The Mayflower Council is implementing the following changes that are effective immediately.

We continue to encourage our Scouting families and leaders to practice healthy and safe activities following recommended guidelines for COVID mitigation strategies. We are following the recommendations of the CDC, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, local healthcare officials and the Boy Scouts of America.  

Mask Mandate Update

• Masks are no longer required for indoor Scouting meetings; however, masks are recommended while in large groups where social distancing is not possible.
• Scouts, leaders, and families are encouraged to practice social distancing whenever possible.
• Scouts and units must follow their chartered organization or meeting location guidelines or policies regarding the wearing of masks. 
• Please note that the requirement of mask-wearing may be determined and enforced by the chartered organization or meeting location.
• Unit leadership must be aware of any local health department ordinances or requirements regarding the wearing of masks in public facilities.
• If an individual chooses to continue wearing a mask, that is perfectly acceptable.

COVID Attestation Form Update

• COVID attestation forms will no longer be required at every Scouting meeting and activity. The forms are still available for those who would like to use them, but they are no longer required to be used. 

General Guidance Update

• Any adult or youth experiencing COVID-like symptoms needs to immediately isolate and follow existing protocols. 
• If a participant was exposed to COVID-19 within the last 10 days, guidance is as follows:
  • For those who are FULLY vaccinated: If you were exposed to COVID-19, participation is still allowed. Keep an eye out for symptoms for 10 days after the last contact. Participant must wear a mask around others to prevent possible transmission.
  • For those who are NOT vaccinated: If you were exposed to COVID-19, no participation is permitted for 5 days from the last contact. Keep an eye out for symptoms for 10 days after the last contact. Masks are required for participation during days 6-10.
• Unit leaders must report, within 12 hours, confirmed or strongly suspected cases of any communicable disease infections, including COVID-19, occurring during or within 48 hours after a unit meeting or activity, to incidentreport@mayflowerbsa.org using the incident report forms. Unit leaders are also required to promptly notify adult leaders and parents of all Scouts who participated in the activity, as well as the unit’s chartered organization representative. Additional guidance on reporting is available here.
• No shared food or drink, for example, no buffet service or family-style service. If someone from the unit is cooking, then that person needs to plate the food for each participant. We recommend individually packaged condiments and anything you can purchase individually packaged.

Unit Camping Update

• Cabins continue to be available for program use by units.
• While it is recommended to sleep one person per tent, it is acceptable to camp with a maximum of two people per tent. Parental permission should be obtained by the unit leader for any youth members sharing a tent.
• When sharing a tent or lean-to, individuals should sleep no closer than 6 feet from one another. Individuals sleeping next to one another or in bunk beds should be arranged to sleep head-to-toe.

Transportation Update

• Carpooling is permitted. While traveling in a vehicle to an outing or activity, face covering use is suggested, but not required. It is also recommended that windows are at least partially open to increase airflow and air exchange and air intake is in non-circulating mode.

Review the complete Mayflower Council COVID-19 Program Reopening Guidelines here. If you have specific questions, please direct your questions to covid19@mayflowerbsa.org

Thank you for doing your part to help keep our Scouts, leaders, and families healthy and safe.

The Mayflower Council remains committed to and focused on providing a safe environment for our employees, Scouts, Scouters, and volunteers. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have repeatedly taken practical steps and implemented robust measures to ensure the welfare of all which has enabled us to safely run programs over the last two years.

Due to the increase in prevalence of COVID-19 in our communities, Mayflower Council is restating the following guidelines, already in effect as of September 23, 2021.

General Guidance

• Vaccines are strongly recommended for all who are eligible.
• It is the policy of the council that face coverings will be worn by everyone in attendance during meetings or other indoor events. This applies to every person, youth and adult, vaccinated and unvaccinated.
• Face coverings should not be worn in or near water, while actively eating or drinking, or while sleeping. Proper social distancing should be maintained in those circumstances.
• Each member should “Be Prepared” and have an ample amount of clean and dry face masks available to wear.
• Units and members must follow any additional guidelines imposed by local municipalities or health departments, building operators, or chartered organizations.
• The Mayflower Council “Model Pre-Event Medical Screening Checklist” has been updated, effective January 5, 2022. Everyone should use this checklist prior to beginning each meeting or activity.
• Unit leaders must report, within 12 hours, confirmed or strongly suspected cases of any communicable disease infections, including COVID-19, occurring during or within 48 hours after a unit meeting or activity, to incidentreport@mayflowerbsa.org using the incident report forms. Unit leaders are also required to promptly notify adult leaders and parents of all Scouts who participated in the activity, as well as the unit’s chartered organization representative. Additional guidance on reporting is available here.

Unit Camping Guidance

• Cabins continue to be available for program use by units.
• Mayflower Council strongly advises against group (congregate) sleeping inside cabins or other indoor locations. We recommend that unit overnight camping be limited to tent and lean-to sites.
• Face coverings will be worn by everyone when indoors. This applies to every person, youth and adult, vaccinated and unvaccinated.
• While it is recommended to sleep one person per tent, it is acceptable to camp with a maximum of two people per tent. Parental permission should be obtained by the unit leader for any youth members sharing a tent.
• When sharing a tent or lean-to, individuals should sleep no closer than 6 feet from one another. Individuals sleeping next to one another or in bunk beds should be arranged to sleep head-to-toe.

Transportation
While traveling in a vehicle to an outing or activity, face covering use is required. It is also recommended that windows are at least partially open to increase airflow and air exchange and air intake is in non-circulating mode.

Council Service Center
Face coverings are required for all visitors, including those who are vaccinated, in shared public areas: meeting rooms, hallways, etc.

As always, if you or someone in your family is experiencing symptoms of illness, refrain from attending any Scouting meetings or activities. Please continue to wash your hands and practice good hygiene at all times.

A Scout is Helpful. Let’s work together to make sure that Scouting does its part to avoid contributing to an overloaded health care system.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary. In the meantime, all events on the calendar will continue as planned with the above guidance in addition to our guidelines and protocols. Any information about cancelations or postponements of events will be sent to those signed up as soon as it is available.

The above are simply highlights of our COVID-19 guidelines; review the complete Mayflower Council COVID-19 Program Reopening Guidelines here.

The safety of our Scouts, volunteers, employees, and communities continues to be our top priority. We must continue our vigilance to assure that youth and their families are safe while they enjoy the many benefits of Scouting. Due to the increase in infection rates seen from COVID-19; the development of variants; the percentage of individuals who are not vaccinated; and the current vaccine not being able to be used in children under 12 yrs. of age, the Mayflower Council is recommending the following updated guidelines which are subject to change based upon local health department, state, CDC, and council risk management committee recommendations. Units are permitted to establish stricter standards for their unit meetings and activities if they so desire. We want everyone to feel safe and comfortable.

General Guidance

• Vaccines are strongly recommended for all who are eligible.
• Effective Friday, September 24: Each Scout and adult, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a face covering at indoor meetings, events and activities. Face coverings are not required at outdoor Scouting meetings, events or activities.
• Participants should not attend any activity/meeting/event if they or anyone they live with has been tested for COVID-19 or another illness and does not have the results back yet.
• All participants should follow posted capacity limits of indoor spaces. Avoid crowded or poorly ventilated indoor activities.
  Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Some local and community orders may supersede these guidelines.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Delta variant causes more infections and spreads faster than early forms of COVID-19. We must remain attentive to mitigation measures.

Unit Meetings & Activities
Unit leadership should follow local health guidelines and continue to practice social distancing in all Scouting activities. Face coverings are no longer required in outdoor settings where social distancing is incorporated. For indoor meetings and activities, face coverings are required for all youth and adults in attendance. On campouts, we recommend that if Scouts sleep more than one per tent, they sleep head to toe. Separate tenting arrangements must be provided for male and female adults as well as for male and female youth. In Cub Scouting, parents and guardians may share a tent with their family. In all other programs, youth and adults tent separately.

Face Masks at Mayflower Council Camps
While outdoors at camp, face coverings are not required. Face coverings are required to be worn indoors including inside the dining hall and all other camp buildings.

Health Assessments & Cleaning
Council activities will continue to require the pre-event screening sheet. Upon arriving at an event, this sheet will be reviewed by a member of the event staff. Event staff will clean restrooms and high traffic areas often. Program equipment will be wiped down between groups and hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout camp. We recommend all participants bring and use their own hand sanitizer and practice good hand washing hygiene.

Facility Rentals
Units and groups may continue to use council facilities by making a reservation through our online booking system. Face coverings are required to be worn indoors including inside the rental cabins except when actively eating or drinking or sleeping.

Transportation
While traveling in a vehicle to an outing or activity, face covering use is required. It is also recommended that windows are at least partially open to increase airflow and air exchange and air intake is in non-circulating mode.

Council Service Center
Face coverings are required for all visitors, including those who are vaccinated, in shared public areas: meeting rooms, hallways, etc.

The above are simply highlights of our COVID-19 guidelines; review the complete Mayflower Council COVID-19 Program Reopening Guidelines here.

On June 15, the Mayflower Council is revised its COVID-19 guidelines.

Review the most up to date Program Guidelines here. For the latest complete COVID-19 council guidance refer to www.mayflowerbsa.org/covid-19.

Finally, as Scouts, it is important that we demonstrate the principles of the Scout Law now more than ever before. As restrictions continue to lift, individuals within your Scout unit may have varying levels of comfort or anxiety. It is our responsibility to be kind while being helpful and friendly and demonstrate empathy and respect to everyone, even if they have beliefs different from ours. As we move forward let’s be cheerful and brave while showing obedience to the rules, regulations and guidance of the Commonwealth, Council, chartered organizations and cities/towns. 

On Monday, May 17, the Baker-Polito Administration announced that all remaining COVID-19 restrictions in the Commonwealth will be lifted effective May 29. The Mayflower Council is revising our COVID-19 guidelines based on this announcement.

Highlights of the changes are as follows:

• In line with updated CDC and Commonwealth face covering guidance, the Mayflower Council will rescind the current face covering requirement for outdoor Scouting meetings, events & activities effective May 29. Face coverings will remain required indoors for all Scouting meetings, events & activities.
• The gathering limits will be rescinded.
• Lean-tos and activity pavilions at Nobscot Scout Reservation will be available for rental effective May 29. Booking for lean-tos and pavilions will open May 24.
• Cabins at Camp Resolute, Camp Squanto and Nobscot Scout Reservation will be available for rental effective September 6. Booking for cabins will open June 1.
• Changes to summer camp operations will be announced on Monday, May 24 at our Summer Camp Update. Sign-up to attend.
• Before resuming any meetings or activities or removing face coverings, check with your charter organization to ensure they approve.

Review the most up to date Program Guidelines here. For the latest complete COVID-19 council guidance refer to www.mayflowerbsa.org/covid-19.

Finally, as Scouts, it is important that we demonstrate the principles of the Scout Law now more than ever before. As restrictions begin to lift, individuals within your Scout unit may have varying levels of comfort or anxiety. It is our responsibility to be kind while being helpful and friendly and demonstrate empathy and respect to everyone, even if they have beliefs different from ours. As we move forward let’s be cheerful and brave while showing obedience to the rules, regulations and guidance of the Commonwealth, Council, chartered organizations and cities/towns. 

Effective today, April 5, the Mayflower Council is amending our recommendation for carpooling to and from Scouting events to be as follows:

The Mayflower Council still believes that transportation to and from activities should be made within family units and carpooling should be discouraged.

Should a unit decide to permit carpooling to and from Scouting activities, the following best practices are recommended, based on guidelines from the CDC and Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

• Youth protection guidelines must always be followed.
• Any youth who will be traveling in a vehicle with multiple individuals must have their parent’s/guardian’s written permission. Any adult who will be traveling in a vehicle with multiple individuals – including the driver – must give their consent.
• Each passenger in the vehicle must wear a mask covering their nose and mouth at all times while inside the vehicle. Cover coughs and sneezes. When outside of the vehicle, individuals should maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from one another.
• To increase air circulation, it is best to open windows or set the air ventilation/air conditioning on non-recirculation mode.
• Occupants should refrain from eating or drinking while in the vehicle to ensure mask use at all times. Plan to eat and drink outside of the vehicle when you are not near other people.
• Occupants should stay in the same group/vehicle for all portions of the trip, including return trip.
• For trips longer than 1 hour, every effort should be made to leave open seats between second (and third) row passengers.
• Use proper hand hygiene. Hands should be washed before and after the trip. Hand sanitizer should be used where proper hand washing is not possible.
• High touch areas inside and outside of the vehicle (door handles, seat belts, etc.) should be disinfected before and after each trip.
• Unit leaders should maintain a list of passengers in each vehicle for at least 30 days after a trip, to facilitate contact tracing.

All previously announced COVID-19 restrictions continue to be in effect. For the most up to date council guidance refer to www.mayflowerbsa.org/covid-19.

Monday, March 18, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced an Appendix to COVID-19 Order #63 amending gathering limits. Therefore, effective immediately, the Mayflower Council will be updating our Scouting group size limits to the following:

• Gatherings at Private Residences:
  • Indoor gatherings at private residences and in other places not falling within the definition of an event venue or public setting are limited to a maximum of 10 people.
  • Outdoor gatherings at private residences and in other places not falling within the definition of an event venue or public setting are limited to a maximum of 25 people.
• Gatherings at Event Venues and in Public Settings:
  • Indoor gatherings at event venues or in public settings are limited to a maximum of 100 people.
  • Outdoor gatherings at event venues or in public settings are limited to a maximum of 150 persons in a single venue or space.

In addition to the capacity restrictions specified above, all participants in indoor and outdoor gatherings, including gatherings at private residences, must maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance from every other participant in the gathering, except where participants are members of the same household.

On Friday, March 26, we are updating our council camping restrictions to remove the 12 person maximum per campsite and increasing the maximum number of campers allowed in our camps. Cabins will remain closed at this time.

All previously announced COVID-19 restrictions continue to be in effect. For the most up to date council guidance refer to www.mayflowerbsa.org/covid-19.

Yesterday, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced that the stay at home order would expire on Monday, January 25 at 5am. Therefore, effective Monday, January 25, 2021, the Mayflower Council will be reopening our three camps to overnight outdoor camping. Camp Resolute and Nobscot Scout Reservation will be open for weekday and weekend overnight camping and Camp Squanto will be open for weekend overnight camping. Our camps will also continue to be available for day use and cabins will remain unavailable for the foreseeable future.

The number of units that we can accommodate at our camps for overnight camping will be reduced in order to  comply with the 25% capacity restrictions imposed by the Commonwealth thru at least February 8, 2021. Occupancy of each campsite remains limited to a maximum of 12 occupants per campsite.

The following size limits for gatherings remain in effect: indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 people.

All previously announced COVID-19 restrictions continue to be in effect. For the most up to date council guidance refer to www.mayflowerbsa.org/covid-19.

Dear Scouting Family,

Yesterday, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced COVID-19 Executive Order #54 which states that, effective Friday, November 6th, there will be a stay at home advisory for the hours between 10pm and 5am. Governor Baker also implemented additional limitations on gatherings in outdoor venues.

Therefore, effective Friday, November 6, 2020, the Mayflower Council will be closing our three camps to overnight camping until further notice. Our camp will remain available for day use and cabins will remain unavailable for the foreseeable future. Units with current overnight reservations will be contacted to determine if your unit would prefer to transition their reservation to “day only,” or simply cancel.

The order also reduced the size limit for gatherings at private residences: indoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 25 people. The limit on gatherings held in public spaces and at event venues remains the same. It also requires that all gatherings (regardless of size or location) must end and disperse by 9:30 PM.

All previously announced COVID-19 restrictions continue to be in effect. For the most up to date council guidance refer to www.mayflowerbsa.org/covid-19.

The new COVID-19 restrictions continue to make delivery of a quality outdoor Scouting program difficult. These restrictions have us facing a complicated environment for Scouting. We are challenged with recruitment, training, cancelled events, finding appropriate places to meet and parents who are concerned about their children being around others. Additionally, school is not normal, home is not normal and we are restricted from friends and activities as we navigate this uncertain landscape. We can, however, still give youth an amazing program.

To help keep Scouting going our council has created the virtual Yeti Cubs program that sends a weekly email to every Cub Scout family to help keep their child on track with Cub Scout advancement, monthly virtual pack meetings, virtual merit badge classes, and quarterly virtual campfires. Our training team has also offered a wildly popular best practices for conducting virtual meetings; and will be offering an updated version soon. We continue to develop COVID-19 friendly methods to bring Scouting to our membership.

In all that is currently going on in the world, it would be easy to throw up our hands and declare it just too tough. However, our youth need leadership. Our youth need you. Keep calm and continue Scouting! Thanks for all you do, no matter how tough.

Yours in Scouting,

Mike Rotar, Council President
Josh Paulin, Council Commissioner
Bryan Feather, Scout Executive / CEO

Message from our camp directors