The Latest
November 30, 2020 Issue #22
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New Twin Rivers Council Website
We have just launched the new Website. We have redesigned the website to make everything accessible with just 2-3 clicks. We are also using a brand new calendar that has the ability to filter everything down by district, program and events. The calendar will also allow you to subscribe so that those events will go right into your calendar feed on your computer or smart device. Finally, we have made changes to a much more robust online event registration system that will make signing up for events easier and faster. Feel free to check it out and see all of the great features. trcscouting.org
Mark Switzer
Scout Executive
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Membership and Unit Service
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Membership Tips and Tricks
Recruitment and Retention in Scouting program is essential to maintain your unit’s health. New Scouts bring energy and enthusiasm to the program. Scouts who join in the Spring & get to participate in Spring and Summer activities stay in Scouting longer. There are a few simple things you can do this Spring to recruit new Scouts.
Here are a few things to get your unit started:
- Find the “Tigger” of your unit to be that welcoming smile for new parents.
- Developing your unit Membership plan
- Focus on recruiting for the Spring/Summer-What activities do you have planned that you can turn into an “Open House”?
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BeAscout.org- has become a great membership recruitment tool, allowing easy access for parents to find programs local to them. Please make sure that your unit periodically updates your “Pin” so that interested families are contacting the appropriate person from your unit. Unit leaders and Committee Chairs can update this information through www.my.scouting.org.
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Online Registration- This highly requested feature will make it much easier for new families to join your unit. To get your unit ready to use the system, start by updating your unit leaders' information at my.Scouting.org, then update your unit's pin at www.BeAScout.org.
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Commissioner Corner
The Charter Renewal Applicaton submittal due date was 12/15/2020. If you still need to finish your re-charter please contact Sandy Elkins immediately at sandy.elkins@scouting.org.
Top Five Charter Renewal Tips for 2021;
1. Review your Unit Roster before you begin. If you are missing any youth or adults, get this fixed before you begin by sending applications and pro-rated payment to council office to process. We are asking our units to NOT ADD any new members to Charter Renewal. Find out who is remaining on the roster and who isn’t. Let your Renewal Processor know.
2. Review your YPT Aging Report before you begin. If any of your adult members have expired YPT or will expire prior to 1/1/2021, this will prevent you from completing your charter renewal. Those adults must retake YPT immediately to remain on the roster and allow the Renewal Processor to complete the Charter Renewal.
3. Decide if any changes in positions will be made ahead of time and seek approval from your Chartered Organization Representative. Relay this information to your Renewal Processor.
5. Stage 5 Submit Roster, Step 1 Approve Roster, please use the online approval to bypass the need for a signature. After you validate the roster, send a Draft Copy of the Charter Renewal Application to your Executive Office or Chartered Organization Rep for their approval by email.
If a Renewal Processor needs help with their Charter Renewal, please contact your Unit Commissioner, District Executive or you can contact sandy.elkins@scouting.org to setup an appointment by phone or in-office.
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Just because temperatures are dropping and snow is falling, doesn’t mean that you have to stop Scouting! There are plenty of wonderful activities that you can do in the peak of winter.
Consider the following options:
- Snowshoeing
- Cross Country Skiing
- Ice Fishing
- Sledding
- Hiking
Not sure where to do these activities? Look no further than our local Council camps! Our camp properties are there to be used—even during the winter. If you’re interested in booking a weekend rental, or scheduling a day trip, please reach out to one of our rangers.
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Development and Sponsorships
For assistance contact Beth Bush Development Director |
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Wakpominee 100th Anniversary Brick Sale
The Wakpominee 100th Anniversary Brick Sale is coming to a close. This is your last chance to get your message created on a brick that will be used in a brick walkway at Camp Wakpominee in front of the main office. The deadline to order is December 31, 2020.
If you would like to order a brick to commemorate a special date, or just with your name on it, you can purchase it online here www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/wak
Or by completing and mailing the form with a check to our office.
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Camp Cards Fundraiser Coming Soon!!!
We are offering a springtime fundraiser to help your Scouts earn money for camp registrations and camping gear.
Introducing the Twin Rivers Council Camp Card.
What is a Camp Card? A Camp Card is a discount card with discounts from multiple local area businesses. Each card will have about 8-10 discounts, some are one-time-use, while others are able to be used multiple times.
How does the fundraiser work? Scouts will sell the discount cards for only $10 each. The Scout will earn 50% commission ($5) from each card sold. There is no limit to the number of cards each Scout can sell. The discounts are set up to encourage people to buy more than one card.
Will the discounts be for businesses in our area? We have created two separate cards for our Council. We have created one with businesses located in the southern part of the Council, and a different card with businesses located in the northern area of Council.
Scouts BSA Resident Camp 95 Cards $475 Camp Fee
Cub Scout Resident Camp 40 Cards $200 Camp Fee
Cub Scout Day Camp 30 Cards $150 Camp Fee
Purchase Camp Gear 20 Cards $100 of Gear
Money for Camp Trading Post 15 Cards $75 for purchases
Are you ready to sign up your unit to sell camp cards? Submit the form found here:
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Scouts who want to sell, but your unit is not participating can sign up to sell here: |
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Fishing will be on Sly Pond in Fort Ann at Camp Wakpominee.
Camp Wakpominee is a Scout camp owned and operated by Twin Rivers Council, BSA. Anglers will have exclusive access to Sly Pond which has minimal fishing pressure, as ONLY Scouts have fished at Sly Pond for the past 100 years!
Check in will begin at 7am at Gelder Hall. We will have staff available with ATV's to help bring gear to the fishing areas on the ice.
Food and Drink will be available at minimal cost.
The proceeds from the food and gear sales will benefit Scouting in the Northeast Region.
Main Tournament
The main tournament is a catch, photo, release tournament using the Tourney X app. Up to 50 teams of two will compete for prizes of over $500. The goal is to have the six longest yellow perch by the end of the day.
The cost is $35 per per person ($70 per team). The fee includes fishing, access to the tournament app (Tourney X), and a patch.
This fundraising tournament will support projects at Camp Wakpominee.
Side Tournament (optional)
The optional side tournament is an INDIVIDUAL tournament with a goal of catching the longest yellow perch of the day.
The fee of $25 per person also supports projects at Camp Wakpominee.
The prize for this tournament is a Marcum M1 Flasher ($349.99 MSRP).
Anglers will register for this as an add-on to the main tournament registration.
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Unit Accounts
Our “NEW” Council Website offers many more features than were previously available.
One of those “NEW” features are Unit Accounts or Unit Deposit Accounts (UDA).
What is a UDA? A UDA is an account used to facilitate the transfer money between a Unit and the Council. Units can upload money to their account. Then assign Trusted People within their Unit who are allowed to utilize those funds to pay for unit activities and event registrations, summer camp, Membership Registrations and Scout’s Life Fees. Likewise, when the Council needs to make a payment or refund money to a Unit, we will do so by depositing the money in the Unit’s UDA.
Unfortunately, at this time, Unit Account funds may not be used to make purchases from the Scout Shop. They may only be used for transactions with the Council.
The Committee Chair of the Unit is the default Controller of the UDA. The Committee Chair may assign a delegate in this role. The Committee Chair or Delegate can then authorize the Trusted People for the Unit.
The UDA’s will be fully transparent and managed through the Council Website. Just like a bank account, Authorized users of the Unit will be able to go online and view the activity in their Unit Account and download the transactions/Reports. They can see who authorized a transaction and for what reason.
To get started, Create your Account, log into the account, select your unit, choose View Activity, then select Unit Funds and Spending. Short Tutorials are available on each page of the website that will guide you through the options on that screen. These tutorials are accessed by clicking on the Orange Support Button located on the lower right of the screen.
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Eagle Scout Tracking
We handle numerous calls and emails each day at the Council Service Center that are concerned with the status of Eagle Applications. To facilitate the communication on the status of Eagle Applications, we have added to the “NEW” Council Website a Council Eagle Tracking Log.
To access the Eagle Tracking Log, go to www.trcscouting.org, hover your cursor over Volunteer Resources, hover your cursor over Advancement, the select Eagle Status Tracking.
The Eagle Status Tracking Log will be updated weekly.
At the Council Service Center we also handle many calls and emails with questions about the Eagle Process. Who to contact, what needs to be submitted and at what time etc. To help guide Scouts, their families and their Units through the process, we have posted to the Council Website a Steps to Eagle Checklist.
As the name implies, the Steps to Eagle Checklist includes a Checklist to guide you through each step of the process. Those steps are described in detail on the subsequent pages.
The Checklist may be downloaded from the Council Website following the same path listed above: go to www.trcscouting.org, hover your cursor over Volunteer Resources, hover your cursor over Advancement, the select Steps to Eagle Checklist.
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