BSA Arrowhead LHC District

Friday, February 8, 2013

2013 Freinds of Scouting Campaign beyond week of Giving

Our commitment to the scouting program has made an impact with-in your unit, scouting organization, and community. This impact can be seen at a district level in the quality of our unit programs and combined achievements from 2012. To highlight some of these achievements:

- 0.8% Membership Growth to 1,646 youth

- 73.9% Retention of Youth from 2011 to 2012

- 78.79% of Cub Scouts and 50.07% of Boy Scouts Receive a Rank advancement

o 50 Eagle Scouts in 2012

- 69.20% of Cub Scouts and 62.1% of Boy Scouts attended Summer Camps

- 5,340 reported service hours for a 3.24 hours per youth average

These achievements represent the impact that our commitment makes on each youth involved in scouting. These achievements also represent an extending impact that scouting has on the youths’ families and community. Every time a youth is asked to be a scout, we give them an opportunity to experience new things and learn what it means to be a servant leader. Through the use of the Cub Scout motto “do your best” and Boy Scout Motto “Be prepared,” they learn and live the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

As part of the Longhorn Council our commitment impacts more than just our units and community. To hear about the impact and importance of the Friends of Scouting Campaign to the Longhorn Council please take a second to listen to our Scout Executive John Coyle. (link to video)

For the 2013 Friends of Scouting Campaign Cross Timbers District has set a goal of 350 gift commitments to raise $42,500. As we ask youth to be a scout we are asking that each one of us make a commitment to “do our best” to help “be prepared” financially for success in 2013.

This year there are three ways to make a commitment.

1) Easiest and Fast way is to go to http://longhorn.kintera.org/fos

2) Complete the Commitment form found on the website listed above and turn in to your unit leader during the week of giving or mail to

Cross Timbers Friends of Scouting 2012 PO Box 54901 Hurst, TX 76054

3) Respond by e-mail to 662crosstimbers@bsamail.org or call 817.231.8529 to be contacted about how your commitment can be remitted.

On March 22^nd, 2013 we will have our District Dinner to celebrate the hard work of our volunteers through the awarding of the District Award of Merit. To register for the District Dinner please go tohttp://longhorn.kintera.org/ctdinner. Please join us for this celebration.

We would like to leave you with this quote from Sir Robert Baden-Powell, “No one can pass through life, any more than he can pass through a bit of country, without leaving tracks behind, and those tracks may often be helpful to those coming after him in finding their way.”

Now here is a Roundtable that everyone will want to attend!

On Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 7:30pm at the Pantego Christian Academy on Park Row, the Scout and Cub Roundtables will be combined for a very special program. Council Scout Executive John Coyle and Council President Frost Tempel will be speaking and listening to Cross Timbers Scouters.

These gentlemen will report to you about what has been happening all over our Council. Not only have improvements been made or are in progress at all of the Camps and also at the Cub Center, but new, more and improved programs are on the calendar. Scouts will have many new opportunities in 2013. But there will be more! Both Mr. Coyle and Mr. Tempel will report about goals and expectations for our Council in the future. You all will also be able to ask questions from the persons that are in-the-know.

So come to the Roundtable. Your attendance and participation will be appreciated. Bring your unit chairperson or unit assistants if you can!

Do not stress – we will also have time for announcements and the distribution of paper. And every XT Scouter will be given the opportunity to demonstrate to the “home office” how well you put away your chairs after the meeting!

ScoutCast Podcasts Are Here!

For the past few years, Cub Scout leaders have had an opportunity to listen in on some really great program ideas and useful tips for packs and dens from experts all across the nation, as well as getting the latest and greatest news about Cub Scouting, just by downloading the monthly podcast known as CubCast. Now Scoutmasters, Varsity Scout coaches, and Venturing crew Advisors have their own source of information.

Beginning with the inaugural episode in January, ScoutCast provides a new way for leaders of older youth to learn about some of the less tangible aspects of Scouting. In last month’s first episode, you can hear from Michael Gurian, a world-renowned behaviorist and author of multiple books on gender-specific learning and behavior. Michael will help leaders identify and deal with bullying in their units. The ensuing months will feature topics such as appropriate discipline, working with special-needs youth, best methods of handling economic diversity within your unit, and anger management.
We’ve heard your concerns and are pleased to start giving you more of the tools you need to better lead and teach the youth you serve. Please encourage all of your leaders to take advantage of these simple and easily accessed training opportunities. And, let us know what we can do to help you! Chances are, you’re not alone, and the very challenges you are facing are shared by other leaders across the organization. Just send us an email at scoutcast@scouting.org and we’ll do everything we can to get your topic handled.

You can find ScoutCast (and CubCast) at www.scouting.org/scoutcast. Pass the word along!
You can also read more about this new program and its hosts in Scouting magazine’s “Bryan on Scouting” blog.

Winter Training Time

The Winter 2013 issue of Training Times has been posted at www.scouting.org/training. Click on the photo, or head to “Training Updates” to find it. As always, it is available to read online or downloadable for sharing. Please do both!

To read the entire issue, click the link above or the image at left. Previous issues of the newsletter are available by following the links under the BSA Newsletters header at right.

Help Promote ‘Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?’, Debuting March 4

A new reality television show that pits Scouts against adults in feats of outdoor skills—“Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?”—is set to debut March 4 on the National Geographic Channel.
To help promote the show in your area/region/council, head to the Marketing Toolbox (see link below) and share the range of downloadable digital and print assets to help create awareness and encourage Scouts and Scouters to watch the show!
Resources:

Scouting magazine’s “Bryan on Scouting” blog
Official video trailer
Toughscout.com (Official National Geographic Channel site)
Promotional materials (BSA Marketing Toolbox)

Thursday, February 7, 2013

2/23/2013 Basic Commissioner Training

LHC Commissioner Corps,

Hello, here is the information for the upcoming Longhorn Council Basic Commissioner Training. The training will be held on Saturday, February 23rd, 2013, at the Waco Service Center (300 Lake Air Drive, Waco, TX 76710). The training time will be from 9 am - 12 noon.

This will be an outstanding opportunity for all new Commissioners to come and learn about the BSA Commissioner service, as well as what will be expected for our Commissioners. It is also a great time for current Commissioners to have a refresher training as well.

I am asking that Unit Commissioners to please RSVP to your District Commissioner as to whether or not you will be able to attend, and that District Commissioners and Roundtable Commissioners provide me with a headcount by February 21 so that we will be adequately prepared for the participants.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the 23rd. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.

Yours in Scouting,

Jack Harper

Assistant Council Commissioner

Monday, February 4, 2013

Wondering what Camp Cards look like

2013 Camp Card Timeline:

Commitment Form

February 15 Longhorn Council Commitment Deadline

February 26 Council Camp Card Kickoff—8 locations (Camp Cards Distributed)

6:00pm- 7:00pm Cross Timbers and Tejas District

Schlotzsky's on Little Road 4407 Little Road #600 Arlington Texas 76016.

February 26 Camp Card Sale Begins

May 4 Camp Card Sale Ends

May 4 Units to begin turning in money and unsold Camp Cards

(*Note—Units keep commissions and only turn in unsold cards & money due council)

May 24 Last day for Units to turn in money and unsold Camp Cards

May 31 Commission drops to 35% commission

June 7 Commission drops to 25% commission

June 7 Youth and Unit Incentive Drawings Held

HOW THE CAMP CARD SALE WORKS:

· The Camp Card is designed to help units fund their way to 2013 Camp programs – this program is extra program for unit and should in no way influence their fall popcorn sales

· This is a Risk Free Unit Sales project where all Scouts can earn their way to Camp, Philmont, other activities or simply support unit program or supplies needs

· Each Camp Card will sell for only $5.00 to the general public and will have multiple food, service and entertainment discounts for the customer to use throughout the year

· The participating unit will keep 50% commission for each Camp Card sold!

· Commissions from the sales are encouraged to be applied toward directly sending youth to Summer Camp programs, but they may be used as the unit committee sees fit

Frequently Asked Questions.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

2.3. 2013 Message from Longhorn Council Leadership

LONGHORN COUNCIL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

February 2, 2013

Dear Friends of Scouting,

The National Key Three leaders: Wayne Perry, President; Tico Perez, National Commissioner and Wayne Brock, Chief Scout Executive, held a conference call Friday to brief the Key Three Leaders from Areas, Districts and Councils on their current discussions regarding the national policy on sexual orientation. The call was held in a “listen only” mode and no questions or interaction with the hosts was allowed. Several items were clear from the call:

THERE HAS BEEN NO DECISION MADE TO CHANGE THE NATIONAL POLICY ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

• The National Board is concerned that their current position is tenuous legally.

• The National Board had no intention of this discussion becoming public at this time.

• The National Board would like to keep these discussions private and within the scouting family.

• The feedback process remains the same as in our previous email regarding this topic (see below).

• There is no “poll” but your feedback is important. See below how you may make your comments to the BSA. To be clear: no decision has been made yet and the discussions regarding this may drag on.

We are committed to communicating to all our constituencies what we know and to be as transparent as possible. After this national conference call, we held a conference call with members of the Longhorn Council’s Executive Committee to fully brief them on what was communicated. As part of that commitment, we feel a sense of urgency to pass this information along to you.

The Boy Scouts of America is a broad organization, made up of many religions and beliefs with a core oath and laws that we all have found provocative, compelling and of value to pass along to our youth. During both conference calls, it was clear that the National Leadership and the leadership of the Longhorn Council remain focused on providing a world class experience to our kids and will not be distracted from loyally providing our programs throughout the duration of this process.

We have been humbled by the number of our members and leaders who have expressed their opinions regarding this topic, both for and against the policy changes being discussed. We believe that is a testament to the passion all of us have about scouting and the value it provides.

As a reminder, the three ways of providing feedback to the National Office remain:

• Email Feedback@scouting.org

• Visit the contact page at www.scouting.org/contactus

• Call 972.580.2000

Thank you for all you do for the BSA. While the past few months have been challenging times for our organization, one thing that we can be sure of is that our children continue to need the lessons and character building programs we provide.