Skip to main content

Newsroom

News & Events

Summer Program Update 6.15.2020

Cub Scouts

Family & Pack Camping- We are planning to run 2 Family Fun Days on July 11th and 18th, If both fill we will offer a 3rd on the 25th.  Registration will go live by the end of the day on June 14th.  Cost will be $15 for kids and $10 for adults with lunch and supper included.  There will be a full day of program on Saturday running from 9:30 to 5:30 with an open schedule similar to our Christmas on the Prairie event. Programs to include, STEM, BBs, Archery, Sling Shots, Pool, Fishing, & BMX. Camping both Friday and Saturday evening will be available upon request.  Camp Brown Trading Post will be open as well!

There will be a limit of 60-70 Scouts with parents not included in that number.

Camp Brown Pool will be open for family camping during the month of July.  Pool could be reserved for a weekday event by contacting Donald Lowe and based on lifeguard availability.  Lifeguard payment will be the responsibility of the reserving party.  Pack’s will be responsible for having one adult leader Safe Swim Defense trained.

Virtual Cuboree- The Cuboree will take place July 3-5 with a Science theme.  Projects like rockets will be part of the program.  All program supplies will be provided in the registration fee.  We are working on additional details and price.


Scouts BSA

Virtual Merit Badge Program- We are still in the process of determining which merit badges we can offer and recruiting counselors to teach them.  Please stay tuned to this newsletter for details as they become available.

Family & Troop Camping- After July 5 Camp Hansen will be open to Family / Troop camping. Registration will be through the Council website on a first come first served basis. We will limit the attendance to 90 participants with activities and expected merit badges and program fee are as follows: 

July 11,2020 – Shotgun or Archery $25.00, Rifle $15.00, Plumbing, Robotics / Digital Tech, Welding $20.00,

                         Basketry $16.50, Leatherwork $8.00

July 18, 2020 – Shotgun or Archery $25.00, Rifle $15.00, Auto & Farm Mechanics, Electricity, Electronics,

                          Welding 20.00, Indian Lore (Kits are $5.00 to $35.00 must make 3 projects)

July 25, 2020 – Plumbing, Robotics, Digital Tech, Welding $20.00, Woodworking $12.00, Basketry, Leatherworking $16.50, Basketry $8.00

 

Camp Brown Pool could be reserved on a weekday event with notice and based on lifeguard availability.  Lifeguard payment will be the responsibility of the reserving party.  Troop’s will be responsible for having one adult leader Safe Swim Defense trained.

 

First Year Camper Program- Thanks to the efforts of John Hirst and Lee Phillips from Ellsworth we are excited to offer Troops an excellent resource to perform your own Trail to Eagle program this summer.  This plan includes program plan for each day including what requirement is being taught, the items required to put on this plan, menu and shopping list for the meals during the campout portion.  Click here to find the program documents.

 

National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT)- NYLT is postponed at this time. Alternatives are being looked at to possibly rescheduling NYLT for later this year. Scouts who have paid for NYLT will receive a full refund.  Refunds were mailed on June 5th. 

 

Tribe of Golden Eagle- We will conduct a Golden Eagle weekend scheduled for July 31st to August 2nd.  This event will cover Potlatch and weekly camp ceremonies including naming the 2020 Chieftain, inducting new members (both youth and adult) and advancing current members. For more information, registration and forms click here.


Order of the Arrow-  The Lodge Chief, his Vice Chiefs and others are busy making plans for Fall Fellowship 21-23 August at Camp Hansen.  Since Spring Conclave was cancelled, the lodge leadership is working on ideas to make Fall Fellowship special.  Additionally, don’t forget Lodge elections are always held at Fall Fellowship, if you're interested in a Lodge leadership position be sure to attend! For those who were elected this spring and need to complete their Ordeal for membership, there will be at least three opportunities, Fall Fellowship in August, Spring Conclave and Fall Fellowship in 2021.

Below is Good To Know Information for OA Camping requirements and conducting unit elections.

In light of the extended period of camping restrictions attributable to COVID-19, the following temporary modification is being made to the camping requirements for OA eligibility:

Virtual camping (i.e., backyard or solo camping) may be counted toward the required nights of camping for OA election eligibility if all the following stipulations are met:

    To be counted, all virtual camping nights should be a direct result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and be part of a BSA unit-organized unit camping event (i.e., multiple members of the unit are involved and camping simultaneously at remote locations).

   Some form of unit-organized communications should occur either during or immediately following the event.

   All existing youth protection policies and digital safety guidelines should be followed.

   No more than three (3) nights of virtual camping are to be credited in any month in which government- or council-imposed COVID-19 restrictions are in place.

 This change is in effect until September 1, 2020.

Units which have already held an election between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020 are authorized to hold one additional election for any individuals who were ineligible at the time of the election due to the camping requirement, but would have been considered eligible at the time if this temporary policy had then been in effect. This second election must be completed no later than July 1, 2020. Those who were previously considered for election in the first election may not be reconsidered on this second ballot (i.e., no one can be considered for election more than once in a year).

Given that virtually all councils have either cancelled or reduced their summer camp programs this year, creating a situation where a high proportion of Scouts will not have the opportunity to attend an in-camp summer camp in 2020, a temporary provision to allow for "virtual" long term camping credit for OA eligibility is necessary.

Virtual Long-Term Camping Authorization

Virtual long-term camping of five (5) days is authorized to be counted toward the long-term camping requirements for OA eligibility consistent with the above guidance and the following additional guidelines:

   A long-term camp plan must be developed and approved by the unit leader prior to the commencement of the long-term camp. This plan is to be individualized to each Scout’s capabilities and situation and should strive to include:      

      Progress toward advancement for each Scout

      Outdoor relevant experience consistent with local conditions and restrictions

      Unit-organized communications should occur on a daily basis during the camping experience and include discussion of progress made on summer camp goals.

      An end-of-camp assessment must be conducted with the unit leader to report on progress made during the experience itself and discuss how future virtual long-          term camping experiences can be enhanced. During this assessment the unit leader will make the determination if the Scout’s participation warrants granting                credit for a completed virtual long-term camping experience in terms of OA eligibility.

 More information about the Order of the Arrow's response to the COVID-19 outbreak can be found ​here.

 The National OA Director has approved lodges to hold virtual unit elections through July 1, 2020.  Due to the cancellation of many induction events, candidates that were elected February 1, 2019 through July 1, 2020 will have 24 months from the date of election to complete their ordeal. There are no changes to the membership requirements with the exception of the temporary virtual camping policy. The following resources have been put together so that lodges may effectively implement virtual elections.

Due to the continued inability for some parts of the country to meet in person the cutoff date for lodges to conduct virtual unit elections is being changed to September 1, 2020 to correspond with the virtual camping effective period as well as include the entire traditional summer camp period. After September 1, 2020 unit elections may still be conducted but must be in person.

    Conducting Unit Elections via Zoom

The following guidelines should be followed in order to conduct virtual unit elections.

 1. The Lodge and Council leadership must approve their lodge conducting virtual unit elections.

 2. The unit leader must agree to a virtual election.

 3. The Lodge Unit election team and the appropriate forms/videos must be able to be presented to unit members.  (This assumes the use of some type of online meeting technology.)

 4. The unit leader should continue to validate those eligible for elections.

 5. A means to confidentially collect votes for eligible unit members must be available and used.  NO OPEN VOTE COUNTING IS TO BE ALLOWED.

 6. Conduct your election in accordance with the Election to Ordeal process outlined on page 23 of the Guide for Officers and Advisers which can be found here.

 

If you have any questions, please reach out to membership@oa-bsa.org.

 

Close