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

Scout Day at Old Salem Museums & Gardens
"Weaving the Threads of the Past"
March 20, 2010
9:30 am to 4:30 pm

Old Salem is located south of downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina at 900 Old Salem Road.

Wool, cotton and flax, the fibers of 18th and 19th century life in Salem
Please join us to learn about the planting, processing and production of fibers for clothing, paper and much more. Use what you learn to earn badges!

Many hands-on activities and demonstrations throughout the historic district such as:

Learn how to dye fibers using natural materials
Carding and spinning wool
Discover how flax was was grown and processed to make linen
What kind of clothing would you have worn 200 years ago?
Learn to weave on a tape loom
Make a piece of handmade paper
And much more.....

Reservations can be made from February 1 through March 10, 2010. Please call Sales Reservations at 1-800-441-5305. Discounted Scout ticket prices of $8.00 per child and $10.00 per adult are available with advance reservations and prepayment. Reservations/Prepayment must be made by March 10, 2010 to receive the discounted rate.
Sorry, no refunds.

If space is available tickets may be purchased the day of the event at full admission price. Tickets sold on event day only at the Old Salem Visitor Center. Reservations will be on a first come basis. Please phone in early as our spaces for this event fill quickly.
The Old Salem patch can be earned while visiting and is available for purchase at our Visitor Center. Patch requirements are available at www.tarheeltriad.org - Old Salem Council Patch

Honor Unit / Gold Card Requirements

The Occoneechee Honor Unit designation, and the accompanying Gold Card, is earned by completing the following requirements during a calendar year, beginning January 1 and ending December 31. Benefits are for one year and are applied to the immediately following calendar year. To earn the Gold Card for additional years, the unit must meet the criteria and turn in another application for each year. The unit leader should check the boxes on the application form (available below) and, with the Unit Committee Chair, sign and date the bottom of the form, then submit the form to the Council office by February 15, 2010.

Benefits - Units that earn Honor Unit status will:
Be recognized at the Council Recognition Banquet and in Scout Sign;
Receive a special Occoneechee Council Honor Unit banner for their flag;
Receive at no cost all rank advancement patches earned by its members and applied for by the unit during the calendar year the card is active (does not include merit badges; does include Eagle);
Have general use camping fees for Camp Durant waived for the calendar year in which the card is active.
Future benefits as designated by the Council.

The following three items are required for all units:
1) Recharter on time;
2) Have at least two (2) registered adults, including the unit leader, be fully trained for their position;
3) Have at least three (3) registered adults, including the unit leader, hold current Youth Protection training certification.

Complete both sections A and B:
Section A: Complete any 2 of the following during the year of the application:
1) Have a Friends of Scouting presentation by a Council representative during the current calendar year;
2) Take part in the Council popcorn sales;
3) Earn Quality Unit status.
Section B: Complete any 3 of the following during the year of the application:
1) If a Scout Troop, attend summer camp at Camp Durant, or if a Cub Pack, attend the Day Camp in your District or attend the Cub/Adult overnighter or WEBELOS resident camp at Camp Durant, or if Venture Crew, attend Venture Vortex;
2) Attend either a Council or District Camporee or Cub-o-ree;
3) Have at least one adult volunteer serve as a Campmaster for at least one weekend at the Occoneechee Scout Reservation;
4) Take part in a Good Turn for America service project;
5) Have at least one adult serve for at least 6 months on a District or Council committee;
6) Send at least one adult attend either Wood Badge, Powderhorn, National Camp School or take a course at Philmont Training Center;
7) Have at least 2 adults either attend the Occoneechee Council University of Scouting or become Climbing/Cope certified in the Council;
8) Have at least one adult serve on staff at Cub Day Camp, the University of Scouting, Wood Badge, National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), Kodiak, Powderhorn or at Philmont;
9) Have at least one youth serve on Staff at Camp Durant or on staff at Wood Badge, NYLT, or Kodiak;
10) Send at least one youth to NYLT, National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience, or Kodiak

Complete the attached form and return to the Council Office No later than February 15, 2010. Multiple cards will be issued and must be presented at the Scout Store and Office to receive the benefits.

The Occonneechee Council will lead a bus trip to Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia to visit the Jamboree on Friday July 30, 2010. This once in a lifetime experience will depart from Raleigh at approximately 5:00 am and return the same day at approximately 11:00 pm. Visitors will have between 10 am and 4 pm to observe (visitors are not allowed to participate in Action Center and/or program activities) and visit the expected 65,000 Scout and Scouters who comprise the 100th Anniversary’s largest and best display of Boy Scouting in the United States.

Who can attend? Registered Occoneechee Council youth, adults and their family members, family and friends of the Occoneechee Jamboree Contingent members and Scouting alumni. Youth 5 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under 5 not permitted.

Cost $50 per person. Includes round trip transportation fees, an ID lanyard, a custom designed Day Trip Souvenir item and dinner on the way home.

Sign up by completing the attached form and mail or deliver it to the Scout office. Registration and full payment must be completed by April 23, 2010.

Important Considerations: This event will involve considerable amounts of walking across varied terrain. Participants should be prepared to walk 8 to 10 miles over the course of the day. All participants will be expected to complete and carry health information and a medical release from on their person.

Due to the numbers of attendees and the size of the event it is unlikely you will be able to meet up with Scouts or Scouters who are attending for the week.

Attached is the latest Falls in Focus Newsletter. Pass it on!
To subscribe or submit articles send an email to: fallsdistrict@hotmail.com

Return to Our Heritage!

October 8, 9 and 10, 2010 at Camp Durant for Cub Scout program and Camp Reeves for Boy Scout and Venture Program. This is the Council Centennial Camping Event. The theme will focus on the evolution of Scouting with lots of activities and exhibits. Units are encouraged to commit as soon as possible.

Details to follow at www.camporee2010.ocscouts.org/home.html

Occonneechee Council Aquatics Committee is sponsoring a River Kayaking Adventure.

Objectives are to teach the fundamental river kayaking skills, safety and group management. The schedule will be set depending on the number of participants and water levels in rivers between April and September 2010.

All participants must contact one of the directors on or before March 15, 2010.

Organizational meeting will be held on March 23, 2010 (location to be determined.)

See attached for details and sign up form.

Take some time away from the cold to remember warm weather and baseball season! The Mudcats are having two Scout Campouts this year on May 7th and June 11th. Attached is a flyer with more information about this. It is open to friends and family members again and not just Scouts. The movies that we are showing this year are G-Force and Up.

The Mudcats would love to see your Scouts come out again. There are other regular group outings for Scouts in case you would like to come on a different night. Contact Chris Signarelli at csignarelli@GOMUDCATS.com for more information.

See Attached information and form.