Come, All Ye Faithful! Join The Team...

The Lenni Lenape District is reviving the tradition of holding monthly meetings of the district committee. Our meetings will be conveniently held on the first Thursday of every month. For now, we will hold them at the Chester County Council office, in the basement meeting room. They will start on time at 7:00 PM, and should end by 8:30 PM. We do not plan to meet as a committee in July, (and will meet in June for a brief meeting prior to the picnic at Oakbourne Park.)

We are actively pursuing willing and able Scouters to re-staff the committee in several vital areas, building towards our annual business meeting in December. Our goal is to fully staff the committee at the annual business meeting by electing a "slate of committee members" to serve in 2009, along with a District Chairman to lead the committee.

Our meeting this Thursday evening will focus on three areas of immediate impact to our district: First, we will be planning our wrap-up efforts for the Friends of Scouting campaign this year. Secondly, we will be addressing Spring recruitment efforts (and planning for a Tiger Day on July 11th, after Day Camp ends at noon.) Lastly, we will be setting up a New Leader Essentials Training for May 29th to meet some urgent training needs within the District.

Additionally, we will be discussing the criteria that we need to meet to achieve Centennial Quality District status. Our mission is to provide the service, structure and support that units in the Lenni Lenape District need to conduct a quality program for youth. If you would like to become a contributing volunteer on one of our operating committees, please share your interest with District Chairman Ken Domboski or District Director Jim Langer.

Please sign up today for the 2008 Sale!

Believe it or not, Council is mobilizing for the 2008 Popcorn Campaign!

To make this year’s campaign more satisfying for participating units and to entice others to participate, Council has raised the unit commission to 40 percent. Unlike in past years, where there were conditions to satisfy, the only caveat to this is that a unit increase their total sale from last year. Units that have not sold last year will immediately qualify for 40%! Units will do NO WORSE than 35%, but should have no trouble selling enough to get 40%.

However, to make adequate preparation for this year's sale, we still need our units to register online to sell popcorn. This can easily be accomplished by clicking on the link below.

http://www.cccbsa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=19&Itemid=135

The next step is to get organized. The “secret” that best selling units have is that they organize. In the days that follow, I will be following up with each unit to ensure that you have a volunteer recruited to lead your campaign.

I am excited to be back involved with the Popcorn Campaign this year. My objective is to help you reach the financial goals you set for your unit. Please feel free to contact me regarding your needs and concerns. I can be reached at Harrison@cpcuiia.org, Connor.Harrison@verizon.net, (610) 430-8607, or (610) 644-2100, 7557.

Eventually, Council will share everything you report to them with me. It would be helpful to me if you include me in your communications with Council regarding popcorn.

Yours in Scouting
Connor Harrison
Lenni Lenape Popcorn Kernel

Spring Tiger Program Opportunity

Hi everyone,

It's THAT time of year again...

Several of our more established Cub Scout Packs are conducting Spring recruitment drives for Tiger Cubs (both first graders and graduating Kindergarteners.)

In order to support their efforts, we are asking that they do a few specific things:
I. Have a recruitment/enrollment event in late May, early June...
II. Plan to have a minimum of 1 scheduled Tiger specific activity per month over the Summertime, on top of already scheduled Cub Scout programming...
III. Appoint a leader to serve as a guide for new Tiger cub families over the Summer.
IV. Make the commitment to offer Training to new leadership and interested parents. "Every youth deserves a trained leader."

If your Pack is interested in doing this or planning this already, please get in touch with us at CCC headquarters. We want you to be successful in this important growth opportunity.

How can we help you? Here's a few ways we can help:
I. We will be conducting at least one New Leader Essentials Course, along with Cub Specific, in late May or early June. Look for more specific details here, coming soon!
II. We will aid your efforts in flyering schools. Need to produce a flyer? Let us know!
III. We will come out and support your sign-up efforts. Let our Commissioner staff or myself know when you are planning your event. We'd be happy to lend a hand.

This leads to the other item I wished to discuss...

In 2007, on Friday (the last day of Day Camp at Oakbourne Park), an event was held for Tiger Cubs to attend. It appears to me that it was a "Tiger fun day" opportunity. The District is considering doing this again on the last day of Day Camp. The date would be 7/11/2008, the time likely from 10 AM until 2 or 3 PM, and the format similar to last year. What I want from all of you who may be interested is your feedback on suggested programs we could offer the boys. I plan to publicize the event (fun day) starting around May 1, but would like to develop more specifics first...

Please respond to this post either by email or by posting a "comment" to the Blog that you are willing to share with the group. This cuts to the heart of the purpose behind this tool... Collecting and sharing your feedback so others can benefit from your input as well as assisting in making program choices using large group input in a timely manner.

For direct assistance with planning your Summer fun and/or recruitment strategy, please email either Jim Caron at JCARON@travelers.com or myself at jlanger@bsamail.org.

OA Trail Crew Opportunity

Attention all Scouts and Scouters:
Octoraro Lodge 22 of the Order of the Arrow has been asked to assist with the restoration of the trails at Camps Horseshoe and Ware. In the past few months, the OATC, or OA Trail Crew has been established to manage this ongoing effort. Troops and groups of Scouters are needed for labor to work on weekends in crews to clear, repair and maintain these trails. Membership in the OA is NOT a requirement.

There is a recognition patch that has been designed by the lodge for volunteers who work 20 or more hours on the trails. OA members who have worked at least 30 hours will be eligible for a drawing to receive an OATC Scholarship to attend either Philmont Scout Ranch or Northern Tier High Adventure (Ely, MN.)

To get more information about getting involved or working a weekend, please contact Camp Ranger Ray Hayden at Horseshoe Scout Reservation. Ray can be reached by email at rayden@bsamail.org, or by phone from our Council website. We hope to be adding some weekend dates soon that the OA specifically would like to promote. This list should be available from Ray Hayden now.

CHECK IT OUT!

Hi, This is your "Neighborhood-friendly" Camp Ranger...

Please, when you get the chance, visit our wonderful Camp website and check out the Provisional camping Page! Here is the direct link: http://www.hsr-bsa.org/provisional.htm

Stay tuned, I'll be back for more...

Ray

Order of the Arrow - Unit Elections

In order to hold a unit election, the Troop must have an election team. The election team is supervsied by trained Troop Representatives. The Lodge election committee can also conduct elections as well. All elections are to be pre-approved by the lodge unit elections chairman. Troops that hold an unapproved election will be considered invalid.

All records and results of the election must be turned into the unit election chairman for his records as well as for the Lodge's records. Any form that is turned in from an unapproved election will be considered invalid and will not be accepted.

You can reach the Unit Elections Chairman via unit_elections@octoraro22.org to tell him who is on your election team, as well as to get the election form.

This has been a public service announcement of the Octoraro Lodge 22 of the Chester County Council Order of the Arrow.