Author: sharlamerrick
BSA Membership Fee Increase
Over the last few months, the National Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has seen the Scouting community come together, even while physically apart, to bring solutions, relief and comfort to those in need. From making masks to supporting food banks, Scouting has been a vital partner for communities across the country.
The value of Scouting is undeniable for those within the program and the greater public, and the BSA is committed to continuing to offer this unmatched opportunity to young people and families nationwide.
The BSA has worked to keep the membership fee as low as possible. Unfortunately, operating costs have continued to rise and COVID-19 has compounded the need to increase the fee to maintain the program.
To ensure the resources to fulfill the promise of Scouting, the updated national membership fee is:
- $66 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts participants
- $42 for Exploring participants
- $30 for council-paid memberships
- $42 for all adult volunteers (includes cost of background check)
- $75 for a unit charter fee
The membership fees will take effect August 1, 2020, for new members in the 2020-2021 program year. For renewing members, the new fee will take effect on October 1, 2020. The updated unit charter fee will take effect August 1, 2020, for all new and rechartering units.
Starting August 1, 2020, there will also be a one-time $25 joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts; however, there is no joining fee for Exploring participants, participants previously registered in any BSA program, those transferring from one program to another, council-paid memberships, or adult volunteers.
The national membership fee helps pay for the cost of essential services, including program resources, liability insurance for those participating in approved Scouting activities, youth protection and other local council resources.
National BSA will also continue to develop and improve resources that support our volunteers and youth members through online registration, Scoutbook, and national initiatives that bring us all together like the National Camp-In and the Scout Salute partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Across the country and in each of our communities, we know that Scouting remains one of the most valuable investments we can make in young men and women today so they can become the leaders we will turn to tomorrow.
Our dedicated volunteers, staff, and Scouting families make this possible. Thank you for continuing to support one of the most valuable opportunities available to young people today.
Earn Merit Badges at 2020 Summer Experience
The MERIT BADGE schedule for the Scouts BSA 2020 Summer Experience provide by Ransburg Scout Reservation. Camp 2020 MB schedule
FYI: Scouts can sign up as individuals. There are 6 weeks of programming available, to fit in with your scouts’ family schedules.
Belzer Online Merit Badges
Camp Belzer is now offering online merit badges and registration is live!
We will be adding more badges Thursday of each week, from Eagle required to elective option, but class sizes are limited, so signup today.
All classes are conducted by registered Merit Badge Counselors. Most merit badges will have requirements to complete after the initial online class and the Merit Badge Counselor will work with each Scout to follow up and sign off on requirements.
Check www.scoutingevent.com/160-BelzerOnline for more information.
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Want to help conduct an online merit badge class? If you are a currently registered Merit Badge Counselor, volunteer today at https://bit.ly/2Vd14Eo
Cub Scout Adventure Boxes
Cub Scout Adventure Boxes
The Crossroads of America is proud to excited to design and launch our Cub Scout Adventure Boxes. Each rank specific box is filled with nearly everything you need to complete five elective Cub Scout Adventures at home and kickstart your Scouts advancement to the next rank this summer.
Within each box you will find a copy of the Scout Oath and Law, and other assorted items which will help you to complete the adventure requirements at home as a family. Items may include craft kits, magic sets, and other small science equipment which makes shopping for supplies unnecessary. Each box also comes with activity specific written and video instructions so you can easily participate with your child.
Each Adventure Box is designed for one child and will be available for limited contact pickup at Camp Belzer in Indianapolis or shipped directly to your home after June 1st.
While these boxes are geared toward members of Cub Scouting, the activities involved are fun and available for all children!
Preorder yours today! Register Here
The adventures that come with each box will vary and a sample is below.
Tiger Adventure Box
- Curiosity & Intrigue
- Floats & Boats
- Good Knights
- Rolling Tigers
- Sky is the Limit
Wolf Adventure Box
- Grow Something
- Collections & Hobbies
- Finding your Way
- Motor Away
- Germs Alive
Bear Adventure Box
- A Bear Goes Fishing
- Beat of the Drum
- Forensics
- Marble Madness
- Robotics
Webleos & Arrow of Light Adventure Box
- Adventures in Science
- Castaway Adventure
- Into the Wild
- Into the Woods
- Yo-Yo Adventure
Scouts BSA 2020 Summer Experience
Scouts BSA 2020 Summer Experience Register: here
Hosted and Facilitated from The Banks of Lake Monroe
We’re in this together! Though we may be apart, we are proud to present a summer experience as we never have before. Continue your Scouting journey with us through advancement opportunities, summer camp traditions, merit badge programs, challenges, experiments, adventures, and so much more! Our intrepid team of facilitators and educators deliver content and instruct from Ransburg Scout Reservation outside of Bloomington, IN through a variety of formats, platforms and media.
What To Expect
We will meet Monday through Friday during your session, with program offerings designed for all Scouts BSA members. Content will be a combination of interactive live content and engaging videos delivered through a dedicated online platform. Exciting content will be delivered by some of your favorite summer camp counselors!
Whether you’ve just crossed over and your summer goal is to learn the skills needed to succeed on your trail to First Class, or you’re a seasoned Scout whose goal is to make progress towards a new skill or merit badge, we’re here to support you. Your experience will be a combination of merit badges, activities, skill instruction, work towards rank requirements, and numerous other interactive and engaging experiences. Scouts will be able to sign-up for merit badges and activities they are interested in participating in during their week. Registration, via this site, is now live for all six sessions! Merit badge and activity selection will be available within your registration within a few weeks ( a specific date will be communicated via email). The specific merit badge and activity schedule will be published the week of May 25th.
For us, this is a chance to teach, mentor, guide, and enable our Scouts in ways perhaps we’ve never considered. Together, our team of summer camp staff will bring you high quality and dynamic content developed specifically for this program. See the list of Frequently Asked Questions (below) for more about the weekly program.
Most importantly, we believe the foundational values found in the Scout Oath and Law are more important during this time than ever before. Together we’ll keep the fire of Scouting burning bright in the best ways we can: in our hearts, our minds, our backyards, our kitchens, our neighborhoods, and through fellowship with fellow Scouts. We’ll also stay active and have a ton of fun, which is essential to good Scouting. Hone your skills, dare to step outside your comfort zone with friends from your Patrol, your Troop, or around the country. Rise to meet the challenge as Scouts have always done: by being prepared and resilient, being prepared through adventure, and being prepared for life.
Communication
A parent and leader meeting will occur during the week of May 25th with a specific date to follow via email. One week prior to your Scout’s experience they will receive a pre-experience preparation packet via email. This will include a materials list and other important information so that both you and your Scout are prepared for their experience.
Questions & Support
If your Scout needs financial assistance to participate in this program please email smarron@crossroadsbsa.org.
Questions regarding this program should be directed to summerexperience2020@ransburgbsa.org.
Would you rather talk to via phone? We understand! Here’s how you can reach us:
Before June 1st Call: 317-813-7123
After June 1st Call: 812-837-9423
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What merit badges and activities are being offered?
A: The specific merit badge and activity schedule will be released the week of May 25th. Each week there will be a long list of opportunities to participate in: merit badges, rank advancement (Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, 1st Class – similar to Eagle Quest), adventures, and activities outside of advancement (i.e. campfires, interactive nature hikes, virtual ATV rides, interactive climbing sessions, etc.). The detailed merit badge and activity schedule will be posted to this registration site. In addition, if you would like to ensure you receive that schedule via email please register today.
Q: Will the program be the same each week?
A: Right now the plan is that each week will have similar program offerings. However, it is anticipated that each week will have more activities available (merit badges, rank advancement, and other activities) than a Scout will have time to participate in. So, your Scout may want to participate in a 2nd week/session. In addition, based upon feedback from you, we may adjust the program over the course of the summer. For example, if we receive feedback that Scouts would like to see a particular merit badge offered we may be able add that particular program.
Q: What does the daily schedule look like?
A: The daily schedule is currently in development. However, just like summer camp, a Scout can choose what they want to participate in. For example, it is okay if your family schedule only allows your Scout to take two merit badges in a particular week.
Q: Will there be opportunities for both new Scouts and older Scouts?
A: Absolutely! The exact schedule is still in development. It will be a good mix of badges that are targeted for newer Scouts (i.e. First Aid) and for older Scouts (i.e. Citizenship in the Nation). In addition, we will have rank advancement opportunities (Tenderfoot/ 2nd Class/ 1st Class) similar to Eagle Quest. There will also be exciting adventure type activities that all Scouts will be interested in.
Q: Will this be all online?
A: While there are no in-person sessions, Merit Badges will be a combination of online, in your backyard, and in your neighborhood (i.e. head down to a nearby pond; go on a hike at your nearest park or in the neighborhood with your family, etc.) all facilitated on a dedicated online platform in small groups by Ransburg staff. We understand that Scouts and families have been working diligently on school E-Learning over the last several weeks, and we will be keeping that in mind with the development of this program.
Q: Is there a capacity?
A: Yes, there is a per week program capacity. However, each small group merit badge session or activity will be facilitated in a small group format (think small groups of 10-15).
Q: Has planning already started?
A: Yes, planning has started! Our group of camp staff, who are facilitating this program will arrive at Ransburg on May 18th to begin development of the program in earnest, so that they are ready for you and your Scout during the first session (June 8-12).
Q: Who is leading and facilitating this program?
A: A smaller group of Ransburg Camp Staff will be facilitating this program from Ransburg Scout Reservation. This group has over 160 years of summer camp experience and several are year-round educators.
Session Dates & Cost
| Sessions |
|---|
| June 8-12, 2020 |
| June 15-19, 2020 |
| June 22-26, 2020 |
| June 29-July 3, 2020 |
| July 6-10, 2020 |
| July 13-17, 2020 |
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Per Session | $100 / Scout |
| 2nd Session | $95 / Scout |
|
Notes: 1. Cost Includes: patch, instruction and course materials distributed through a digital platform 2. For some merit badges, limited additional supplies or resources may be necessary or recommended
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We look forward to seeing you and your Scout this summer!
Jamboree 2021 Rally May 28, 2020
Scouts are you interested in attending the 2021 National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia? This life-changing event is coming up in just over a year from July 21st to July 30th, 2021. Planning is well underway, and one of our Contingent Troops is already filled!
Join us on Thursday, May 28th, 2020 at 7:30pm for an online rally where you can meet the Steering Committee, Contingent Troop leadership, and hear an overview of the experience that awaits you. For more information, or to register for the rally: https://scoutingevent.com/160-nationaljamobree2021May28
We have 75 online spaces available for the rally, so please plan to share one login if a parent and Scout want to listen and watch together. We look forward to seeing you on May 28th at 7:30pm as we prepare to “Face the Challenge” at the 2021 National Jamboree!”
A SCOUT SALUTE TO FALLEN HEROES
A SCOUT SALUTE TO FALLEN HEROES
We are calling on Scouts across the country to build on the tradition of honoring our nation’s fallen heroes this Memorial Day by posting public tributes to our veterans in partnership with the National Cemetery Administration and by participating in the National Moment of Remembrance with a special Scout salute. Follow the steps below to participate in this important effort.
1. Write a Tribute for a Fallen Hero
Post at least one tribute message for a fallen hero within the Veterans Legacy Memorial– a digital memorial that houses a profile for each veteran interred at a national cemetery.
Please consider leaving a tribute for one of the fallen heroes who has passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic – at a time when customary services and funeral honors cannot safely be performed. The names of those service members are listed on the VA’s Roll of Honor webpage and then copied and pasted into the search bar within the Veterans Legacy Memorial.
All tributes are reviewed by the VA before being posted so there may be a delay before your message appears on the page.
2. Encourage Others to Write Tributes
Use the social-sharing feature at the top of the Veterans Legacy Memorial pages to tell your family, friends and neighbors about the fallen hero you selected and ask them to write their own tribute.
Include #ScoutSalute #NoVeteranEverDies in your post.
3. Customize a Memorial Poster to Hang in Your Window
Fill in the name of the fallen hero you selected and place the Memorial Poster in a window in your home for all to see.
Download and customize a template:
4. Join Our Collective Scout Salute During the National Moment of Remembrance
At 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, every Scout should salute the American flag from their driveway, sidewalk, or home in Scouting uniform and say the name of a fallen hero to honor them for their service.
At 3:01 p.m. local time, all Scouts who play the bugle or horn are invited to play “Taps” from their homes in unison with others throughout their community.
5. Share Photos of Your Memorial Poster and Scout Salute
Share your photos on social media now through Memorial Day using #ScoutSalute #NoVeteranEverDies.
Golden Burke Scout Center open
Golden Burke Scout Center opened Monday, May 18. The Indy Scout Shop’s modified hours are listed below. Please note that we will be allowing 10 customers into the Indy Scout Shop at all times.
*Outer offices (Muncie and Terre Haute) are scheduled to reopen after Memorial Day. Only four customers will be let in the Muncie and Terre Haute Scout Shop once they have opened.
COVID-19 PoliciesThe building will be operating at a 50% building capacity for the foreseeable future and will also be conducting health assessments on all arriving persons—including staff, volunteers, parents, Scouts, and siblings. Access to the building may be restricted pending results. For the safety of all, we insist that all visitors wear face masks while in the building. Pre-orders and curbside pick-ups are still available and highly encouraged.
Golden-Burke Scout Center
7125 Fall Creek Road North
Indianapolis, IN 46256
Phone: (317) 813-7125
Toll Free: (877) 925-1900
Fax: (317) 813-7126
| Scout Shop Hours | |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:30AM – 6:00PM |
| Tuesday | 8:30AM – 5:00PM |
| Wednesday | 8:30AM – 6:00PM |
| Thursday | 8:30AM – 5:00PM |
| Friday | 8:30AM – 6:00PM |
| Saturday | 9:00AM – 3:00PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
E-mail and updates from District Commissioner
Hi there Scouters!
- Are you are planning activities later this summer? Let us know! We would love to share your ideas to the rest of the units. (For direction on activities, remember the Guide to Safe Scouting! https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/toc/)
- Planning: Ideal Year of Scouting planning is wrapping up, do you have your calendar complete? Is it partially complete due to the uncertainty of the upcoming school year? We would like to add your “best-case scenario” calendar of meetings and activities to our district calendar. Please send a copy of your calendar to me by the end of June. https://www.crossroadsbsa.org/resources/iyos/
- Summer Camp: Instead of summer camp this year, Council has come up with ways to keep your scouts engaged (and help offset the loss of revenue). See the Camp 2020 webpage. https://www.crossroadsbsa.org/resources/camp-2020/
- Recruiting: Cub Leaders, have you made contact with your principal for lunch talks & registration nights? You may want to contact them before they leave for the summer and get it on the calendar.
- Fundraising: Sign up to participate in Popcorn Sales to offset the unit budget. https://crossroads.trails-end.com/
Pathfinder District had a Roundtable last week, take a look for some great general information. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iobfh1PIhjE (IYOS @30min, Camp2020 @36min, Questions Answered @47min)
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
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