Crossroads of America Council
REMINDERS Week of Oct. 21, 2020
Reminders
- New District Name: The Monon District
- OA FALL ORDEAL Oct. 23-25
- Bewitched Belzer Bash
- Recharter
- Fall Camporee 2020 update and future schedule
- Cub Scout Adventures On-line
- Eagle Scout Information
- Merit Badge requirements during Covid-19
- District Committee Meetings and Roundtable Dates 2020
- University of Scouting – Nov. 14 2020
- OA NEWS: Temporary Camping Night Policy Due to COVID-19
- Guide to Safe Scouting Newsletter
Good Turn for Nature – service project
The council’s Fall Service Project – Good Turn For Nature – is right around the corner. This is a great opportunity to engage your scouts with the outdoors and teach them the importance of caring for nature!
The project runs from September 28 to October 27 and it is not too late to sign up. We are now in the process of matching units with host organizations. If you have not submitted your commitment form, please do so as soon as possible.
Click here to fill out the online form.
The following organizations are still unmatched and would love to partner with your unit:
- Cope Environmental Center
- Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
- Bitternut Woods Nature Preserve
- Shakamak State Park
- Lieber SRA
- Terre Haute Parks & Rec
- Whitewater Memorial State Park
For more information and a complete list of host organizations, check out the community page.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Stephanie Marron | Activities Assistant
Developer, Harmony, Empathy, Belief, Responsibility
7125 Fall Creek Road North, Indianapolis, IN 46256 Phone: 317-813-7123
Scout Giving Tree 2018
From our Crossroads Council Team:
Crossroads of America Council, 2018 Scout Giving Tree
As the season of giving approaches we are once again offering an opportunity for those scouts in need to benefit from our Giving Tree Program.
- Families and Leaders who would like to submit information for a young man or woman in their unit can do so before November 17th. Submit Scout needs HERE.
- Families, Volunteers, Community Members interested in making a donation to the Giving Tree can do so in any of our Scout Shops or online! Donate HERE.
Thanks for all you do for Scouting!
2018 Popcorn Sales around the corner!
As you are working with your Units to determine your popcorn sale commitment this month, keep in mind:
– Online sales begin August 1
– Unit sales plans and initial sales orders will be due in August
– Unit popcorn kickoff parties are to be completed by the first week in September
This year the Council will be holding the first annual Golden Eagle Neighborhood Popcorn Blitz on Saturday, September 22. Unit members can work together in one or both shifts (9:30-11 or 1-3) and will be assigned a neighborhood in which to work door to door. The Council will provide popcorn to be used in the sale, and all sales will be credited back to the Scouts and Units. Prizes will be awarded to the highest-selling Scout and Unit during the blitz. For more details and to Register for the event see the Council website listing linked in the event title above.
For a little inspiration you might want to check out the following article: How four Scouts sold a combined $250k in Popcorn (Scouting Wire magazine).
Good luck to all on a successful Popcorn selling season!!
New Council Facebook Page En Español
If you have Spanish-speaking families in your pack’s or troop’s neighborhood, you may have difficulty making sure that they have all of the Spanish-language material you need. Council has undertaken a Latino Initiative to overcome this problem. 
Currently, they are working on a dedicated Spanish-language version of the Council website.
Today they are rolling out the first part of this with a Crossroads of America Council En Español Facebook page. Please help us publicize this page by clicking on the link and “Liking” the page. That way your friends and family can find it easier.
This will also help you see how the Latino Iniative is progressing to help serve your unit.
¡Vámanos!
Scout Popcorn Festival – August 26, 2018
On behalf of North Star District Executive Jessica Hofman:
Hey Cubs!
Most of you have heard me talk about the Scout Popcorn Festival coming in August. This is the second year in a row for this event, and if you ask others that have gone… it’s pretty awesome!!! Some experiences at the festival below:
- National Guard inflatable obstacle course
- Popcorn taste testing station
- BMX show (last year’s event, we’re looking into something equally as cool this year)
- Prize showing station
- Face painting
- Popcorn sales pitch training
- And more!
When: August 26, 2018 1 – 4pm
Where: Camp Belzer, 6102 Boy Scout Road, Lawrence IN
This event is free and an open house environment. There are a few benefits to you adding this to your calendar for the late Summer/ early Fall:
- This event qualifies as an August event for your Summertime Pack Award
- This event qualifies for “Scout Training” which is one of the patches that a youth can earn in the patch set this year
- It gets new and old Scouts excited about selling popcorn… which in turn leads to larger sales and more money for you all to put on AMAZING programming.
Sign up HERE .
Be sure to RSVP as soon as possible please – even if you are tentative on how many will be in your group! This type of event take A LOT of work on the front end and I want to make sure there’s enough time and effort put into this event for all of our Scouts to attend. Let me know if you have any questions!
Jessica Hofman
Camping Scholarships (“Camperships”) available!
On behalf of North Star District Camping Chair Paul Kovach:
Cubmasters, Scoutmasters and Unit Committee Chairs:
Finances should never be a reason for a Scout not to attend camp. Crossroads of America Council offers a Campership program where recipients can be awarded up to 50% of the early summer camp fee in exchange for performing an age-appropriate service project.
Please encourage families in your units to take advantage of Camperships. Significant funds are still available to scouts that want to attend summer camp but whose families may have some financial hardship. Campership applications will be considered until funds are exhausted, on a first come first served basis.
The links below will bring you to the appropriate camp page and to the Campership application:
Thanks and Yours in Scouts,
Paul Kovach
North Star District Camping Chair
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.
Youth Protection Training v2 and Deadlines!
To reemphasize –
The BSA published training deadline for YPT2 training is Oct. 1, however our Crossroads of America Council goal is to have 100% of registered adults complete this training by April 30, 2018. One more short month left!
We want to continue to be a Pacesetter Council for the nation and set the leadership tone by having our training completed well in advance of the deadline.
Please read through our front page post (<== linked here) which gives step by step instructions on getting started and tips for navigating this training.
Also it is recommended that you use Safari (if on a Mac) or Google Chrome (if on a PC).
THANKS for all you do for Scouting!
Friends of Scouting 2018- November 2017-June 2018
Did you know that 20% of the council budget comes from a fundraiser called Friends of Scouting? It costs $175 to send one Scout through our program for one year at an organization level. Our council supports 12 districts across 26 counties, providing scouting to over 34,000 Scouts.
Friends of Scouting is an important direct support campaign that helps fund our council’s camp properties, camp assistance, registration assistance, uniform assistance and more. Pledges can be paid in lump sums, or on a quarterly or monthly basis. Has your unit held a Friends of Scouting presentation to show your support?
What: Friends of Scouting
Where: Presentations scheduled on a unit to unit basis
When: November 2017- June 2018
How to Pledge: At your presentation, by calling Jessica Hofman at 317-813-7123, or emailing Jehofman@crossroadsbsa.org
Congratulations to the following units who have exceeded their Friends of Scouting goals for 2018 and are recognized for their efforts with free rank advancements for the next year!
Pack 18, Troop 18, Troop 56, Troop 514
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
You must be logged in to post a comment.