Talakto District News

April 2024

Talakto District is a part of the Greater Alabama Council of the Boy Scouts of America

District Executive Notes

Spring has sprung and Summer is just around the corner (June 20th to be exact). Many units have already signed up for Summer Camps and have planned adventures at BSA High Adventure Bases. And if not, I encourage you to get your units active over summer. The Outdoor life is the heartbeat of Scouting. This is where all the Aims and Missions of Scouting are learned and put to the test.

Scouting remains true to its charter and mission, which is to instill values in young people so they mayvachieve their full potential and make positive contributions to society. These values are based on the Scout Oath and Law, a set of principles that drives a life full of purpose, promise and fulfillment. The Scout Oath and Law are recited today by Scouts, leaders, and alumni, just as they were in 1910.

God Bless,

Mark Humphrey

Talakto District Executive

Notice from the Talakto District Executive

My Scouting email is really up and running now: Mark.Humphrey@scouting.org

And my Scouting phone number: 256-361-0876

Please use these.

Thanks in advance.

Happy Scouting,

Mark Humphrey

AMERICAN VALUES EVENT TO HONOR THREE

HUNTSVILLE - On behalf of the Friends of Scouting (FOS) Steering Committee for the Talakto

District (Madison County), Greater Alabama Council, Boy Scouts of America, we invite you to

attend the 2024 American Values Social, scheduled for Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at the Bullet &

Barrel Indoor Shooting Range, located at 3252 Leeman Ferry Rd., SW., Huntsville, Alabama

35801. Team activities start at 5:30pm and the program starts at 6:30pm.

Andrew Zow, former quarterback with the Alabama Crimson Tide will be our guest speaker.

This event will be a variety of activities that Bullet and Barrel offers, to include pistols, archery,

and slingshots. This will allow a more informal atmosphere for the event, while giving many

guests bragging rights! Dress is casual.

This year’s honorees for the Heart of Eagle Award include:

 Mr. Marc Jacobson, a Senior APEX Accelerator Advisor at UAH and former City

Administrator with the City of Madison

 Mr. Jeff Rice, Police Captain with the Huntsville Police Department

 Mr. Brian Pollock, Co-Founder and CEO of Kailos Genetics

 The award is presented annually to those individuals who have contributed their time

and effort to serve others, whether to scouting, the community, or our great nation,

with the values we cherish like the Heart of an Eagle.

We encourage you to consider being a sponsor for the event. Whether as a company, or as an

individual, your contributions are greatly appreciated and will support many youths (boys and

girls) in the North Alabama area, primarily in Madison County, within the Boy Scouts of

America.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Thanks in advance for your

consideration and generous support.

For information about attending the event, please contact Mark Humphrey (256-361-0876;

mark.humphrey@scouting.org) or Carol Stanker (256-883-7071; carol.stanker@scouting.org))

Membership Minutes

April 2024

Dr. Richard Stone

SUMMER FUN IS RECRUITING

What are your plans for summer fun? I’ll bet you have started to think of what to do – where to go. Likely you will be thinking of Cub Day Camp or Webelos Weekend or maybe Scout Summer Camp. Those are all fun and the source of lots of great memories. Some of the best benefits of Scouting come from camp.

If your Cub Scouts are just finishing up Arrow of Light and are Crossing-Over, how do you get to Scout Camp? You must find a ScoutsBSA troop. Troops – have you invited nearby Cubs to join the troop as you are planning for camp? This would be a great opportunity to pick up some new Scouts and families. And your youth leaders would get some great experience too.

If your Scouts have done the camp thing too many years and are looking for bigger adventures, what are you doing? Planning to visit a different camp? Going on a 100-mile bike trek? White water rafting? Road trip to the Smokey Mountains? I’m sure you started preparing for these months ago. These adventures are a great way to recruit the Scouts you already have – keep them involved and excited and leading.

What about families not yet in Scouting? They are looking for summer fun also. Let’s invite them to join us this summer. Look for potential Scouts and families at church, school, other youth activities. I’ll bet you don’t need to look very far – people always want fun and adventure.

All you have to do is invite them.

Talakto Radio Committee – Report to Units

The Talakto District Radio Committee has been active for the past nine months,

bringing the use of radio to the Scouts and Scouters of Talakto District. We offered

Radio Merit Badge at three different events: HamFest; JOTA, and Cultures Day. At

Powder Horn, we taught leaders about the many ways to use radio to support Scouting

activities. We helped organize Jamboree on the Air. We supported use of radios at

camporee and offered that to other activities and training events. If your unit or activity

needs radios, we can help.

However, we have a problem. It’s a good problem. We have been so successful, that

we need more help. If you are, or know someone who, is interested in supporting Radio

Merit Badge or use of radio at other Scouting events, please send the name to either

Richard Stone (drstone@mac.com) or Mark Humphrey (mark.humphrey@scouting.org).

We appreciate your help.

Talakto District Pinewood Derby

April 13 - Legacy Elementary School

Cubmasters will be given their designated number of entry forms. They are now available for pickup at the Scout Office.

NEW PINEWOOD DERBY RULES

We have an action-packed day camp full of fun planned for your Cub Scout. Snake demo, Huntsville Police Department, NASA Scientists, Raptors Rise! (including OWLS!), Campfire Program, Water Slide every day, BB Guns, Archery, Slingshots, Crafts, Outdoor Games, and even more!

If you have any questions you can email the directors at

huntsvillecubscoutdaycamp@gmail.com

$30 Rebate on your Scout’s Registration for Volunteers Who Serve All Five Days!

to save your place and get the early bird special!

https://sites.google.com/view/huntsville-cub-scout-day-camp/home

ROCKET CITY TRASH PANDAS SCOUT NIGHT

EPIC OVERNIGHT CAMPOUT ON THE FIELD

Hey Scout Leaders and Parents,

The countdown has begun for the most electrifying event of the year – the 4th Annual Scout Night at Toyota Field, and guess what? Registration is NOW OPEN!

Save the Date: May 10th, 2024

Scout Gate Opens: 4:30 PM

‍️ Parade Kicks Off: 5:30 PM

Prepare for an adrenaline-packed night as we welcome over 1500 boys and girls scouts for a mind-blowing experience at Toyota Field. Picture this: a Trash Pandas game, a pre-game scout parade that will have everyone cheering, a jaw-dropping fireworks show, and an epic overnight campout on the field. ️️

To secure your spot for this adventure, reach out to me, Emma Martin at 256-517-3761. But hurry, the deadline to register is May 1st, and you won't want to miss out on the action! Only the first 1,250 overnight Scout Package purchasers will receive the commemorative patch.

Get ready to amp up the troop spirit by bringing your most fantastic banners and flags to represent your group during the parade. It's your time to shine, and we want to see your troop's colors flying high!

And that's not all! The overnight scout package includes:

️ Game ticket

Participation in the pre-game scout parade

Commemorative patch

Post-game movie

️ Grab-n-go breakfast

This is not just an event; it's a memory in the making, an adventure waiting to happen, and an experience your scouts will be talking about for ages!

We can't wait to see your troop at the 4th Annual Scout Night at Toyota Field. For any questions or more information, hit us up – we're here to make this night unforgettable.

Get ready to unleash the excitement!