Scout Skills Help Save A Life

Twelve-year-old Jared Ropelato of Utah has scout training to thank in surviving a night out alone with no gear after getting lost on a camping trip.  The temperature dipped to 31 degrees overnight, but Jared toughed it out in a lean-to shelter he built.  Jared is a Boy Scout, and learned about building wilderness shelters last year in scouts.  Read the whole story here.

We note that, while Jared was very resourceful, he broke a cardinal rule in scouting.  He was walking from a lake back to his camp alone.  The Buddy System is in place for a reason, and is not optional.  This is an excellent example of what can go wrong on an outing, and why we have the rules we do.  Jared is very lucky the results weren’t worse.  

Please share this story with your unit.

School Night Training

From Kelbert Fagan, Memphis/Metro Field Director for the Chickasaw Council

School Night Training has been announced!

Cordova/Lakeland/Arlington Packs will meet at

St Paul United Methodist Church

2949 Davies Plantation Lakeland, TN 38002

Date- Tuesday July 19, 2011

Time- 6:30 p.m.

Germantown/Collierville Packs will meet at

Kingsway Church

7887 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, TN 38138

Date- Thursday July 21, 2011

Time- 6:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Kelbert at 314-0690, or by email.

 

 

 

Kia Kima Damage Manageable

From the Chickasaw Council Facebook page:

“Damage at Kia Kima was significant but manageable. Fortunately, damage was isolated to 3-4 areas. Plans are underway to have professional tree removal to take care of any large trees. Local carpenters will be hired to take care of minor building damage. I will post additional details as necessary.”

And we have been told that no volunteers will be needed to assist with cleanup.  Kia Kima is expected to be operational for Resident Camp.  Glad it wasn’t any worse, and won’t keep camp from opening on schedule.

Kia Kima Hit Hard

Kia Kima took a direct hit from a vicious storm yesterday.  Trees are down, tents are blown over, roads and paths are blocked, some pavilions have been damaged.  The camp needs all of the help it can get this weekend – Saturday May 28 and Sunday May 29, because Resident Camp is only ten days away.  There is a lot to be done to have it ready for the Cub Scouts.

If you are available and can go to Kia Kima for the weekend (the staff arrives this weekend also),  they need your help. Chain saws, Axes, saws, hatchets, hammers, rakes, etc are needed with people to man them.  Contact Jeremy Palozolo to let the council know how many from your troop will be there or for more information.

2013 Nat’l Jamboree Planning

The Chickasaw Council is forming it’s 2013 National Jamboree Committee. They plan to take 4 troops which consist of a total of 144 youth and 16 adults. 

The 2013 National Jamboree is to be held at The Summit, Bechtel Scout Reserve near Beckley, West Virginia.

They are currently accepting applications to fill the 16 needed adult positions. Scout leaders applying should have had experience working with youth in a troop and held the positions of Scoutmaster or Assistant.

Click here for the 2013 National Jamboree Adult Leadership Application at the Council’s website.

The Summit

The Summit, full name  The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, appears to be shaping up as a fantastic Disney World for scouts.  Here are a few interesting items:

• The Summit will become the permanent home of the National Jamboree when it opens in 2013.
• The Summit will be scouting’s 4th High Adventure Camp, after Philmont, SeaBase, and Northern Tier.
• The Appalachian Mountains, in southern West Virginia, are the majestic home of The Summit.
• It will offer whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, BMX, mountain boarding, and ZIP lines, among other more sedate options like shooting sports and scoutcraft.
• A $50 million donation from Stephen Bechtel, who ran the largest engineering company in the country for 30 years., along with significant donations from other friends of scouting, made The Summit possible.
• The Master Plan map shows an area teeming with mountain bike trails, has an Order of The Arrow Camp, and access to the New River Gorge National River for high adventure water sports.
• The camp design allows for up to 80,000 scouts to attend Jamboree, but no one will be more than a 15 minute walk to the arena center.

Cub Scout Day Camp

Leslie Dobbs, Day Camp Director, has announced dates and program information for Cub Scout Day Camp, the 2011 edition.  Following last year’s successful run at Fisherville Scout Camp, this year you can choose between two sessions, the week of June 13-17, or June 20-24.  Both sessions this year will be at the Fisherville Scout Camp.  Here’s everything you need to know.  But if it isn’t, you can contact Leslie Dobbs for more details.

 

Day Camp FAQ

Adult Volunteer Form

Cub Scout Registration Form

Registration Letter

Pack Coordinator Info Sheet

New Tour Permit Plan

From the Council

Effective March 1, 2011, what are currently known as local and national tour permits will be superseded by what will be called the tour plan. *The online tour permit system will be suspended.

This update is the accumulation of work by a cross-functional team of volunteers and staff including the Health and Safety Support Committee, Council Solutions, Outdoor Program Group, and Risk Management Advisory Panels.

Here is the definition of the tour plan in the Language of Scouting: “Units complete this form when planning for local, national, or international adventure. The plan helps ensure the unit is properly prepared, that qualified and trained leadership is in place, and that the right equipment is available for the adventure.”

Click here to see the plan and begin training.

 

Q.What is different on the tour plan vs. the tour permit?
A. Several items:

• • The council is the reviewer of all tour plans; no regional review is required.
  • The tour plan consists of a tour planning worksheet that is completed by the unit/contingent. After processing, the council retains the tour planning worksheet and returns the tour plan to the unit.
  • The plan can be printed on standard 8 ½-by-11-inch paper!
  • 21- vs. 14-day advance notice requested for units to submit the plan for your review.
  • A single point of contact (not on the tour) for council use included.
  • Defined reasons/times when a tour plan must be submitted for council review.
  • Updated Pledge of Performance.

 

Trucking and Transportation Merit Badge

Merit Badge Classes
On March 26, 2011, the Southeast District will offer the first of many monthly Merit Badge Classes to Scouts. The first class will be Trucking and Transportation taught by Scoutmaster Carlos Tellez (Troop 441) from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Scout Office, 171 S. Hollywood.  For More Information contact Carlos Tellez at scoutmaster2441@yahoo.com.

 

Rock and Gem Show

MAGS Rock and Gem Show at the Agricenter
April 23 and 24, 2011. Both the Cub and Boy Scouts Presentations will be held on Saturday, April 23.
Herb Nicholson will make  the presentation to the Cub Scouts . It is scheduled from 3:00-4:00 PM and will consist of the following:
1. Description and formation of different rock types.
2. Common minerals comprising rocks
3. Review of rock cycle
4. Introduction to fossils
5. Rock and fossil specimens to look at
6.Careers in Geology
7.Questions
Alan Parks will make the Merit Badge presentation to the Boy Scouts from 4:00-5:00 PM.
For more information contact Herb Nicholson at Herb.Nicholson@tn.gov.