Author: Cheryl Bilsland - NS District Communications Chair
Scouting for Food – Patch Requests due 23-April
On behalf of Patrick Covell, Crossroads of America Council Program Director:
Thank you for doing your part for Scouting for Food this year! There have been a few great stories shared so far and some hours recorded, but we know there is a lot more out there to be accounted for. We need to get what we have accomplished recorded so that we can inform others of our efforts.
Please record your patch request and service hours information HERE (<== link). The deadline to get your patch request in is Monday, April 23rd, so that you have the weekend to get this accomplished.
Please also make sure to get your service hours recorded HERE (<== link); don’t forget that you will need your ID number to record service hours.
If you need help recording service hours, please see this YouTube video: How to Record Scout Service Hours (BSA).
Again, thank you for what you do to serve your community!
Family Scouting – Update and Timeline
Starting this year (2018), girls will be welcomed into the Cub Scouting program and this will be the beginning of the transition to what is known as “Family Scouting.” This opens the door for girls and young women to benefit from the skills, leadership and character development training offered by the Scouting organization.
Please peruse the BSA Family Scouting website for more information on how this transition will work as well as more details on the timeline for implementation of these changes (see graphic included here for an overview). And don’t forget to ask yourself: “how can I help”?
Thank you for all you do for Scouting (and now for Family Scouting, too)!
Reminder – Roundtable this Thurs April 12
The roundtables topics this Thursday will be:
- Cub Scouts: “Ideal Year of Scouting / Summertime Pack Award”;
- Boy Scouts: “Ideal Year of Scouting / High Adventure Options Close to Home.”
The Roundtables will take place this Thursday, April 12, 2018 at 7:00 pm at Luke’s Lodge, the outbuilding on the northeast corner of the campus of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 West 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46260.
Please forward this information to your Den Leaders, Committee members, and Assistant Scoutmasters. They are an important part of the Roundtable target audience.
Remember, attending roundtables is a key requirement to earn the Scouter’s Key for both Cub Scout leaders and Boy Scout leaders.
Roundtable – April 2018 Flyers
Please see links below for exciting camping and training opportunities – these are roughly in date order:
National Youth Leadership Training (several dates)
Wood Badge (Adult Leadership training) (several dates)
2018 Voyageur Canoe Training (several dates)
Indianapolis Indians game and Campout at Victory Field (May 11)
Cub Scout Fishing Derby at Camp Kikthawenund (May 12)
Leave No Trace Master Education Course 2018 (Aug 17-19 and Sep 13-16)
Boy Scouts Brickyard 400 Weekend Campout (Sept. 8 – 9)
Citizenship in the Nation MB Workshop (several dates)
YPT v2: F2F Training on May 5
There will be a face to face (F2F) training session for Youth Protection Training v2 hosted by Pack 830:
Saturday, May 5, 8 – 10 am (registration starts at 7:30 am with coffee and donuts available)
Eagle Creek Community Church, 5943 N Lafayette Rd., Indianapolis IN.
The team is asking for a sign-up RSVP for planning purposes. Please sign up using this calendar link: May 5 YPTv2 Training hosted by Pack 830
Our goal with the F2F sessions is to get as many parents trained as possible! This is likely the first of a handful of sessions; this location may be most convenient for our Pike-area parents but all are welcome. Future sessions will be in other areas of the District.
Please pass this information far and wide and get the word out, let’s get our parents trained, thank you!
YPTv2 – for District Leaders due by March 31
From District Program Chair Mark Pishon – key stats and deadlines for the revised Youth Protection Training:
SEE THIS LINK FOR HELPFUL HINTS / TIPS for completing YPTv2!
Your Rechartering status will depend upon 100% of your Unit’s registered adults being trained by the deadline – don’t delay!
- All North Star District Leadership should complete this training by MARCH 31
- The Council Deadline is April 30 for all Registered Adults and Walking Leaders at camps
- Anyone not completing the new mandatory YPT will risk having their BSA record purged if not completed by the BSA deadline of October 2 – having said that we are urged to be a Pacesetter District for the Nation, and set the example by completing ours within Council deadlines.
- We understand and have heard that there are slow response time issues with the online training…
- This may also be completed via phone, that might also be an option;
- A face to face version should be released by end of March and will be sent to District Training Chairs as soon as it is made available;
- The face to face training will be included in district events in April once available.
- As of last week around 700 leaders out of 6700 have completed the training, or just over 10% of our leaders have been trained with the deadline fast approaching!
Please complete the revised Youth Protection Training ASAP!!
District Spring Camporee: We need YOU!
From District Commissioner Stephen Heath, District Program Chair Mark Pishon and District Camporee Chairman Rick Aker:
CALLING ALL NORTH STAR TROOPS:
Show your Scout pride, carry your troop flag as you attend this year’s Spring Camporee!
The North Star District Spring Camporee will be held April 20 – 22, 2018 at the Indiana School for the Blind, 7725 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN.
Join us for the peer camaraderie and recognition with your fellow District Scouts and Scouters. We’re calling on every unit to come and be counted among the best scouts and scouters in Crossroads of America council.
This year’s theme is WILLIE’S SOUND THE SIRENS – ARE YOU PREPARED?
Scouts will be working on Emergency Preparedness and the importance of planning for the unexpected, as well as many key survival skills.
The North Star District also invites all North Star Webelos for the day on Saturday April 21, 2018. Come join us, Webelos!
Pre-registration for all Scouts, Webelos and Adults is required at this link: 2018 North Star Spring Camporee.
Looking forward to an amazing adventure at the District Spring Camporee, don’t miss it!
Unit Trainers Needed! Can you answer the call?
We are in need of at least four adult volunteers to serve as Unit Trainers (at least two apiece from Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, respectively).
A Unit Trainer is responsible for ensuring that the adults in the units have completed required BSA Youth Protection training, making training opportunities available, and maintain proper training records, as well as occasional one-off duties. The MeritBadge.Org site has a good overview of responsibilities and qualifications at this link: Unit Training Chair.
Please email District Program Chair Mark Pishon at mpishon@gmail.com with volunteer nominee names by Saturday, March 31, 2018.
Thank you for considering, and for your continued commitment to our Scouts’ adult leadership development!
Hou Koda District 2018 Spring Merit Badge Workshop – Sat. April 14
The Crossroads of America Council Hou Koda District will be hosting its Spring Merit Badge Workshop:
Saturday, April 14
8am – 4pm
LDS Church Brownsburg
9710 W. 56th Street, Brownsburg IN
Registration for the workshop will open up at noon on March 28. Online payment processing will be available at that time.
Full details are still being finalized (costs, which classes are offered, etc.). Please keep this event link handy for more details, coming soon.
District Pinewood Derby Sat. March 24 – STILL ON
We’re watching the weather carefully but as of right now it doesn’t look to be enough to warrant cancelling the District Pinewood Derby, we’re a go!
We’ll continue to keep an eye on the situation but unless you hear otherwise by tomorrow 24-March @8:00 am (updates will be posted on the website & Facebook page if any should be needed) see you @ the Derby tomorrow.
For more Derby details see our March 7 post.
Looking forward to a great 2018 North Star District Pinewood Derby!
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
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