Some shots from Summer Camp 2010 Wks 1 & 2

Troop 419 hanging out in Delaware.

Our Fearless DE getting instruction at the top of the tower.


Troop 332 on the parade field.

Troop 330 chillaxin in the shade at Hopewell.

Your's Truly and the National Commissioner

Boy Scouts of America Centennial Trees

Everyone can join in the Boy Scouts of America's 100th Anniversary celebration through the purchase of a Boy Scouts Centennial Tree. As part of the 100th Anniversary Generations Connection program, join Scouts all over the country as they plant "living legacies" of Scouting's commitment to supporting youth and families. For just $20, you can buy a striking 2 - 4'-tall Centennial tree to nurture for generations to come!

For every 100th Anniversary tree purchased, the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a corresponding tree in the newly designated Boy Scouts of America Centennial Forest. The Centennial Forest will aid in re-planting the Flathead National Forest in Montana after recent fires. If you choose, for $20, you can have two trees planted in the Centennial Forest. Your trees will be shipped directly to the Forest during the proper planting season.

Youth Protection Training Mandatory

Youth safety is the No. 1 concern of the BSA.

To increase awareness of this societal problem and to create even greater barriers to abuse than already exist today in Scouting, the Boy Scouts of America is implementing several important changes to further enhance its Youth Protection policies.

Effective June 1, 2010:

* -- Youth Protection training is required for all registered volunteers.
* -- New leaders are required to take Youth Protection training before they submit an application for registration. The certificate of completion for this training must be submitted at the time application is made and before volunteer service with youth begins.
* -- Youth Protection training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer's Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be reregistered.

New insignia recognizes a unit's founding members

Foundersbar

Beginning in 1910, the founders of the Boy Scouts of America set out to create a program to enrich the lives of young people. It was no easy task, but their efforts paid off—big time.

Each year since, thousands of Scouts and Scouters have followed in the founders' footsteps by creating new Scouting units. The BSA wants to recognize the efforts of a unit's founding members with a special piece of insignia—just in time for the program's 100th Anniversary.

The Founder's Bar, shown above, is worn by all youth and adults whose names are on a new-unit charter or who officially join the new unit before the unit recharters for the first time. Members of veteran units still in operation who were on the original charter may also wear the Founder’s Bar with that unit’s numerals.

You don't wear the bar until your original charter is up. After you recharter for the first time, all youth and adults who were on the new-unit charter can sew the Founder's Bar on the left sleeve below the unit numerals.

Do you qualify? Contact your local Scout shop for information on how to purchase the materials shown above.

Wear the patch with pride and the knowledge that your work in forming and sustaining a Scouting unit has added to the program's impressive history.

Lauren Snyder named Area 4 Venturing President.

Congratulations go out to Lauren Snyder who was just named as the Central Region Area 4 Venturing President. Great Job Lauren.

Arrowhead District Pinewood Derby 2010 in the News

A big Thank You to Jeff Gibson of Pack 344 for hosting the event.

Hearty Congratulations to First Place Winner Carter Goodknight, Second Place Winner Jake Gibson, Third Place Palmer Urb, and fourth place Ben Parsell.

Nate Norman of Pack 403 won the Best of Show.

Great Job!

Very Exciting Outdoor Experience 2010

April 23-25, 2010

Cost: $10 + ammo by April 1st
15$ + ammo after April 1st

Bring Your Own Tent and Food
(Saturday lunch area open at McLain Shelter and fire ring, lunch is not provided)

Friday Evening:
Euchre and Corn Hole Tournament

Saturday:

~Shooting of:
Handguns
Rifles
Shotguns
Archery

~Climbing and Rappelling
~Geocaching and Land Navigation
~ 100 year Anniversary Vintage Games
~Dutch oven Desert Cook-off
~Cracker-barrel with a famous Scout

Sunday: Chapel

***All attending Scouts need to
be age 14 and completed the 8th
grade or 15 years old.

***Only registered Venturers may shoot handguns and they must have completed the NRA Pistol Safety course or show proof of completion There is a course being offered on March 13th at MVSR

Contact Information:
Lynn Coulter: 1-800-943-2128

Historical Merit Badge Program Starts

The Boy Scouts of America Historic Merit Badge program is here, boys can begin earning Signaling, Tracking, Pathfinding, and Carpentry: four merit badges brought back for the Centennial year.


To bring the badges into a 21st-century context, the BSA has created supplemental information guides that will accompany scans of the original merit badge pamphlets.

Ready to go? Here are some tips on how to get your guys started:

* The badges can be earned beginning today, and requirements must be completed by Dec. 31, 2010.

* Historic merit badges do count toward a Scout's rank advancement.

* Each merit badge emblem features a gold border, which will help identify it as special to the centennial year.

* Pamphlets for these badges will not be reprinted. Instead, Scouts and Scouters can go online to find digital scans of the original pamphlets. Click each link below to be taken to the page to download these scans:

o Signaling
o Tracking
o Pathfinding
o Carpentry

* You'll need to secure qualified merit badge counselors for each badge.

Take advantage of this exciting time to honor the BSA's history with your troop. Just like the Centennial celebration, this opportunity won't last long.

2010 Paying It Forward CSPs available

Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. That's the old saying, meaning that great things often come from small beginnings. We hope that will be what happens with this new program.

Our district has gotten permission to design and sell a CSP to benefit the Council Endowment Fund. They are now in our hands and available for sale. Since this is the first year of the program, the patch has that little acorn in the middle of it. As the series continues, we will watch that acorn grow into a mighty oak, just like the Endowment Fund will grow.

Each patch sells for $10, and the profits from the sale will be rolled into the Council Endowment Fund. This is a great way to not only add to your collection, but support scouting - not just for our children, but also our children's children.

I will also point out that these are fully authorized CSPs, which means they are fully legal to wear on your uniform to show your pride in our Council and in OUR district. That's right, each of these CSPs also sport a silver arrowhead representing our district. How many people do you know that have a District CSP?

I also need to point out that this is a limited edition! There were only 200 of these patches made. As they say on TV, once they are gone - they are gone! They have been on sale for less than a week, and we are close to a quarter of them being sold already.

These are NOT for sale at the Council Service Center. I will have them available at the 10 Commandment Walk in Mt. Vernon this coming Friday morning. I will also have them available at the District Roundtable next week. If you want me to hold one or more of these for you, drop me a reply and I will set them aside with your name.

10 Commandment Hike in Mt. Vernon

There will be a 10 Commandment Hike in Mt. Vernon this Friday. Registration starts at 8:00 and the hike will begin around 9:00. We will be meeting on the Public Square in Mt. Vernon and will end at the Salvation Army in Mt. Vernon. All participants will need to bring a pack lunch for the day and should be in uniform. The event will be over in the early afternoon. There is a small charge for all participants to cover patches and insurance.

This is open for all scouts from Tiger Cubs to Venturing Scouts. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day. So I hope to see you there.

BSA Monument at OUZ

This last Saturday at the University of Scouting, we dedicated this monument to recognize the 100 trees that were planted last fall.

District Pinewood Derby - April 10th

2010 Arrowhead District Pinewood Derby
Saturday, April 10th – East Knox High School
23227 Coshocton Rd., Howard, Oh 43028
Hosted by Pack 344

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM ~ Doors Open
Registration 10:30 AM ~ Racing Begins for Tiger Cubs, Wolves, Bears, Webelos (there will be 4 tracks)
Finals Race to Follow

Qualification: The top 4 finishers of each Rank (Tigers, Wolves, Bears, Webelos) in each Pack in the Arrowhead District are eligible to participate in the Arrowhead District Pinewood Derby event.

Entry Fee: $ 7.00 entry fee per car

Registration, Check-in: Each scout may enter one car. Scouts must be present, in uniform, to register and for the car to compete. Registration closes promptly at 10:00am. Please arrive well before the deadline to get your car weighed-in in time for racing.

Format: Double Elimination format will be used during racing. Top 4 finishers of each Rank and Finals Round.

Rules: All cars must comply with 2010 Arrowhead District Rules.

Best of Show: Cars may also be entered in the Best of Show competition. You must indicate at registration time that you wish to be considered for the judging.

Awards: Each participant will receive a patch. Awards will be given to the top 4 finishers of each Rank and Finals Race. Food & Drinks: Troop 344 will have food and drinks available for purchase in the Commons area outside the gym.

REI Outlet 20% off one item

Through March 11th, REI is offering 20% off one item. There are a lot of good deals on CamelBak hydration packs, Kelty and Eureka Tents and other camping gear. If you have some scouts in the market for a good pack or sleeping bag, here is a chance to get some top of the line gear at around half off.

REI Outlet 20% Sale

Venturing Age Requirements are Changing

Effective May 1, 2010, the minimum age/grade requirement will be changed to 14 years of age or 13 years of age and completion of the eighth grade. The previous requirements mandated that participants be 14 years of age and have completed the eighth grade.

The change was made to accommodate boys and girls who have late birthdays, usually from June to September. Under the previous requirement, these boys and girls were not able to immediately join a Venturing crew with their friends when their class graduated from the eighth grade. Now that's no longer an issue.

The new requirements do apply to Sea Scouts, who are part of the Venturing program. But Explorers and Venturers who are part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints won't be affected by the change.

Still have some questions about the ramifications of this decision? Check out the detailed FAQs outlined on this Web site.

District Awards

Congratulations to the newest recipients of the District Award of Merit, Bonnie Snyder and Rob Hilburn.

Congratulations also go out to the Scoutmaster of the Year Doug Clark from Troop 332 in Mt Vernon and Cubmaster of the Year Ryan Rupp from Pack 330 also in Mt. Vernon.

2010 Muskingum Valley Council Silver Beaver Recipients

From Left to Right Charles E. Udischas II, Bryan Lake and Bryan Lewis.

Recognition Dinner Feb 26th

Scouting Volunteers,

The District Recognition Event has been cancelled for Saturday, February 6 due to massive snow fall.

The rescheduled date is Friday, February 26 from 6:00-9:00 at the Presbyterian Church of Coshocton.

Presbyterian Church
142 North 4th St.
Coshocton, OH 43812

Map

Please RSVP by Friday, February 19.

District Awards Banquet Postponed

Due to the weather conditions the District Awards Banquet has been postponed until later in the month. I will post more information when I have it.