California Inland Empire Council                      Monday Memo

Welcome to our October 24th, 2011 Monday Memo

Joshua Tree Adventure

Written by Annie Duckett age 15, after her first backpacking experience

On the morning of Saturday October 15th , three Venture 604 Crew members & Scout Troop 304 arrived at Cottonwood, Joshua Tree Park.

It took approximately two hours of driving to get to Cottonwood Trail, which had been washed out earlier that year. A new trail was chosen and the group continued on to Black Rock approximately an hour away from Cottonwood. When they arrived at Black Rock they ate lunch and set out for their destination to set up camp. The trail was all uphill sand and extremely hot. It wasn’t a hike that they planned for but they kept going. The heat was exhausting and they had to make several stops but they made it to the top.

They began to set up camp and make dinner. Making dinner was difficult because the wind picked up but in the end all was accomplished. As the sun set the air cooled significantly and the stars began to come out. The night sky was clear and crisp. The campers enjoyed hanging out and exploring the area.

The next morning the crew members woke early and prepared breakfast. They then packed up the tents and cleaned up camp. They stopped to take another picture and then set out to climb back down the trail. The climb down was steep and hard to maneuver but easier then the hike up.

They reached the end of the trail around 11:30 a.m. Everyone was tired and dirty and glad to be back from a successful hike and another rewarding crew experience.

2012 Eagle Scout Scholarship Applications Now Available

The applications for the 2012 NESA Eagle Scout scholarships are now available at www.nesa.org. The homepage features a link that leads directly to the forms. Please help us spread the word to Eagle Scouts in your council.

These are the only scholarship applications acceptable in 2012. NESA recommends that you establish a link to the applications on your website to ensure that you always distribute the correct version. These applications must be printed and mailed to the national office when completed.

All scholarship applications must be postmarked no later than midnight on January 31, 2012.

National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award

The National Eagle Scout Association has established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award to recognize valuable service of an exceptional nature by a Scout to a religious institution, a school, community, or other entity. The award recognizes the Scout for his Eagle Scout service project, which is part of the requirements for earning the Eagle Scout Award. Our council will choose a council-level winner, and from that pool, each region will pick a region-level winner. A national winner then will be selected from the four regional finalists. Click here for the nomination form. Nominations are to be submitted to the council office by January 21, 2012 

SCOUTStrong is Off To a Rousing Start

I just wrapped up a wonderful visit with the Northern Lights Council in Fargo, North Dakota, where I had the pleasure of recognizing a group of Boy Scouts and adult leaders - 25 in all - from Bismarck Troop 123 with the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award. A nice advance feature story about this award presented at the Bismarck Rotary Club - where I was serving as keynote speaker - appeared in the Fargo newspaper.

They are among the first Scouts across the country to receive this honor as part of our SCOUTStrong health initiative, and I couldn’t have been prouder to have a hand in honoring these fine young men and their leaders. Their achievements are setting the pace for other units across the country to help develop healthier lifestyles for America’s youth.

People are starting to pay attention to how Scouting is growing in our role as an advocate for young people, and SCOUTStrong helps us tell that story. This outstanding “Healthy Kids” column that appeared this week in the Dallas Morning News is a powerful example of what I’m talking about, and features Cub Scouts from Pack 261 in Plano, Texas.. What a headline from the newspaper version!

Boy Scouts’ new ScoutStrong badge inspires kids and adults to get healthy

Enjoy this story! I certainly did, and hope you can share how your Scouts and units are getting traction and challenging each other to bring SCOUTStrong to life for young people across the nation.

Bob Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive

New Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook Now Available

The new workbook supports the revised wording in Eagle Scout requirement 5, which calls for a project proposal to be approved by the council or district, rather than “the project plan.”

Scouts have a choice to use either the new workbook or the one it is replacing. If they have already had their Eagle Scout service project approved by the council or district under the current wording of requirement 5, using the current workbook, they should continue with the same workbook. If their project has not yet been approved by the council or district, they may elect to use the new wording and the new workbook.

For Scouts who choose to use the new workbook, those approving Eagle Scout service projects must evaluate projects accordingly, using the procedures outlined in the Guide to Advancement, and judging candidates’ project proposals.

Those responsible for council or district project approval do not have the authority to require use of the previous workbook edition if Scouts have elected to use the new requirement and the new workbook.

The new workbook can be downloaded from the council's webpage under the Advancement/Eagle Scout Resources tab.

Kernal's Journal

Friday Fill'er Up Drawings
Congratulations to Matthew M of Temescal Troop 214 for winning the Friday Fill'er Up Drawing for a 2GB iPod Shuffle. And the Grand Prize winner of the Fill'er Up Drawing is Jakob S of Tahquitz Troop 2011!

Atomic Monster Drawing
Congratulations to all the winners of the Atomic Monster Drawing. CLICK HERE for the complete list of winners! Prizes can be picked up at the Jack Dembo Scout Center in Redlands or at your district's November Roundtable.

Sell Online in October
Scouts can still earn great bonus rewards by selling online. Sell $500 or more online in the month of October and earn a BONUS $20 gift card from Trail's End. Scouts, click here to sign into your account, send emails, and track your online sales. Happy Selling!

Silver Beaver Award Nominations Due November 30th, 2011

News & Tidbits

• Total Lunar Eclipse December 9-10, 2011 See the FULL Moon Disappear!! Sleep out under the stars and Red Moon!! Click Here for Flyer
• Lake Elsinore Storm, others locally to receive Boy Scouts of America’s ‘Distinguished Citizen of the Year’ Award, Read More Click Here

Memorial and Tribute Gifts

Your gift to the Memorial and Tribute Fund is a way for you to recognize a special occasion and/or person. It can be a job promotion, presentation of the Eagle Scout Award or the Adult Volunteer Leader Scouting Awards, a birthday or anniversary, a Bar Mitzvah or Confirmation, or to honor the memory of a friend or family member.

Upon receipt of your gift, you will receive an acknowledgement card for tax purposes. The person or family receives a card in your name from the California Inland Empire Council, BSA with no amount mentioned. In addition the memorial or tribute will appear as part of the Monday Memo on the council’s website.

To make a contribution to the California Inland Empire Council Memorial and Tribute Fund, fill out the gift form, and mail the form to California Inland Empire Council, BSA, PO BOX 8910, Redlands, CA 92375-2110. If you have any questions you may contact Joe Daniszewski, Scout Executive at 909-793-2463 ext. 120 or e-mail: joseph.daniszewski@scouting.org. Click Here for Tribute Form

3rd Quarter 2011 P.R.A.Y. Report, Youth Awards

Friends of Scouting Weekly Report

Postive Quote
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"Achievement consists of doing useful things that most people say cannot be done."

   ~ Waite Phillips 

Have a great Scouting week!
Yours in the Spirit of Scouting,

Joe Daniszewski Scout Executive/CEO California Inland Empire Council, BSA 1230 Indiana Court Redlands, CA 92374 909.793.2463, Ext. 120 877.732.1450 909.793.0306 Fax