We’re Excited to Welcome You to Camp!

Dear Leaders:

We all learned early in Scouting that every Scout should Be Prepared. Who would have thought it would be as relevant as it is now during the COVID-19 situation? Scouting has helped prepare us to be ready for challenges. We’re all learning new ways to work, teach, learn, and play. The Mayflower Council is doing everything we can to adapt to the times so Scouting can carry on and continue to be a vital part of our and the Scouts lives. This includes getting ready for summer camp. Our teams at Camp Resolute, Adventure Day Camp and Camp Squanto are excited to welcome you this summer and we anticipate a fantastic experience. The pre camp meetings have been held and if you were unable to attend, a recording of one is available at the Mayflower Council website. That recording is available here: Camp Kickoff

Right now, our rangers are continuing with planned maintenance and set-up for you. The camps are coming back to life after the winter and camp directors are putting together the best camp staffs ever. We are planning an epic year at our council camps in an effort to put all the uncertainties we are facing today behind us. All we need is you!

Registration is open right now and will remain open. Since our units aren’t meeting in-person, we know that collecting deposits and payments for camp is a bit more challenging so we’ve adjusted our deadlines. The early bird registration discount for Adventure Day Camp and Adventure Overnight continues until May 15 and for the Scout resident camps until May 31.

Camp is something all Scouts should be able to experience and we are here to help you find ways to make that happen. For families that need assistance, our campership program is available. Please visit our campership form, Mayflower Campership , to apply in confidence.

There is no risk for families and units of losing money by signing up for Mayflower Camps now. In the event that camp does not open or has a shortened season due to COVID-19 and your troop or campers are unable to attend during your scheduled time, all camp fees paid will be refunded.

Part of being prepared is minimizing risks, and we are updating camp operations to minimize threats such as COVID-19. As we learn more, we continuously update policies and procedures to comply with local and national directives. As camp gets closer, we will review those policies and procedures and will clearly communicate changes or adjustments to you. This may require help from units even before you arrive at camp so please check our website for the very latest updates concerning the Mayflower camps. The Mayflower Council continues to update Mayflower Council COVID-19 Information so check in regularly.

In the meantime, stay home, stay well, and stay tuned for further updates.

Yours in Scouting,

Camp Directors
Chris Thorp, Adventure Day Camp
Rick Poirier, Camp Resolute
Rich Carlson, Camp Squanto

Eagle Service Project Fundraising Guidelines

Mayflower Council Eagle Scout Service Project Fundraising Guidelines

There are many worthy Eagle Scout Service Projects that can be carried out at minimal cost, if any. Fundraising is allowed to the extent required to cover the expected expense but projects whose sole purpose is to raise funds do not qualify as Eagle Leadership Service Projects. All fundraising or requests for material donations should be done in a restrained manner, similar to simple unit fundraising efforts. The expense of the project is not considered in the determination of the appropriateness of Eagle Scout Service Projects.

While youth members are normally not permitted to solicit funds on behalf of other organizations while representing the BSA, the Mayflower Council grants an exception for youth members raising funds for an Eagle Scout Service Project, with another organization being the project beneficiary; all funds raised above the amount needed for the project must be given to the beneficiary or returned to donors, not kept by the Eagle candidate or the unit.

Before soliciting donations of materials and monetary funds or conducting any fundraising efforts, Eagle Scout candidates must submit the “Eagle Scout Project Fundraising Application” located in the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook to the Scout Service Center two weeks in advance of your fundraising efforts.

Note:

The Eagle Scout Service Project Fundraising Application is not required for contributions coming only from the candidate, their parents, guardians, or relatives, their unit or its chartered organization, parents or members of their unit, or the beneficiary.

For any amount of fundraising beyond those mentioned above, the Mayflower Council Advancement Committee recommends that Scouts fill out the Eagle Scout Service Project Fundraising Application and get the required signature from the benefiting organization before their project is approved by their District Advancement Committee.

This is to ensure that Scouts and benefiting organizations understand the proposed budget for the project, the BSA’s guidelines and limitations for fundraising, who holds the donations, and what is done with excess funds upon completion of the project. All money left over, regardless of the source, goes to the beneficiary.

The requirements for planning, developing, and giving leadership must be met through the project itself, not through the fundraising effort. For this reason, approaches such as online fundraising are acceptable and may be handled exclusively by a parent or unit leader. A list of District Eagle Advisors available to provide coaching can been made available to Scoutmasters and Unit Commissioners, please contact your District Advancement Chairman – emails can be found at https://www.mayflowerbsa.org/program/youth/advancement/

Crowdfunding for Eagle Scout Service Projects

The Guide to Advancement allows for the use of “crowdfunding” via the internet for Eagle Scout Service Projects but not for general troop fundraising. The Mayflower Council neither recommends nor prohibits the use of crowdfunding or any specific crowdfunding source. Wikipedia provides a comparison of crowdfunding services. If this route is taken, the website’s fine print should be carefully reviewed by someone in a position of responsibility. The unit leaders and parents will need to consider these questions:
- Are the website’s terms of service in conflict with any BSA policies?
- What kind of financial cost will the provider charge for this service?
- Will you be able to keep donations even if you don’t reach your stated monetary goal (required)?
- Does the site have an auto-shut off upon reaching the funding goal?
- How long does it take to get your funds after the donating window closes?
- Are you required to offer some sort of reward to backers? If so, what will the rewards be?
- What are the site’s requirements if you raise more than you need? For example, certain providers require excess funds be used solely for the project, not just turned over to the project beneficiary.
- When using a Crowdfunding site to fund an Eagle Project, the project MUST be set up under the Tax ID# of the beneficiary with all funds going to the beneficiary. The beneficiary of the service project is responsible to ensure all IRS guidelines related to contributions/donations are being met such as refunding donor money and contribution statements if applicable. The Eagle candidate may register and promote the site, but an adult must set it up under the beneficiary’s Tax ID#.
If using a crowdfunding website, be sure that the details pertaining to the project are clearly presented. In addition, the project beneficiary must be clearly identified and it should not appear or represent that the BSA or any of its scout units are beneficiaries of the funds.
It is worth repeating that any funds raised via crowdfunding belong to the beneficiary organization, not the Eagle candidate or the troop.

For more information, see 9.0.2.10 Fundraising Issues at http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/GuideToAdvancement/EagleScoutRank.aspx

Christmas At Squanto

Please join the Camp Squanto Alumni Association at the Casoni Museum on December 1^st from 1:00 – 3:00 PM for their 6th Annual Winter Open House!

Get a better understanding of our museum, check out the new displays, and find out how to become part of our museum staff
Have a cup of coffee & Christmas munchies and exchange camp stories with old friends …. and, make new ones!
Take a walk around camp

Bring your family!

Squanto Ranger is Retiring

Do you know Roland Cloutier? Roland is the Squanto Camp Ranger who has always kept the camp top notch and ready for all of our scouts year round. Please join us as we wish him the best of luck on his retirement.

Youth Protection Training Update

As of September 1, 2017, Youth Protection Training is required for all adult leaders at the time of registration. Paper applications from new leaders must be accompanied by a Youth Protection Training completion certificate, which must be filed with the application.

Because completion of YPT is now required for all leaders at the time of registration, unit leaders must obtain copies of the completion certificates from the leaders who register online before approving their application.

With the upcoming renewal cycle, the Internet Rechartering system will be updated so that units cannot submit the registration renewal of any adult who does not have current YPT as of the effective date of the renewal. Completion of YPT as part of the online registration system will be required in a future update. Additionally, council registrars will no longer be able to override the registration system to register any leader whose Youth Protection Training is not current.

Effective for the 2018 BSA summer camp season, any adult accompanying a Boy Scout troop to a residence camp or other Scouting activity lasting 72 hours or more must be registered as a leader, including completion of a CBC and YPT, even if they are the parent of a youth on the trip.

Please Note: Although YPT is strongly encouraged for adults attending any overnight activity, at this time, the requirement applies only to individual adults staying three or more nights at a resident camp.