March Madness Fans, the Sweet 16 of the top most-earned merit badges of 2023 are competing for the title of “Heart of Virginia Council’s Most Favorite Merit Badge.” Visit our Facebook page (@ScoutingVA) and/or Instagram Page (@hovc_bsa) to cast your vote each day on one or both platforms, starting March 1st, until only one merit badge stands.

[Join in on the Fun!]

Join the Richmond Raceway for a weekend of racing and activities at the 2024 Summer Scout Experience over the weekend of August 9th - 11th! Camp all weekend long, get your own RR branded Scout patch, go on a track walk, and see the Craftsman Truck Series and Cup Series races.

[Get More Scout Experience Flyer]

We're excited to announce a new Explorer Post, hosted by our friends at Virginia Family Dentistry! Add their open house to your calendar - March 11th at 7pm at their 14001 Charter Park Drive location in Midlothian. Come out and learn more about their 8-week program, where you'll gain insight into all aspects of dentistry through interactive activities facilitated by their incredible dental professionals. Exploring programs are open to youth, aged 14 to 20.

Effective April 1, 2024, the Boy Scouts of America will eliminate the $25 one-time joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouting. They have also increased the regular annual registration fees by $5.00 for youth in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts along with a $5 increase for all adult volunteers. Learn more about the updated fees, download a Registration Fees Infographic, and read the FAQs.

[Get the Full Details]

Your Scouts will be excited to earn MORE funds for Summer Camp this year! After a great deal of research and consultation with many who sell Camp Cards, the Product Sale Committee of the Heart of Virginia Council is moving to a $10 Camp Card for 2024. This means that Scouts can more than double their fundraising efforts, earning $6 per card during the "Early Bird Sale!"

[Reserve your Cards NOW!]

[Visit our Website]

Join us at Cub Adventure Camp for a weekend of fun spring activities including fishing, archery, BB, Crafts, and for 4th and 5th graders, the climbing tower in May. Event check-in is on Saturday morning, but packs can arrive and camp on Friday if desired. You can also just come out for the day. Cub and Webelos Scouts can attend with either their Pack or as a Family campout.

[Join In on the Fun!]

The Cub Scout program is set to undergo updates for the 2024-25 program year, following years of effort by the National Cub Scouting Committee. Identified through feedback from over 23,000 parents and leaders, the updates aim to enhance the program's simplicity. After a year of socializing these improvements and garnering overwhelming support, the National Cub Scout Committee is officially unveiling the changes, which will become effective on June 1st!

[Learn More About the Program Changes]

One of the most rewarding and character-building things a family can do together is go camping. Bring your Scout to a session at Cub Adventure Camp, where we offer a 4-day, 3-night experience for Cub Scouts this summer! You can attend as a family or just as a parent/Scout pair. Meals are served in our air-conditioned Dining Hall, and you can stay in our Tent Village or in a Western Frontier Fort, Yurt, or Cabin.

[Blast Into Adventure!]

Cub Scouts... earn the new Summertime Fun Adventure this Summer! The National Summertime Pack award has been reimagined into an exciting elective adventure. This new adventure may be one of the simplest, it has one requirement and that is: anytime during May through August, participate in a total of three Cub Scout activities.

[Learn More & Get the Unit Planner]

Each Friday at 3pm Eastern, Scouting Magazine is hosting several special Cub Chat Live broadcasts in the coming weeks, covering a variety of topics.

• 3/1: Program Updates - Handbooks and Leader Resources

• 3/8: Planning Pack Summer Activities

• 3/15: Spring Recruitment

• 3/22: Pack Budgeting

• 4/5: Program Updates - Den & Pack Meeting Planning

[Learn More & Watch the Archives]

It might be hard to imagine camping with your Cubs in the winter months, but now is the perfect time to plan an awesome spring event for your Pack families! Weekend Experiences at Cub Adventure Camp is a program designed for you, by you. Pick your programming and make it a day or a weekend of Cub Scouting fun! Cubmasters, book your Weekend Experience now!

[Learn More]

Does your pack need volunteers? Check out this 47-minute video, "Volunteer Recruitment for Cub Scout Packs." It is a training on how to recruit Cub Scout Parents to become volunteers in a Cub Scout Pack. The video outlines an annual strategy to identify and recruit parent volunteers as well as conduct a group recruitment event at a Pack Meeting right after new families join.

[View the Video!]

You might be prepping for your springtime yard work, but over here at the Heart of Virginia Council, we're ready to roll on Summer Camp, 2024! Registration is OPEN for your week (or more) of camp at beautiful Camp T. Brady Saunders! Come see us at camp... you never know who or WHAT you might meet! Register and download our Program Guide below. Don’t delay... you must be registered and halfway paid by March 18 to get the Early Bird Discount!

[Go to Camp!]

As part of continuous improvements, changes have been made to rank and merit badge requirements. A list of those changes took effect on January 1st can be found using the link below and includes an update to Eagle Palms and merit badges with significant and minor changes. The Merit Badges page on the National website and Scoutbook will be updated accordingly.

[Read All About It]

National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is a week-long course, held at Cub Adventure Camp, that focuses on leadership development. It is the youth-led version of Wood Badge. Graduates learn leadership through proven training techniques and methods tuned for the youth of today. NYLT is “Fun with a Purpose” using games and hands-on experience to teach relevant skills! Learn the concepts of what a leader must BE, what a leader must KNOW, and what a leader must DO. 

[NYLT Registration Is Open]

Established in 1984, Buckskin proudly stands as one of Scouting's most tenured Youth Leader Training courses. Celebrating four decades of excellence in the Heart of Virginia Council, our 2024 program promises an unforgettable experience for Scouts BSA Troops. At Buckskin, we believe in shaping leaders through immersive experiences. Our 360º leadership approach seamlessly blends classroom teachings with hands-on practice, ensuring your Scout emerges equipped with invaluable skills, confidence, and a passion for leadership.

[Register for Buckskin]

Scouts, will you miss your troop’s summer camp this year, or do you want an additional week of fun and adventure? Then sign up to join Provisional Troop 3 at Camp T. Brady Saunders during Week 5 of summer camp (July 14th – 20th). Become part of a cohesive unit experience while having fun, learning new skills, & earning merit badges. Troop 3 will also offer a few unique experiences beyond the regular camp programs, for both boys and girls.

[Register with Provo Troop 3]

Are you ready to make a meaningful contribution to our nation's heritage and honor the symbol of our freedom? On June 29th, we invite you to participate in the "Honoring Our Colors" Flag Collection Drive, a special event created in partnership with Local Scout Troops. This unique opportunity allows Scouts to play an essential role in the proper retirement of worn American flags while gaining a deeper understanding of their significance.

[Register Your Participation]

The second Wednesday of each month at 3pm Eastern, Scouting Magazine hosts Troop Talk Live on Facebook. These brief chats cover a variety of topics, from accommodating Scouts with disabilities to uniforming, youth leadership to the Path to Eagle, and much more.

The next Troop Talk Live is scheduled for Wednesday, March 13th and covers how the new Cub Scout changes will affect your Troop! See you there!

[Learn More & Watch the Archives]

Our Weekend Experience at T. Brady Saunders opens parts of camp for weekend use! Weekend primitive camping opportunities are available at S. Douglas Fleet from August through May, based on availability. We offer Troops the opportunity to customize a program specifically tailored for their Scouts. Come out for nature, fishing, shooting, STEM, and more. We even have canoes available for rent!

[Learn More]

A change in the processing of adult applications went into effect beginning Tuesday, January 16th. At that time, the adult application flow will change to require the completion of the Criminal Background Check (results must be received) before the new Adult volunteer can assume a leadership role.

[Get the Details]

Did you know that we will shop your order and have it ready for you to pick up? This is a service we're proud to offer, and want to remind our customers to please provide us 24-hour notice for all advanced orders. We also need 24-hour notice for all free rank patch orders.

[Visit Our Webpage]

Exciting News out of the Scout Shop! We're thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new Facebook page, @HOVCScoutShop! Scouting enthusiasts, proud parents, dedicated leaders, and lovers of the great outdoors are welcomed to follow us on Facebook and be the first to know about Scout Shop sales, product highlights, and special events. Give us a like and follow, and don't forget to share with your friends!

[Visit Our New Page]

The Heart of Virginia Council Scout Shop, located in the Leadership Center at 8090 Villa Park Drive, is offering a Patch Sewing Service to save you some time and frustration (especially if you don’t own a sewing machine and the thought of hand stitching or using Badge Magic on those patches makes you shudder).

[Take Patches Off Your To-Do List]

Pack 836, Pack 876, and Troop 876 will be hosting Huguenot Trail District's 2024 Pinewood Derby.  All are welcome to race, not only 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers at the Pack level. Pre-registration is required to allow us to set up heats in advance. Awards will be presented for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for each Den level. Siblings and parents are welcome and encouraged to participate in the Outlaw Class for each Den level.

[Ready, Set, Go!]