Chief Scout Executive Robert “Bob” Mazzuca Came in Spring 2009 Chief Scout Executive for the Boy Scouts of America will be returning to the council he started out at.  April 27th thru 29th, 2009 Bob will be in town for a series of events. April 28th – Lodi Friends of Scouting Breakfast Speaker Woodbrige Golf and Country Club 8:00 am April 28th – Modesto Rotary Speaker Doubletree Hotel Noon April 28th - UC Merced, Lakeview Dining Room 5200 North Lake Road, Merced California 5:30 pm Mark your calendar for your chance to hear the top professional in Scouting speak.
Unit Money Earning Application A unit must submit a Unit Money Earning Application to the council prior to their fundraiser. The application is available from the Council Service Center and needs to be submitted to the District Executive at least two weeks in advance of the fundraiser. A copy of the approved form will be returned to the unit. The only exceptions to the above application filing requirements are the council sponsored Trails End Popcorn Sale and the spring candy sale. Whenever your unit is planning a money-earning project, be sure to consult the BSA's "10 Guides to Unit Money Earning Projects" as your guide. It will be helpful to you as you fill out the application. If your answer is yes to all the questions in this document, it is likely the project conforms to Scouting's standards and will be approved.
San Luis Reservoir Offers Service Projects San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area is making their facilities and protected areas available to Scouting units. They are offering use of their recreational opportunities in return for service. [More]
Scouting for Food Collects Non-Perishable Food Items Greater Yosemite Council's annual Good Turn collected over 55 tons of non-perishable food items which were delivered to local food banks. Units have been asked to report to their District Executive the total poundage collected. Also, report your service hours on the Good Turn for America web site. View the photos that have arrived from participating units.
P.R.A.Y. Publishing Offers Patches Promoting Religious Recognitions "FISH" PATCH WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH JULY The FISH segment of the Duty to God Puzzle Patch is due to go off rotation at the end of July 2008 and won't reappear until 2010. Be sure to make a presentation on the religious emblems so that your Scouts and Scouters qualify for this patch. Making a presentation is easy. Patches may be ordered online. Plan to present your patches before the end of the Scouting year! http://www.praypub.org/dutytogod.htm

 Through the kind and generous support of the Gerald I. Lawhorn Family, we are pleased to announce as part of the new national strategic plan, a National Parent Initiative to engage parents in all units—Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Varsity Teams and Venturing Crews. The implementation of this program will be integrated into our current literature and our program delivery system.

By adopting this philosophy of support, a unit will be able to inspire many parents to become involved and more committed to the success of their child's Scouting experience. All units are encouraged to adopt the program as an integral part of their unit's program.

All units will appoint a ScoutParents Unit Coordinator who will keep all parents informed—

1.  Assign every parent to help with a specific task, assignment, or project annually;
2.  Orient parents in understanding how the unit works and the benefits to their family; and
3.  Keep parents updated on the unit's program and their child's involvement.

To see more about what is being developed, go to www.scoutparents.org, which contains general information in the following categories: Scouting Basics, Benefits of Scouting, Scouting and Your Child, and Unit Resources. It also contains a discussion forum for parents and leaders to ask questions and explore ideas. They can also share their Scouting experiences and programs they use that might be of interest to another unit.

Some of the resources on the Web include:

1.  "Scouting Builds More Than Just Campfires" ProScouting brochure that briefs families, organizations and potential volunteers on the benefits of Scouting. (A Spanish version is also being developed.)
2.  Scouting Orientation Guide for Parents provides details of the program for every age and how there is a seamless transition from Cub Scouting to Boy Scouting to Venturing.
3.  "Welcome to Scouting" Orientation PowerPoint presentation provides parents with an overview of Scouting and the focus on the values of Scouting.

New Recruit and Retain DVD Sent to All Scoutmasters

A new set of troop membership and retention tools on DVD was direct-mailed from the national Boy Scout Division to all Scoutmasters. This package included videos that show how to conduct successful recruitment meetings, how to maximize the Webelos-to-Scout transition, how to train boys to recruit their friends, and what Scout parents are saying about our successful programs. The DVD package included a sample recruiter patch to be awarded to Boy Scouts who recruit a new Boy Scout. For a limited time, these patches will be provided at no cost to councils. Also included in the DVD package are videos that describe the requirements for the early Boy Scout ranks—Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class. These videos will help boy leaders and adult leaders work more effectively with new Scouts. Our objective is to get more boys to First Class rank because boys who earn First Class stay in the program longer. These new videos make the Boy Scout Handbook come to life on the screen. They can also be viewed anytime on our Web site, www.scouting.org/boyscouts/rankvideo, where they may also be downloaded as podcasts.

Good Turn For America

Since the BSA's inception in 1910, Scouts and Scouters alike have learned to live the principles of the Scout Oath and Law through community service and "helping other people at all times." With our rich history in mind, we have developed Good Turn for America.

What began with a singular act of service on a foggy London night quickly evolved into daily Good Turns and then into more encompassing national initiatives. These have included selling war bonds, collecting rubber and scrap metal, growing victory gardens during World War II, and more recently, Scouting for Food.

We now have an opportunity to raise our levels of community service and increase awareness of the Scouting program within our neighborhoods. Nationally, the Boy Scouts of America has partnered with The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and the American Red Cross to increase our efforts in meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

Good Turn for America builds on our members' and participants' current service efforts and includes important partnerships with other community service organizations. These partnerships provide many additional avenues for all of our members and participants to provide community service in their neighborhoods.

For more information, visit www.goodturnforamerica.org.