BSA  logo
 
 
 
Greater Yosemite Council
4031 Technology Dr.
Modesto, CA 95356
209-545-6320

 

Greater Yosemite Council

 

BSA News

Hurricane Katrina-How your unit can help!

Although the BSA Charter and Bylaws do not allow for youth members to solicit funds for other organizations, there are many ways your Scouts can help in the relief efforts.

Print this flier and distribute it in your community to let people know where and how to donate.

Contact your local Red Cross, Salvation Army or other disaster relief agency and find out what help they need. Food drives, clothing drives, and other services will be needed in the near future.

Encourage your family and friends to make financial contributions to their favorite disaster relief agency.

In the near future the councils in the affected area will know what they will need to re-establish Scouting in their communities. Check back to this link often to keep up on new developments.

 

Free Recruiter Patch Available
Boy Scouts can earn this new colorful recruiter patch simply by inviting a friend to join their troop. Ask for the recruiter patch at your council service center when you turn in the new membership application.

President Addresses 2005 National Boy Scout Jamboree

The Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America and President of the United States, George Bush gives a very well received speech at the closing assembly of the 2005 National Jamboree on Sunday night. The President is a very strong supporter of the Scouting program and talks about his mother's hair turning white about the time she was his den mother.

Read the whole speech at:
President Addresses 2005 National Boy Scout Jamboree

 

Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award

Cub Scout Activity AwardTiger Cubs, Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts have the opportunity to earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award. Boys may earn the award in each of the program years as long as the requirements are completed each year. The first time the award is earned, the boy will receive the pocket flap award, which is to be worn on the right pocket flap of the uniform shirt. Each successive time the award is earned, a wolf track pin may be added to the flap. Leaders should encourage boys to build on skills and experiences from previous years when working on the award for a successive year.

Update:

The patch No. 14235 and pin No. 14236 are available on the honor system. Once you have completed the requirements you may purchase the patch. This is no application to submit. More . . .

 

GM National Sponsor Cub Scouting

General Motors to Serve as 2005-2007
National Sponsor of Cub Scouting

The BSA is entering a unique marketing collaboration that establishes General Motors' Chevrolet Division as the national sponsor of Cub Scouting for 2005 through 2007. As part of this sponsorship, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon will serve as the honorary chairman of our Cub Scout fall recruitment campaign.

Race to Cub Scouting—It's Fun at Every Turn!

Additional highlights of this agreement include:

  • Jeff Gordon will appear in a TV public service announcement, and we may use his image in a variety of marketing materials, including posters, fliers, and print ads. Look for the PSA in your council early this summer.
  • GM will issue a letter to all Chevrolet dealership general managers announcing its sponsorship of Cub Scouting, promoting the long-term benefits of this relationship, and urging the dealers to participate with local councils in events (such as holding a pinewood derby at the dealership).
  • GM will make best efforts to schedule appearances by local executives and/or dealers at local council board meetings, roundup meetings, and other activities or events.
  • The Chevrolet Division will run a minimum of one advertising spread annually in Boys' Life and Scouting magazines to promote its association with the BSA. GM will tag select print ads with "Happy 75th birthday, Cub Scouts" and "Chevrolet is a proud sponsor of Cub Scouting." They will encourage dealers to do the same locally.
  • GM engineers will build the world's largest pinewood derby car. The car will be on display at locations such as the BSA's National Annual Meeting, Disney's Epcot Center (GM space), the national Scout jamboree, and select Chevrolet dealerships, and will ultimately find a permanent home in the National Scouting Museum.

Ready & Prepared Award

Ready & Prepared patchThe BSA Ready & Prepared Award was developed to encourage and reward Boy Scout troops, Varsity Scout teams, and Venturing crews that incorporate safe practices while enjoying challenging activities. The award acknowledges the common sense and judgment, founded on knowledge and training, used to incorporate risk management into a unit's decision-making process. It recognizes that the more responsibility individual members take for their personal health and safety, the more everyone contributes to a successful activity. Earning the award helps units focus on areas in which emphasizing risk management can help reduce fatalities and serious injury, such as

  • Ready & Prepared ribbonsDriver and passenger safety
  • BSA Youth Protection
  • Precautions for aquatics activities
  • Premises safety and first-aid readiness
  • Personal fitness and safety
The Award

There are two award levels: Gold and Silver.

To earn the Gold Award, a Boy Scout troop, Varsity Scout team, or Venturing crew must complete 10 mandatory requirements and three elective requirements. Youth and adult members of a unit earning the Gold Award are entitled to wear the gold-bordered BSA Ready & Prepared Award patch and the unit is entitled to display the gold BSA Ready & Prepared ribbon.

To earn the Silver Award, a Boy Scout troop, Varsity Scout team, or Venturing crew must complete 10 mandatory requirements and six elective requirements. Youth and adult members of a unit earning the Silver Award are entitled to wear the silver-bordered BSA Ready & Prepared Award patch, and the unit is entitled to display the silver BSA Ready & Prepared Award ribbon. Units earning the Silver Award also will be acknowledged in Boys' Life magazine. Apply for this award at the time of rechartering. More . . .

 

New Square Knot

for Volunteer Unit Organizers
By David Richardson, associate director
Relationships Division

The new William D. Boyce New-Unit Award recognizes volunteers who organize one or more new traditional units. Celebrating Boyce's organizing spirit, the award consists of a silver square knot on a background of yellow, green, and red—representing the traditional Scouting programs' colors.

Award Requirements

  1. With the approval of the district committee chair, serve as the organizer and complete the successful organization of one new traditional unit.
  2. Organize the unit by following all procedures as published in the New Unit Organization Process, No. 34196, ensuring that new unit leadership is trained, program is organized and begun, the new unit committee is functioning, a unit commissioner is assigned, all paperwork is processed, and the unit charter is presented to the chartered organization.
  3. Only one volunteer can be recognized as the organizer for each new unit.
  4. Three program devices can be earned and worn on the new-unit organizer knot for each additional new traditional unit organized. Each program device represents the type of unit organized. Multiple program devices from the same program may be earned and worn.
  5. The new-unit organization award recognizes volunteers for organizing traditional units after March 1, 2005.

Recognition items in addition to the square knot include a new-unit organizer certificate and lapel pin.

 

Venturing Unveils Variety of New Resources

By Keith Walton, associate director
Venturing Division

Venturing and Your Youth Ministry, No. 25-326
Do you need to reach Christian-based churches? This promotional brochure introduces the Venturing program to youth ministries. It focuses on enhancing churches' young adult program and offers a brief insight into Venturing and how prospective organizations can get started.

Venturing New Adult Leader Fast Start Orientation, AV-0321CD
This colorful, interactive, self-guided training session is designed for the new Venturing adult. It covers basic information about how a crew begins and what Venturing is, as well as Venturing methods, resources, leadership roles, advancement, uniforming, and much more. Viewing this CD will get leaders off to a good start and on to the next step, New Leader Essentials and Venturing Leader Specific Training.

Sea Scouts Brochure, No. 25-353
This recently updated brochure gives a young person a glimpse into the wonderful activities of Sea Scouts, communicating the opportunities of joining, traditions of Sea Scouts, and the development of leadership skills.

Quest—Venturing Sports and Fitness Award, No. 25-888
This promotional flier expands on one of Venturing's challenging advancement programs. The Quest Award provides Venturers a variety of practical, hands-on sports-related activities while having fun and encouraging the development of the whole person.

Selling and Supporting Venturing DVD, AV-03DVD20
Are you looking for support in selling Venturing to a Scoutmaster? Do you need to reach out to a religious organization? This DVD includes several videos to help you. The first two videos are ideal for Scoutmaster gatherings, roundtables, or one-to-one selling: Venturing for Scoutmasters—Selling the Program and Venturing for Scoutmasters—How It Works With Your Troop. The video Venturing for Religious Organizations focuses on explaining the program to religious organization representatives and how it can benefit their organizations.

Venturing Web Site
Do you want to know what's new? In addition to numerous links to the latest Venturing activities and information, the Venturing Web site includes a link to the official Web site for Sea Scouting, details on our National Venturing Youth Cabinet, and information about Nature of Leadership training with VLSC, Kodiak, and Kodiak X.

 

Campsite Displays Help Recruit Boy Scouts

By Joe Glasscock, Associate Director Boy Scout Division

Campsite DisplayBoys join Scouting for the fun and adventure of the outdoors. An interesting outdoor display can be an effective way to attract boys to Scouting.

Many councils successfully recruit youth by setting up model campsites complete with outdoor gear such as mountain bikes, canoes, backpacks, scuba gear and something cooking on the camp stoves for guests to sample. A display of photos of the troop’s past outdoor fun activities is also an effective tool to capture a boy’s attention. In many cases, boys will recognize friends in the photos having a good time. The photos will speak for themselves as boys consider joining Scouting.

The best potential new Boy Scout is a boy completing the fifth grade and entering the sixth grade. Surveys tell us that most boys in this age group are interested in Scouting and will consider joining if asked. Include the “high adventure survey form” at your campsite display for all visitors to complete. The information provided on the form can serve as your reason for calling boys and their parents to invite them to a recruitment meeting or troop open house for more information on the outdoor activities offered in Scouting.

Schools are the best locale for outdoor displays, but anywhere boys gather can be an effective venue. If a school is not accessible, consider staging displays in malls, retail store entries and parking lots, churches, parks, and other places youth gather.

 

The Language of Scouting

A new resource from the BSA web site, the Language of Scouting provides information about the terms and style associated specifically with Scouting and grammar, spelling, and style norms used by the Boy Scouts of America. What does TAY mean in Scouting? capitalization? Should Scout or Scouter be capitalized? What is a commissioner? What is ScoutNET? The Language of Scouting provides answers to these questions and so much more. The Language of Scouting is a great resource for those new to Scouting and even the more seasoned Scouters. So I guess you can define the Language of Scouting as a great place to get your Scouting definitions. More . . .

 

Support Our Scouts Act of 2005

IRVING, Texas (March 16, 2005)—The Boy Scouts of America is grateful to Senators Bill Frist, Lamar Alexander, George Allen, Sam Brownback, Jim Bunning, Conrad Burns, Saxby Chambliss, John Cornyn, Larry Craig, John Ensign, Michael Enzi, Lindsey Graham, Chuck Grassley, James Inhofe, Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson, Rick Santorum, Jeff Sessions, Gordon Smith, Jim Talent, and David Vitter for introducing the bipartisan Support Our Scouts Act of 2005. More . . .

 

BSA Cribbage Board Available

Cribbage Baord A truly unique gift! Personalize this wooden BSA cribbage board with up to two etched BSA logos and your message of up to three lines. Logos available are Cub Scout, Eagle Medal, Eagle Badge, and Universal Emblem. Board measures 12.5" x 4.75" and comes with three gold-colored and three silver-colored brass pegs. More . . .

 

Conducting a Webelos-Ree Webelos-ree

A district or council Webelos-ree enhances the outdoor program of Webelos dens. This guided experience emphasizes outdoor skills for Webelos Scouts and their parents.

Parental involvement enhances the activity for the boy and his parent and provides an additional source of adult supervision for events. Events should be planned to include skill training as needed, especially if the skill is unfamiliar to the participants.

A fun, interesting, and exciting experience at this event fulfills the purposes of Cub Scouting. A Webelos-ree may boost retention in the den and pack, and help create and bolster a Webelos Scout's desire to move into a Boy Scout troop. More . . .

 

Online Training Now Available

"Safe Swim Defense"
and
" Safety Afloat"
training is now available on line at:

http://www.scouting.org/pubs/aquatics/index2.html

There's no reporting mechanism to the council (like the on-line Youth Protection Training)
-- but a certificate will print after successful completion of the test at the end.

 

Spanish Language Web Site

Vale la Pena

The Scoutreach Division of the Boy Scouts of America launched the official Spanish-language Web site of the Boy Scouts of America. Check it out! at: http://www.scoutingvalelapena.org

 

News Brief

Monopoly©: Boy Scouts of America Edition. New!

BSA MonopolyThe world's best-loved board game now celebrates 95 years of strong Scouting values, leadership, and fun! Monopoly®: Boy Scouts of America is played just like the original game, but now features a custom board, cards, money, and pewter playing tokens, including a campaign hat, pocketknife, Scoutmaster cup, Boy Scout sign, flashlight, and Yucca backpack. This officially licensed Monopoly game is great fun for the pack, troop, team, family, and friends. A perfect gift for anyone in Scouting. A fun game to play or keep as a collector's treasure! Printed in the United States. For ages 8 and up, two to six players. WW14218 $35.95

OWN IT ALL, PARKER BROTHERS, the HASBRO and MONOPOLY names and logos, the distinctive design of the game board, the four corner squares, the MR. MONOPOLY name and character, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board and the playing pieces are trademarks of Hasbro for its property trading game and game equipment. ©2004 Hasbro. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are owned by their respective holders and used under permission.

 

Venturing Leadership Award Knot Available

By Bill Evans, associate director
Venturing Division

Venturing Leadership KnotThe National Venturing Leadership Award knot, No. 14220, is now available. The square knot has a green, blue, and red background representing the three different award levels, while the actual knot and border are pewter gray, matching the presentation medal.

The Venturing Leadership Award is presented by councils, areas/regions, and the BSA National Council to Venturers and adults who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing and who exemplify the Venturing Code.

Venturing Leadership Award candidates must be registered and involved in Venturing as a Venturer or an adult for at least one year. They must hold a leadership position or office on the unit, district, council, area, region, or national level (as appropriate for the level of award presented). The candidate must show exceptional dedication and give outstanding leadership and service to Venturing and to Venturers on the level appropriate for the award.

Venturing youth and adults may be recommended at the council, area, region, or national level by completing the Venturing Leadership Award candidate information form, available at www.scouting.org/venturing. An additional sheet with 200 words or less explaining why the candidate should receive the award and letters of recommendation from school, church, clubs, etc., must be provided with the information form.

 

Guide to Safe Scouting

 

Guide to Safe Scouting

The online version of Guide to Safe Scouting was initially identical to the printed version of the publication of the same name (BSA Supply #34416D) when that item was printed. Updates made since the printing of that item to reflect recent changes in policy are documented on the http://www.scouting.org/ web site. Please update your copies of the Guide to Safe Scouting to reflect these updates. Recent updates include:

Reporting Deaths or Serious Injury This item was added to the Guide as an appendix.

Scouting $$$ Pay Liability Claims This item was added to the main page of this Guide.

 

Local Tour Permit Changes

When a Cub Scout unit submits a tour permit for a pack overnighter at least one adult on a pack overnighter must have completed Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO, No. 34162A). On the tour permit (new version is 34426D) they must include the name, age, and date of BALOO training for the BALOO trained leader that will be accompanying the unit. Pack overnighters must be conducted at BALOO approved campsites. A list of council approved BALOO campsites can be found on the "Camping" page of the council web site.

 

Two New BSA Awards

<empty>¡Scouting...Vale la Pena! Two new BSA awards honor volunteers and organizations

The BSA Scoutreach Division has introduced two new recognitions to honor volunteers or organizations for service that directly benefits Hispanic-American/Latino and Asian-American young people.

The ¡Scouting...Vale la Pena! and the Asian American Spirit of Scouting Service Awards are modeled after the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award and share similar council procedures and criteria. More . . .

 

NESA Scholarship

NESA graphicApply now for NESA scholarships

Eagle Scouts who are graduating high school seniors and will attend an accredited college or university that awards at least a bachelor's degree may qualify for a scholarship awarded by the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA).

Candidates must have received the Eagle Scout Award before applying, demonstrated leadership ability in Scouting and strong participation in activities outside Scouting, and achieved an SAT and/or ACT score acceptable by the standards set by the review committee. More . . .

 

Risk Zones!

Risk Zone - Cardiac
Be Risk Ready With
Safe Swim Defense
and Safety Afloat
Canoist

Risk Zone AquaticsIt’s true that the number of serious injuries and fatalities in water-related activities is small relative to the number of Scouting activities every year, but Scouting loses lives and dollars from aquatics injuries and fatalities—second only to those lost in vehicle accidents.

To reduce aquatics accidents, we must know and follow Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat. Chapter 2 of the Guide to Safe Scouting is dedicated to aquatics safety. Give yourself a refresher course before going on your next water activity. The life you save or the injury you prevent may be your Scout’s. Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat save lives!

 


Risk Zone - CardiacRunning ManTo Be Physically Fit is
To Be Risk Ready

Two important challenges for us in Scouting are physical fitness and good health. Every adult leader should set the example and contribute directly to the health and fitness of today's Scouts by completing requirements for the BSA Physical Fitness Award.

The award's objectives developed by the National Council and the national BSA Health and Safety Committee, are as follows:

  • Risk Zone - CardiacEncourage youth fitness in the BSA by providing positive role models and by enhancing youth awareness and understanding of fitness parameters, health risks, and personal circumstances.
  • Encourage physical fitness among Scouters by enhancing their awareness and understanding of fitness parameters, health risks, and personal circumstances.
  • Reduce the rate of stress- and fitness-related incidents throughout Scouting

For more information go to The BSA Physical Fitness Award or call 972-580-2448 for a copy of the To Be Physically Fit, BSA brochure (Bin No. 19-327) and Leaders Fitness Card (Bin No. 19-326)

 

Eagle Scout Mentor Pin

Eagle Mentor PinThe new Eagle Presentation Kit that includes your Eagle Scout medal, patch, Mom pin and Dad pin now also includes a Mentor pin. This is a new item and you might be the first Scout in your troop to get to present this item. The Eagle Scout should discuss with their Scoutmaster and other leaders working on planning the Court of Honor who they might recognize by presenting this recognition. It might be a leader in the troop who worked with you through the Eagle Scout process, or it might be someone from the organization you were doing the service project for who was very helpful to you in the planning and preparation. There is no requirement that it has to be presented to anyone.

 

Tooth of Time Traders

Tooth of Time Traders
Philmont Scout Ranch — the Boy Scouts of America's premier high-adventure base — challenges Scouts and Venturers with more than 200 square miles of rugged New Mexico wilderness. Backpacking treks, horseback cavalcades, and training and service programs offer young people many ways to experience this legendary country.

Adults have opportunities of their own at the Philmont Training Center. World-class courses and seminars cover all aspects of Scouting — all amid Philmont's dramatic scenery

Order items from Philmont's Tooth of Time Traders via this Web site.

 


 Home

This is the official web site of the Greater Yosemite Council, Inc. Copyright © 1998-2005.   All rights Reserved Privacy Policy — Page last updated: Tuesday, September 6, 2005Webmaster