cub Scouts and their families, who joined the program this year.
In the event that we are unable to hold in-person events due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event will move to a virtual event.
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Transcontinental Air Mail 100th Anniversary
2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Transcontinental Air Mail Service. To commemorate this event, volunteer pilots will be flying the original route carrying mail, just as the 1920 pilots did. The Pathway to Adventure Council is participating in this event by sending postcards that will be delivered after traveling the historic route. If you and/or your Scouts would like to receive a postcard, please fill out this form: https://tinyurl.com/PTACairmail. If you know anyone else who might also enjoy receiving a postcard, please fill out the form for them, too!
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Wilderness First Aid Certification
These classes are intended for scouts/scouters attending high adventure camps in 2021 or an Scout/Scouter who would like to complete a WFA certfication course.
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Now Accepting Campsite Reservations for 2021
We are looking ahead to summer camp in 2021, and we expect each session of camp at Napowan and Owasippe, to be fully booked! We are now accepting campsite reservations for 2021, so be sure you book your site today!
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Summer Camp Online Trading Post
Did you miss Summer Camp as much as we did? Good news! You can still get your 2020 Owasippe Or Napowan shirts, patches, and more! The online trading post will only be open until September 30th and supplies are limited.
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VOLUNTEER AND GIVING OPPORTUNITIES |
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Silent Auction
Support Scouting through our silent auction! Bidding starts September 10th at 8:00 AM and will go through September 17th!
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Attention all Merit Badge Counselors - 2021 MBC renewal is coming soon!
Merit Badge Counselors must renew yearly. Later this month, you will receive a link to renew via email. This link will be sent directly to your e-mail address on file and will take you to a renewal landing page. If you share an e-mail address with others in your household that is no problem, everyone will be using the same link.
If you took Youth Protection Training in 2018, it expires this year - you will need to retake it in order to be renewed as a Merit Badge Counselor. Please visit my.scouting.org/ to take the training!
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WEEK 1 SUCCESS
Scouts BSA Troop 209 in Signal Hill District had a great first weekend of selling popcorn! They had spots at both Jewel Food Stores in Palatine on Saturday and Sunday. They had 1 Scout and 1 parent at each entrance, but were far enough away from the doors, practicing social distancing. The Scouts wore masks, and they had on gloves as well. The reception from the customers was great; they were happy to see the Scouts out there! Their sales totaled over $5000 for the weekend.
Members of our communities are enjoying Pecatonica River Popcorn! If your unit is planning on doing Show and Sells, get your spaces reserved now, before they run out. If you need more popcorn, there is a re-order date coming up this weekend, for product to be available on Friday, September 11. Each service center is filled with extra forms for units that may have run out. Any popcorn related questions can be directed to ptac.popcorn@scouting.org.
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PTAC COVID-19 Advancement - Updated 9/1/2020
As a response to the health and safety concerns caused by the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, the Pathway to Adventure Council Advancement Committee, along with guidance from the National Advancement Team of the Boy Scouts of America, is providing this information to keep our youth filled with opportunities to continue advancement and experience as many programming opportunities as possible.
UPDATES
Several temporary changes have been made to rank advancement/camping requirements given the need to maintain social distancing during this time, to allow Scouts to complete rank requirements, by video conferencing through December 31, 2020. This deadline will be re-evaluated as needed. The most up-to-date national advancement updates and changes due to COVID-19 can be found here: https://www.scouting.org/coronavirus/covid-19-faq/
VIDEOCONFERENCING
In order to assist youth with opportunities to continue advancement progression during this time, we have approved the use of videoconferencing for Eagle Scout Board of Reviews and Merit Badge counseling. Please note: All YPT and Guide to Safe Scouting guidelines must be followed, including having two-deep leadership. Please see this article published by Bryan on Scouting regarding this topic:
VIRTUAL MERIT BADGES
Scouts can also continue to contact any currently registered merit badge counselor and ask if they are willing to work remotely. Scoutbook is a great resource to find the most updated list of merit badge counselors.
VIRTUAL CAMPING NIGHTS
In light of the extended period of camping restrictions attributable to COVID-19, the following temporary modification is being made by the PTAC Council Advancement Committee until December 31, 2020. Virtual camping may be counted toward the required nights of camping for rank advancement and merit badge requirements if all of the following conditions are met:
- To be counted, all virtual camping nights should be a direct result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and be part of a BSA unit-organized unit camping event (a unit camping event is defined as multiple members of the unit are involved and camping simultaneously at remote locations)
- Some form of unit-organized communications should occur either during or immediately following the event
- All existing Youth Protection Policies and Digital Safety Guidelines must be followed
- No more than 3 nights of virtual camping are to be credited in any month which government or council-imposed COVID-19 restrictions are in place
ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION, VERIFICATION, AND SIGNATURES
Eagle packet verification was suspended while offices were closed, please be advised that we have restored the process of verification before conducting the final Eagle Board of Review.
When it is time to turn in your completed Eagle Scout/Summit Award/Quartermaster application/paperwork, please drop off your packet to one of our (4) Service Centers. We have safe drop-off points arranged at each location. For addresses to our Service Centers, please see: http://pathwaytoadventure.org/contact/
If you would like to submit paperwork electronically for verification, please contact Mary Demski at: mary.demski@scouting.org
Electronic or digital signatures will be accepted through December 31, 2020.
EAGLE/SUMMIT/QUARTERMASTER TIME EXTENSIONS DUE TO COVID-19
The PTAC Advancement Committee has been granted the authority to grant a 3-month extension for those scouts working on Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster and it can be established that COVID-19 disruptions were the only circumstances that delayed work.
If you feel that COVID-19 has disrupted a youth’s progression, please send an email to PTACAdvancement@gmail.com as soon as possible with the following information:
-Name
-Unit
-Date of 18th Birthday
-Details of situation/request
-List of any items remaining to complete including merit badges, leadership roles, etc.
-Current status of the service project and if it is already approved by your District
-Name and email address of Scoutmaster
Should you need to seek additional information about your specific situation, please reach out to: PTACAdvancement@gmail.com and we can provide individual guidance and recommendations.
Currently, these COVID-19 changes and exceptions expire on December 31, 2020.
EAGLE/SUMMIT/QUARTERMASTER CREDENTIALS
Please note that fulfillment requests for Eagle certificates, cards, and letters from the National Service Center and National Supply are experiencing delays due to COVID-19. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/QUESTIONS
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Conservation Award Achievers
A Conservation Award Achiever (CAAer) is any Scout or Scouter that has ever been curious about the "why?" and "how?" of nature while having fun doing a Scout activity, a school activity, or on a family activity. The curiosity of wanting to learn more about your nature experience, the urge to do something about it, and the natural activity of educating others about what you did makes you a CAAer.
Young Scouts are naturally curious about nature or conservation concerns and need you to guide them into becoming a CAAer. Around the time a Scout earns First Class rank is the best time to advise them about the requirements for earning their Conservation Award. Waiting until the Scout has done or is doing their Eagle project on a conservation activity is too late to qualify for the Conservation Award Badge. For Scouters that have been involved with conservation activities for 3 or more years, there is a recognition award for your dedication to your conservation activities.
PTAC’s Conservation Award Committee is the first place to go with your questions about the Conservation Award requirements, the 3-year Adult award, and the unit recognition awards, which are awarded and administered by the Council. The Committee will be able to provide you with the definitive answers you will need to challenge your Scouts, your unit, or yourself to earn a Hornaday Conservation Award.
Scouts from across the council are currently working on their Conservation Award! Please contact Wayne Schimpff, Chairman, Conservation Award Committee with your questions: wschimpff@aol.com or 773-406-9396.
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In this section of our newsletter, we will hear from our Council President, Marc Passiment. |
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August is seen as the last month of the summer, and for many, it is the month before we go back to school - for some, they are already back in school.
At the beginning of August, I reflected on our virtual summer camp - what a terrific job the camp staff, Scouts, and Scouters did to celebrate summer camp. The videos still live on in YouTube today I encourage you to check them out.
August has brought us a new reality, masks are going to become the norm, and we should have always been washing our hands and taking precautions, but it is more important now than ever before. Many of you are looking forward to a terrific fall calendar. We are going to do our best to give you as much guidance as we can, realizing we must work with the guidance set by our communities. We need to be safe.
It is terrific to see our Scouts and Scouters getting outdoors and exploring the many wonders of nature and camping under the stars, even if it is just for a weekend. They remember the smell of a campfire and walking through the woods, taking home a bug bite or scratch as a souvenir.
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Everyone has worked hard to find new ways of delivering the Scouting program, and these efforts will be visible during our September special events. To those that have given through Friends of Scouting in our time of need, to those that have participated in our activities, to those that have just said Scouting is special and should endure - I thank you.
I look forward to the fall and our way forward from the continued challenges to our communities, as seen in the recent incident in Kenosha. There is still much work to be done to heal our communities. I am proud of our council’s diversity and inclusion, where we take time to listen to each other, to understand each other’s experiences, and contribute to the needs of those around us, just as good Scouters should. May it always be said that we are good stewards of the community.
I look forward to seeing you on the trail in September.
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Silver Beaver Nominations are now open
Do you know a Scouter that has distinguished themselves in Scouting and the community? If you do, we want you to nominate them for the Silver Beaver. Don’t wait for someone else to nominate that person.
The Silver Beaver Award is presented by the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, through the local Council to adult volunteer Scouters for their distinguished service to youth and their community. The Award is intended to acknowledge noteworthy service of exceptional character to youth by registered Scouters including but not limited to Cub Scouters, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouts and Exploring leaders within the territory under the jurisdiction of Pathway to Adventure. It is the highest award a Boy Scout Council can bestow upon a volunteer Scouter. Nominations forms have been simplified and are easy to use.
Nominations are due by December 7, 2020. Please do not wait until the last minute.
Save the date and join us at The Annual Council Recognition Dinner, scheduled for February 28, 2021.
If you have questions about how to nominate a person or fill out the form, please contact Don Swibes, Silver Beaver Chairman at dswibes.bsa@gmail.com.
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