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Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America, Akron, Ohio

January 2016 Volume 40 Issue 1

Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America, Akron, Ohio

Scouters’ News

2016 Eagle Dinner sponsor

Kevin Thompson, President of PNC Bank Akron, has agreed to be the 2016 Eagle Dinner speaker. Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Thompson is on the Board of Directors of the Akron Chamber. As a youth, Kevin was involved in Scouting with his family and camped many

times at Camp Manatoc.

All Scouts receiving their Eagle rank in 2015 will receive a special invitation to attend our recognition dinner which will be held on March 8, at Firestone Country Club.

New comfort stations at Camp Manatoc

Valley View and Valley Forge areas have new comfort stations, just like the ones you see in the state parks. The new restrooms will be tested over the year as a model to replace older latrines at camp and to provide better facilities for

our Scouts and leaders.

Special thanks to our donors who provided funds for their construction. Good Scouting!

2016 Friends of Scouting kicks off

The 2016 Friends of Scouting (FOS) campaign kicked off on December 3. The council has set a 2016 FOS goal of $555,000 to fund Scouting programs.

Council Family FOS Chairman Bob Saffle congratulated all districts for setting the “bar high” this year. The

council FOS campaign theme for 2016 is “A Scout is Clean.”

Mark your calendar University of Scouting

Saturday, March 5 Wadsworth High School

Sign up at www.gtcbsa.org

106th Scout Anniversary Celebration February 7-13, 2016

An anniversary celebration is many things: it’s activities; it’s people; and it’s communications. Cub Scout packs celebrate with blue and gold banquets and Boy Scout troops hold courts of honor.

Some of the ways for the unit to tell the story of Scouting to the community are to:

Take part in a religious service to celebrate our birthday;

Take part in a PTA or PTO meeting serving as the opening or closing ceremony;

Conduct an outstanding blue and gold banquet or court of honor with family and friends in attendance;

Invite new boys to be a part of this great movement through a unit “Bring-A-Buddy” activity;

Take a few moments at each den meeting or troop meeting to talk about how this great movement was started and the issues we are addressing in today’s society;

As well as making leaders of tomorrow through the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Scout Ski Days are Coming

February 20 & 21 Boston Mills/Brandywine

More info on Page 15

F. Howard Pierce passed away on November 30, 2015. Howard was our council commissioner for 19 years, as well as council activities chairman for four years.

Howard, who was from Hudson, was the father of two Eagle Scout sons, Doug and Howdy. Please keep the Pierce family in your thoughts.

“Gone Home” is the trail sign on the tombstone of Lord Baden Powell, the

founder of Scouting.

Gone Home

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Council Information Council Information

Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII Board of Review

The Catholic Committee on Scouting will be conducting boards of review for Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII.

The boards of review will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2016, at Archbishop Hoban High School, 1 Holy Cross Blvd., Akron, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Applicants for the religious emblems should make sure they have all the required signatures. Please make sure they bring their completed books and applications to the board of review. Cost for the medals will be $11. Checks are to be made payable to DCCS.

The award ceremony will be Sunday, April 27. Details will be mailed to the award recipients upon completion of the board of review.

For more information email ccs@gtcbsa.org.

Council-wide supplemental medical insurance

We are proud to announce that your council will again in 2016, provide to units at no cost, supplemental accident insurance. Thanks to your support of Friends of Scouting, the council is able to provide this service to packs, troops, and crews.

Forms are in your charter kits or available at the council office. We are looking forward to another safe year in Scouting with this service to our units.

2016 University of Scouting

The University of Scouting will be held on March 5, at Wadsworth High School. It is the largest supplemental training course offered by Great Trail Council to Scouting volunteers at all levels. During this fun-filled day, experienced volunteer leaders will present programs to help you improve your skills and expand your knowledge. You will also meet other leaders, gather new resources, and share ideas on building the best possible program for your Scouts.

Adults are invited to attend the college or colleges of their choice. Wear your uniform, if you have one. You may want to bring a notebook, camera, tape recorder, comfortable shoes, money for the trading post, good will, and a smile.

Create your own customized experience by choosing your courses. Register at the council website:

https://scoutingevent.com/?UoS2016

Silver Beaver nominations

Chairman of the Council Silver Beaver Committee Jim Nilsen reminds all Great Trail Scouters that Silver Beaver applications are due by March 12, 2016.

Forms are available at the council office or through your district executive.

This is the highest volunteer award a council can present to an adult Scouter. The award will be presented at the Annual Council Dinner in May.

Back for 2016 Camp card unit fundraiser

Scouts and units sometimes have a challenge with raising the funds to go to camp. The Great Trail Council along with five other councils in Ohio will launch the sale of camp cards in February.

You will hear more at the January roundtables and on our website. Camp cards will be sold for $5 each and the unit/Scout will earn $2 on every card sold. This could offset fees for camp or new camping equipment. The concept of selling this card is not the deals and discounts on the card. The concept is “will you help me go to camp?” You’re selling the Scout program, the card and deals they receive is a benefit.

2016 Wood Badge Rendezvous

Calling all Wood Badgers, past NYLT and Powderhorn participants! Please join us for the 27th Annual Rendezvous Luncheon, formerly called the Wood Badge Dinner. We will be gathering on

Sunday, February 7, at 12:30 p.m., at St. Paul Catholic Church (1580 Brown St., Akron) to celebrate and raise funds for future Great Trail Council Wood Badge, NYLT and Powderhorn participants. Chris Smith of The Summit will be our guest speaker.

Be sure to register by January 20, to take advantage of the discounted rate. Register online at: https://scoutingevent.com/?Rendezvou

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Tributes & Memorials

In Memory of: Greg Smith

From: Elizabeth Meyer Janet & Robert Hixenbaugh

In Memory of: Ruth Weltan

From: Betty Webber

In Memory of: Howard Pierce

From: Brad Fross Chet & Jan Simmons Ann Marie & Logan Dayton Lambert Buick GMC Mike Perkins Mike Deeds Cardinal Peak Doyle Albee Christie Cadwell Cindy Pendleton Rob & Joan Lawrence Kathleen Spacht Cathy & Al Telzrow Crestview Veterinary Clinic Paul & Arlene Egan Mike & Sheila Lewis William Widdowson Holly & John Simmons John & Marcela McNeill James Cowan Dick & Nancy Dunker Barbara & Philip Johnson Dottie & Alan Silberman Mary Mertic Lyn & David Thomas Janet & Robert Hixenbaugh Kathleen Gerrard Lynne & David Metro Loyal Oak Animal Clinic Jackie & Greg McDermott Lola Rothmann Sandy & Bruce Bailey Nancy & John Kralik

Council Information Are you the best leader you can be?

One of the most important qualifications for good leaders is the willingness to perform the job to the best of their abilities.

If a mechanic is promoted to shop foreman and is not trained on how to order stock, the shop will soon run out of parts and fold. Without proper training in his/her job responsibilities and prior knowledge of the resources available to him/her, he/she cannot carry out his/her job responsibilities.

In most cases, years of advanced education and practical training are needed before advancing to a leadership position. In Scouting, all that is required for a leadership position is a willing heart, but just as the mechanic who turned shop foreman was not supplied with the tools and knowledge of available resources to get the show running smoothly, a Scout leader without training will not possess the tools and knowledge of available resources to keep the pack or den running smoothly with a high rate of efficiency and advancement.

In order to run a quality program our leaders need to know the basic rules, regulations, and policies of the Boy Scouts of America. They need to know how to respond to the needs of our children.

In the Leader Specific Training you are given all the ingredients to develop a great program. You are given the resources to expand your knowledge and try new ideas. You are given the resources to answer any question you may have along the way.

Roundtable is a monthly meeting to enhance your training. A place to get new ideas to spice up your program. It’s a 90-minute session for answers to questions, sharing of ideas with other leaders, and fellowship with others like yourself who want to give the best program they can to our Scouts.

Take time to become a trained leader, your contribution to a quality program.

New website design coming soon!

You’ll see a new look to www.gtcbsa.org in early 2016. We’re hoping with a cleaner look and less clutter, it will be more user friendly. You may have already seen our updated version of www.Manatoc.org with Gizmo. Both sites are compatible with smart

phones, iPads, laptops, and computers. Let us know what you think.

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Scout Troop Eagle Date

Matthew Bachman 501 11/03/15

Emilio Bloch 382 10/12/15

Adam Bockbrader 169 11/17/15

Christian Dadante 520 11/22/15

Tyler Harman 390 11/22/15

Chase Hedrick 330 11/10/15

Michael Hobe 518 10/12/15

Alexander Jones 48 11/17/15

William Kalal 380 11/23/15

Kevin Malerick 321 11/02/15

Justin Meyer 265 11/03/15

Forrest Norman IV 777 11/16/15

Demyre Ramp 361 10/15/15

Jacob Romero 215 11/24/15

Joshua Romero 215 11/24/15

Kenneth Shively 152 11/10/15

Nicholas Wirtz 507 11/10/15

Eagle’s Nest

Council Information

Interested in serving on the

Special Needs Advisory Committee?

Contact John Stefanik

330-666-3579

Advancement with a special need

A mini-course for leaders and parents of special needs Scouts concerned about advancement methods and means within in Scouting.

Offered from 9 to 11 a.m., on Saturday, January 16 ,at the Council Service Center. This course will help adult leaders, parents, and concerned Scouters at all levels negotiate the often complicated world of advancement with a special need.

YOU MUST register to reserve a spot.

RSVP to Wendy Greathouse by December 28, at wendygreathouse@gmail.com.

Questions? Call Wendy at 330-256-0996 or Dennis Vargo at 330-773-0415 ext. 214.

Cub Disability Awareness Event in February

Offered for all Cub Scouts and their leaders, the Special Needs Advisory Committee is proud to present our first annual event. Come for fun, fellowship, and advancement as we provide opportunities for all of our Cub Scout units to experience a different reality.

This FREE EVENT requires an RSVP. The event will run February 20, 2016, from 9 a.m. until noon, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 50 N. Prospect St., Akron, Ohio 44304.

Watch your roundtable fliers for more detailed information. Questions, or want to reserve space for your unit? Call Wendy at 330-256-0996 or Dennis Vargo at 330-773-0415 ext. 214.

University of Scouting

Haven’t been able to make the training sessions the Special Needs Advisory Committee has been having monthly? Catch up with us at the University of Scouting. We’ll be there in force with 11 courses designed to help Scouters provide Scouting to all of our units, for all of our eligible Scouts. SIGN UP NOW. Once registration is full, that’s it, folks.

https://scoutingevent.com/?UoS2016

Breakfast with Santa was fun for all!

Over 150 people attended Breakfast with Santa. The train display was a crowd pleaser. They ate over 400 pancakes and over 100 kids left their wishes with Santa.

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Council Information No change in youth camp fee for 2016

The Early Bird Fee for summer camp at Manatoc in 2016 will be the same as in 2015.

We hope this will be a help to all of our families who send their Scout to Manatoc, as well as the Scoutmasters who help make a summer camp experience happen for their troop.

Here are the fees for summer camp 2016 at Manatoc:

The Dining Hall Plan

Early Bird Fee This fee is due no later than May 21, 2016 Great Trail Units—$245 Out of Council Units—$255

Basic Fee This is the fee you pay if paid by the Friday following your 10 day meeting Great Trail Units—$265 Out of Council Units—$275

Late Fee This is the fee you pay at check-in Great Trail Units—$280 Out of Council Units—$290

The Dining Hall plan includes two (2) free leaders; additional leaders are $125.00 each. Each unit bringing 20 Scouts receives an additional free leader. (Additional free leaders for each 10 Scouts above 10. E.g. 20 Scouts = 3 leaders, 30 Scouts = 4 leaders, this will not be pro-rated.)

The Patrol Cooking Plan

Early Bird Fee This fee is due no later than May 21, 2016. Great Trail Units—$170 Out of Council Units—$180

Basic Fee

Great Trail Units—$180 Out of Council Units—$190

The patrol cooking plan does not charge for adult leaders.

2016 Summer Camp CIT program

Our outstanding summer camp staff development program (CIT or Counselor-In-Training) returns again in 2016.

Fees for the 2-week program are $100 per participant. CIT’s receive room and board, food, staff t-shirt, and a great experience learning what it takes to be a member of the Manatoc Summer Camp Staff.

Applications are available at:

http://www.manatoc.org/summer_camp.html

Questions? Contact Director of Camping Chris Bergdorf at 330-773-0415 ext. 201 or by email at manatocbutler@windstream.net.

2017 National Jamboree is an experience of a lifetime!

The National Scout Jamboree is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a Scout or Venturer. The next jamboree will be happening in July, 2017. The Great Trail Council Jamboree Contingent will leave on Monday, July 17, 2017 (tentatively) for a few days of touring before arriving at the Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve - Summit for the jamboree. Our contingent will return home on Friday, July 28. While at the jamboree Scouts and Venturers will be able to participate in:

BMX & Skateboarding

Mountain Biking

Zip Lines & Challenge Courses

Climbing

Shooting Sports

Aquatics

The cost for the 2017 Jamboree is $1,650 and includes the National Jamboree fee, transportation, hotel accommodations, meals and touring fees. The payment fee is as follows:

Due upon approval (invoice will be sent) $350

May, 2016 $350

September, 2016 $350

December, 2016 $350

March, 2017 $250

Register online at www.BSAJAMBOREE.ORG. There are no fees due in order to register, you will however be billed once your registration has been confirmed by Great Trail Council. Please note that there are only 72 Scout and 8 Venturing youth participant slots available, so act now!

If you need more information, please contact Shannon Sinex at 330-773-0415 ext. 217 or email ssinex@bsamail.org.

A special thank you from Camp Manatoc

A special thank you to the “Tuesday Crew” for building the new gate at Camp Manatoc after it was hit by a vehicle a short time ago. Also, a big thanks to the Navy Seabees for hanging the new gate.

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From the registration desk...

Person ID numbers and my.scouting.org

Be aware that everyone who is currently registered, or has been registered in the past has a Person ID Number. If you are unsure of your ID number, please contact me. Also, parent information on a youth app is put into ScoutNet and even though they may not be registered, they will have a Person ID #. When you create a profile for the first time in my.scouting.org and don’t have an ID number, it will create one for you, and in many cases creating an additional file in ScoutNet. If you have multiple files in ScoutNet, we have to merge them into the one that has registration information in it. This will change your ID number in you’re my.scouting.org account.

Charter info

Here we are at the beginning of 2016 and we are also at the beginning of a new charter year. Here are a few tips that will help you during the charter process. 1. Before you start the online process, make sure

that you have everything that you need to charter your unit. Adult apps, disclosure forms, YPT for all new adults, youth apps for all new youth, and current YPT for all leaders. These apps and certifications must be turned in with the charter.

2. Adult apps must be signed by the committee chair, and either the institutional head or charter organization rep. Youth apps must be signed by either the unit leader or committee chair.

3. When you submit the charter, print the charter renewal application. We won’t accept the renewal report E-Z or the draft copy.

4. Include your Journey to Excellence form with your charter paperwork.

5. The institutional head (listed at the top of the charter paperwork) and the unit leader must sign the charter. No other signatures will be accepted.

6. Money MUST be turned in with the charter. If money is not turned in, then approval to take funds out of the unit’s Scout Shop account MUST be included. The permission to take money out of your Scout Shop account is included in your charter packet. If using the store account, make sure that there is enough money in the account to cover the charter fees.

7. Turn your charter in at roundtable on the date listed in the right-hand column.

8. Anything missing will cause a delay. 9. I am here to help you. If you have any questions,

please don’t hesitate to contact me!

If you have any questions or concerns regarding registration, internet rechartering, training or internet advancements, please contact Council Registrar Pat Gaugler at 330-773-0415 ext. 210 or pat@gtcbsa.org.

Council Information

District Charter Time Frame

Tri-Fires Exp. Date 1/07/16

Recharter Turn-In Party—1/7/16—Roundtable—7 pm—Northwest Ave. Church of Christ

Moe

Exp. Date

2/29/16

Internet Recharter Window Opens—1/1/16 Recharter Turn-In Party—2/11/16—Roundtable—7:15 pm—St. Stephen Church

Lakes

Exp. Date

2/11/16

Internet Recharter Window Opens—1/1/16 Recharter Turn-In Party—2/11/16—Roundtable—7 pm—Prince of Peace Church

Chippewa

Exp. Date

3/10/16

Charter Training & Pick-up—1/7/16—Roundtable—7 pm—Medina United Methodist Church Internet Recharter Window Opens—2/1/16 Recharter Turn-In Party—3/10/16—5-8:30 pm—Medina United Methodist Church

Old Portage

Exp. Date

3/10/16

Charter Training & Pick-up— 1/7/16—Roundtable—7 pm—First Baptist Church Internet Recharter Window Opens—2/1/16 Recharter Turn-In Party—3/10/16—Roundtable—7 pm—First Baptist Church

Seneca

Exp. Date

1/31/16

Recharter Turn-In Party—1/7/16—Roundtable—7 pm—Kent United Church of Christ

Access Code will be in your unit’s charter packet.

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Council Information

Congratulations on an incredible 2015 Pecatonica River popcorn sale!

Congratulations to all of you for an incredible 2015 Pecatonica River popcorn sale. We had an 8% increase reaching $1.41 million in sales. Below are the winners based on all information turned in by the December 8 deadline.

Top 3 selling units

#1 Pack 3330 $33,315 Kate Breth (Lakes)

#2 Pack 3154 $32,840 Andrew Cole (Moe)

#3 Pack 3390 $30,900 Phil Slaght (Old Portage)

Unit with largest increase in sales

Pack 3269, led by Cindy Stankiewicz, had an increase of sales from 2014 to 2015 of $12,483. Congratulations!

Top sellers in each district

The outstanding salesmen in the list below each won a Kindle Fire HD.

Andrew Cole Pack 3154 (Moe) $7,700

Tyler Tice Pack 3269 (Seneca) $4,175

Blake Miller Pack 3334 (Lakes) $3,725

Stone McCann Pack 3456 (Chippewa) $3,160

Matthew Dougherty

Pack 3390 (Old Portage)

$2,840

Logan Kakiou Pack 3361 (Tri-Fires) $1,325

Top “Browns” tin seller

Blake Miller from Pack 3334 sold 82 Browns tins to win 4 tickets to an upcoming Browns game.

Top “Steelers” tin seller

Jesse Elkins from Troop 101 sold 80 Steelers tins to win 4 tickets to an upcoming Steelers game.

Announcing Great Trail Council’s overall top 11 sellers

Scout Unit/District Amount

Andrew Cole Jr. 3154 (Moecomdws) $7,700

Tyler Tice 3269 (Seneca) $4,175

Blake Miller 3334 (Lakes) $3,725

Christian Renna 3322 (Moecomdws) $3,537

Stone McCann 3456 (Chippewa) $3,160

Jamie Faur 3527 (Chippewa) $3,045

Coen Giroux 3455 (Chippewa) $3,025

Brayden Ronowski 3259 (Seneca) $2,984

Jeremy Brown 334 (Lakes) $2,875

Matthew Dougherty 3390 (Old Portage) $2,840

Zane Renna 3334 (Lakes) $3,065

2016 Family Friends of Scouting

The Great Trail Council is pleased to announce that Bob Saffle, Old Portage District, has been appointed as our 2016 Council Family Friends of Scouting Chairman.

Bob was selected for his commitment, energy, enthusiasm, vision, and organizational skills.

Congratulations, Bob!

FOS campaign dates to remember

Our goal for 2016 is $555,000.

Campaign Kick-Off/Fleur De Lis Reception—February 25—5:30 p.m.—Canal Park

2nd Report Meeting—March 31—5:30 p.m.—Canal Park

3rd Report Meeting—April 20—5:30 p.m.—Canal Park

4th Report Meeting—May 18—5:30 p.m.—Canal Park

Victory Celebration—July 26—5:30 p.m.—Canal Park

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Tri-Fires District “Fired Up Scouting!” District Chair Steve Schloenbach 330-376-8522 sschloenbach@akroncf.org District Commissioner Miles Hardesty 330-283-7168 mgh2073@att.net Interim District Executive Dennis Vargo 330-773-0415 X 214 dvargo@bsamail.org

January 1 Happy New Year! 8-10 Klondike—Camp Manatoc 12 Family FOS Presenters Training #1 14 Roundtable (Charter Turn In)—7 p.m.—Northwest

Ave. Church of Christ, 737 Northwest Ave., Tallmadge 18 Martin Luther King Day—Scout Shop/office closed 21 Family FOS Presenters Training #2 23 District Retreat—9:30 a.m.—Akron Community

Foundation, 345 W. Cedar St., Akron Registration $2 Boys’ Life N/A

February 4 District Commissioners Meeting—6 p.m.—Northwest

Ave. Church of Christ, 737 Northwest Ave., Tallmadge 4 District Committee Meeting—7 p.m.—Northwest Ave.

Church of Christ, 737 Northwest Ave., Tallmadge 7 Scout Sunday 11 Roundtable—7 p.m.—Northwest Ave. Church of

Christ, 737 Northwest Ave., Tallmadge 13 Scout Sabbath 15 President’s Day—Scout Shop/office closed 20-21 Ski Days—Brandywine/Boston Mills Registration $24 Boys’ Life $12

Tri-Fires District Klondike

Please remember to keep the date—the Tri-Fires 2016 Klondike will be January 8-10! Any questions about the klondike can be directed to Ken Brown at kbrown@yankebionics.com. The cost is $10. Please get your registrations into the Scout Shop ASAP.

We’re set for annual district retreat

District committee members and commissioner staff; please mark your calendar for Saturday, January 23, 9 a.m., at the Akron Community Foundation, for our annual district retreat. Come join us for fellowship, fun, and more as we plan and critique our programs for the 2016-2017 Scouting year!

Please note that our monthly district commissioner and district committee meetings will be part of this day. Lunch will be served!

Any questions or suggestions to the day’s agenda should be directed towards our District Chairman Steve Schloenbach at 330-376-8522 or SSchloenbach@akroncommunityfdn.org.

Come on out to roundtable

Roundtables are the second Thursday of each month at Northwest Ave. Church of Christ, in Tallmadge. Roundtables start at 7 p.m., and all are welcome to attend the fun! Roundtables are an essential tool for distributing information, informal training, building excitement, and making new friends!

The meeting this month will be held on January 14. The focus of January’s roundtable will be Planning and Prep for Blue and Gold (Cub Scouts), and Proper Uniform Knots, Patches and Sashes (Boy Scouts).

Pinewood Derby

Mark your calendars for the Tri-Fires District Pinewood Derby, on March 12. Pack 3361 will be hosting this year, and the location will be at First Congregational Church, 85 Heritage Dr., Tallmadge, Oh 44278.

Any questions or concerns, please contact Greg Upole at 330-835-3493 or gregory5457@yahoo.com.

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January 1-3 Happy New Year—Scout Shop/office closed 7 District Committee Meeting—7 p.m.—Hudson

Presbyterian Church 14 District Commissioners Meeting—6:45 p.m.—St.

Stephen Church 14 Roundtable—7:15 p.m.—St. Stephen Church 18 Martin Luther King Day—Scout Shop/office closed 30 District Retreat—Camp Butler 29-31 Klondike—Camp Butler Registration $4 Boys’ Life $2

February 6 Cub Bowling Day—Legend Lanes 11 District Commissioners Meeting—6:45 p.m.—St.

Stephen Church 11 Roundtable—7:15 p.m.—St. Stephen Church 15 President’s Day—Scout Shop/office closed Registration $2 Boys’ Life N/A

Moecomdws District “It’s A Matter Of Pride” District Chairman Paul Schumacher 330-650-2122 paulschus@gmail.com District Commissioner Dave Harman 234-380-5876 daveharman@yahoo.com District Executive Wayne Nieman 330-773-0415 X 242 wnieman@bsamail.org

District Website: www.moescouts.org

2016 Family FOS campaign will be starting soon!

Our 2016 Family FOS campaign is about to begin. All units need to schedule a presentation date, preferably the date of your blue and gold banquet or court of honor. Please give your date to Family FOS Chair Lisa MacKay. She can be reached at 330-688-9504 or by email at lisa@mackaynet.com.

Charter turn-in is February 11

This year we will be collecting charter paperwork during the February roundtable on Thursday, February 11. You will have an opportunity to talk with a unit commissioner to make sure that all of the paperwork is complete, including applications, signatures, money, and Journey to Excellence. If you have any questions please contact your unit commissioner. Remember, we are adjusting this year to the new rules next year, when all charters, signatures, and money must be turned in before the charter expiration date.

“The Cold War” Klondike

Mark your calendars for the 2016 Klondike Derby on January 29-31, at Camp Butler. It will be hosted by Troop 777. The theme will be “The Cold War”. More details to follow soon, keep an eye out! This year you can follow the klondike on Twitter, follow @MOEColdWar2016. Remember tent camping is included in the price of the klondike. If you prefer to sleep in a cabin you need to make those arrangements ahead of time.

Moe Cub Bowling Day

When: Saturday, February 6 Where: Legend Lanes, 4190 State Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 330-928-3794 Time: 1p.m. – 3 p.m. Cost: $10.00 per person, includes two rounds of bowling, hot dog, bag of chips, drink and bowling patch (non-bowlers may purchase lunch for $5.00). Deadline: January 30 RESERVATIONS ONLY – NO WALK-INS. Questions: Contact Ronda Roxbury at 330-957-2386 or rondaroxbury@gmail.com

Registration forms have been put in saddlebags. Please register as a pack and register in advance, we cannot take walk-ins. There is lots of work that needs to be done ahead of time by volunteers to make the day run as smoothly as possible.

Moe District Roundtable reminder

Roundtables are the second Thursday of each month at St. Stephen Church, located at the corner of Rt. 59 and Charring Cross, in Stow. Roundtables start at 7:15 p.m., and all are welcome to attend! This month we meet on January 14.

Cub Scouts Boy Scouts

January 14 Friends Near and Far

Eagle Process Tool

February 11

Charter Turn-in

Cubstruction The NEW Webelos Program OR High Adventure Programs/Planning

March 10 Strike Up the Band

Stimulating Advancement. Building your Program OR How to Structure Meetings & Courts of Honor

April 14 District Recognition

District Recognition

May 12 Program Planning

Calendar Planning 2016-2017: Troop Program Ideas

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January 14 District Committee Meeting—6 p.m./Roundtable—7

p.m.—Prince of Peace Church, 1263 Shannon Ave., Barberton

16 Klondike—Camp Manatoc 24 Chariot Race—1 p.m.—Location TBA Registraion $4 Boys’ Life $2

February 4 District Commissioner Meeting—6:30 p.m.—Acme,

3235 Manchester Rd., Akron 11 District Committee Meeting—6 p.m./Roundtable—7

p.m.—Prince of Peace Church, 1263 Shannon Ave., Barberton

Registration $2 Boys’ Life N/A

Lakes District “Leads the Way” District Chairman James Schweikert 330-899-9915 schweikert@neo.rr.com District Commissioner Joe Testa 330-418-3117 jtesta5@neo.rr.com District Executive Tom Craig 330-773-0415 X 239 tom.craig@scouting.org

District Website: www.lakesdistrict.org

Lakes Charter Turn In is February 11

This year, the Lakes District Charter Turn-In is scheduled for Thursday, February 11, at Lakes’ Roundtable. Unit commissioners will be there from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m., to sit with you for a few minutes to make sure that you have all that you need for your charter to be complete. Please bring your signed charter, any additional applications that you added to your charter, copies of Youth Protection cards and your check. Last year the Lakes District charters were very clean, with few errors. Hopefully with the process of online rechartering we will be 100% error free!

FOS planning has begun

It is time to begin planning our annual Family Friends of Scouting Fundraising Campaign. This year Steve Schmidt will be the Lakes District Family FOS Chair. He and the family FOS committee will be contacting each unit to set up a presentation date at your blue and gold, or court of honor. We will have a sign-up sheet at future roundtables as well as a unit commitment flier in each saddlebag. Please schedule your presentation as soon as possible.

We’re planning 2016 day camp

Yes, we are already planning the Lakes District 2016 District Day Camp. This year day camp will be held at MAPS Air Museum and the theme is Trains, Planes, and Automobiles. The dates are July 18-20 for Cub Scouts and July 21 – 23 for Webelos. This year Tigers will have their own Cub Day Camp on July 17. Please be looking for more information in February.

“Gold Rush” Klondike

The klondike committee is very busy planning events! This year’s theme is Lakes District Gold Rush. Get ready to bundle up and head out to Camp Manatoc on January 15-17, for our annual district klondike. Details were available at the November roundtable and can be

accessed at lakesdistrict.org. Questions, call Dave Polacek at 330-825-2950 or email riverrunner6@hotmail.com.

Get your chariot ready to race!

The Lakes District Chariot Race for all Cubs will be Sunday, January 24, at the Green Intermediate School, 1737 Steese Rd., Uniontown, OH 44685. Registration begins at 1

p.m. Judging starts at 1:30 p.m. Race starts at 2 p.m. Check the website at

http://www.chariotrace3330.org/ for the rules and plans to make your chariot. See you there charioteers!

For more information contact Vivianne Duffrin at 330-428-1774 or vduffrin@yahoo.com.

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Chippewa District “Scouting, From Tiger Paws to Eagle Claws” Chairman Brad Root 330-388-1405 ......... broot@rootcandles.com Commissioner John Naizer 330-419-8395 ......... team.naizer@frontier.com District Executive Steve Jindra (B) 330-773-0415 X 235 stjindra@bsamail.org

Chippewa Website: www.facebook.com/pages/GTC-Chippewa-District

January 1 Happy New Year 1-2 Scout Shop/office closed 7 District Committee Meeting—7 p.m.—Medina United

Methodist Church, 4747 Foote Rd., Medina 14 Roundtable—7 p.m.—Medina United Methodist

Church, 4747 Foote Rd., Medina 15-17 Klondike—Camp Butler 18 Martin Luther King Day—Scout Shop/office closed Registration $6 Boys’ Life $3

February 2 Chippewa’s Friends of Scouting campaign begins 4 District Committee Meeting—7 p.m.—Medina United

Methodist Church, 4747 Foote Rd., Medina 10 Scout Uniform Day 11 Roundtable—7 p.m.—Medina United Methodist

Church, 4747 Foote Rd., Medina 15 President’s Day—Scout Shop/office closed Registration $4 Boys’ Life $2

Recharter Training on January 14

Chippewa District Commissioner John Naizer will be conducting unit rechartering training at roundtable on Thursday, January 14, starting promptly at 7 p.m., at the Medina United Methodist Church (4747 Foote Road, Medina, OH. 44256)

Attention Scouting units: All unit leaders and committee chair members should be in attendance. If another leader from your unit has been assigned the charter renewal duties, they should plan on attending this informative meeting. There will be a complete review of the recharter process and information on where to get help. Your unit recharter kits and materials will be on hand for distribution. Charter kits will include guidelines for internet rechartering and registration along with a copy of your unit roster, adult and youth applications, and a charter turn-in worksheet. Be prepared. Be there!

“Interstellar” Klondike

This year klondike is scheduled for January 15 -17, at Camp Butler, located in Peninsula. All Scout troops and Webelos may attend. Check-in will start at 5 p.m., on Friday, January 15. Or 8:30 a.m., on Saturday morning. Make sure

to bring your cold weather camping gear and patrol sleds. The cost is $8 to attend. It is going to be a great time! Dress warm! Flyers are in your saddlebags. If you have any questions, contact Tom Ables at tables1046@hotmail.com.

Day camp is around the corner

Believe it or not-- it is time to start planning for day camp. See the list below for more information.

Theme: Taking Flight

Place: Camp Butler

Cost: $65.00

Dates: Session One—June 26-28, Session Two—June 29- July1

Contact: Camp Director, Steve Trommer at Strommer453@gmail.com

If you are available to give some of your free time this year to help on the day camp committee please do so. It is an awesome experience to help teach and assist the youth.

Chippewa thanks!

Thanks to Tracy Buchheit for her help with the Salvation Army bell ringing.

Thanks to John Naizer for conducting recharter training!

Bad weather alert

It is the time of year where we will start to see heavy snowfall making the roads and driving conditions dangerous. To find out if a meeting has been cancelled please check your email before leaving your home for a regularly scheduled meeting.

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January 1-3 Happy New Year—Scout Shop/office closed 7 District Committee Meeting—Cancelled! 12 Family FOS Presenters Training—7 p.m.—Scout Ser-

vice Center, 1601 S. Main St., Akron 14 All Charters Due at January Roundtable!!! 14 Roundtable/Commissioners Meeting—7 p.m.—Kent

United Church of Christ, 1400 E. Main St., Kent 16 District Retreat—8:30 a.m.-Noon—Kent United Church

of Christ, 1440 E. Main St., Kent 18 Martin Luther King Day—Scout Shop/office closed 21 Family Presenters Training #2—7 p.m.—Scout Service

Center, 1601 S. Main St., Akron 22-23 District Klondike—Camp Manatoc Training Lodge Registration $2 Boys’ Life N/A

February 4 District Committee Meeting—7 p.m.—Kent United

Church of Christ, 1400 E. Main St., Kent 6 Cub Scout Polar Bear Swim—1-5 p.m.—Kent Roose-

velt Pool 11 Roundtable—7 p.m.—Kent United Church of Christ,

1400 E. Main St., Kent 15 President’s Day—Scout Shop/office closed 25 Friends of Scouting Kick-Off Registration $24 Boys’ Life $12

Seneca District “Where the Sun Shines First on the Great Trail Council” District Chairman Bruce Dockstader 330-678-4376 District Commissioner Joe Payne 330-388-9275 District Executive Nate Watson 330-773-0415 X 227 Nathan.Watson@scouting.org

Seneca Website: www.senecadistrict.org

Continued on Page 16

District Staff Retreat

The Seneca District Staff Retreat will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2016, at the Kent United Church of Christ, 1400 E. Main St., Kent (where roundtable takes place). We will gather at 8:30 a.m. for breakfast. Our retreat this year will go until approximately noon. Watch your mail for a special invitation. If you hold any type of district position, we encourage your participation and attendance, so mark your calendars now!

Recharter packets are due January 14!

Recharter packets are due at the January roundtable on Thursday, January 14, 7:00 p.m., at Kent United Church of Christ (1400 E. Main St., Kent, OH 44240). If for some reason you or a representative from your unit cannot attend roundtable to deliver the charter, please contact Nate ASAP to arrange an alternative at 330-773-0415 x227 or Nathan.Watson@Scouting.org. We NEED all charters by the January roundtable. If you finish it sooner, feel free to drop it off at the Scout office in Akron to give our registrar ample time to iron out any issues or details that may pop up.

“Yukon Challenge” Klondike

The 2016 klondike will be held January 22-24, at Camp Manatoc. In December, Klondike Chairman Frank Collica, led the Boy Scout split at roundtable to discuss the event. This year’s theme is “Yukon Challenge”! ALL SCOUTMASTERS AND SENIOR PATROL LEADERS WERE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND DECEMBER’S ROUNDTABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS! The 2016 klondike packet was mailed out and extra copies are available. Contact Nate Watson for packets. For further questions in regards to Klondike, contact Frank at 330-274-0251 or fkingfish575@aol.com.

Seneca’s Cub Scout Polar Bear Swim

The 2016 edition of the Seneca Polar Bear Swim will be held February 6, 2016! Please mark the date down in your calendars and look for the final details at

January’s roundtable! This year’s event is sure to be a FREEEEEEZING GOOOOD TIME! Give your Cubs a chance to earn their belt loop and a patch at this great event!

Friends of Scouting (FOS) campaign is underway

The 2016 campaign is underway for all Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops and Venture crews. Now is the time to think about having a FOS presentation at a blue and gold banquet, court of honor, or parent night.

Start by selecting a unit FOS chairperson and then schedule your unit for a presentation in January, February, or early March. Set your own unit goal. Sign-ups for a presentation should have been done by December’s roundtable, if you missed that deadline, contact Nate Watson at 330-773-0415, ext. 227 or Nathan.Watson@scouting.org to schedule. Make sure the date you select is a date when you will have the most family and friends of Scouts in attendance and we’ll arrange for a FOS presenter to attend your event. Presentations typically take 10 minutes, with a short follow-up at the end of your program.

We need to be able to tell the “Scouting Story” to every family and give them the opportunity to make a financial contribution to help support the great things we do with the youth of our communities.

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January 1-2 Happy New Year—Scout Shop/office closed 7 District Committee Meeting—7:30 p.m.—Bath United

Church of Christ 14 District Commissioners Meeting—6:30 p.m.—First

Baptist Church, Shatto Ave., Akron 14 Roundtable—7:15 p.m.—First Baptist Church, Shatto

Ave., Akron 18 Martin Luther King Day—Scout Shop/office closed 30-31 Klondike—Camp Manatoc Registration $6 Boys’ Life $3

February 4 District Committee—7:30 p.m.—Bath United Church

of Christ 7 Scout Sunday/Scout Anniversary 10 Uniform Day 11 District Commissioners Meeting—6:30 p.m.—First

Baptist Church, Shatto Ave., Akron 11 Roundtable—7:15 p.m..—First Baptist Church, Shat-

to Ave., Akron 15 President’s Day—Scout Shop/office closed 20-22 Scout Ski Days—Brandywine/Boston Mills Registration $4 Boys’ Life $2

Old Portage District “THE Quality District” District Chairman Donna Axson 330-573-8766 daxson@oldportage.org District Commissioner Dan Gentile 330-808-4819 gentile2@fuse.net District Executive Keith Doyle 330-773-0415 X 230

Old Portage Website www.oldportage.org

Continued on Page 16

January 2016 roundtable

Looking for a New Year’s resolution that’s easy to keep? Plan to attend the monthly roundtable meetings in 2016. It’s recharter time for all units in the Old Portage District and we will be distributing the recharter packets at the January roundtable. Have questions on the process? We’ll have answers.

How we support the Scouting program

Delivering a high quality Scouting program costs the Great Trail Council $150 per Scout per year over and above membership fees. On average, only 25% of our families support the Friends of Scouting campaign. We must increase this percentage, and with your help, WE WILL! FOS is an outstanding opportunity to increase the dollars available for the maintenance of Camps Manatoc and Butler; the administration of registrations, training records, membership and advancement records; activities such as the University of Scouting and council camporees, klondike, summer camps and day camps; and for training courses to ensure that every Scout has the trained adult leader that they deserve.

Leaders please spread the word about Friends of Scouting. Inform your parents about the presentation before the scheduled event so that parents are prepared that evening with their check book or credit card to make a pledge. Lead by example by having the first pledges of the evening be from the unit leaders.

Thank you for your support in promoting Friends of Scouting. Yours in Service of the Spirit of Scouting, Eric Matheny Old Portage District Friends of Scouting Family Chair matheny54@hotmail.com or 330-285-4791

Online rechartering

This year, the Old Portage District Charter Turn-In is scheduled for Thursday, March 10, at the Old Portage Roundtable. Unit commissioners will be there from 7:15 p.m. until 8 p.m., to sit with you for a few minutes to make sure that you have all that you need for your charter to be complete. Please bring your signed charter, additional applications that you added to your charter, copies of youth protection cards and your check. Last year our charters were very clean, with few errors. Hopefully with the process of online re-chartering we will be 100% error free!

“Mountaineers of Manatoc” Klondike

The Old Portage Klondike will be returning to Camp Manatoc on 1/29/16 - 1/31/16, with headquarters at the Training Lodge. Every unit (troops and crews) from the district are urged to participate. The “Mountaineers of Manatoc” theme will bring back some old time feel to the typical Scouting events. The event will contain a travois race and ten patrol stations on Saturday. We’ll be having a movie on Saturday evening along with the awards ceremony on Saturday night. Below is the list of events currently planned for the klondike. We look forward to seeing you all there for the district event of the year.

10 Saturday Patrol Events Archery Orienteering Ravine Crossing Knots and Lashings Fire Building First Aid Tomahawk Throwing Wilderness Kim’s Game Knife Throwing Tracking

Questions: Mike Fasig at 330-329-8586 or mfscouter@aol.com.

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles”

All Cubs will be meeting at Camp Butler, July 25-27, for day camp. Volunteers and ideas are needed.

Call or email Jim Horvath at 330-283-4422 or jhorvath99@aol.com.

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Venturing/Exploring Energy...Excitement...Enthusiasm Chairman Elizabeth Murphy 330-434-9300 murphy.venture.gtc@gmail.com Commissioner Anna Lott 330-699-1854 lott88a@gmail.com Staff Advisor Dennis Vargo 330-773-0415 ext. 214 dvargo@bsamail.org Council Venturing President Katelyn Keckler President@GTCVenturing.org

2015 an outstanding year

Great Trail Council will likely receive Silver in the Council Standards of Venturing Excellence. This year the CSVE has been revised to look more like JTE and offers levels of Bronze, Silver and Gold. Your Venturing program is on track with these guidelines posted annually to help councils benchmark an excellent program. The VOA held four events in 2015 from the banquet in January, the luau in August, goal setting and time management training in September and the Star Wars weekend in November. Two of those events had more than 70 persons and this gives us high hopes for a great 2016. The VOA outreach to the crews has had a good beginning having as many as five crew presidents representing their crew on the VOA which is far too small, but before 2015 our VOA was officers-only and now we have begun to truly represent the crews we serve. We even received maximum points for our VOA social media presence because of our unique Council Venturing website at GTCVenturing.org.

Annual Venturing Banquet

Our first event in 2016, gives you the opportunity to join our Venturing officers for the Council Venturing Recognition Banquet on February 21, at First Baptist Church, 1670 Shatto Ave., Akron. Cost is only $10 until January 15. So register now and save. All registration is online at GTCVenturing.org/events. Cost goes up to $12 if paid online between January 16 and February 14 when registration closes. This is the same venue as last year, the same great chef and at half the price of last year. Come out for a fun evening to celebrate the Venturing movement and to honor our youth. A highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Council Venturing Leadership Awards for which nominations must be received by January 11 using a form available on www.GTCVenturing.org/events.

Journey to Excellence for crews

JTE is all about the ALPS! Your crew will be rated in separate categories of Adventure, Leadership, Personal Growth and Service. Presidents, please sit with your crews and see how you rate on these guidelines for an excellent crew. You can get a copy at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/mission/pdf/2015_JTE_Crew_Scorecard.pdf.

We hope to have 100% of our crews submit the form. Please contact our Assistant Council Commissioner for Venturing Anna Lott if you need help.

Help your Venturers be recognized

Advisors take some time to review your crew members and make sure they are entered in the advancement system. The VOA will be running a report at council to identify all of the award earners for recognition at our banquet. We do not want to miss anyone so check those records. Presidents, take some time to review the awards requirements with your crew members, especially the Venturing and Discovery Awards. Many of the participants at the Star Wars weekend indicated they had most of the Discovery Award completed. Finish those up and be recognized! The requirements are in both the Handbook for Venturers and the Advisor Guidebook, and can be found also in the free board of review guide which is linked on our training page and recognition pages of www.GTCVenturing.org. A suggestion for your next meeting is to review the award requirements and the ALPS model.

Continued on Page 16

Training

Are you planning a crew year that offers time for each of these trainings? Many are set up so they can be taught in modules at crew meetings. Personal Safety Awareness, Leadership for Crews, First Aid/CPR, Goal Setting and Time Management, Crew Officer Orientation, Project Management and Mentoring are the required training courses for Venturers. Other courses such as NYLT are optional and not required. These trainings are described on our website at www.GTCVenturing.org/training. Your VOA offers the description of the University of Scouting courses coming up on March 5 and all of the required Venturing training is explained and many syllabi are available. You can find the link to sign-up for University of Scouting on our website as well.

Looking for Project Management Training? The Central Region has provided us the syllabus, but currently due to a legal issue we are not allowed to put it online. Email Advisor@GTCVenturing.org and we will get it to you (but you cannot post it either).

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January 20 LEC

February 17 LEC

Marnoc Lodge #151 Order of the Arrow Lodge Chief Brian DiPaolo chief@marnoc.org Lodge Adviser Dennis Bradley 330-510-1072 adviser@marnoc.org Staff Adviser Dennis Vargo 330-773-0415 ext. 214 dvargo@bsamail.org Marnoc Website: www.marnoc.org

The Commissioners’ Corner is presented by the district commissioners of the Great Trail Council. Its purpose is to inform unit leaders about the role that unit commissioners play in

delivering service to the units.

Congrats

The Great Trail Council would like to welcome the following individuals to the commissioner staff:

Anbu Kuppusamy—Old Portage

Rob Anderson—Moecomdws

Brad Miller—Lakes

Jason Korn—ADC in Lakes

Happy Holidays

Council Commissioner Joe Mako would like to wish everyone a great holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

Get your copy of History of Marnoc Lodge

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to acquire your own copy of the Marnoc Lodge history book, compiled by Brother David Wright. We are offering you two versions which you can order directly from the publisher. The basic “History of Marnoc Lodge” (78 pages) hard bound book is $28 (excluding shipping) and is available via this link:

http://goo.gl/eDzVK6

In addition, an expanded “History of Marnoc Lodge with Insignia” (170 pages) - $45 (excluding shipping). This version includes an additional 92 page pictorial directory of Marnoc Insignia.

http://goo.gl/IDDVOU

This is an excellent gift for your favorite Arrowman!

Ordeal Inductions for 2016

The Lodge is already preparing for the 2016 unit election year. Look for the election packet in your Troop saddlebag. Elections and registration for Ordeals will open January 1, 2016, and close April 15, 2016. For more information, or if you need a packet, please contact: ordeal@marnoc.org.

The Order of the Arrow serves as Scouting's National Honor Society. More than 176,000 members strong, the Order recognizes Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. The OA can help strengthen troops by providing leadership training and opportunities for OA members and by assisting in summer camp promotion, camporees, Scout shows, and other activities.

Dare to Do!

DareToDo is a challenge to every person in America. It’s an experiment to change how people think, how people act, and what people believe simply by doing one good thing for others each day. It’s paying forward our care for others, and it’s a belief that we can impact everyone just by doing the right thing each day. Share your good deeds with #DareToDo and join our movement. DareToDo has a website, http://dareto.do, as well as social accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Council Info cont’d. 2016 Scout Ski Days

Join us at Boston Mills/Brandywine and Alpine Valley for a weekend of skiing, snowboarding, and tubing during the annual Scout Ski Days!

Where: Boston Mills/Brandywine/Alpine Valley Ski Resorts and PolarBlast Snowtubing

What: Exclusive discounts on Snowpasses, tubing sessions and rental packages for the Boy and Girl Scouts.

Registered participants are eligible for the following discounts:

$33—All Day Lift Only $48—All Day Lift, Rental, 1-hour beginner lesson $20—3-hour tubing session

When: February 20 and 21

How: Register by February 16 and have tickets printed and waiting for you upon arrival. To pre-register, complete the form below with your desired ticket order and submit WITH PAYMENT to the Group Sales office at Boston Mills/Brandywine, PO Box 175, Peninsula OH 44264. Forms and payment may be submitted in person at Boston Mills prior to February 16. Advance registrants may also pick up tickets in the Ski School office at Boston Mills up to one week before their reservation date. Tickets are valid at all three resort locations.

Beginner Intro Group Lessons will be held 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, and Sunday at BRANDYWINE and ALPINE VALLEY (lessons are not required to participate in the Scout Days). In addition, Merit Badge Lessons will be offered at 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday@BRANDYWINE AND ALPINE VALLEY ONLY for $15. There will be no lessons available at BOSTON MILLS. Helmets are available to rent for $10. Boston Mills/Brandywine/Alpine Valley will provide PSIA certified instructors to fulfill the lesson requirements of the Snowsports Merit Badge; written portion of exam to be completed through your council.

Questions? Call 1-800-875-4241 ext. 2021 or email groupsales@bmbw.com.

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Seneca District cont’d. Pinewood Derby is coming!

Hey Cub Scouts, mark your calendars for the best ever district level pinewood derby to be held on Saturday, March 12, 2016. Watch for additional details!

Seneca’s top popcorn seller

Congratulations to Tyler Tice from Pack 3269 in Aurora, the TOP SELLER in our Districtl! Tyler sold a whopping total of $4,175! A very special thanks to Chuck Calalesina for all of his hard work this year and to all you individual popcorn kernels, without you all we wouldn’t be able to do this! We attained a $20,000 growth in sales throughout our district this year. GREAT JOB EVERYONE!

Old Portage District cont’d.

Are you registered for the 2016 University of Scouting? This is an opportunity to learn from the best of the best, experienced leaders will present programs to help you improve your skills and expand your Scouting knowledge. This is a great opportunity for both new and experienced leaders to learn “the tricks of the trade”. You get to customize your own experience by choosing from over 100 different courses. The University of Scouting will be held on Saturday, March 5. More information to follow. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity!

University of Scouting Star Wars Fun Weekend a huge success

On November 20 aliens from all over the galaxy converged on Camp Butler and invaded Atwater, Boyce and the Conference Center. A total of 72 attended the fun weekend and many adults enrolled in the Jedi Training Academy to receive instruction in Crew Committee Challenge and Advisor Position-Specific Training. Inside the rebel base young Jedi warriors and others were gathering and having a terrific fun weekend leading up to the destruction of the death star late in the evening. Activity Chair Dustin Tolly led a team that had a day of fun games. Both our Area Venturing President and Central Region Venturing President were in attendance. President Keckler led a series of trainings centering on the Discovery Award by taking 5 minutes at each meal. Venturers in attendance indicated they had much of the Discovery Award completed already completed just by participating in the actions of their crew. A couple of ethical controversies before dinner helped Venturers with a Pathfinder requirement. A costume contest at the end of the evening was held and Chewy edged out Princess Leia for the win. Participants loved the food provided by VOA Advisor Kimberly Myers and rated the weekend excellent. Plans are already in the works for next year’s event.

Venturing District cont’d.

Council Venturing President Katelyn Keckler, Area 4 Venturing President Michael Gunther and Central Region Venturing President Brian Parro at the Great Trail Council Star Wars Fun Weekend in November 2015.

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Council Calendar

January 1 Happy New Year!

1-2 Scout Shop/office closed

4 Cub Scout Training Committee Meeting

5 Program Committee Meeting

12 Family FOS Presenters #1

13 Wood Badge Dinner Committee

15 FOS Steering Committee

16 Special Needs Committee Meeting

18 Martin Luther King Day—Scout Shop/office closed

19 Camp Card Training

19 Camping Committee Training

21 Family FOS Presenters #2

21 Risk Management Committee Meeting

22 Marketing Committee Meeting

25 Eagle Dinner Committee Meeting

26 Endowment Committee Meeting

27 Cub Scout Advancement Committee Meeting

27 Property Committee Meeting

28 University of Scouting Committee Meeting

29 Investment Committee Meeting

30 Boy Scout Training

30 Executive Board Retreat

February 2 Membership Committee Meeting

3 Jamboree Committee Meeting

5-7 NYLT Staff Development #1

7 Scout Sunday—Scout Week Begins

8 Executive Committee Meeting

8 Scout Anniversary Day

10 Uniform Day

10 Wood Badge Dinner Committee

15 President’s Day—Scout Shop/office closed

18 Camp Promotions Committee Meeting

20 Special Needs Committee Meeting

20-21 Scout Ski Days

22 Religious Committee Meeting

23 Council Commissioner Meeting

23 New Unit Blitz Day

24 Philmont Committee Meeting

25 Council FOS Kick-Off

25 Fleur-De-Lis Kick-Off

27 Campmasters Meeting

29 Day Camp Directors Meeting

Great Trail Council Scout Shop

1601 S. Main St. Akron, OH 44301

330-773-4078 sherrie@gtcbsa.org

Hours Monday—Friday: 9 A.M.—6 P.M.

Saturday: 9 A.M.—1 P.M.

Closed Dec. 30-Jan. 3

We are ready for your Blue and Gold Banquet, are you? Stop by for all your party supplies, awards, and leader gifts.