Welcome to our April 16th, 2012 Monday Memo

Black Canyon Trek on the Colorado River

On March 31 to April 4, Venturing Crew 377 and the Aca Chapter of Cahuilla Lodge hosted the Black Canyon Trek. Five youth and three adults paddled canoes and kayaks 30+ miles down the Colorado River from Willow Beach, AZ to Cottonwood Cove, NV. The scenery we witnessed and the adventure we had was amazing.

We left Indio, CA at 4AM and arrived at Willow Beach at 11AM. We quickly packed gear into the boats so we could get on the river before the afternoon winds kicked up. We travelled 4 ½ miles and battled head winds with 2ft swells to reach Burrow Wash for the first night. While there we took the opportunity to take in the rugged beauty that is Black Canyon.

On the 2nd day we paddled 10 miles to reach our second destination just south of Eldorado Canyon. We took advantage of the fairly warm water to enjoy a swim in the cove that we were camping in. The next morning we awoke to a 30 mph headwind and decided to wait at the cove for the winds to calm down.

Late that same morning 3 weary hikers entered our camp looking for assistance. They were with a Scout Troop that was canoeing the same area we were, but part of their group had gotten separated in the heavy wind. We gave them extra water and sent our chase boat (power boat that was following us in case of an emergency) out to look for the missing group. We found them a short distance away taking shelter in another cove. Our chase boat was able to safely bring the separated parties together.

We were finally able to get out on the river late in the afternoon. While under way one canoe unfolded a sail to take advantage of the wind. Another canoe with a couple enterprising scouts jury-rigged a sail using a trash bag and a couple of paddles. The makeshift sail worked surprising well. Early in the evening we decided to tie all the boats together to make a floating barge powered by the 2 sails. We finally made it to Owls Point at the top of Lake Mohave late in the evening.

The next day we paddled an easy 7 miles to a cove only 2 miles north of Cottonwood Cove. That evening the water was so calm that it was like glass. A couple members of the trek took advantage of the calm water and early Wednesday morning paddled out in the kayaks to watch the sunrise over the lake.

The water was calm that morning, but belied the tempest to come. This last couple of miles of our trek we nicknamed the crucible.

By 9AM there was a headwind blowing at over 40 mph and the water was prolific with whitecaps. We tried to break out of the cove during a slight lull in the wind, but the lull was short lived. After only 1/8 of a mile we were forced to take shelter in a small cove by the intense gusts of wind and rough water.

We stayed in that small cove well into the late afternoon. While there we got to see an absolutely beautiful Mohave green rattlesnake that was sunning itself in a remote corner of the cove.

By early evening the winds had slowed enough for us to break out and make a run for Cottonwood Cove. The winds were still blowing at over 20mph causing extremely choppy waters with 3 – 4 foot swells. By this time our group had learned how to cope with these conditions. We formed a tight group paddling and went all out for our final destination.

We safely reached Cottonwood Cove around 7PM to the applause, honking horns, and relief of our transport crew. The adrenaline of the physical challenge that we had endured combined with the euphoria that we had completed our journey brought us together in ways that can’t be described.

The smiles were universal while the several high fives, hugs, and cheers were numerous.  We lingered for a short while realizing that these were the final moments that we were still a team. These moments proved to be the most difficult of our trek.

During each of our Scouting careers there will that one trip or activity that brings everyone together in a true spirit of unity or adventure. For James Wadlund, Chase Hadden, Ronnie Hall, Austin Hanousak, Cameron Stiede, James Hermes, Steve Hanousak, and Paula Boothe, the Black Canyon Trek was that one.

Special thanks to: Marcel Vargas and Patsy Chabot for their help organizing the trip; Laurie Optebeke and Richard Boothe for following us in the chase boat; Debbie and Craig Hadden, Vickey and Frank Hermes for serving as our transport crew.

A very HUGE thank you goes to Paula Boothe for her equipment, advise, guidance, and all around expertise. Without her help we would have had to settle with sailing little paper boats in a bathtub.

National Youth Leadership Training

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.  We as scout leaders have a responsibility to help each of our scouts in their journey to reach this mission.  One of the opportunities we have to help our scouts is to encourage them to attend the National Youth Leadership Training.  This training will teach them leadership skills that will help them not only in their scouting career but in their schooling, home and future careers.  The following is from one our NYLT participants from 2011.

I am confident that many of you are familiar with the NYLT program.  NYLT stands for National Youth Leadership Training. NYLT consists of exciting yet structured activities that teach scouts leadership skills including knowing how to communicate and motivate our fellow scouts, learn the EDGE method, being a servant leader, and gaining the confidence to conduct a youth run program thus learning life skills. NYLT has encouraged me to be a positive active member of my unit and community and helped build my confidence to be an officer of the CIEC VOA, an officer at my home crew and in my personal life. - Hannah R.

As you can see NYLT can have a positive impact on the lives of our scouts so please encourage your youth to attend NYLT.  We have two courses this year.  Week one is June 11-16 and Week Two is June 18-23.  Please get your scouts registered as soon as possible.

Brad Jenson, 2012 NYLT Course Director, week 2 bradjenson40@msn.com or Click Here to register online.
 

New Study Shows 46 Ways Eagle Scouts are Different

Eagle Scouts are a different breed. You know it; I know it. And today, we’ve got independent, scientific proof to back up our claim. At last, the results are in from the 2010 Baylor University study, Eagle Scouts: Merit Beyond the Badge, conducted by the university’s Program for Pro-Social Behavior under a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The researchers found statistically significant differences between Eagle Scouts, former Scouts who didn’t make Eagle, and men who were never in Scouting. The differences were grouped into seven areas: Health and Recreation, Connection, Service and Leadership, Environmental Stewardship, Goal Orientation, Planning and Preparedness, and Character. The timing’s perfect with the 100th anniversary of the Eagle Scout Award this year. But what were the findings? How did Eagle Scouts rate? Read on for my complete analysis. Read More Click Here

Do's & Don'ts of Unit Fund-Raising

The most important aspects of unit fund-raising are for each boy to feel a responsibility to assist in raising the oney and also for him to be successful in doing so. To that end, the National Council has created a number of policies that specifically state what units should consider when organizing their fund-raising plans.

Acceptable Fund-Raising Policies

1. Unit can participate in fund-raising service projects such as car washes, bake sales, recycled product collection, pancake breakfasts, and selling tickets to a council show.
2. Unit may sell commercial products as long as the price of the product reflects its fair market value. Those commercial products must not be sold by Scouts wearing BSA uniforms.
3. Units (Scouts) can sell products in BSA uniform as long as the sales efforts are designated as "council-wide product sales." The council's annual popcorn sale would be a good example.
4. Units may conduct money-earning projects (including obtaining equipment) only when the projects have been approved by the chartering organization and the council.
5. A unit money-earning application must be completed by the unit committee and submitted to the local council 21 days prior to the fund-raiser.

Unacceptable Fund-Raising Policies

1. Any fund-raising project that involves games of chance, lotteries, raffles, bingo or any other form of gambling is not permitted.
2. Any fund-raising projects that are in the nature of pyramid sales or multi-level marketing are not permitted.
3. Solicitation of funds from local business or door-to-door solicitation is not permitted. Units cannot ask for money in the name of the Boy Scouts.
4. Units may not directly or indirectly endorse any commercial product.

Please refer to the Unit Money Earning Permit Application for more information about acceptable and unacceptable fund-raising policies.

Bob’s Blog: Our Wonderful Eagle Scout Heritage, Thoughts From Little Sioux

When we think about this year’s 100th Anniversary of the Eagle Scout Award, we have many things to be grateful for and celebrate. Eagle Scouts have left a huge footprint in serving both their communities and our nation as a whole in the past century, and we now have valuable third-party validation to support those accomplishments.

We can all be very proud of these findings from a study just released by Baylor University, titled Merit Beyond the Badge. I urge all of you to take time to review this research.

Baylor’s Program on Prosocial Behavior received a grant from the John Templeton Foundation for this research, which measured the lifelong effects of being in the Scouting program, and, more specifically, of attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.

What really brings this report to life are the stories that we all know and share about the service our Eagle Scouts have provided across our nation for the past 100 years. One of those is about 15-year-old Eagle Scout Spencer Zimmerman, who pulled, pushed, and carried a friend with cerebral palsy to help him “feel the wind in his face” and complete a triathlon.  His inspiring accomplishments have earned Spencer the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation’s American Spirit Award.

We all know that our Eagle Scouts are exceptional people, but having their story told through valuable research like this Baylor report makes our mission even more significant in the eyes of the American people. Their example and leadership goes well beyond the boundaries of our camps and meeting rooms to show how Scouting truly is the fabric of our nation.

Thoughts from Little Sioux

Recently, I traveled to Omaha to visit with the Mid-America Council. When I entered Omaha’s Marriott hotel to check in, I was overwhelmed with an incredible visceral experience. This was the same hotel where I had stayed to meet with the survivors of the 2008 Little Sioux tornado.

I was flooded with memories of all that occurred during that time. I didn’t realize that I was booked in the same hotel for this trip, so I was caught completely off guard. You can’t imagine the feelings I had when I walked in. As I passed through the Marriott lobby, I also saw the Purdue basketball team that was in town for the first round of the NCAA big dance. I couldn’t help but be struck by the juxtaposition of tragedy and hope.

During my council visits, I shared this experience with the staff and volunteers. I reminded them of how well they performed during those difficult days. I reminded them of how they were able to turn a tragic event into a positive story in front of the nation and the world. I reminded them about what “Be Prepared” meant for our Scouts and so many others that tragic day.

This was completely unintentional. So much water has been over the dam since that difficult time. This experience helped me realize how much I was personally impacted by the events at Little Sioux.

While I was in Omaha, the council also arranged for me to meet with Arnell Petrzilka, the mom of one of the Scouts who died at Little Sioux. We had the opportunity to sit down and reminisce about what a great job our Scouts did on that difficult day.

It’s hard to comprehend that nearly four years have already passed since the Little Sioux tornado. I hope that when that June day approaches, we’ll all take a moment and remember how that event impacted all of our lives.

Bob Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive
 

Big Plans for Climbing at the 2013 Jamboree

The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve had an interesting dilemma when it came to preparing for all the climbing to be done at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree: how to ensure a world-class climbing experience for all 40,000-plus Scouts and Venturers, while maximizing its resources. Though the New River Gorge has some of the best climbing in the eastern U.S., not much of that high-quality sandstone is found exposed on the property. Enter the talented individuals at Eldorado Climbing Walls, who are kind of like the Michelangelos of the climbing wall world—capable of mimicking any rock found in nature—and experts at bringing the spirit and passion of rock climbing to any facility. With more than 15 years of experience, they’ve created some of the highest quality walls in the country for major universities, rock climbing gyms, YMCAs, athletic clubs, resorts, schools, retail stores, and military and recreation facilities of all types. “If you’re going to build a wall, you don’t do it without consulting these guys,” said Tom Wagner, the action sports development director for Trinity Works, the Summit’s developer, referring to Eldorado Climbing Walls.

“They know how to take a climbing wall and manufacture it so it has the look, touch, and feel of the real deal.”

The hand-sculpted climbing walls at the Summit will replicate the rock climbing found locally in the New River Gorge, but with the variety, skill levels and number of routes needed to accommodate all 40,000 participants at the jamboree.

What all that means is that with the help of Eldorado Walls, the Summit will be able to provide an exceptional climbing experience for the highest number of Scouts and Venturers (with little-to-no waiting in lines). It’s going to be unlike any climbing experience the kids have had, and it’s going to be a whole lot of fun!

Check out more on the Summit’s climbing walls and other program activity updates on summitblog.org. And if you haven’t registered for the 2013 National Jamboree, don’t wait! Go to bsajamboree.org today. Visit www.bsa-ciec.org/jamboree to learn more about our council's plan!

Top 5 Reasons to Attend Camp Emerson

Five Great Reasons to Attend Camp Emerson this Summer
1. The E-Team - A fun and exciting program for older Scouts
2. Modern restroom facilities.
3. Great food and lots of it!
4. More than 40 merit badges to choose from!
5. $5.00 gas!

Camp is filling up fast…secure your spot today by calling Gail in Volunteer Services at (909) 793-2463 ext 129. Visit www.CampEmerson.org for more information!
 

Spring Fling 2012

Scout Shop Sale Until April 19, 2012

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

News & Tidbits

• Jamboree Deadline Extended to August 1st 2012, unless spots are filled sooner. Just 19 Boy Scout Troop Positions Still Available and Just 3 Venture Crew Positions Still Available. Click Here for more information. APPLY TODAY JUST 22 SPOTS LEFT!  THE NEXT JAMBOREE IS IN 2017!
• The Buzz - Biweekly Video! Keith Walton from the Membership Recruitment Team shares three creative ideas to attract and recruit new Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers, including hosting an Olympics Day event this summer. Click Here, Additional activity ideas and planning guides are now available on Scouting.org.

• Scout Shabbat 2012, All Coachella Valley Area Scouts Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturers, Cub Scouts, Cadettes, Weblos, Brownies, Tiger Cubs, & Daisies are invited to the Scout Shabbat. April 27, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. Click Here for more information

Camp Emerson Availability

Friends Of Scouting Report

Positive Quote
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"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

   ~ #42 Jackie Robinson

Please keep Virginia Cottone, one of our support staff Scouters, in your thoughts and prayers.
Here's to you Virginia as you continue on your path of wellness!
 

Joe Daniszewski Scout Executive/CEO California Inland Empire Council, BSA PO Box 8910 1230 Indiana Court Redlands, CA 92374 909.793.2463, Ext. 120 877.732.1450 909.793.0306 Fax

Monday Memo is from Scout Executive Joe Daniszewski and contains his reflection on what is happening within the Council. The purpose of Monday Memo is to communicate information about the week ahead, to acknowledge the good things happening around the Council and to address specific issues that the Scout Executive wants to bring to your attention. Joe welcomes any comments, suggestions or recommendations on how to make this memo as helpful as possible. If you have something you want publicized in the Monday Memo, please send it to his attention c/o Monday Memo: Joseph.Daniszewski@scouting.org for Monday Memo Archives Click Here