Sent to: All Scouters and Rovers in Voyageur Council |
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Voyageur Council Trail Guide
August 5, 2022
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Early Registration is Quickly Approaching! |
Hello Scouters,
Can you believe it’s already August? Early registration opens for existing members in less than two weeks and for new/lapsed members in less than a month! If you haven’t already, review the “Get Ready for Registration” To-Do List below and don’t forget to renew your role. Keep reading for important updates regarding the upcoming Ottawa REDBLACKS “Scouts Night” (the registration deadline has been extended!) and First Aid (save the dates in your calendar!).
New and updated information this week: Volunteer Renewal and Participant Registration 2023, Ottawa REDBLACKS “Scouts Night,” First Aid Update: August 2022, Vision From Ope Crew, Update on National Fundraisers 2022-2023.
Have you checked out the News and Events section on Scouts.ca? You can find great updates there along with new ideas, new resources, and much more!
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Get Ready for Registration To-Do List
Member Services has put together some guidance to as we prepare for registration this year, including a Group and individual to-do list. Click the button below to download this useful guide. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to reach out to your Relationship Manager or registration@scouts.ca.
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Volunteer Renewal and Participant Registration 2023
In response to feedback from our members, Scouts Canada opened the Scouter Renewal process in MyScouts earlier this year on July 5. You must renew or register for the 2022/23 Scouting Year to maintain your membership and continue in your volunteer role this fall. We are piloting this new approach and if successful, may plan to open up renewal even earlier for the 2024 membership cycle. Recommitting to the Code of Conduct will be easier: upon renewal of roles in MyScouts, Scouters will be immediately prompted to read and accept.
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Volunteer Membership Renewal with Code of Conduct opened July 5, 2022 and is due by August 31, 2022
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Early Participant Registration (Current/Continuing) – August 15, 2022
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Early Participant Registration (New and Lapsed - those who were past participants but not in the last Scouting Year) – September 1, 2022
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Participant Registration (All) – January 1st, 2023
All new and lapsed (those who were past participants but not in the last Scouting Year) participants will benefit from a 16-month membership when registering on September 1st. Essentially the fall Scouting months are free for new participants.
The annual National Registration fee for a Scouts Canada membership will remain at $230 per youth with $15 of each membership going directly to the local Group to help support fun adventures. Local Groups may also charge an additional registration fee. An email will be sent to all Scouts Canada member parents regarding youth membership renewal, including dates and fees, on July 16.
Additionally, please ensure that your Respect in Sport training, Vulnerable Sector Check and Police Record Check are up to date. While MyScouts provides auto-reminders for upcoming requirement renewals, you may view the status of your membership requirements at any time on your MyScouts.ca account.
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Ottawa REDBLACKS "Scouts Night"
Saturday, September 24 at 7:00pm
TD Place - Ottawa
Registration Deadline: EXTENDED! August 29, 2022
The Ottawa REDBLACKS CFL team will be hosting a “Scouts Night” at their game on September 24 and you're invited! In addition to being able to cheer on the REDBLACKS as they face off against the Toronto Argonauts, youth, parents, and Scouters will have the opportunity to camp on the TD Place field after the game!
So far, over 220 individuals have registered to attend and over 150 will be camping on the field!
Two packages are available to Groups in Voyageur Council:
Sleepover Package ($40 per attendee)
- Includes ticket into the REDBLACKS game
- Custom badge for youth members
- Camp out on the field post-game
Game Package ($30 per attendee or $26 if the attendee does not want a badge)
- Includes ticket into the REDBLACKS game
- Custom badge for youth members
** Please note: We have since clarified with the REDBLACKS that all individuals who are sleeping over will receive a badge and the cost is $40/attendee. For those who would just like to attend the game, they have the option to receive a badge and pay $30 or not receive a badge and pay $20. We apologize for any confusion related to the pricing. **
Groups must be registered by August 29
(this will ensure that badges are ready by game day!)
A dedicated Account Manager has been assigned to us to assist with ticket purchases and to answer any questions. To book in your Group, contact:
If you have any specific questions, please contact Robyn directly as she can quickly respond to your inquiries related to this activity!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Does one Scouter need to order tickets on behalf of the entire Group or can multiple Scouters order tickets?
A: If the attendees want to be seated in the same area, then one Scouter should purchase all tickets on behalf of the Group/multiple Sections. All Scouts Canada members will be assigned tickets in the same seating area in the stadium, however, if you want to ensure that your entire Group/multiple Sections are seated together, one Scouter should be responsible for purchasing the tickets.
Q: We are having difficulty completing our ERP as we do not know all the risks that exist within TD Place. What should we do?
A: The CK3 has worked with the Ottawa Redblacks to create an ERP template with important information related to the venue (evacuation routes, security, etc.). You are encouraged to download the ERP template (see buttons below) and add in information that is relevant to your Group/Section (Scouters, First Aiders, Medical Info, etc.).
Q: Can youth attend the game (without the sleepover component) with their parents?
A: Yes! If the Section or Group does not want to attend together, the “Game Package” ($30 with a badge, $26 without a badge) allows youth to attend the game with their parents. Parents would need to contact Robyn to purchase their tickets at this discounted rate.
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First Aid Update: August 2022
We are planning several courses this fall to help Scouters, new and old, receive their certifications. The list below is intended as a beginning for your planning purposes; we hope to add courses in other parts of the Council as trainers and facilities become available. For now, we are just providing dates as additional information, costs, and registration links will be sent out in future communications.
Standard First Aid
As in the past, we are offering St John Ambulance (SJA) Blended First Aid courses. This course is comprised of about 8 hours of online training in the David Huestis Learning Centre followed by a one-day in-person class to review the online content, cover the CPR-C and AED training, and write the exam. SJA requires successful completion of the online portion in order to be allowed to attend the in-person class. Participants must be 13 years old on date of in-person course.
- September 24 at 8:30 A.M.: St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in Ottawa
- October 1 at 8:30 A.M.: Huntley Community Association Mess Hall in Carp
- October 29 at 8:30 A.M.: Orleans United Church in Orleans
- We are also working on a course in Smiths Falls and one in Kingston for the fall. Trainer, equipment, and facility availability need to align; stay tuned for more information soon!
Costs for these courses will vary based on costs for hosting them but participants can expect to pay between $70.00-$85.00.
Also, please keep in mind that Scouts Canada and St. John Ambulance (SJA) have an agreement in place that allows any of our members to take a public SJA Standard First Aid (2-day) course at a discounted rate. In Ontario, the price is $135 (normally $149); in Québec, the price is $110 (normally $130). To receive this price, you’ll need to register as usual and state that you are a member of Scouts Canada. Please don’t hesitate to contact me (alex.gazaleh@scouts.ca) if you run into any issues.
Wilderness First Aid
We will also be offering Wilderness First Aid through the Canadian Wilderness Medical Training and Scouts Canada volunteers. This is a 2-day course that covers the basics of first aid in a wilderness environment. The course includes Standard First Aid certification as well as meeting the Wilderness Medical Association's requirements for Wilderness First Aid. Participants must be 14 years old on date of the course.
- September 10 & 11 from 8:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M.: "Old Town Hall" on March Road in Kanata
- September 24 & 25 from 8:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M.: Scouts National HQ on Baseline Road
- We are also working on a course to be run at Camp Opemikon later in the fall
Costs for these courses will vary based on costs for hosting them but participants can expect to pay approximately $165.00.
Alex Gazaleh
Council First Aid Training Coordinator
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Vision From Ope Crew
The Opemikon Rover Crew is back at it and recruiting new members. The Ope Crew has supported Camp Opemikon in many ways since 1960. From September to June, we provide catering services to groups using the camp on weekends. We also support program activities such as high ropes, archery, nature, and paddling. Lastly, we help the warden with maintenance around the camp.
Consider joining the Ope Crew if you like spending weekends at camp and helping other youth enjoy their time at Ope. Training is provided in all aspects of what we do and much of the training (such as food handler certification) is transferable to work outside camp.
To join the Ope Crew: you need to be at least 15 years old, willing to help at Ope a few weekends over the year, willing to attend training at Ope, and willing to complete online courses (Scouts training, WHMIS, etc.). You don’t need to leave your present Group; Ope Crew can be your second registration.
If you are interested, please email crew@opemikon.org to let us know and we’ll be in touch.
Scouters, please pass this information along to your Venturer and Rover Scouts. We are also looking for new Scouters to join Crew or join the Camp Committee to increase our support of camp operations. Let us know of your interest and any particular role you would like by contacting crew@opemikon.org.
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We Need Event Support Scouters!
Do you love planning events? Do you have experience with event management or project management? Would you like to provide feedback and enhancement suggestions on various event standards and procedures? Then you should consider becoming an active member of the National Network of (Major & Local) Event Support Scouters!
The Event Support Team is continuing to recruit Event Support Scouters to help support large events and provide guidance through the event planning and application process. The process to join the team is quick and simple! Click the button below if you are interested in the role – a Program Support Manager will be in touch to schedule a quick interview. We look forward to having Voyageur Scouters join this growing team and help support amazing events that are being planned around the Council and the country.
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Update on National Fundraisers 2022-2023
NEW: Are you in charge of fundraising in your Group or Section? If you missed the townhall, hosted by the national fundraising team, that was held on July 21st, click the link below to view the recording!
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We are excited to be continuing with our three main national fundraisers this year: Scout Popcorn, Scout Seeds and our on-going campaign, Scout Coffee. Currently, we are experimenting with our approach to national fundraisers to empower Groups to fund more exciting adventures.
What we are trying this year:
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Greater flexibility in the choice of fundraisers: Scouts Canada coordinates three national campaigns annually but we will also be sharing ideas of other local fundraisers that Groups have successfully implemented so other Groups/Section can fundraise based on a winning formula.
- Additionally, we are currently building a portfolio of resources that can be used by Groups specifically for local fundraising campaigns, including review sheets, scripts, customizable webpages, and more!
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Extending the Scout Popcorn campaign so that it is available when it is convenient for Groups this fall.
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Continuing Scout Coffee as a year-round campaign.
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Launching Scout Seeds earlier than in previous years. Scouts Seeds will be available starting in mid-January to accommodate different growing seasons across the country.
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Exploring use of mobile payment. This is still to be determined but we are looking at the possibility of offering the ability to collect mobile payments in the field.
What we’ve worked on based on feedback we received:
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Increased coordination between our vendors, Scouts Canada, and Groups to ensure ability to deliver product in a timely matter.
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Implementation of bulk order deadlines for Popcorn that will enhance logistics and product delivery in a timely matter.
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Increased capacity by our popcorn vendor (new machines and night shifts).
What we have not been able to address yet:
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Shipping costs. With the increase in gas prices, this continues to be an on-going issue. We are currently evaluating possible solutions but this will not be implemented for our fall campaigns.
As we experiment with a new approach, we hope to collect feedback throughout the year so that we can empower our Groups to choose the best fundraising option for them while providing the resources to support their success.
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Scout Popcorn Campaign
The Scout Popcorn campaign is just around the corner and we’ve made some changes to the campaign to provide more flexibility to Groups and to ensure orders are processed quickly and efficiently. We’ve also implemented new processes regarding bulk orders that we hope will make the process smoother for Groups. Moreover, we’re delighted to share that our vendor has also implemented several new measures that will ensure product demand is met in a timely and efficient manner; this includes the addition of an evening production crew as well as new machines to accommodate larger volumes.
Scout Popcorn Dates to Remember:
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Mid-August – Bulk order period opens for Groups who want to make bulk purchases for fall events (exact date to be confirmed).
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August 10th, 2022 – Fundraising Townhall 1. Click the button below to register for the townhall to learn all about this year’s Scout Popcorn Campaign.
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September 7th, 2022 – Fundraising Townhall 2. Click the button below to register for the townhall to learn all about this year’s Scout Popcorn Campaign.
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October 3, 2022 – Scouts Popcorn campaign officially kicks-off.
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October 31, 2022 – Deadline for placing bulk orders for guaranteed delivery before the holidays. Bulk ordering remains open past October 31 but delivery before the holidays cannot be guaranteed.
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December 15th, 2022 – Scout Popcorn campaign closes.
A note on shipping: The increase in gas prices across the country will affect the shipping costs of Scout Popcorn this year. Unfortunately, this is out of our control. In an effort to provide some clarity around anticipated shipping costs, we will be providing lists of ‘estimated shipping costs’ for each region to Fundraising Coordinators in an effort to manage expectations. We anticipate these estimated shipping lists to be available by mid-August.
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OPP Online PRCs
We were recently notified that OPP record check applications are now online, meaning you won’t have to visit an OPP detachment in person (unless fingerprinting is required)! If you live in an OPP-policed community (outside City of Ottawa jurisdiction), you can now apply for a Record Check online by visiting the OPP’s website.
If you have any questions, please contact your Group Commissioner or Relationship Manager for support.
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WSJ 2023 – Registration Date Change
Thinking about going to the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea? Due to changes from the World Jamboree Organizing Committee from South Korea, we are having to push up our registration date to SEPTEMBER 15, 2022, much earlier than we were expecting.
Anyone wanting to register after September 15 will be put on a waiting list. One of two things may happen. If there are withdrawals, youth will substitute for youth and ISTs for ISTs. If South Korea has additional openings, we will add the wait listed youth or IST. Priority will be given to youth. There will be some late fees involved and we will explain this on the website along with the requirement for catch up/balloon payments.
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Property status as follows:
- Camp Sheldrick:
- Not yet available to book.
- Camp Legewade:
- Currently closed.
Please note that all bookings must be made at least 72 hours in advance
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COVID Restrictions
Voyageur Groups in Quebec: All Groups in the Outaouais/Gatineau region (QC) may operate under Stage 5 Scouting.
Voyageur Groups in Ontario: All Groups under all Ontario Public Health Units may operate under Stage 5 Scouting.
Updated COVID restrictions were shared in an email sent on Sunday, March 20, 2022. For more detailed information, please refer to that email or click the button below.
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As a reminder to all Scouters, for your own safety and the safety of our youth and communities, you must follow public health guidelines at all times.
When in doubt, follow the most restrictive guideline.
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Voyageur Council Key 3
Please do not reply to this email. This email address is not regularly monitored.
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Voyageur Council, Scouts Canada 1345 Baseline Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada K2C 0A7
© Scouts Canada
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