National Jewish Committee on Scouting (NJCOS)

Scouting embraces all faiths. The NJCOS supports scouting at the local and national levels. It offers many forms of recognition for scouts and leaders practicing their faith through scouting and encouraging others to do the same.

Adults
The Shofar Award – The NJCOS established the Shofar Award to recognize outstanding service by adults in the promotion of Scouting among Jewish youth. Just as the Shofar (Ram’s Horn) calls people to service, the Shofar Award is a recognition of the individual who has answered the call to serve Jewish youth in Scouting. ( http://www.jewishscouting.org/shofar-award/ )

Cub Scouting
The Maccabee Religious Emblem – Intended for a Tiger Cub or Cub Scout who is Jewish, learns more about Judaism. It also will help you earn the Aleph emblem as a Cub Scout or Webelos Scout, the Ner Tamid emblem as a Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or Venturer, and the Etz Chaim award as a Boy Scout or Venturer. ( http://www.jewishscouting.org/maccabee-religious-emblem/ )

The Aleph Religious Emblem – The National Jewish Committee on Scouting developed the Aleph emblem to help you, a Cub Scout or Webelos Scout who is Jewish, learn more about Judaism. Just as Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the activities you are about to start working on are among your first steps as a Scout that will lead you to understanding more about your religion. Working on the Aleph emblem also will help you get to know better your rabbi or religious school teacher. One of them will be your counselor and will help you along the way. ( http://www.jewishscouting.org/aleph-religious-emblem/ )

Boy Scouting and Venturing
The Ner Tamid Religious Emblem – As a Scout, you may work on the Ner Tamid program whether your unit is connected with your own synagogue, community center, school, or with some other organization. You carry on your Scout program in your troop while you fulfill the Ner Tamid requirements under the guidance of your rabbi or Ner Tamid counselor. If you live in a small or isolated Jewish community, contact the National Jewish Committee on Scouting for assistance. ( http://www.jewishscouting.org/ner-tamid-religious-emblem/ )

The Etz Chaim Religious Emblem – The Etz Chaim (Tree of Life) religious emblem is designed for Boy Scouts in high school, ages 14 to 17, and registered Venturers ages 14 to 20. The purpose of the emblem is to encourage the young adult to explore adult Jewish roles in the context of family, community, and Jewish people. The requirements can be completed in six months and with a counselor’s assistance. ( http://www.jewishscouting.org/etz-chaim-religious-emblem/ )

A link to the home site of the NJCOS may be found at: http://www.jewishscouting.org/

Updated Info on Eagle Required Cooking Merit Badge

For those of us old enough to remember the “good old days” before Cooking was removed from the list of Eagle required merit badges; along with the new year the Cooking Merit Badge returned to the required list on January 1st.

Looking for the most recent info on this Eagle required merit badge? The following is a link to the BSA-endorsed blog, “Bryan on Scouting.” (I wish it was mine….but it is a different “Bryan”).

More details on the Eagle-required Cooking merit badge

New Boy Scout Troop Coming to Hilliard

Beginning in February 2014, a new Boy Scout Troop will debut in the Hilliard area. Boy Scout Troop 672 will be chartered through and meet at The Resurrection Lutheran Church located on Main Street (Hilliard Rome Road).

The troop will be accepting new WEBELOS crossovers in addition to the core of more experienced Boy Scouts already recruited by the Scoutmaster, Ray Pearall. This is an excellent opportunity for scouts and their parents to join a smaller troop. In addition to new scouts, Mr. Pearsall would welcome adults to serve as Assistant Scoutmasters, Committee Members and non-registered support positions.

Questions? Please contact Mr. Pearsall directly at raypearsall@arlingtonbank.com.

Maple Syrup Festival at Camp Lazarus

Open to scouts of all ranks and their siblings, this is a family oriented event conducted on two Saturdays at Camp Lazarus. Admission cost is $5 per person. This year the event will be held on March 1st and again on March 8th.

Everyone is welcome to see how sap is collected from trees on Camp Lazarus and visit “maple syrup cooking” at the cabin also located at the camp. I am sure you are asking what becomes of the maple syrup? It is used on the pancakes and sausage breakfasts on sale in the camp’s chow hall from 9 AM through 4 PM. Camp-wide events will also include tomahawk throwing, rope making, hot iron branding, the BB-gun range, fried bread making and bean soup sampling.

More information may be found at: http://www.skcscouts.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/2014-Maple-Syrup-Festival-flyer.pdf

Informal Poll – Hilliard Area BSA Events

One comment I often hear from local units is their frustration over a lack of BSA-sponsored events within a reasonable commuting distance of Hilliard. What is your opinion on this matter?

Merit Badge Super Saturday

Varsity Team 485 will be sponsoring a Merit Badge Super Saturday on November 16th at the LDS Meeting House located at 1001 Doherty Road in Galloway. This is a free event open to all Boy Scouts, Venturers and Varsity Team members. Merit badge classes will begin at 8:00 AM and last through 2:00 PM.

This is a free event with a huge number of merit badges. Advance registration is required through the web site indicated below. Most merit badges will require follow up meetings arranged individually by scouts and the merit badge counselors.

Link to Merit Badge Super Saturday: http://scouts.mbsupersaturday.org/clinic-info

Map to LDS Meeting House: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?encType=1&where1=1001+Doherty+Rd%2c+Columbus%2c+OH+43228%2c+United+States&cp=39.9710426330566~-83.1629257202148&FORM=MIRE#Y3A9MzkuOTcxMDQzfi04My4xNjI5MjYmbHZsPTQmc3R5PXImcT0xMDAxJTI1MjBEb2hlcnR5JTI1MjBSZCUyNTJDJTI1MjBDb2x1bWJ1cyUyNTJDJTI1MjBPSCUyNTIwNDMyMjglMjUyQyUyNTIwVW5pdGVkJTI1MjBTdGF0ZXM=

Renting Council Facilities

Are you a Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Outing Chair or other unit leader that wonders how it is that other units always manage to take advantage of council facilities and turn their outings in to supersized fun activities? The Simon Kenton Council uses an on-line tool for units to register for, rent and pay fees for using certain council facilities throughout the year. This on-line tool may be found at http://www.skcscouts.org/facility-rental/

All units using this feature should remember that certain events, archery, BB shooting, canoeing, rappelling, rifles/shotguns, etc., require trained personnel to conduct these events. Unfortunately, those folks are not available through the aforementioned link. Please contact the council offices to obtain the names and contact information for required personnel.

Buckeye District Rechartering Meeting

Rechartering is an event every pack, troop and crew must perform each year.  The Buckeye District helps units make their rechartering a much smoother process than what you might expect elsewhere.  The Buckeye District Rechartering Kickoff Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 9th at the council offices located at 807 Kinnear Road.  Each unit should have at least one representative present to receive the vital information,  including on-line access codes and instructions.  An accurate and on-time rechartering is part of the BSA’s Journey to Excellence Program. 

http://www.skcscouts.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2013-Buckeye-Rechartering-Kickoff.pdf

BSA Annual Membership Fees Change

The BSA recently announced that, effective 1 January 2014, annual membership fees for all units rechartering on December 31st will increase from their current $15 level to a revised amount of $24.  This rate increase applies to both Scouts and registered adults. 

http://www.skcscouts.org/important-membership-fee-information/

A Blog Dedicated to Scouting in the Hilliard Ohio Area

Hello and welcome to this new blog which is dedicated to promoting Boy Scout, Cub Scout and Venturing activities for leaders and parents in the Hilliard area.  My name is Bob Bryan.  My family and I have participated in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturing in the Hilliard area since 2008.  I have close connections with many BSA units in and around the central Ohio area.  Over the past few years I have noted an extremely rapid growth of Scouting at all levels in our area.  I have also noted that information from the local area BSA council and district have not always reached our units quickly and was often tailored in a manner which does not present vital news pertinent to our needs.  I hope to present information on Scouting opportunities which Hilliard area residents can use vice being lost in a huge amount of “background noise” addressing the entire Columbus area.