Boy Scout Program Newsletter

Winter 2008	Scouting is about building character & leadership. Boy Scout programs make building character & leadership FUN!

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Coming Events...

Klondike Derby - Mar 15
Philmont 2009 Contingent-link fixed
Spring Orienteering - Mar 29-30
Spring Canoe Race - Apr 26
Rock Climbing Trainings
Spring Canoe Race - May 17
Archery Instructor Course - April 5-6
NRA Range Safety Officer Courses
NRA Rifle & Shotgun - WR
NRA Rifle & Shotgun - CT
NRA Muzzle-Loading Rifle - WR
Council Camporee - Nov. 14-16

Philmont Scholarships Available for Scouts

Philmont camperships are available for underprivileged Scouts attending Philmont with their unit in 2008. Applications must be filed by 4 PM January 24th. ... more information.

Basic Archery Instructor Course

Archery instructor course for adults. Upon completion, students receive the Basic Archery Instructor certification and NADA instructor card valid for 4 years, Instructor Manual and an Archery Instructor T-shirt.. ... more information.

Wilderness First Aid Courses

The Red Cross Wilderness First Aid Basics course is for those who live or play in remote areas - away from the usual EMS service. Starting in 2008 Philmont requires all crews to have at least one adult with WFA certification. Class participants must be 16+. Three spring 2008 courses available:
WFA Course Feb. 8-10, Fort Worth & Hurst. ... more information.
WFA Course Feb. 15-16 & Feb. 23 , Fort Worth. ... more information.
WFA Course April 25-27, SR2, Gilwell Hall. ... more information.

Summer Camp and High Adventure Staff Interviews

Staff interviews for Worth Ranch, SR2, and High Adventure will be conducted at the Hurst Council office. ... more information.
Saturday, February 2. 12 noon - 3 PM
Sunday, February 10, 2-5 PM
Saturday, March 15, 2-5 PM

Klondike Derby - Postponed until March 15.
Note: Wheels allowed on Sleds

Join Event Director Frank Leslie from Leon Valley District for another great test of your winter camping and outdoor skills at the Longhorn Council Klondike Derby. Each patrol/crew must build and bring a sled. At Camp Tahuaya on February 16th. ... more information.

Philmont 2009 Council Contingent

The Longhorn Council Camping Committee will choose 20 units for Philmont Council Contingent treks in March. Selection criteria and score sheet are based on a unit’s support for the Longhorn Council’s camps and programs. Please submit the form with the required deposit no later than March 14, 2008.. ... more information.<-- link fixed

Council Camporee

The Council Camporee will be held November 14-16, 2008 at Texas Motor Speedway as the kickoff for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Scouting in the USA..

Tools for Boy Scout Leaders

Scroll down or click here to find useful program, training, and HOW-TO links for Troop leaders. ... more information

NEWS and COMING EVENTS

NRA Courses 2008 – NRA Instructor and Range Safety Officer Courses will be held in spring and summer 2008. Note: The RSO Course for January 12th has been postponed to January 26th.
Range Safety Officer - Council Office, Jan. 26, Feb. 23. ... more information.
Rifle & Shotgun Instructor - Worth Ranch, March 1 and 15. ... more information.
Rifle & Shotgun Instructor - Camp Tahuaya, April 26 & May 2. ... more information.
Muzzle-Loading Rifle Instructor - Worth Ranch, Aug. 23... more information.

Spring Orienteering Meet - Spring-O is a “Cross-Country Orienteering” competition for teams of two and for individual competitors. You follow a set course to find 10-15 orienteering flags in a specific order. It’s a race: your time on the course is your score. It’s a test of your map reading and decision making skills. Co-sponsored by the Longhorn Council and the North Texas Orienteering Association. Group map hikes are available for casual orienteers and hikers. At Sid Richardson Scout Ranch. ... more information.

Spring Canoe Race. Postponed to May 17 due to high water releases from Possum Kingdom Lake Dam. The Brazos River Authority was forced to release large amounts of water (9000+ cubic feet per second) due to the major storms in the headwaters of the Brazos during the original week of Canoe Race.

A 6-mile Fun Race from Worth Ranch to the Highway 4 bridge and a 14 mile Race for experienced canoeists from Possum Kingdom Lake Dam to Worth Ranch. 100-yard War Canoe Race in the afternoon. Parent/Youth teams welcome. ... more information.

Spring Adventure Race. Postponed until May 2009 due to Canoe Race flooding postponement.

5 part Adventure Race for teams of 2, 3, or 4 racers, or for individuals. Run, Canoe, Kayak, Mountain Bike, and Climb. Intermediate and advanced courses. At SR2. ... more information.

CPR & 1st Aid Online Courses. Red Cross CPR and First Aid online courses. Study at home online, take an online test, and then take the In-Person practical testing on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7 PM at Westminster Presbyterian, Fort Worth, TX. CONTACT Tim Habinak of Troop 499 at AggieScouter@charter.net at least 5 days before the date you would like to test.

Horsemanship Merit Badge. New Horsemanship Merit Badge program at SR2. ... more information.

Volunteer to Help at Events – Your unit can volunteer as staff for weekend program events. Earn points for a Philmont Trek (on the Camping Committee’s Philmont Council Contingent - 20 treks each year), earn certificates for weekend equipment/boat/tower rentals, gain access to some facilities at Council camps on large Cub Scout events weekends, give back to Scouting, and accrue service hours for the BSA’s Good Turn for America Program. ... more information.

Weekend Campmaster Corps - Campmaster are experienced Scouters who help the Camp Rangers assist units using council weekend camps. ... more information. Contact Head Campmaster Bob White campmaster@longhorn.org for information on training and volunteering.

Camp Commissioners - Experienced Scouters are invited to spend a week at Boy Scout Summer Camp sharing their scouting skills and experience. Each week during the summer camp a corps of volunteer camp commissioners assist the Scoutmasters and staff to handle challenges and make sure each troop has a successful camp experience. The Camps provide housing, meals, and staff T-shirts and patches. Contact Camp Commissioner Coordinator Scott Lindgren lindgrens@sbcglobal.net for information on volunteering. ... more information.

Philmont International Scouting Trek - The International Division of the Boy Scouts of America is organizing the first Philmont International Scouting Trek. The ages of eligible Scouts are 16 to 19 years by the date of the trek. The date of arrival in Dallas, Texas (all participants depart Dallas for Philmont), is June 18, 2008; departure to home city is June 29, 2008. The method of selection will be a written essay. Essay DEADLINE is February 1st, 2008. ... more information.

DON'T FORGET: Welcome Home A Hero! – Show our soldiers how much their commitment means to the North Texas community! Every day more than 100 soldiers come through DFW International Airport on their way home for two weeks of much anticipated R&R with family and friends. The R&R flight arrives daily around 10:30 a.m. DFW Airport invites Packs, Troops, Teams, and Crews to volunteer to help welcome our Troops back home to the USA. If your unit or your church or chartered organization would like to help. Just call 972-574-0392 the morning of your visit to confirm the Terminal, gate and approximate landing time. Contact Liz Samuel, 972-621-0400, liz@ntc-dfw.org, heroes@dfwairport.com, for more info.

Twin Arrows JLT: National Youth Leader Training – Winter, spring, and summer JLT Courses at Camp Tahuaya and Sid Richardson Scout Ranch. ... more information.

Order of the Arrow - Click here for the new OA web page.

Spring Climbing Courses – Tower: March 15. Rock: April 18-20. Tower course and recerts is now Saturday only. Rock course is still a full weekend and includes Tower. ... more information.

Camp Volunteers

Volunteers who can give a few Saturdays a year to help with the upkeep of our camps are encouraged to contact the maintenance committee chairman for their favorite camp!

Camp Tahuaya - Contact Maintenance Chairman Ken Driska for more information. ... KenDriska@ctwa.com.

Worth Ranch - Contact Troy Langston if you would like to help the Worth Ranch Committee work on Worth Ranch. ... tlangston@juno.com.

Sid Richardson Scout Ranch - Contact: Steve Adams if you would like to help the Ranch Committee at SR2. ... Bubba2121@aol.com, Sadams2121@charter.net.

Employment

Camp Staff 2008 – Talented adults are invited to join the High Adventure and Summer Camp staffs at Worth Ranch, Sid Richardson Scout Ranch, Camp Tahuaya, and the Chisholm Trail Adventure Base. ... Camp Staff Application.

Camp Ranger – We are hiring a third Camp Ranger for Sid Richardson Scout Ranch and a Caretaker Ranger for Camp Shuman. Send applications or resumes to camp.ranger@longhorn.org. ... Camp Ranger Application

BSA Online Learning Center - Latest News

Online Training Courses and Supplemental Training packages to help leaders. Anyone may create an account, take courses, track their training progress, & reprint their cards. ... more info.
Early Rank Requirement Videos: Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, 1st Class - ... more information.
Troop Committee Training - New interactive training. ... more information.
Staffing the District Committee. ... more information.
Safe Swim Defense Training. ... more information.
Safety Afloat Training. ... more information.

TOOLS for Boy Scout Leaders

Where to Find Training Courses - The Training Course Calendar is your resource for finding training courses in all of the districts of the Longhorn Council. ... Go to Training Course Calendar

Scouts Can Invite Friends by Email - A new feature is available to Scouts and leaders on the www.thescoutzone.org Web site to help a Scout complete the new First Class requirement that states he must invite a friend to a troop meeting or activity. ... more information.

Supporting Scouts with AD/HD – New BSA Training Module. The aims and methods of the Scouting program make it an outstanding opportunity for those with AD/HD characteristics to develop and enhance the skills that can lead to success in school, in relationships with others, and in life. ... more information: (Powerpoint 755 KB). (Word 231 KB).

Merit Badge Resources - Resources for Merit Badges are available on the BSA Merit Badge requirements page. You'll find lists of publications, organizations, web sites, and more listed with requirements for each badge. ... more information.

Introductory Guide for Merit Badge Counselors
Boy Scout Advancement and Awards Info
Alternate Requirements: Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, 1st Class
Application for Alternate Eagle Scout Rank Merit Badges
Selecting Eagle Scout Leadership Service Projects

BSA Board of Review Training - This 60 minute module will train troop committee members and others in the purposes of the board of review, offering suggestions for the types of questions that can or should be asked. ... more information.

New Troop Leadership Training - Troop Leadership Training, No. 34306A, has been rolled out to replace the Scoutmaster Junior Leader Training Kit. It is organized into three one-hour modules, which can be taught individually or all in one session. ... more information.

Boy Scout Advancement - New Videos - A video overview of the Boy Scout advancement program. 9 separate videos: Introduction, History,System of Learning, Scoutmaster Conferences, Advancement Tracking Tool, Service Projects, Merit Badges, Boards of Review, & Courts of Honor. ... more information.

Varsity Leader Fast Start - This is a brief video overview of the Varsity Scout program and how it works. ... more information.

Wood Badge – The premier training course for Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing Leaders. Spring courses at SR2 and Camp Tahuaya, and a summer course at Lakeview Lodge! ... more information.

Articles wanted
Tell us of your adventures in Scouting. Each month, one article will be selected to share in the Boy Scout Programs Newsletter. Submit your articles by email to jpeters@longhorn.org or BSAJHolt@aol.com. All submissions and photos become property of the Boy Scouts of America.

Boy Scout Program Newsletter

Winter 2008

Scouting is about building character & leadership. Boy Scout programs make building character & leadership FUN!