Venturing Leadership Nominations

The VOA is beginning to accept nominations for the Venturing Leadership Award.

 

Venturing Leadership Award

In order to recognize Venturers who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing and who exemplify the Scout Oath and Law.

Qualifications

  • Be registered and involved as a Venturer for at least one year.
  • Hold a leadership position or an office at the unit, district, council.
  • Show exceptional dedication and give outstanding leadership and service to Venturing and to Venturers

Guidelines

  • The nomination form linked below must be used for council Venturing Leadership Award consideration.
  • The nomination form must be submitted by April 15, 2019.
  • The nomination forms must be submitted to:  Robert Lewis
  • Attach letters of recommendation from Venturers, Scouters, acquaintances, teachers, place of worship, etc
  • Youth nominations may be submitted for up to one year past the youth’s 21st birthday.



Headwaters February Roundtable Handouts

If your Unit was not able to attend our February 7th Roundtable, do not worry.  We are making all the event flyers, training newsletters and other information available!

Click here for PDF of all February Roundtable Handouts

Our February Roundtable featured:

  • Updates from our District Dinner – Scheduled for March 23rd – registration is open HERE NOW!
    • Join us for a night of honoring the hard working volunteers that make Headwaters a successful District!
  • Updates from out Investment in Character Team
    • Since our January Roundtable, the Mayflower Annual Fundraising Campaign has launched! Our Investment in Character Campaign for 2019 has been kicked off well! Headwaters has the goal to raise $25,000 by May 31st and we are already at $4,100.  To help contribute a gift to the Headwaters goal, click HERE, to help us reach our goals in the communities in your town, contact us here: headwaters@mayflowerbsa.org
  • We had a great presentation from a representative from Eastern Mountain Sports about the cold weather activities and gear that your Scouts should use to have a fun, safe, and tech-savvy, rugged winter expedition!  We hope everyone who attended learned something new!

Questions, comments, or ideas for the District’s leadership?

Send an Email to: Headwaters@mayflowerbsa.org

Our next District Roundtable will be:

March 7th at 7:00 pm

at Milford High School Cafeteria (again)

31 W Fountain St
Milford, MA 01757

 

See you there!




Important: Online Youth Protection Update

Information about online Youth Protection Training:

At the end of February, the online Youth Protection Course will be replaced with an updated version. Help spread the word to all leaders that any courses in progress (completions of some but not all of the required four modules) will be lost when the course is updated. For example, if a leader had completed one, two, or three of the four modules, but had not completed all four, their completed modules will be erased and they will have to start over again to complete all four required modules. You must have completed all four modules successfully by February 28th, as the new Learning Plan will be launched March 1, 2019 .

If you have started-but not completed-the current Y01 (YPT-2) Youth Protection Training:

You must complete the training before March 1, 2019, or any progress you have made will not transfer, due to the new learning plan. Otherwise, you may simply start over with the new training plan on March 1, 2019.

If you HAVE already completed the current Y01 (YPT-2) Youth Protection Training:

You WILL NOT be affected. You DO NOT have to retake the training when the March 1, 2019 course is released.

This update will include new policies and procedures implemented since the course was first released in February 2018, however our Youth Protection and Health and Safety policies, guidelines and procedures are continually being updated and revised. The on-line version of the Guide to Safe Scouting is the single most up to date source of our commitment to Safe Scouting.

Youth Protection certifications will continue to be valid for a two year period.

When the course update is complete, four new VOLUNTARY modules will be added and will be available under the “VOLUNTARY programs.” These include:

1. Physical Abuse
2. Neglect
3. Emotional Abuse
4. Witnessing Violence

These new, VOLUNTARY modules will provide leaders with knowledge about other forms of abuse.




COME JOIN THE NEW NOBSCOT TRAIL CREW

Sponsored by the Nobscot Alumni Association

 

April 27, 9:00AM at Nobscot Scout Reservation, Nobscot Road, Framingham/Sudbury

Open to older Scouts, Venturers and Order of the Arrow Members

 

Learn about trail building, trial maintenance, proper tools use, team building, time management – all while having fun Etahn alongside other Scouts and Venturers.  You’ll learn the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) techniques of trails how-to — the AMC literally wrote the book!  And the Order of the Arrow Conservation techniques will also be employed.

 

You’ll have monthly workdays alongside Nobscot Alumni Association members Patrick Maher, Chuck Hurwitz and Stroker Rogovin – all long-time Eagle Scouts, OA Vigil Members and premier outdoorsmen. Additionally, Stroker is a long-time Leader with the AMC.

 

What’s in it for you?  You’ll gain tremendous outdoor skills working alongside others while giving back to Nobscot.  You’ll also earn your official Nobscot Trail Crew t-shirt and Trail Crew Patch and a free membership in the Nobscot Alumni Association!  Work with the Trail Crew may also earn you your high school service hours.  See you on April 27! Lunch will be provided.

 

Questions?  Contact Larry Bearfield, President Nobscot Alumni Association.

 

 

 

 

 




Guide to Safe Scouting Has Been Updated

All participants in official Scouting activities should become familiar with the Guide to Safe Scouting. The Guide to Safe Scouting is an overview of Scouting policies and procedures gleaned from a variety of sources. For some items, the policy statements are complete. Unit leaders are expected to review the additional reference material cited prior to conducting such activities.

The Guide to Safe Scouting has been updated for 2019. Download or view the latest version by clicking here

UPDATES TO THE GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING:

  1. Updated language throughout to reference “Scouts BSA” rather than “Boy Scouts.”
  2. Youth Protection and Adult Leadership Clarified language in the Adult Supervision and Accommodations sections.
  3. Camping Updated information about Webelos overnight camping. Corrected publication number for Pack Overnight. 
  4. Campout Site Appraisal Form and provided URL to access form. 
  5. Sports and Activities Clarified Sea Scout participation in Climbing and Rappelling section. 
  6. Animal and Insect Hazards Replaced entire chapter. 
  7. Incident Reporting Provided URL for incident reporting. 
  8. Appendix Replaced Event Safety Checklist.

For more information about Scouting Safety click here.




Top 10 Scouts BSA Questions Answered

There’s enthusiasm for the launch of Scouts BSA everywhere you look. Today, let’s look at the top 10 Scouts BSA questions volunteers are asking.




Charter & Membership Processing Update

As many of you are already aware, membership registration has fallen behind due to an unexpected and prolonged situation leaving the Council Service Center short handed for several months.  A solution through Registration Shared Services with the National Council is now in place and we are working feverishly with their help to get all membership entered.  Because of the backlog, your District Executive might ask you for something that has already been submitted. Please understand it is our intention to get through the stack of papers without asking you for something twice but we may fail in this attempt.  We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused for all of our Scouts and units and look forward to the day we serve you with efficiency.

All future registrations can be emailed to:  membership@mayflowerbsa.org.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.




February Training Newsletter

Click on Photo to view or download here

 




February Rountable

Click here for PDF of all February Roundtable Handouts

 

Our next District Roundtable will be on March 5th at 7:00 pm.

 

The Center At Medfield

1 Ice House Road
Medfield, MA 02052

 




Hudson Pack Pinewood Derby 2019

A great time was had by all in Hudson as Pack 3104 held their Pinewood event at Hudson’s Mulready Elementary School.   One of the assistant judges of the colorful Pinewood cars was Mulready Principal, Kelly Costa.

Pinewood preparation included every Scout customizing their own laminated “ID Racing Pass” that they got to wear while watching the heats.  Boy Scouts from Hudson Troop 77 were present to assist Cub Master Andrew Hermann retrieving cars and running the Track’s operations.

The races this day were matched up as Lions/Tigers, Wolfs/Bears, and Webelos/Arrow of Lights. Halfway through the day, Cubs and parents were treated to snacks and a pizza lunch as well as a group photo of the Pack and it’s leaders

After all the Scouts had their races but before trophies and awards, there were additional races for the ‘Siblings Group’, a race for Unified participants, and finally, a race for the adults.  Check out some of these photos from this amazing day of fun!  Photos were taken by Eric Leger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let us know about your Pinewood Derby!

Share photos on our Facebook page for Headwaters District

Or right an article and get it posted on our web page like this! Contact headwaters@mayflowerbsa.org