News
Preparations for Order of the Arrow Call Out Have Begun
From our chapter Order of the Arrow Advisor Mark Pishon:
Dear Troop Key 3:
Please send me your troops OA Election results ASAP. Call-Outs are April 22 [at Spring Camporee]. Forms are attached.
Mark Pishon
LOA Chapter Adviser
317.374.2262
Since Troops 72 and 180 have worked as part of OA chapter in the past, the March 29th approval of district changes should not affect these units. Other T’Sun Gani units will need to be in contact with Pioneer’s Order of the Arrow Chapter for Call Out procedures in April. Please share this information with them, so that they are not confused.
Here are our top 4 finishers from right to left.
1. Landon Walsh Pack 358 Muncee Tribe
2. Thomas Weintraut Pack 358 Muncee Tribe
3. Colby Lindeman, Pack 18
4. Steven Jarvis, Pack 625
District pinewood derby live
We are live at the district pinewood derby. To see more videos, go to Facebook.
Amazon smile to Support Council
If you regularly use Amazon, you can make regular contributions to the Crossroads of America Council by using http://www.smile.amazon.com. You buy the same things at the same price, but a small percentage goes to the charity of your choice.
Crossroads of America Council is one of those options.
Today, Amazon made this announcement:
Great news. Customers just ranked Amazon #1 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) with a score of 86. ACSI surveyed over 10,000 customers to measure perceptions of quality and value across retailers nationwide. This comes right on the heels of movies from Amazon Studios winning three Oscars and Amazon being ranked #1 in corporate reputation by the Harris Poll.
We want to celebrate the recognition, and say thank you for your support.
On Thursday, March 16 only, we will donate 5% (10 times our usual donation rate) of the purchase price of eligible products you buy at AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) to charity. AmazonSmile is a way to shop that offers the same shopping experience as Amazon.com, but every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com helps support a charity of your choice. To date, we’ve donated over $46 million.
To take advantage of this offer—and to ensure that your shopping throughout the year benefits your favorite charitable organization—just start your shopping at smile.amazon.com.
Thank you. And, be assured, we’ll continue working hard for you every day.
If you are planning to make Amazon purchases in the next week, please name the Council as your charity and buy today.
Spring Camporee Planning Report
Image Posted on Updated on
Here are minutes from the last Spring Camporee planning meeting from Spring Camporee Chair Mark Pishon of Troop 358.
Mark’s Power Point presentation
Due to the firearms involved with this camporee and the Guide to Safe Scouting prohibitions on Cub Scout and Webelos firing these weapons, this is a very bad camporee to invite them. District is highly discouraging Cub Scouts’ or Webelos’ attendance. They would see guns and want to participate. It would be mean to tantalize them and not allow them to participate.
District Email Subscription List Updated
Council has finalized the units’ rosters after the 2017 Recharter closing on February 28, 2017. We have added all registered adults in the District to the mailing list this morning.
As you know, the email is a compilation of articles posted on the District Website over the previous seven days.
If one of your leaders complains that they have previously Unsubscribed from this list but are being re-added without their permission, there is likely a simple explanation.
The system we use is Mail Chimp. It automatically reviews new email subscriptions. It looks for previous email addresses that have unsubscribed. These emails are NOT re-subscribed without an affirmative subscription from the recipient.
If a leader has an alternate email or has given the BSA a different email address, since their last unsubscribe, the volunteer is being added based on the new email address and NOT their name. Ask them to unsubscribe again for the new email address. Every email blast has an UNSUBSCRIBE at the bottom of the email. Have the leader scroll to the bottom of the offending email and click on that link.
If you have a leader who wishes to be included or has joined after recharter, please have them subscribe at this link. This same subscription link is also at the top of the district website under “About.”
If you have a leader who wishes to change their email address on the mail list, the leader can click on “Update Subscription Preferences” at the bottom of the email.
As always, please email ideas and timely topics for articles on the website. Give us a reported success of your unit. Include links to your unit website. Remember in the age of Google and social media, one of the ways to drive traffic to your website or move higher on Google’s list is to have links from other websites. Your submitted articles to us with links back to your website will help your general public traffic to your website.
Here’s to another great year with the Council-Leading North Star District! (Highest scoring JTE District in CAC: 2800 out of 3000 points.)
District Pinewood Derby Saturday!
Just a quick reminder that the District Pinewood Derby is this Saturday at the American Legion Post.
Reservations are NOT required but are encouraged. See calendar for more information on location and time.
Duty to God and Religious Emblems
The BSA is making a concerted effort to re-inforce “A Scout is . . . reverent” (Scout Law.) and “On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God . . . .” (Scout Oath.) “A Scout is revent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others.” Boy Scout Handbook, 13th ed., pg. 16 (BSA 2016).
Part of this commitment is to make Duty to God a more prominent part of rank advancement. For example, boy scouts have new Duty to God requirements from the January 1, 2016 revisions (required for all scouts’ advancement in 2017 since the 12-month grandfathering has expired). Each scout will have to explain how he has lived his Duty to God. For example, Tenderfoot Requirement No. 9 says, “Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Tell how you have done your duty to God and how you have lived four different points of the Scout Law in your everyday life.” (Emphasis added.)
One of the biggest problems is defining the Duty to God. We are an ecumencial program. In my home troop, we have members of Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Hindu houses of worship. We have had others in the past, too. Doing your Duty to God means something different for each faith.
Luckily, there is a sraightforward solution to this problem: the religious emblem program, sponsored by P.R.A.Y. This organization works with the BSA, Girl Scouts, 4-H, Camp Fire, and other youth community service organizations and non-affiliated youth to provide published, age-appropriate, denomination specific curricula. All faiths (other than the Church of Steve formerly known as the Church of the Holy George) participate. Each faith has a committee that has drafted and approved several curricula for youth to learn about their family’s faith. Each curriculum is focused on the level of detail appropriate to the child’s age.
Many of the protestant and independent churches have coordinated their curricula to have one set for all denominations.
This can be followed on an individual or a small group basis. PRAY has put together an introductory flyer that can be sent to parents introducing the program. The unit can offer a parent orientation, using their PowerPoint presentation, so that you have a live presentation. It includes a script. There are summary and detailed handouts. There are FAQ’s. And so much more.
Troop 56 and the new Crew 56 is beginning their new religious emblem program in the next few weeks. If your unit is interested in joining us, please contact Jeff Heck. We would delight in the opportunities to work together within faiths and inter-faith opportunities, too.
We are considering visiting different houses of worship as an optional supplement to the curriculum. It is hard to “respect the beliefs of others,” as suggested in the Scout Handbook, if you don’t understand those beliefs.
Talk to your unit committee about your religious emblem program. Talk to your chartered organization about how its pastoral staff or laymen can contribute. Watch the miracles occur.
Training at Spring Camporee
The District Committee is planning on offering adult training at Spring Camporee.
Tentative classes include Troop Committee Challenge, Scoutmaster Specific Training, Merit Badge Counselor Orientation, Introduction to Religious Emblem Curriculum, and Youth Protection Training.
If we can find an instructor, we are also considering CPR/AED training.
Please contact Jeff Heck with classes that you would be most interested in seeing offered.
Also let Jeff know if you are willing to serve as faculty, too.
Del-Mi Training Day Sat., Mar. 18
Hat tip: District Chair John Wiebke.
We have received the following email courtesy of Del-Mi District, serving Hamilton and Tipton Counties (some editing to fit with our website’s format):
Leader Training next Saturday, March 18
Camp Belzer, 6102 Boy Scout Road, Indianapolis, IN 46226
A trained leader is knowledgeable and more confident in the role being performed. Trained leaders exhibit a knowledge and confidence that is picked up by people around them. Trained leaders impact the quality of programs, leader tenure, youth tenure, safety, and a whole lot more. A trained leader is better prepared to make the Scouting program all it can be!
Please register online before next Thursday, March 16, at 11:59 p.m. as food and other consumable materials must be obtained prior to the training. See below for available training opportunities next weekend.Cub Leader Training (8 a.m.-12 p.m.) required training for Cubmasters, Den Leaders, Pack Committee Members and assistants.
Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) (1 – 5 p.m.) Every Cub Scout camping trip requires a BALOO trained adult.
Troop Committee Challenge Training (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.) required training for Troop Committee Members.
Scoutmaster Specific Training (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.) required training for Scoutmasters and assistants
Venturing Advisor Training (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.) required training for Crew Advisors and assistants.
Venturing Crew Committee Training (1 – 5 p.m.) required training for Crew Committee Members.
April Trainings in Del-Mi
Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills training is scheduled for Saturday, April 22. This required course prepares Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters to teach young boys the outdoor skills practiced by Boy Scouts.
Effective January 1, 2016: Del-Mi District requires all unit leaders (Cubmasters, Scoutmasters, Team Coaches, Crew Advisors) and committee chairs who were registered in their role as of January 1 be fully trained for their position of responsibility by December 31. Units with leaders who fail to meet this requirement will not be renewed until the leader completes the training or is replaced in consultation with the chartered organization.
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
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