ScoutFEST 100 is a festival to celebrate the centennial year of the Boy Scouts of America for the Scouts of Chicagoland.  Northerly Island is the perfect place to gather for this event, as it provides a location that is convenient for all to come, is in the heart of the city so that everyone will see that Scouting is still strong, and most importantly is an easily controlled, safe environment.  Scouts from everywhere are welcome to attend this once in a lifetime event.

During the day, ScoutFEST will include a midway of activities and exhibits for all to enjoy.  Exhibitors from organizations and companies that work with Scouts will be there showcasing the opportunities they have for Scouts.  Scouts can take part in activities such as rock climbing, fishing, obstacle courses, exploring Sea Scout ships and more.

In the evening everyone will file into the Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island for a spectacular stage show featuring the hit recording artist Smash Mouth.  Smash Mouth is known for their hits “All Star” and “Walkin’ on the Sun” as well as famous covers of popular songs such as “I’m a Believer.”  The stage show will be capped off with a spectacular fireworks show over Lake Michigan.

If that all isn't enough, after the show Scouts wishing to stay the night will camp under the stars and the Chicago skyline.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
 

http://www.scoutfest100.org/

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.

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.

Full Article

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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