Also, both online at ScoutStuff.org and at the Milwaukee Scout shop, you can Buy One, Get One this week on Supplex Nylon uniform pieces. This is a great time to get a new uniform shirt for Jamboree!

The Lamb Award is a national recognition bestowed on Lutheran adults (including laypersons, pastors, professional church workers, men and women) by the National Lutheran Association on Scouting [NLAS]. (The NLAS is formed by and responsible to the youth ministry departments of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America [ELCA] and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod [LCMS].)

The purpose of The Lamb Award is twofold: 1) to acknowledge the distinguished service of Lutheran adults in fostering the spiritual growth of youth through church and civic youth serving agency programs (Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., Camp Fire USA, and 4-H); 2) to increase the use and quality of the civic agency programs in Lutheran congregations as a part of their ministries with youth.

A Lamb Award recipient should:

1. Be an active member of a Lutheran congregation.
   
2. Have a minimum of 10 years of distinguished volunteer service to the church.
   
3. Have a minimum of 10 years of distinguished volunteer service to one or more civic youth agencies (BSA, GSUSA, CFUSA, 4-H).
   
4. Serve as a Christian role model and leader to young people encouraging them to participate in the spiritual life of their congregation.
   
5. Promote the religious growth programs, the observance of Boy Scout, Girl Scout, or Camp Fire Sunday, chaplains and chaplain’s aide program.
   
6. Exhibit leadership and be fully trained in the civic youth agency.
   
7. Help organize new units in the nominee’s own and neighboring Lutheran congregations.
   
8. Recruit youth and promote full involvement of members in the program.
   
9. Encourage units to support group service projects in response to a community or congregational need.

This event is fun for all ages with activities for everyone. It’s a bike event based out of Monticello, WI. They have several different courses laid out in varying lengths. These provide just the right challenge for everyone from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and Venturing.

They have several camping locations for units to stay in. They’ll also be using the community to for our breakfasts and dinner meals. The community even has a pool for the boys to swim in, that they’ve agreed to let us use. Having the community so receptive really helps to make this event great!

They also have waypoints or rest stops along the trails. These are only available to registered Tour de Blackhawk participants. These rests will have water and some trail snacks.

In addition to just the bike trails, they also have some amazing activities for the afternoon around base camp. These activities teach important bike maintenance skills. Each station will also be part of a competition that the boys can choose to participate in. The boys will be able to go to all of the stations or just the ones they want, and their final score will be a total of all points they get at the stations. A prize will be awarded to the team with the highest score. The stations will have age appropriate skill challenges, so that the younger scouts can participate and the older boys can still be challenged.

They’re also planning on bringing in a live band for our evening entertainment. We’ve also heard about some trick riders they’re trying to get. In all, this event is shaping up to be a great time!

Contact the Blackhawk Area Council to let them know you’re coming!

Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzucca is set to retire at this year on August 31st. On April 4th BSA President announced nine semifinalists to fill the position. After another round of interviews there are four finalists:

• Wayne Brock , Deputy Chief Scout Executive/COO
• Tom Fitzgibbon, Regional Director, Western Region
• Al Lambert, Regional Director, Central Region
• Robert A. “Alf” Tuggle, Assistant Chief Scout Executive/CFO

Interviews will take place this month prior to the National Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL. Selection and announcement of BSA’s new Chief Scout Executive will take place on May 21st. He will start his first day on the job on September 1st. Stay tuned for the announcement.

The new tour and activity plan is simply a planning tool to help leaders be prepared for a safe and fun adventure. It can help you ensure trained leadership is in place, equipment is available, and there is safe and appropriate transportation to and from an event.

Please use the online version of the plan whenever possible. It is a unit-level tool when you sign into MyScouting.org. Find a printable version for your Scouters without Internet access on the tour and activity plan FAQ page. Please review all of the information on the page and the hyperlinks. A video showing you how to submit a tour and activity plan is on the FAQ page and here.

If you use the online version, you no longer have to collect signatures or council approval. Complete the plan and certify that any missing requirements will be completed before the trip begins. When you submit the plan online, an email will be sent to your council, chartered organization, committee chair, and your designated emergency contact.

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012

Park Hours 10:00am – 9:00pm

Enjoy a fun filled day with your fellow Boy Scouts at Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor! Enjoy an all-you-can-eat Scout Day buffet in our private picnic grove, and don’t forget to purchase your Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor patches to commemorate the day.

New for 2012 – X-Flight: Defy gravity on our ground-breaking wing coaster with no track above or below you. Sit in pairs, suspended on either side of the track with your feet dangling as you plunge down 12 stories. Soar at speeds of 55 mph through 3,000 feet of intense drops and five inversions, including a barrel roll and zero-g roll. One of the most adrenaline-pumping moments on the ride is an extreme fly-through where the coaster speeds straight towards a structure, before making a last minute vertical flip to fit through a keyhole cut-out.

Tickets only $29.00 per person – a savings of over $33.00 off of the main gate ticket price.

All Packs should have a representative at camp to receive the new scouts and provide them with information about your pack and exchange contact info with them. Putting together a packet with a pack calendar and having a display with pictures of different events you run is a great way to start off that first greeting.

For those packs looking for new leadership I can’t think of a better time to recruit new parents then TIGERMANIA. Help get that new den off to a solid start and take the next few months to bring the new parents up to speed. You’ll be ahead of the game come September recruiting if you have your new leader ready to go.

See you there!

Regards,

Ken Penge

Get ready to dot-dot your I’s and dash your T’s!

On May 4^th, the Boy Scouts of America released the Morse Code Interpreter Strip, an official patch for Scouts and Scouters who can demonstrate their ability to “speak” this special language.

Morse Code joins languages like Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Sign Language, and several others as interpreter strips available for wear on Scout uniforms (above the right pocket).

To get a typical interpreter strip, you must carry on a five-minute conversation, translate a two-minute speech, write a letter in the language, and translate 200 words from the written word.

But Morse Code, a vital communications tool during World War II, doesn’t really work with those requirements. So Jim Wilson and the BSA team crafted new ones:

Morse Code Interpreter Strip requirements

• Carry on a five-minute conversation in Morse Code at a speed of at least five words per minute.
• Copy correctly a two-minute message sent in Morse Code at a minimum of five words per minute. Copying means writing the message down as it is received.
• Send a 25-word written document in Morse Code at a minimum of five words per minute.

Call BSA Supply toll-free at 800-323-0736 and ask for Supply No. 615120.

Official requirements

Now, if the BSA would just bring back the Signaling Merit Badge once again…

Northeast Illinois Council and the Chicago Cubs are offering discounts to the August 13 Cubs vs Astros game at Wrigley!

If you’re a Cubs fan, don’t forget to put this one on your calendar. It’s a great night to be a Scout and show support for the team! Ticket orders must be received before July 27^th.