Seventeen successful Eagle Scout boards of review so far this year!

One completed packet awaiting a board of review.

Eighteen service projects approved by the district so far this year. Another 24 Life Scouts are working the Trail to Eagle with projects approved between May 12, 2008 and December 22, 2009. Thus, a total of 42 additional Falls District scouts providing service to their community while working towards the Eagle Scout rank.

The National office is no longer producing the Eagle Scout Rank Application or the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook. These documents must now be downloaded from the National website. Only the official application and workbook are acceptable.

Sincerely,
Pam Miller
Falls District Eagle Board Chairman

The Triangle Rock Club in Morrisville is offering opportunities for Scouts and groups of Scouts to earn the Climbing Merit Badge or plan a lock in. See attached brochure for details or go to their website.

Contact Mike at the Triangle Rock Club for more information.

mike@trianglerockclub.com

http://trianglerockclub.com/index.html

Does your unit need a service opportunity? In preparation for the Centennial Camporee in October the Logistics Committee has set up times where your help is needed. See attached form for details and contact information.

Come out and support the Camporee Effort.

Scoutstuff Just In!

The Eagle Scout Rank Application will no longer be available in print form.

The form is available for download online at

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-728_web.pdf

ATTACHED IS A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE REQUIREMENT CHANGES THAT WENT INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 2010.


Attention Scouts,
Attached is a PDF of the 2010 Boy Scout advancement requirements changes. We have distributed these within my home district and at the recent University of Scouting and I can attest that the vast, v-a-s-t majority of scouters fall into one of two categories: either they are totally unaware of any changes, or they are partially aware and totally confused by the upcoming changes! Not very good options.

In addition to the information on the changes themselves, there are two other items that are crucial to pass along:
1) The changes affect all scouts. There is no such thing as being "grandfathered" once the scout purchases a handbook.
2) The scout is allowed to finish the rank he is currently working on under the old requirements for that rank if he chooses. A scout is only working on one rank at a time. In other words, if a scout were a Second Class scout who had completed all of the Eagle-required merit badges such that he had badges listed under Star, Life and Eagle requirements, that young man is not working on Star, Life and Eagle, he is working on First Class. Once he completes First Class on or after January 1, 2010, he is then required to earn Star and subsequent ranks under the new requirements.

If you have not already done so, please take steps to get this information to the scoutmasters and crew advisors in your district.

Opportunities like this are an excellent way for our committee to demonstrate value. Let's seize the opportunity! Thank you all.

Sincerely,
Ed Miller, Chairman
Occoneechee Council Advancement Committee

The Council COPE / Climbing Committee is pleased to announce that beginning in January 2010 the COPE Course and Climbing Tower will be manned by trained staff or units to use on a regular basis. To utilize this service you will need to go to CampDurant.com and click on the COPE/Climbing link. You will need to complete the COPE or climbing reservation form and pay a fee of $5.00 per person. The reservation form must be turned into the council office. You must bring your receipt with you to the program

A hold harmless agreement must be completed for each participant, and turned into the program director. The agreement can be found at the COPE/Climbing tab on the Campdurant website.

The COPE program is an all day program, consisting of a low course in the morning and the high course in the afternoon. You must do the low course in order to do the high course. To do the COPE program all participants must be 13 or older.

No walkups will be allowed, in the event that the program is over subscribed we reserve the right to place the participants into either a morning session 9 AM to 12 noon or an afternoon session 1 PM to 4 PM

Yours in Scouting,
Dave Pederson

See attached for schedule.