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  Sign Up for Monday Memo

BSA Membership Standards

United Methodist Men’s leader affirms BSA listening process

A United Methodist Men leader welcomed news that Boy Scouts of America will delay making a decision on whether to have gay members and leaders until after “a more deliberate review.”

“This is what we were hoping for, an opportunity to have further dialogue and meaningful discussions,” said Larry Coppock, United Methodist Men’s national director of Scouting ministries. “This is the correct decision, and we applaud BSA’s leadership for taking this step in dealing with such a complex and passionate issue.”

The Commission on United Methodist Men is responsible for promoting the use of Scouting ministries and civic youth-serving agencies across the denomination.

The Boy Scouts of America’s national board, meeting at the group’s headquarters in Irving, Texas, decided Feb. 6 to “further engage representatives of Scouting’s membership and listen to their perspectives and concerns.” Read More.....
 

National Jewish Committee

You have asked us to provide you with the official position of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting relating to the pending resolution on membership standards that is coming to the national meeting this month.

The committee has officially endorsed the proposal to allow each unit to reach its own decision on membership standards as previously proposed for the February meeting of the National Executive Committee. The overwhelming majority of the members of the committee support the proposition that the BSA should be inclusive in its membership standards and would therefore support the pending resolution which provides for increased inclusion.

Bruce Chudacoff, Incoming Chair of the National Committee on Jewish Scouting

  

Pack 332 Cake Bake

On Saturday May 4th 2013, Wildomar Cub Scout Pack 332, enjoyed a beautiful day with family and friends at the annual Pack 332 Cake Bake. The Scouts and siblings baked and decorated some fabulous cakes! They also played games, participated in a cake walk, and enjoyed a BBQ!

Heidi Salerno, Wildomar Cub Scout Pack 332

Mt. Rubidoux District Pinewood Derby

The race was sponsored by Pack 703 at the Grove Community Church on Saturday, April 27th, and was lead by Michael Wyant and Kevin Heinemann of Pack 703.  Here are the boys that won (they were competing by Den and then we had overall winners too):

Old Baldy District Camporee

by Christy Eimen - Camporee Co-Chair

Donnie Eimen was the Chairman again for the 2013 Old Baldy District Camporee, "The Merits of Scouting" and he had a record number (360) of attendees this year! The OBD's very successful Camporee took place at Cucamonga~Guasti Regional Park in Ontario on April 19th-21st weekend, where 14 Troops and about 360 Scouts and Scouters enjoyed the 15 different events based on Merit Badges that were hosted by the Troops Adult Leaders. Each event had First, Second, Third Place ribbons, as well as "Honorable Mention". The Patrol with the most First Place wins (Honor Patrol) and points went to the famous "Trail Mix" Patrol of Troop 652, Rancho Cucamonga. In addition to the games that were played, there was a "Best Gateway" competition that Troop 614 of Upland took the ribbon for and the "Best Campsite" went to Troop 652 of Rancho Cucamonga. New this year was a "Spirit Award" which the “Trail Mix Patrol” of Troop 652, Rancho Cucamonga earned with the most spirit points! All 30 Patrols were awarded a "Participation Ribbon" as well. There was also a "Gary Woods Chili Excellence Award" for the Adult Leaders. The winner of that contest was Hatten Caine of Troop 699 and the second runner up was Mr. Phen of Troop 634.

The campfire was awesome, there were a few skits, a wonderful slide show and over 90 ribbons handed out! In addition, the Navajo Chapter had their Call-Out Ceremony where they had 37 Scouts and 5 Scouters called out for the Order of the Arrow. The first Ordeal is next weekend, May 10th & 11th up at Camp Emerson in Idyllwild. Overall, the OBD Camporee was a HUGE success and the Scouts and Scouters had a spectacular time!

Mt. Rubidoux District Holds Scout-O-Rama

On Saturday May 4th, Mt. Rubidoux District held its annual Scout-O-Rama in conjunction with Riverside’s downtown Show & Go car show. Cubs, Scouts, and Venturers participated all day, showing off their scouting skills to the general public, and volunteering with the car show activites. There were pinewood derby demonstrations, pioneering towers, and whitewater rafting simulations. Even Riverside’s city council member participated in the tomahawk throwing demonstration. Fun was had by all.

Your Summer of Scouting is about to begin!

Camp Emerson at Boseker Scout Reservation is an experience you don't want to miss.

From Trail to First Class to E-Team High Adventure there is something for every Boy Scout.

Want to spend more than one week at Summer Camp? Sign up for a second week and save $100.

Be a BROWNSEA SCOUT.... can't attend with your troop, or want to spend another week? You can attend without your Troop by signing up as a Brownsea Scout.

National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is an excellent training opportunity for all youth leaders. Space is filling up quickly so don't wait to signup.

Every Scout deserves the opportunity to go to camp. Camperships are still available and can be applied for until June 1st. Forms can be obtained at www.campemerson.org. Camperships can be used for both Camp Emerson and NYLT.

Check out www.bsa-ciec.org and www.campemerson.org for all the details. Also, stay tuned.... full details for Stampede 2013 will be out next week!

UCR Merit Badge Fair

UC Riverside held two merit badge fairs this year (January and April) focusing on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.). Approximately 150 scouts attended each fair, learning about electronics, computers, engineering, and robotics. Nearly 75 UCR IEEE and honor students helped put on the event in coordination with Mt. Rubidoux District’s Crew 2 who ran the registration. Look for more merit badge fairs at UCR next year!

National Youth Leadership Training NYLT – National Youth Leadership Training – is pure scouting where Youth Leaders teach youth to be leaders, in a fun and safe environment.  Scouts are placed in teams of 6 to learn and put into practice all aspects of Leadership and Team Development. By Building a Campsite together, Cooking together, Cleaning together, Scouts and Venturers internalize the skills necessary to build and develop leaders in their home troop and crews, in their school work groups, sports teams, church groups, and home life.   Your scouts have the choice of attending Week 1 June 10-15 (co-ed Venturing Course), or Week 2 June 17-22. Click Here Course Orientation for participants and parents is this Thursday May 9, from 6:30 to 8 PM at LDS Church, 350 Wabash Ave., Redlands, CA.  For addition information see the registration web page for NYLT Flyer or call Week 1 Course Director Monica Zollinger hm 909-798-9519 cell 909-809-7452; or Week 2 Course Director Bill Peck hm 951-245-7625, cell 951-283-5946.

Best Practices: Developing High-Performing Units

In 2009, the BSA introduced a new methodology that focused on the retention of units. This was greatly needed to address the growing national concern of only one out of every three new units organized surviving into their second year. The research results were staggering, with a 67 percent dropped-unit rate and only a 33 percent retention rate in the life span of a new unit. And, with every dropped unit, there were countless disappointed families and severed community relationships. A national new-unit organization/retention task force was developed to review the root causes of dropped units and to build a workable plan that could be used by all councils, no matter what economic conditions existed in their communities. Thus, the Unit Retention Guide (now called the Unit Performance Guide) was developed with a focus on building and organizing all new units into active and sustainable high-performing units. It condensed the process from 12 steps to four key pillars. Changing the BSA’s long-term history of organizing new units too quickly to a new concept of sustaining high-performing units would require councils to embrace a new methodology of “No Unit Before Its Time.” For this new-unit process to work, it had to be slowed down, be strategically planned, be executed with discipline, involve more volunteers, and, most important, contain a successful retention plan.

As a result, the BSA tested, piloted, and approved the new methodology found in the Unit Performance Guide that utilizes best practices from councils that have been successful in the Journey to Excellence. It will be a continuous improvement process with updates and revisions online as needed. These concepts were also taught to new district executives at the Center for Professional Development as the standard for new-unit retention. Some pilot results include:

• Of the pilot councils, 78 percent find the Unit Performance Guide methodology process effective.
• On average, pilot councils had 18.8 percent fewer dropped units, while nonpilot councils averaged 14.5 percent.
• Pilot councils had a 33.3 percent higher success rate in retention.

High-Performing Council and District Best Practices—Unit Performance Guide

1. The district executive, new-unit commissioner, and new-unit organizer work together to organize new units. Volunteer-driven, professionally guided. Professionals should not have to do it alone anymore.
2. A new-unit commissioner is assigned at the very start of the new-unit organization process. Once the unit is organized, that commissioner serves the unit for three years to help it become a high-performing unit.
3. Organize every new unit with at least 10 youth (two dens or patrols or a crew of 10) and five adults (non-LDS). This also supports the JTE requirement to increase youth market share/retention.
4. Develop the unit Key 3 concept. The unit leader, committee chair, and chartered organization representative meet together monthly. The assigned new-unit commissioner serves as the advisor to the meeting.
5. Focus on organizing the full Scouting family—pack, troop, and crew—in faith-based or community groups.

To access the Unit Performance Guide, visit www.scouting.org/membership and click on “New Unit Development.”
 

Leave No Trace Congratulations to Summer on her recent Leave No Trace Trainer course. The Mt Rubidoux District hosted course adds three new trainers to 5 Nations Crew 488 and 2 to 3 Peaks Troop 310. A huge thank-you to the Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center and Wes for the excellent facility and Master Educators John and Terese for their great assistance. Paula Boothe

CUB SCOUT DAY CAMP!!!!

Eleven Day Camps will be taking place over the next three months throughout the Inland Empire. BB Guns, Archery, Crafts and much more! Sign up before it fills!

 

CAMP WILEY!!!!

Spaces have been added to Camp Wiley, Cub Scout Resident Camp at Boseker Scout Reservation. Still available for Camp Wiley:
Session #                             Spaces open
1                                                              42
2                                                              49
3                                                              37
4                                                              37
5                                                              23

Every Scout should have the opportunity to attend a summer program.  Camperships are still available and can be used for Cub Scout Day Camp or Camp Wiley. Here is the link to the application. http://www.campemerson.org/openrosters/DocDownload.aspx?orgkey=21&id=23988

Also, stay tuned.... full details for Stampede 2013 will be out next week!
 
 

Get Ready For Camp

News & Tidbits

• Read the latest edition of "Global BSA" the International Scouting Newsletter Click Here
• Western Region Area 4 May 2013 Training Events Calendar Click Here

Council Journey to Excellence: Keep charging! What we measure, we improve!

Camp Wiley Registration

Camp Emerson Registrations

Friends Of Scouting Report

Positive Quote
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“Above all things, lose no occasion of exercising your dispositions to be grateful, to be generous, to be charitable, to be humane, to be true, just, firm, orderly, courageous, etc. Consider every act of this kind, as an exercise which will strengthen your moral faculties and increase your worth.”

   ~  Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States of America

A Mother's Day Prayer for You

May you have all the joy your heart can hold...
All the smiles a day can bring...
All the blessings a life can unfold...
may you have God's best in everything!
Have a Wonderful Day

The blessing of the Lord be upon you.
Psalm 129:8