Membership Registration Fee Increase* -- Unit Subsidy Available
Starting Aug. 1, the membership fee for Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scouting participants will be $84 and $57 for Exploring participants.
The one-time $25 joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scouting will still be required. There is no joining fee for Exploring, participants previously registered in any BSA program, those transferring from one program to another, council-paid memberships, or adult volunteers.
Fees for all adult volunteers will be $57, and the unit charter fee will stay at $75.
To assist our units, PTAC will offer a unit subsidy as part of our 2022 Charter Renewal. This year there will be 2 different options to qualify for this subsidy.
- The first option: If a unit submits a clean Charter by 5 pm on Dec. 1, then the unit qualifies for a $6 subsidy for each registered youth and adult.
- The second option: If a unit submits a clean Charter by 5 pm on Dec. 30, then the unit qualifies for a $3 subsidy for each registered youth and adult.
Please remember, units should not pay their Charter Renewal online. If you pay your charter renewal online, then your unit will not qualify for the unit subsidy.
*In last month's edition of the newsletter, we did not include the $12 insurance fee in the membership cost per participant. This month, we have updated the numbers to include the insurance fee. We apologize for the confusion.
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New Internet Recharter System
To improve systems and increase speed and efficiency in processes while reducing costs, the current Internet Recharter system will be phased out. All units with a charter expiration date of December 31, 2021, and beyond will be submitted through a new system located in Internet Advancement 2.0 (https://advancements.scouting.org).
Please remember, units should not pay their Charter Renewal online. If you pay your charter renewal online, then your unit will not qualify for the unit subsidy.
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Cub Scouts: The Experience
All new and returning Cub Scouts are invited to join us this fall for Cub Scouts: The Experience. Formerly known as Adventure Days, these events will host activities and games that your Scouts are sure to love!
Saturday, September 25 - Robert J. Welsh Service Center and Community Park - Munster, IN
Saturday, October 2 - Slovenian Cultural Center - Lemont, IL
Saturday, October 9 - St. Peter Lutheran Church - Schaumburg, IL
Saturday, October 16 - Thatcher Woods - River Forest, IL
If you are interested in volunteering, please see the "volunteer opportunities" section below.
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You asked for it, and we brought it back! Hurry, classes will fill up quickly! Check back often as Merit Badges and sessions are added often! |
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Scout Tech at mHUB
On October 23, we will be hosting our first Scout Tech Merit Badge classes, Engineering and Entrepreneurship, at mHUB! Each class is limited to 12 Scouts and costs $25. Scouts must be at least 13 years old or in 8th grade to participate. Registration will open soon. Please check our website in the coming weeks for registration information. No mass registrations, please. Blue cards will be managed electronically so each Scout needs access to their registration.
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Recycle with United Scrap Metal and help Ronald McDonald House Charities
Our friends at United Scrap Metal are continuing their annual support of Ronald McDonald House Charities a little differently this year. Please start saving your aluminum cans and pop tabs to earn a cool patch and help families in need. On October 23, there will be two drop sites in our area. Get all the details here.
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2022 Winter NYLT
Did your Scout miss our summer NYLT course? You are in luck because we have a winter course scheduled for two weekends in January and February 2022. Don't delay, this course will fill up fast! Register for Winter NYLT Here!
Fearless Girl NYLT Scholarship
Scholarships are available for girls in Scouts BSA who wish to attend NYLT. The qualifications are: Only two young women from any one troop can qualify per year. Scholarships are for Pathway to Adventure NYLT Courses and Scouts only. Scoutmasters must complete the form below stating which two ladies from their unit are recommended to receive the scholarship. Scouts must be registered through the regular registration process. The required deposit must be paid upfront. Once the Scout completes the training along with the emailed survey from the funding committee, the deposit will be refunded. No-show deposits will not be refunded; NYLT cancellation policy applies. Scoutmasters- Complete this form to begin the Scholarship recommendation process.
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OKPIK Cold Weather Camping
It is warm outside now but soon the weather will turn very cold! Are you and your Scouts prepared? Check out this fun opportunity for Scouts 14 years of age and older, and leaders to learn to "Be Prepared" for cold weather camping! Click here to learn more and register.
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This article is part of a series regarding our Fall Recruitment efforts. |
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As you are reading this month’s membership article, we know you are busy preparing your family for the new school year. During the month of September, your unit should be in full execution mode with your recruitment plan. Hopefully, your unit was able to participate in your August Roundtable Kick-off and obtain tools and information to support your fall recruitment efforts. If your unit was unable to attend your August Roundtable, please work with your District Membership Chair or District Executive to pick-up the supplies you need to support your recruitment event.
During this month, your unit’s plan should include hosting a table at your school’s open house along with our Join Scouting Week in your communities and neighborhoods. All your recruitment events should be advertised by using the multiple tools available, including flyers, yard signs, geofencing, and customized videos, to name a few. Another successful form of recruitment is peer-to-peer recruitment, which can take place either by a youth recruiting a youth or even a parent recruiting a parent.
This year, we have multiple incentives for our youth, new and existing, and for our Packs. The Pack incentive, “Drive For 5”, is when a unit recruits 5 new youth over their 2019/2020 average and recruits a New Member Coordinator. Upon successful completion of your Drive For 5 goal, the council will purchase Pinewood Derby Cars for your new and existing Scouts in early 2022. Your District Membership Chair and your District
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Executive have your Drive For 5 target goals. Our new youth incentives include a balloon car for any youth who attends your recruitment event and a rubber band car once that youth submits their application. For our existing Scouts, there is an incentive for any youth who successfully recruits a new friend to join their unit, whether in a Pack or a Troop.
During your September Roundtables, you will also learn about our Re-Engage-A-Scout Phone-A-Thon Campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to re-invite those Scouts and their families, who dropped at the end of last year, back into Scouting. Also, during September, your unit should hold a parent orientation meeting to welcome them to your unit and to Scouting. This is where a New Member Coordinator can be the lead during the key event.
In closing, please ensure you submit all paper applications within a week of your recruitment event and continue to address all online Leads and applications within 48 hours so those families who are interested in joining Scouting can enjoy the experience. Please watch our PTAC website for additional membership updates. If you have any questions, please work with your District Membership Chair, District Executive, and your Unit Commissioner or you can contact PTAC. helpdesk@scouting. org.
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2021 Popcorn Sale
The game has begun! The 2021 popcorn sale is underway. Units have already gotten their first batch of products, and have begun their show-and-sell sales. If your unit has not signed up for the sale yet, there is still time to sign up! Also, if an adult leader from your unit did not attend a leader training, you can still pick up your materials at your local service center.
Online selling is easy for the Scout and work-free for the kernel. If your unit is not pushing the online sale, please do so. No dealing with money or product. Take advantage of it.
The first re-order will be Labor Day weekend. Check your Leaders Guide for information. If you are running out of product, this is a great time to refill.
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Ceremony Scouts Needed
We are looking for Scouts to participate in flag ceremonies in front of VIPs who invest in our program. These large-scale flag ceremonies are sure to leave you with goosebumps! We will provide dinner for the Scouts and cover the cost of parking for parents/leaders. Scouts should wear their Field Uniforms (Class A). Please, no jeans. If your Scout is interested in participating, please fill out the form(s) below.
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Volunteers Needed for Cub Scouts: The Experience
The Council Activities Committee, in partnership with the Council Membership Committee, will be hosting four sessions of Cub Scouts: The Experience – formerly known as Adventure Days. Not only have we re-branded the name, but we have also expanded the target audience to all registered Cub Scouts, their families, and potential Cub Scouts looking to see what the program offers.
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Adult Volunteers Needed for NYLT - Summer 2022
Servant leadership starts with YOU! Pathway to Adventure Council, National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is looking for adult Scouting volunteers who are ready to watch the magic unfold as they support the youth staff that trains other youth in servant leadership. There are two sessions in summer 2022, June 19-25 and June 26 to July 2 at Owasippe Scout Reservation. You are needed for part of the week or the whole time – whatever fits your schedule. If your troop will be there, you can split your week between the two! Want to know more? E-mail nyltptac@gmail.com today!
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Day Camp 2022 Planning Committee
We need you to help make our PTAC 2022 Day Camp the best yet! We are looking for people who are willing to work with a committee of other Day Camp-loving volunteers to plan out program, define and document processes, and iron out location and delivery logistics. You don't have to do everything, but we would love for you to come help with even a small piece of the puzzle so we can elevate PTAC Day Camp and provide a high-quality program and experience to Cub Scouts and maybe even their friends, too. For every District that can provide a volunteer for the committee, we will consider hosting a Day Camp session in that District. Please use the form found at the link below to either volunteer yourself or another member of your District. If you have questions, you can reach the 2022 Day Camp Committee Chair, Stephanie Brockway, at PTACDayCamp@gmail.com.
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Help Wanted for Fall Virtual Merit Badge Academy
In-person venues remain scarce for fall scheduling. To keep our Scouts engaged and advancing, we are offering virtual merit badge opportunities starting in mid-September. We are looking for help to staff this event. Positions include:
Merit Badge Counselors: Many badges can be offered virtually. Counselors will be scheduled based on their availability. All offerings will be a single 2-hour session. All sessions will be on Saturdays. Some badges may require homework. Counselors will work with the event chair to develop a list of prerequisites and define how those prerequisites will be delivered to the counselor (in-class vs. email). Those prerequisites will be posted on the registration page so that expectations are clear.
2-Deep Partners: Each merit badge class requires a second adult to be present to comply with Youth Protection guidelines. YPT partners will take attendance, admit attendees to the Zoom session, assist with tech support (asking participants to mute/unmute, turn video on, etc.) and help the counselor enforce the code of conduct. This is a great opportunity for those considering becoming Merit Badge Counselors to get acquainted with the process. The time commitment is 2 hours per session.
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Calling All Artists!
Are you a painter, sculptor, photographer, or graphic designer? We have an opportunity for you!
We want you to show off your artwork at PTAC’s largest development events this Fall. Your artwork will be seen by THOUSANDS of people at our Construction and Metals Industry Dinners and included in the Silent Auction at both events. Not an artist yourself but know someone who is? Let them know about this opportunity! We are looking to show off authentic artwork from the youth in our community. We also welcome any holiday-themed art pieces! (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, etc.)
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Monthly Advancement and Recognition Webinar
The Pathway to Adventure Council Advancement and Recognition Committee presents our monthly webinar informational series! On the 3rd Thursday of each month, our team will bring you news, information, and training about all aspects of advancement and recognition from across the BSA!
- September 16, 2021: Life-to Eagle Seminar
- October 21, 2021: Eagle Coordinator Training
- November 18, 2021: Award Nominations 101 (Covering Silver Beaver, District Award of Merit, NESA, and Alumni Awards)
- December 16, 2021: STEM/NOVA Awards
Our latest COVID Advancement information (dated 5/13/2021) can be found here.
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Cub Scout Leader Position-Specific Training
Calling all Cub Scout Leaders that are in need of position-specific training! Don't miss this opportunity to be trained for your volunteer position, connect with other leaders, and strengthen your confidence to lead your Cub Scouts! Every Scout deserves a trained leader! This Event is FREE! Click here to register.
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Scouting for All
What does “Scouting for All” really mean? If you ask Nolan T., he will tell you it means perseverance and inclusion. Even those with special needs can enjoy Scouting. Nolan is an Eagle Scout with Cerebral Palsy. The trail to Eagle is challenging, but Nolan persevered. His message to all Scouts, including those with special needs, is inspiring, “Scouting is a great foundation to build your character on, but don’t think you have to go fast. Take it at your own pace. Find something in it as your own thing. Be in it for you!” Read the story of Nolan’s journey here.
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Hazardous Weather Training
Direct contact leaders must complete Hazardous Weather Training to be considered position trained. This is a very important training and must be taken every two years to stay current, just like Youth Protection Training! Hazardous Weather Training is available around the clock in the BSA Learn Center by logging in to your account on https://my.scouting.org/.
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Trailblazer Women in Scouting Celebration
Come celebrate the strides we have made in welcoming young women into the Scouts BSA and Cub Scout programs and help us honor some of the Scouters that helped get here. Tom and Wendy Herb, Toni Preckwinkle, Dave Sheppard, and Sue Simmons have paved the way for generations to come. Please help us celebrate their leadership and dedication to bringing equal opportunities in Scouting for women.
The Trailblazer District Women in Scouting event will be held on September 15th at 7:30 PM at the Cotillion Banquet Hall located at 360 S. Creekside Drive in Palatine, Illinois. We look forward to seeing you there! Click here to view the invitation.
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In this section of our newsletter, we will hear from our Council President, Marc Passiment. |
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The temperature soared in August and reminded us that we are still in summer, but the Scouting calendar is starting to turn toward fall. There were several kick-offs this past month in the different districts. Membership, program, and popcorn activities are underway. It was great to see everyone engaging in the different events.
The membership committee has done a terrific job of incorporating many lessons learned over the last two years to recruit new people to Scouting. It is so important we all work to invite those that paused over the last two years to come back. In addition, so many more families are looking at our program. We are holding four Cub Scouts: The Experience days. We invite all to volunteer and participate. We need your assistance, as you all are the ambassadors to your units. The new Cub Scouts and future Scouts in our troops are looking forward to meeting you.
Program continues to provide avenues for adventure. To deliver the best possible programmatic experience we are offering all kinds of training courses. During one of the district kick-offs, I was speaking with several leaders. The themes of our conversation were: training is fellowship, and idea exchanges are most important. Please take advantage of our training courses. One usually leads to wanting to take another. People go to learn from each other, develop great relationships, and find new ways to develop the leaders of tomorrow. It sounds like a tall order, but most agree, when you realize you are not alone, it becomes easier; There is strength
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in community. In addition to training, camporees are deep in their planning stages. Merit badge classes are being planned. Council- and district-level volunteers are coming together to produce program options to complement unit activities. An observation: the more unit leadership is involved in the planning and execution of these events, they become amazing.
Popcorn sales kicked off this past month as well. Last year, Pathway to Adventure was the number one council served by Pecatonica River Popcorn in sales compared to the prior year. The feedback on the quality of Pecatonica popcorn has been tremendous. What a great way to fundraise: selling some of the best-tasting popcorn. The popcorn team worked hard to bring different events to our communities to raise awareness, and now our Scouts have a chance to fund another great year of Scouting.
In my travels, I was asked the question, “what is the future of Scouting?” After this month, I would tell you that Scouting is about delivering the same remarkable program we have done for over a century. New families are joining all the time, and we are becoming the fabric of our communities. We are an outdoor experience that understands the value of technology, environment, and way to deal with challenges while having fun. Scouting has a bright future and will continue to do so because of all of you.
See you on the trail…
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New Munster Scout Shop Hours
Beginning August 1, the Munster Scout Shop is pleased to expand its business hours. Please see below for more details. We look forward to seeing you in the store soon!
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesday: 8:30 am to 7:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
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La Grange Scout Shop Newsletter
Looking for more information on the La Grange Scout Shop? Please subscribe to our newsletter! Click here to sign up, or here to view our latest edition.
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Please remember that the Chicago Scout Shop is now permanently closed.
The La Grange, Arlington Heights, and newly renovated Munster Scout Shops remain open for business.
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A new Scouting year deserves a new uniform
Outfit your Scout with this #ScoutShopBSA deal! Starting August 2nd, you can shop online and in-store to get 25% off* uniform bottoms when you buy a matching uniform top.
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*Check with your local Scout Shop for more information. Retail only. Uniform top and bottom must be from the same program and purchased together. Offer valid online and in participating Scout Shops from 08/02/21 to 10/31/21 at 11:59pm EST. Not valid on previous purchases. May not be combined with any other offer or discount. No cash value.
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Your Scout Shop sews!*
Patch pricing is $3.50 per patch. We also have a Loyalty Program Card: 1 Free Sewing after 9 paid sewings. *Check with your local Scout Shop for more information, not all Scout Shops do hemming.
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Markdowns as high as 90% off select items. Stop in and check out what your local Scout Shop has to offer. |
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Continue the conversation, follow us on social media! |
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