From http://blog.ScoutingMagazine.org...

 

UPDATE (3:15 p.m. Jan. 13): Bill Evans, Youth Development team leader with the BSA, tells Cracker Barrel that these merit badges will count as electives for rank advancement. As if you needed another reason to get your guys to earn these.

A merit badge called Computers would sound just a crazy to a 1910 Boy Scout as a merit badge called Tracking sounds to Scouts today. That’s because the BSA’s list of available merit badges has evolved through the years as the interests of boys have changed.

In honor of the BSA’s 100th Anniversary, though, today’s generation of Scouts will get the unique opportunity to experience some of the activities their predecessors enjoyed. That’s possible thanks to the BSA’s new Historical Merit Badge Program, a set of four discontinued merit badges that today’s Scouts can earn.

Boys can earn any or all of these merit badges:

Signaling

• First offered in 1910 and discontinued in 1992.
• Sample requirements: build a simple buzzer or blinker capable of sending Morse code messages, and send a message of at least 35 words; send and receive messages using semaphore flags at a rate of at least 30 letters per minute.

Tracking

The following Board Resolution was passed during the recent National Executive Board and Committee Meetings in Washington DC:

WHEREAS, the current age and grade eligibility requirements for participation in the Venturing program is 14 years of age and completion of the eighth grade, and
 
WHEREAS, the Program Content Committee has recommended that, effective May 1, 2010, the age requirement be changed to 13 years of age and completion of the eighth grade;
 
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Article VII, Section 2, Clause 2 (a) of the BSA Rules and Regulations be, and hereby is, amended to read as follows:
  Venturer- Be 13 years of age and have completed the eighth grade, or be 14 years of age or older, and not yet 21 years of age.

Need a Christmas gift for Boy Scout or Scoutmaster? The DVD is out. I don't know what stores would carry it but I know it's available from Amazon and also from the movie website.

The Boy Scouts of America will be kicking off their year-long 100th Anniversary celebration with a float in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.

The Boy Scouts float is designed to incorporate traditional images of scouting, such as tents and wooden canoes, as well as more modern scouting items, such as mountain bikes and a zip-line which three scouts will slide down throughout the parade, said volunteer in charge of design and construction for the float, Debbie Bovshow.

Full Article

Each year the Grand Rapids Catholic Committee on Scouting recognizes those persons in our Diocese who have contributed to the spiritual development of our youth involved in the programs of the Boy Scouts of America.  Many deserving individuals, however, are not recognized for their efforts simply because their work was not brought to our attention. We are now seeking nominations for all persons making contributions to the Catholic Committee’s programs and activities.  We ask your support in identifying and nominating those adults and youth worthy of recognition. 

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Recently spotted on Craig's List...

32 Ft Pinewood Derby Track - $750 (Wyoming, MI)

32 Foot Wood Track, 4 Lanes, Switch Gate, Fast Track Timer, Digital with all K3 options, with plastic wall, that unscrew if you do not want to use them. We have 3 other tracks, and we do not use this one anymore.

Crossroads of America Council

2010 University of Scouting

January 23, 2010

8:10 am - 4:30 pm

Warren Central High School

Indianapolis, IN

(Entrance from 18th St. east of Post Road)

Register on-line at http://www.crossroadsbsa/University

Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for your water-loving Boy Scout? Here's one: the Scuba Diving merit badge pamphlet, hot off the presses.

The merit badge, the first new one in three years, will officially be released on Dec. 1 when it will be available in Scout Shops and online at scoutstuff.org. It's the result of a newly announced partnership between the BSA and PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Officials at the BSA determined that 84 percent of Scouts were interested in the merit badge, and so it was fast-tracked for adoption.

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I know you all missed me terribly while I was working in Illinois but that gig has ended and I'm employed in West Michigan again.  Since I will not be moving to Illinois I have resumed my duties as Webmaster for LakeshoreDistrict.com.  All of the content that was here before has been restored from backup and the software has been updated.  I will begin updating the calendar soon. 

Let me know if anything is missing or not working right.  I do know that the 'links' that were here are not here anymore because the module for that was not updated for the new version of the software.  I am investigating other modules to replace it and will get that up again soon.

Tim L

The Roman Catholic Church has used the Scouting program since the early days of the Boy Scouts of America. It is one of the most extensive users of the BSA program. There are more than 330,000 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers in more than 9,600 packs, troops, and crews under Catholic auspices, and an equal number of youth members in other Scouting units. Scouting is used in about one-third of the parishes in the United States and Religious emblems were developed to promote the spiritual phase of Scouting.

Scouts interested in earning their Catholic awards may purchase their activity books at the Scout shop, however for the Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII awards, Boy Scouts and Venturers will need prior approval. Please contact Deacon Leo Ferguson at lferguson [at] saparish [dot] com or 616.453.8229 x105 to have a religious counselor assigned to you.

The Catholic religious emblems available to Scouts are:
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