This Week's Contents

• Essential Information
  SUMMER camp information new
  council KICKS OFF 2012 CAMPAIGN
  2012 charter renewal
  excellence in training awards new
  good turn for America new
  BSA NATIONAL JAMBOREE 2013 (JULY 15-24)
  COUNCIL ANNUAL RECOGNITION BANQUET silver beavers announced
• training
  MERIT BADGE ACADEMY new
  this is scouting.....breaking news new
• risk management
  Winter Camping Safety new
• GENERAL INFORMATION
  LOYOLA BASKETBALL SEEKS SCOUTS FOR COLOR GUARD PRESENTATIONS NEW
  aurora sportsmen's club junior rifle course - 2012
  CHICAGO RUSH ARENA FOOTBALL 2012 SCOUT DAY
  journey to excellence
  DOZIN WITH THE DINOS 2012
• scout shop news
• order of the arrow
• tall grass district
• TWIN LAKES DISTRICT
• VOYAGEUR TRACE DISTRICT

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

SUMMER CAMP INFORMATION

Fees for the 2012 Summer Camping Season have been announced. The are:

4 Day/3 Nights in Wisconsin
Youth/Adult $200.00 Less $25.00 coupon (expires March 3, 2012) Net $175.00

Weekend In Illinois
Top Ten Reasons for attending Weekend In Illinois Cub Scout Camp

10. You get to enjoy the great out of doors

9. Meet Cub Scouts and their Moms and Dads from other Packs

8. Camp doesn’t start until 9:00 am on Saturday so you can sleep in.

7. Be home in time for Church on Sunday.

6. Picnic Style Meals prepared for you by our professional cooking staff.

5. A great chance to bond with your Son.

4. Clean, warm Showers

3. It’s Close to Home

2. A trained, friendly staff to guide you through a day of fun filled activities

And the Number 1 Reason It’s FUN

Youth $135.00 Less $25.00 coupon (expires March 3, 2012) Net $110.00

Adult $105 Less $25.00 coupon (expires March 3, 2012) Net $ 80.00
 

Registration forms for 4Days/3Nights in Wisconsin and Weekend in Illinois can be found at: Cub Camp Registration

Camp discount coupons http://www.bsa-dpvc.org/forms/120303_CampCoupons6.pdf

Boy Scout Summer Camp

Youth $325.00 Less $25.00 coupon (expires March 3, 2012) Net $300.00

Adult $265.00 Less $25.00 coupon (expires March 3, 2012) Net $240.00

Coupon for Graduating Webelos expires March 31, 2012 
Youth $325.00 Less $25.00 coupon (expires March 3, 2012) Net $300.00.

Registration form for Boy Scout Summer Camp can be found at:
Boy Scout Camp registration

Camp discount coupons can be found at: http://www.bsa-dpvc.org/forms/120303_CampCoupons6.pdf

Graduating Webelos coupons are found at: http://www.bsa-dpvc.org/forms/120331_WebelosCoupons.pdf

CAMPERSHIP APPLICATION: http://www.bsa-dpvc.org/forms/120000_CampershipApp.pdf

CAMP STAFF APPLICATION: http://www.bsa-dpvc.org/forms/120000_CampStaffApp.pdf

COUNCIL KICKS OFF 2012 CAMPAIGN

Please schedule your unit FOS presentation now by contacting your District Executive for a request form. Questions? Contact your District Executive or  Kristy.Sullivan@scouting.org
 

CHARTER RENEWAL 2012

There are still some Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops and Venturing Crews that have not turned in their completed Charter Renewal for 2012. If you are encountering problems as you access the system, if you are in need of an access code, or if you have any other questions, please contact your District Executive or Unit Commissioner.

Twin Lakes: Maria Galvan, Maria.Galvan@Scouting.org
Tall Grass: Bart Zona, bart.zona@scouting.org  (temporary district contact)
Voyageur Trace: Christopher Isit, Christopher.Isit@Scouting.org

Or visit the Charter Renewal Packet Website

THREE MORE UNITS EARN EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING AWARDS

CONGRATULATIONS to Troop 21 – Voyageur Trace District chartered by Congress Park PTO in Brookfield for earning the council’s Excellence in Training Award for having 100% of their direct contact leaders fully trained and to both Troop 39 and Pack 39 – Voyageur Trace District chartered by First Baptist Church of La Grange in La Grange for having 75% of their direct contact leaders fully trained. All three units received their awards at the Voyageur Trace District Annual Banquet. In addition they will be added to the growing list of award winners shown on the training page of the council web site at:
www.bsa-dpvc.org/Training/ExcellenceAwards.php

Your unit can earn either the 75% or 100% award by taking advantage of the various adult leader training opportunities offered by your council and then completing the award application found on the training page of the council web site. See the list of upcoming training sessions on the training page of the council web site.

 GOOD TURN FOR AMERICA SETS NEW RECORD IN 2011

Congratulations and thank you to our council's Scouts, Venturers and
adult volunteers for contributing a total of 33,798 service hours to Good Turn for America in 2011. This is a new record and an increase of 3,629 hours over 2010! Service to others is a core value of Scouting and please remember the great resource we have on our council's web site home page for opportunities to provide service hours to others. See www.bsa-dpvc.org  and find "Service Opportunities" listed under "Other" in the left column. Also, if you're aware of other service opportunities to be added to our list, please e-mail them to servicehours.scouts@gmail.com

BSA NATIONAL JAMBOREE 2013  (July 15-24)

Are you ready for the ultimate Boy Scout experience?  Where?  Summit Bechtel Reserve, site of the 2013 National Jamboree!  Be among the first 50,000 scouts to attend this new High Adventure Base.  Des Plaines Valley Council has reserved two troops of 36 Scouts and 4 Leaders each and a Venture Crew of 8 youth and 2 advisors.  Don't be left out!

Register to reserve yours space now.  Go to bsajamboree.org and create your personal account.  You must fill out the online registration form, print it out and get Scoutmaster approval signature.  Take it to the Council Service Center with a deposit of $150 to complete your registration.   Cost of the trip will be $2,000

COUNCIL ANNUAL RECOGNITION BANQUET
SILVER BEAVER AWARDS ANNOUNCED

We are pleased to announce the selection of four outstanding Scouters for this year's Silver Beaver Awards. They were nominated and selected by their Scouting peers:

Jane Anne Brencic
Clarita H. Froemel
Michael H. Jacobson
Joseph Vucko

Please join us in honoring these outstanding volunteers during the Des Plaines Valley Council's Annual Recognition Banquet on February 16, 2012, at the Riverside Golf Club. Registration form is available at http://www.bsa-dpvc.org/whats_happening/news/120210_CouncilBanquet.pdf .

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TRAINING

MERIT BADGE ACADEMY

March 10, 2012  Adult Sessions

Scouters, Merit Badge Academy (MBA) is for you too! Don’t be left out in the cold while your scouts are earning merit badges! Take advantage of our adult training classes just a short distance from MBA. We are offering: Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training, Youth Protection Training, Chartered Organization Representative Training, Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, Climb On Safely, Trek Safely, Working with Special Needs Scouts and Merit Badge Counselor Orientation.

Location - Elm Middle School, 7607 West Cortland Street, Elmwood Park, IL 60707-3699

Time - 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Registration information - http://www.bsa-dpvc.org/boy_scouting/boys_adv_mba.php

March 10, 2012 at Elmwood Park High School

Merit Badge Academy Update:

Classes are filling up fast, register now to get a chance for your 1st choice selections. Class change: Electronics has been dropped but Communications is now available. Any questions please e-mail merit_badge_academy@yahoo.com. Class confirmations will be sent to the scouts starting on Sunday February 5th.

Merit Badge Information Sheets are now available on the council website: www.bsa-dpvc.org

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

Effective this month "This is Scouting" will no longer be necessary for unit-level leaders to be considered “trained” in the ScoutNET system. It should be noted that this training will still be available. Leaders who wish to learn more about Scouting and new leaders should still complete the course.

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RISK MANAGEMENT

WINTER CAMPING SAFETY

There is magic to camping in winter. It is one of the most challenging of outdoor adventures. The Boy Scouts of America operates the National Cold-Weather Camping Development Center at Northern Tier through the Okpik program. Visit www.ntier.org/BeforeYouArrive_OKPIK.html  for comprehensive winter camping preparation information. Special considerations for winter camping are:

1. Qualified Supervision. It is vital that a leader be an experienced winter camper with strong character and common sense.

2. Equipment. Be completely outfitted for cold weather. Scouts should be adequately clothed, and blankets should be a suitable quality and weight.

TIP: Encourage youths to wear brightly colored clothing so they are more visible during severe weather.

3. Physical Fitness. Scouts should be suitably fit for the activity. Periodic rests while building snow caves and engaging in other strenuous cold-weather activities will help prevent accidents and overheating.

4. Buddy System. Having Scouts paired aids in monitoring each other’s physical condition and observation of surroundings and circumstances.

5. Planning. Safe activities follow a plan that has been conscientiously developed. In winter, plan to cover no more than 5 miles per day on snowshoes or 10 to 12 miles on cross-country skis.

6. Safe Area. Leaders should determine whether an area for winter camping is well-suited and free of hazards.

TIP: Always test the thickness of ice before venturing any distance from shore. The ice should be at least 3 inches thick for a small group.

7. Weather Check. Weather conditions, potential hazards, and the appropriate responses should be understood and anticipated. Go to www.scouting.org/training for Hazardous Weather training.

8. Burning. Never use flames in tents, teepees, or snow shelters. This includes burning any solid, liquid, gel, or gas fuel.

9. Discipline. Rules are effective only when followed. All participants should know, understand, and respect the rules and procedures for a safe winter camping experience.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

LOYOLA BASKETBALL IS LOOKING FOR SCOUTS TO PRESENT
COLORS AT HOME GAMES

Is your units interested in getting a troop out to present the colors at an upcoming Loyola Basketball home game?  Troops are being invited to come out to any of the last four home games to walk the colors out on the floor prior to the National Anthem and are being rewarded with discount ticket to the game. Tickets for youth are discounted to $5 and adults $10. The Color Guard experience does have a minimum ticket purchase of $20 and requires a $100 deposit for the game reservation. To reserve a troop for a game or for any further questions contact Anthony Agnew at 773-922-5222 ext. 110.

The remaining games available for color presentation are:

February 5th 1pm vs Youngstown State

February 11th 1pm vs University of Illinois-Chicago

February 23rd 7pm vs Green Bay

February 25th 3pm vs Milwaukee

If there are any Troops that may be interested feel free to pass this email along.

AURORA SPORTSMEN'S CLUB JUNIOR RIFLE COURSE - 1212

Once again ASC will hold a NRA Basic Rifle Course for juniors, (boys and girls – ages 10 through 20). This course will run for three consecutive Saturdays from 9:00 to 5:00 on April 14th, 21st,& 28th, 2011 at our facility in Waterman, Illinois.

This is an intense program consisting of classroom and live fire, with one-on-one instruction on the range, followed by a written exam. The majority of our students graduate, shooting at the NRA level of Sharpshooter with most on their way to achieving their Expert Qualification. Those in Scouting will also be able to complete their Rifle Shooting Merit Badge requirements.

For Details and a registration form see Junior Rifle Course on our website. 
 

          CHICAGO RUSH ARENA FOOTBALL 2012 SCOUT DAY

Join the Chicago Rush on Sunday, May 6th as they take on the Iowa Barnstormers for a special salute to the Scouts of the Des Plaines Valley Council.  Scouts will be taking part in pre-game festivities, in-game promotions and scout-exclusive raffles for Rush prizes.  For more information click on the Rush logo.

JOURNEY TO EXCELLENCE

Congratulations to the units who have achieved Gold, Silver, or Bronze status on their Journey to Excellence for 2011!  But guess what?  We still need your forms!  Visit the following link to obtain the proper 2011 Scorecard for your Pack, Troop, Crew, or Ship.  Once achieved and submitted, don't forget to visit the Scout Shop for your 2011 Journey to Excellence patches and recognition.

DOZIN' WITH THE DINOS

 Overnights begin Fridays at 5:45pm and end Saturdays at 9am

    February 10     March 2     March 16    
May 4     February 3     February 17     March 9    
April 20        June 15

For more information click on the dinosaur!

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Scout Shop News

SCOUT SHOP HOURS
M-T-W-F: 8:30am-5:00pm
Th: 8:30am - 7:00pm
Sat: 10:00am-2:00pm
Sunday closed

SCOUT SHOP PHONE #: 708-352-3144

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Order of the Arrow - Pachsegink Lodge 246

For all upcoming events or news you can access the Order of the Arrow by going to: http://www.bsa-dpvc.org/OA/246main.htm

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TALL GRASS DISTRICT

TALL GRASS RECOGNITION BANQUET! MARK YOUR CALENDARS

It's not too late to sign up.  Come out and supports the awesome volunteers of the Tall Grass District!
The Tall Grass District Recognition Banquet is to be held on the evening of Monday, February 6, 2012. District Recognition Banquet registration form can be found at: Recognition Banquet.   Sign up today!
 

                               2011 JOURNEY TO EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

This exciting new program replaces the Quality Unit Commitment and Achievement program from years past. Be sure to look a the new forms and see where your pack or troop falls in terms of quality, and how you can help your unit improve by year-end! Visit the link for more details! http://www.totscouting.org/journeytoexcellence-forms.html

HAVE NAGGING QUESTIONS? VISIT ROUNDTABLE!

Tall Grass Roundtable will begin meeting again on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from September through May.  We meet at Hamburger University, McDonald's Corporation in Oakbrook at 7:30. 

Hello Scouters of the Roundtable.         Exciting news!

Mike Jacobson will be presenting “advancement requirements for Scouts with disabilities” at our next Roundtable, February 14.

Mike, as you may know has been involved in education and the local, college, and state level for many, many years.

His presentation will cover new directives from national concerning Scouts with disabilities. He will cover both Cub and Boy Scouts. This comes at the perfect time because Blue and Golds are on the horizon, and Cub and Scoutmasters need to know the latest requirements concerning these boys. 

At the Roundtable Mike will present the information, and open things up for Q. and A. I’m sure this will be a great evening, as Mike is both interesting and informative.

As an aside, Mike will be receiving the Silver Beaver award at the Council recognition dinner two days after our Roundtable.

See you at Hamburger U. 7:30pm, February 14.

Mark

-Mark Huegelmann, Roundtable Commissioner
630.212.1174, msh14@sbcglobal.net

www.BeAScout.org
THE NEW ONLINE RECRUITMENT TOOL FOR YOUR UNIT!
BeAScout has been officially launched to the public. Parents can start using the Google map tool at www.beascout.org to find Scouting units in their neighborhoods. These Map Pins need to be updated! Many Packs and Troops have information that is incorrect. Visit the website or contact Ciara Crowther at ext. 19 to learn how to put your unit information on the Map! A Big HIGH-FIVE to all the units to log on and manage their BeAScout.org Map Pins!

                                             LIFE-TO-EAGLE PROGRAMS

If any youth, parent, or leader is interested in learning about the Life-to-Eagle Program, please contact Tall Grass District Advancement Chair, Joe Vucko, at joe.vucko@gmail.com.

                                                 SERVICE HOURS!!!

Don't forget to record your hours on the Journey to Excellence website! Please remember to start logging your hours before the end of the year! We are 10,000 down from last year...not that we haven't done the service, we just haven't logged it!

                                              SIGN UP FOR E-MAIL

Please sign-up for e-mail on the Des Plaines Valley home page @ www.bsa-dpvc.org Give your name, district, address, unit number, phone numbers, and E-mail address.

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TWIN LAKES DISTRICT

Come and Have a WINTER BLAST 2012 !! Important the Winter Blast 2012 is on this Saturday!

Winter Blast Saturday, February 4, 2012 at Thatcher Woods (Chicago Ave & Thatcher Road in River Forest) Check In 8:40am.

Some years we have a lot of snow, other years not so much. Regardless of the weather forecast, we are still on schedule to have a real Blast!

We have added some fun new games this year that all of the Cub Scouts will enjoy. So grab your coat and boots and come on out and have some fun in the great outdoors!

Thanks,

Mike Stewart

Annual Recognition Dinner

THANK YOU for all your hard work throughout 2011 and making our Annual Recognition Dinner a success. Dennis Wolfe & Tom Nelson did a fabulous job on the awards, our MC Marc White, Tom Wetzel on showcasing the Boy Scouts Historical Display, our presenters. We are very excited for all the activities, events and changes 2012 has in store for Twin Lakes.

Award Recipients:

Popcorn Winners: Michael Biek, Pack 14 & 23, Troop 112 and Pack 4109. Spark Plug-Tom Nelson, Gopher-Renee Kwiatkowski, Light Bulb-Joe Rizzi, Snow Flake-Marc White.

Lifetime Achievement: Dave Geffe, District Award of Merit: Curt Cruver, District Award of Merit: Don Emery

Thank you Twin Lakes!!! We are a success due to our Great Volunteers, youth.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

If you would like to see pictures of your Pack, Troop or Crew highlighted in Cybernews, please send them to your District Executive at maria.galvan@scouting.org

CAMP PROMOTIONS

Someone from the committee will be contacting Cub Scout Packs to set camp promotional presentations. Please contact: Dennis Wolfe at ?cubcamppromo@att.net

Come to ROUND TABLE Have any Questions/Comments/Concerns??

Twin Lakes Round Table is the Second Tuesday of the Month at 7:30pm at m at Grace Lutheran Church 2700 N. Harlem in Elmwood Park . Every Unit should have a representative attending as Round Table is designed to inform and offer training to unit leaders about the upcoming scouting year. Receive the latest information, network, exchange ideas and get some questions answered.

Joint Topic of Discussion: Cooking!

Program Starts at 6:00PM. Come participate as an active member of a scouting unit and help prepare and learn how to make Dutch Oven Pizzas, Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pies, as well as sample some Dutch Oven Chocolate Cake. While the food is cooking, we will cover: Food for the Outdoors, Menus for both Troops and Packs, as well as Food Safety and Clean-up. Come HUNGRY!

Donna Sue White

YOUTH PROTECTION TRAINING

Just a reminder about the new requirements for YPT. ALL NEW leaders must complete YPT prior to submitting their adult application and working with the youth. The Council is bending over backwards to provide YPT to those who are unable to complete it online. To get your unit’s YPT records contact your District Executive Maria Galvan at Maria.Galvan@scouting.org

ALL registered leaders must have taken YPT within 2 years of rechartering or the charter will not be approved by National.

DOES YOUR UNIT HAVE A GOOGLE MAP PIN?

There is a new and FREE program through the national office to help families find your pack, troop, or crew. Parents can go to our national website and find the units closest to where they live. Units have a chance to personalize their pin with event information, contact info, and pictures. Please check out beascout.org. If you have any questions about setting up your pin or following up with interested parents, call Maria Galvan at Ext. 18.

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VOYAGEUR TRACE DISTRICT

    Before we can bring Scouting to youth, we must bring youth to Scouting... 

                               KLONDIKE DERBY   FEBRUARY 4, 2012

More information and registration form can be found at: KLONDIKE 2012 
Event will run with or without snow!

                                         ROUNDTABLE INFORMATION

Roundtable meet the second Wednesday of every month (September-May) beginning at 7:30pm at Ideal Elementary School, 9901 W. 58th. Street, Countryside 60525.

FRIENDS OF SCOUTING UNIT PRESENTATIONS

We humbly thank our leadership for their support and cooperation allowing our district volunteer FOS team to present our finance campaign message for your families' consideration during 2011.

We increased pledge participation from 22% in 2010 to 52% in 2011. VT reached its goal on May 15. This feat likely has never been accomplished and surpassed most districts in the country.

We have every right to be very proud of ourselves! District FOS Scouters will be contacting units to schedule 2012 presentations. To assist in an effective, time controlled program, please assign a unit friends of scouting chair to follow up on the pledge cards that are not collected at the presentation.

Your district presenter will communicate with the unit friends of scouting chair. Our goal should be 100% family contact to allow everyone to respond to the opportunity to give to Scouting.

We have a fresh, captivating, four minute DVD screen presentation! Wait 'til you see the new pledge incentives. Very nice! We ask for ten minutes during a Pack Meeting, Blue and Gold Dinner, or a Troop Court of Honor.

Without us, there would be no Scouting. Without money to support Scouting, the movement will dwindle and disappear. In this tough economy, we still can't let our kids down. It's that simple.

I ask that everyone participate at whatever level can be afforded. It's a Voyageur Trace Team effort. Voyageur Trace Moving Forward In 2012!