John Gunderman was determined to work on his Hornaday Badge project.
John had organized several work days for Troop 358 to pull garlic mustard in April but due to the Covid -19 and the stay in place order they had to wait. When the stay in place order was lifted on May 4 John organized new dates for his Troop with a modified plan that included social distancing, face masks, and education of the scouts through the Troop Zoom meetings and emails. The modified plan was approved by Mindy Murdoch the Zion Nature Center Naturalist and the Troop Committee.
However, this was a special situation as the service project was scheduled, canceled, and reworked. Mindy Murchoch asks that others refrain from scheduling a mustard pull or other service projects with the Zionsville Parks at this time.
“Really the best time to pull is early April to the first week of May. Pulling plants that have already seeded is fruitless because after the plant seeds it dies. The goal is to catch it when in flower or just at the start of making seed pods. Currently, because of COVID-19 and that Town facilities remain closed we have no service projects on our books as we are working a skeleton crew for all our parks as well as here at the nature center and maintaining social distancing of never more than one staff member in a facility at one time.
We will be meeting with regards to Creekfest this month. If that event does occur in August that might be the next option for scouts.”
On Monday, May 4th, the Crossroads of America Council made it public that there will not be traditional summer camp as we know it. Echoing the words of our Scout Executive Mr. Joe Wiltrout, health and safety is our top priority. Although we will not be having in-person summer camp like we are used to, Firecrafter is exploring ways to provide the best experience possible for our scouts this summer.
There is a lot of information that I am excited to share with all of you regarding different opportunities that the Firecrafter Council is planning to put on, but to start there are a few things that we would like to clarify and make publicly known. There will be no 2020 Midsummer Ritual, and all other events will be examined as we receive updates from our state and federal governments, including Grand Ritual. Moving on from there, the Council Committee has approved a year extension for those that would age out of the program this year, to allow them another year to complete any rank of Firecrafter next summer.
Regarding this summer, the Council Committee approved a program in which scouts can earn the Camper and Woodsman ranks in a virtual setting. The requirements for Camper and Woodsman will not be altered and the scout will be guided through a program to submit evidence of completing each requirement. The program will be led by our Council Vice Chief Ryan Wainscott. There will be more information in the coming weeks on the format of this program and how to sign up. We also are working on a similar program to be able to administer the Webelos Camper and Webelos Firelight ranks as well for cub scouts.
For the third rank of Firecrafter, the Council and Alumni officers met and decided in order to maintain the quality of the experience for the candidate and the program as a whole, we will not be allowing Firecrafter to be administered in any online format. Instead, the Council Committee approved the creation of a team to work on creating a possible in-person experience later in the summer.
Those units that are lone troop trained and are still planning on putting on a program need to reach out to Ryan Wainscott, the Council Vice Chief, to clarify how they are attempting to do so. Additionally, if your troop has created an alternate summer experience and wants to have a conversation about how the Firecrafter program could exist there, reach out to Ryan by May 20th via email (councilvicechief@firecrafter.org).
Finally, thank you to everyone who has been working towards creating some sort of experience for our scouts. By no means is this anyone’s first choice for a summer experience, but your willingness to work with what we’ve got is what makes Scouts and Firecrafter special. The Firecrafter Council will be open with communication about any developments in the programs we have proposed, and we hope we can make our centennial summer something to remember.
Now for this episode — well, we admit it’s not the most glamorous of topics, but it is important. In fact, it will make your Cub Scout leader experience a whole lot easier. And joining us is Lora Taft, the Council Commissioner for the Chattahoochee Council in Columbus. And just to make sure we give you as much help as we possibly can — we’ve also invited the chair for the National Cub Scouting Committee, Lisa Wylie. These seasoned Scouters will share with us all the tips and tricks of program planning and how to have fun doing it.
Philmont Postpones Start of 2020 Season to July 1st
Update 5/1/2020 – 2:30 PM
It is hard to imagine a more difficult circumstance for operating Philmont Scout Ranch. Our mission brings people together and Delivers Wilderness Adventures that Last a Lifetime. Yet as our state, region, and the entire world continues to deal with the evolving COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, we realize the nature of this virus, and how it spreads, presents significant challenges for Philmont. Your safety, health, and well-being remain our top priority.
The staff at Philmont continue to work relentlessly through every scenario for opening, in conjunction with the constantly evolving environment that this challenge presents to all Americans. In light of the state of New Mexico’s extension of stay at home orders through May 15th and decisions that other community and public entities have made to close, we have made the difficult decision to delay the opening of Philmont until July 1.
We will continue to follow updates and recommendations from the CDC, NM Governor Lujan Grisham, and state and local health departments, and monitor data and decisions from other states and entities across the country. Additional updates will be provided on May 15 and June 1.
This affects the following programs:
Treks and Cavalcades – All adventures scheduled to arrive at Philmont before July 1 are canceled.
Individual Treks – All treks scheduled to begin before July 1 are canceled.
Philmont Training Center – All conferences scheduled to begin before July 5 are canceled.
Family Adventure Camp – All adventures scheduled to begin before July 1 are canceled.
Staff – Staff arrivals and positions are being altered to fit our new opening date and program model.
Please know that when we open on July 1st, the Philmont program will look different to allow for appropriate social distancing. Philmont has begun implementing the following steps to promote a safer environment:
Developing pre-travel protocols
Pre-arrival screening
Extensive on-site screening
Increased cleaning and sanitization in shared spaces, buildings, vehicles, and program areas
Large gatherings, including campfires and chapel services, will be limited or eliminated
Adjustments in our dining hall operations
Any participant or staff member in a high-risk category for protection from COVID-19 should not attend Philmont this year, because of established protocols by our country’s medical experts.
Additional measures will be implemented per CDC guidelines.
National High Adventure Base Refund Policy
If the Boy Scouts of America or a National High Adventure Base (HAB) cancels your program due to COVID-19, you can reschedule your adventure and apply fees to an alternate date later in 2020 or 2021 (and 2022 at PSR and NT) at 2020 pricing. If it is not possible for you to reschedule, you will receive a full refund of fees paid.
If you cancel your program during the COVID-19 outbreak, you may select an adventure later in 2020 or 2021 (and 2022 at PSR and NT) at 2020 pricing. If it is not possible for you to reschedule, you will receive a refund of fees paid less 10% (to support the program costs of operating the HAB).
Refunds will be processed within 10-12 weeks.
Wilderness First Aid and CPR
Philmont highly encourages crew leadership to complete the Wilderness First Aid and CPR requirements as written in the Guidebook to Adventure, however, Philmont will not deny crews a Philmont adventure due to the inability to meet WFA and CPR requirements during the 2020 season. Philmont’s program model has been adjusted to accommodate crews who do not have these certifications.
Health and Medical Record
State by state requirements for physicals have complicated and delayed the solution for participants who have been unable to complete the Annual Health and Medical Record this calendar year. We are confident that with the delay of the start of the summer that a solution will be available by May 15th with plenty of time for crews to complete before they depart for Philmont.
Next Steps
Philmont asks that affected units and individuals please reference their emails, and where appropriate, work through their Reservation Contact and/or Lead Advisor to make decisions for their unit(s). The Philmont staff is working remotely so phone calls cannot be answered as quickly as we would desire. Through using the surveys that have been disseminated, our registrars will be able to prioritize and complete all necessary actions as quickly as possible. We do anticipate the process of rescheduling, canceling, and adjusting crews to take through the end of May. Thank you for your patience.
The Reservation Contact and Lead Advisor for each crew have received a link to the survey. Members of the crew should reach out to their Lead Advisor to provide feedback.
Crews that were scheduled to arrive before July 1 are encouraged to reschedule for 2021 or 2022 (as space allows) or transfer to another high adventure base closer to their home.
Crews that are no longer able to travel to Philmont for an adventure this summer are encouraged to transfer to 2021 or 2022 (as space allows), transfer to another high adventure base, or cancel their reservation.
Crews that cancel and request a refund, will be subject to the refund policy listed above and will receive their refund within 10-12 weeks of cancellation.
Philmont has adjusted the minimum crew size to 5 participants (minimum of 2 adults) to allow for individual participants to cancel without canceling the crew. Philmont will match you with a sister crew as needed to meet Health and Safety needs.
Philmont will waive the adult to youth ratio (if YPT guidelines are met) to accommodate Scouts who will “age out” by the time they are rescheduled through 2022.
Philmont Training Center/Family Adventure Camp Participants have received an email with a survey to help us reschedule or cancel their registration.
Individual Trek Participants have received an email with information on rescheduling or canceling their adventure.
Staff have received communication from the Seasonal Personnel office. Those who now have other plans for the summer should notify their hiring manager immediately and we eagerly await their application for the 2021 season.
Summer Camp is one of the most exciting opportunities our members look forward to each year.
After reviewing our operations, we have determined for the health and safety of our Scouts, leaders, staff and the extended community we will not hold camp in person for the summer of 2020. We know camping is an iconic experience, but the health and safety of our Scouting family is our top priority.
We are appreciative of the planning and preparation our Units invested to be ready for camp, and we are eager to partner with you to plan for future summers. To learn more, including a unique way our Scouts can participate in program activities at home, please view the video message from our Scout Executive Joe Wiltrout.
To continue program and advancement opportunities, we are excited to announce the launch of our Cub Scout Adventure Boxes and our virtual Scouts BSA 2020 Summer Experience. For Cub Scouts, each rank-specific box is filled with nearly everything their family needs to complete five elective Cub Scout Adventures at home and kick start their Cub Scouts advancement to the next rank this summer. For our Scouts BSA 2020 Summer Experience, each week Scouts will virtually participate in unique experiences, facilitated skill-building session, merit badges and more, all lead by dedicated Ransburg staff.
We will begin processing refunds for affected participants by May 15. You do not need to do anything to initiate a refund. Refunds are returned to the original payer and in the original form of payment.
To ensure our programs are accessible to all Scouts, we are reviewing scholarship opportunities and working to provide a list of community partners where resources such as internet and device access is available. We are also still evaluating which platform(s) will be used for virtual camp because we know that safety, security and ease of use is critical to ensure a successful and safe experience.
For more than 110 years, the Crossroads of America Council has been supported by dedicated volunteers and members with a passion for youth development and transforming lives. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to the Crossroads of America Council and our Scouts. We will keep in touch through email and social media to share the impact of Scouting in our community.
A Unit Commissioner is a volunteer Scouter who works directly with Scout units and leaders to help them provide the highest quality Scouting program possible….
The primary purpose of the Unit Commissioner is to help units succeed.
Does this sound like you or someone you know?
Spread the word and help us to support our Units.
Contact: Jenny Beyer 317-769-5060 or jenny.beyer52@gmail.com
Live, from the living rooms, kitchens and backyards of Scouting families like yours, it’s Scout Saturday Live!
This new web series, created by Scouts, volunteers and professionals in the BSA’s Western Los Angeles County Council, serves up a fun mix of games, competitions, projects, science experiments and more.
Everything featured, even the interactive elements, can be experienced from the comfort of your home using common household items.
The premiere episode on March 28 was viewed by hundreds of Scout units across 34 states, Puerto Rico, England, Germany and Canada. The episode began with a scavenger hunt to find items around the house. After that, viewers were challenged to turn those items into a Rube Goldberg machine.
What kind of silly fun will the next episode bring? Let’s watch together when Episode 2 debuts on Saturday, April 11, at:
Local councils, national service center stepping up
Scout Saturday Live! is just another example of local councils showing remarkable creativity and flexibility as they bring Scouting-specific programming into the homes of families across the country.
To see what your council is planning, visit your local council website or Facebook page. (Not sure of your council’s name? Use the handy Local Council Locator.)
On a national level, the BSA is regularly updating its Scouting at Home page with tons of great resources organized by program: Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts and Venturing. There’s even a section of STEM-related content. Nice!
And even though your nearest Scout Shop may be closed, ScoutShop.org is open to deliver Scouting at Home essentials right to your door.
More about Scout Saturday Live!
To learn more about Scout Saturday Live!, I spoke with Jeff Rudner, special event chairman for the Western Los Angeles County Council.
“The objective of the program is to keep the Scouting spirit and fun alive amid the uncertainty of what’s going on in our world,” he says.
Scouting doesn’t stop being youth-led just because everyone is physically separated. That’s why Rudner and his team made sure to find Scouts to serve as hosts.
The premiere featured six hosts from three different councils in California. To find them, Rudner held online auditions and received dozens of responses from interested Scouts.
“We asked older Scouts to submit one-minute videos that allowed us to see their personality and enthusiasm about Scouting,” he says. “They were outstanding!”
The first batch of hosts were from California, but residency in that state is not a requirement. Rudner hopes to involve Scouts from other states as the series continues.
“The ultimate goal is to try to have other councils across the country take turns producing episodes to contribute to Scout Saturday Live!” he says.
Advancement and the future of Scout Saturday Live!
Rudney wants Scout Saturday Live! to be about more than entertainment. That’s why with each episode, Rudner and his team post an Advancement Tracker graphic that outlines the various requirements viewers can complete while watching.
(Speaking of advancement, check out our overview of how advancement works during the COVID-19 outbreak.)
So how many episodes of Scout Saturday Live! can viewers expect? There’s no way to know, Rudner says.
“Certainly for the foreseeable future until normal Scout programming can continue,” he says. “But the fact is that there’s so much potential for this to become a regular activity for both Scouts and non-Scouts — it’s really exciting!”
Watch the first episode
For a preview of the kind of content you can expect on Scout Saturday Live!, check out the first episode below.
Popcorn Fundraising planning at the district level is starting this week!
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
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