What Scouting is all about

Normally I try to steer clear of Scout articles that come from news sources or other public sources that are highly political in nature because of the fact that even though a Scout is suppose to be patriotic I do not believe that scouts and politics should mix together. Whenever these two mix both the government and the Scouts end up causing each other large amounts of grief.

Lets now get back to the subject. A article in the Patriot Post which is a conservative Journal caught my attention through another blog that I follow as being very interesting. This article discusses why America needs the Boy Scouts more than ever in today's society if we want to ensure that a lot of boys do not waste away their lives by becoming hoodlums.

So here is the link the the story. Hopefully you will enjoy it. Click here.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Explorer Scout Goes above and beyond the Call of Duty

For those of you who do not know what a Explorer Scout is it is a nontraditional career exploration program under a group of programs that the BSA refers to as Learning for Life Programs. A Explorer Scout is attached to a Post that is sponsored by some community organization in pretty much every career field imaginable. The most common posts are in fire departments or police departments but their are many other businesses that also sponsor posts.

This story is a news story that comes from Valley Springs California and is about a 16 year old explorer scout who while on a ride along went above and beyond his normal call of duty by rescuing the deputy he was riding with from almost certain death.

If you want to read the full story click here.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Earth Hour Video

Here is a video from the earth hour project that scouts helped to conduct. Scouts from at least 44 different countries participated in this event.

Earth Hour Report

Scouts officially present Earth Hour results on behalf of world youth

Scouts around the world switched off for Earth Hour on the 28th of March 2009 in a worldwide demonstration of a commitment to take action for the environment. Scouts in at least 44 countries participated in Earth Hour, engaging with their family, friends, classmates and communities to share in this world initiative in partnership with WWF. Scout youth members officially presented the results of Earth Hour to Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at an official UN meeting in Bonn, Germany. Jonas Rieger (11 years old) and Marie-Christine Bleil (11 years old) along with the other Scouts from the Phoenix Scout Group in Bonn gave the following speech when presenting the Earth Hour results to Yvo de Boer, on the opening day of UN Climate Change talks: "If the world keeps on polluting, it will get very hot in summer and there will be more and more intense storms around the year. If the world keeps on polluting as it is, there will be very little food and water left for us in the future. If greenhouse gases continue to rise, we will lose our future. Earth Hour is a first step. We have done what we can, by telling our parents and our friends to switch off the lights during Earth Hour. We need to be aware about climate change and our energy consumption every time we flip a switch. We are working on saving our future. But now it is up to politicians to do something. We need a global climate deal to be able to work together on this. We voted for Earth, for our future, and for yours- Will you do the same?"

The presentation was accompanied by a speech from Kim Carstensen of WWF, and Rod Abson of the World Scout Bureau who both talked about the importance of the climate change discussions and the tackling this problem with action. Scouts were seen as leaders in their community and important representatives of the young people who need to be prepared to respond to the issues of climate change. Earth Hour was potentially the largest public demonstration on climate change with hundreds of millions of people in over 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries participating.

We have received confirmation that Scouts from at least 44 countries participated in Earth Hour, a great example of Scouting's worldwide co-operation for the environment: Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Mozambique, New Zealand, Palestinian Authority, Philippines, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

If you have participated in Earth Hour and your country is not already listed above, please let Rod Abson of the World Scout Bureau know via email: rodabson@scout.org

Scout Stuff Sale

There is a upcoming sale worth mentioning. It is a sale that will let you mix and match classic uniform parts while supplies still last, so if you need classic uniform items, get them before they run out. This sale will be on May 1. Here is a copy of the ad:

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Arrowmen in Action

Arrowmen in Action: Blazing a Path

Most Arrowmen love to spend time hiking trails through the backcountry. But for Charlie Morgan, nothing is more fun than spending a day working on those trails. Charlie—an Eagle Scout and Brotherhood member of Occoneeche Lodge in North Carolina—devotes a good portion of his time to trail maintenance with the Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail. The trail spans from the Blue Ridge Parkway, which cuts through the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, to the Atlantic Ocean on the other side of the state. Eventually, the trail will run all the way through the state and backpackers will be able to hike the entire thing, non-stop.

For Charlie, a typical day on the trail involves trail maintenance, like checking bridges and re-routing parts of the path that have been eaten away by erosion. He spends at least four or five hours a week keeping his part of the trail open and available for hikers. "It's very fun," says Charlie.

Even though the trail plays a big part in his life now, Charlie discovered it by accident. "My Mom got an invitation to a Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail workday for one Saturday afternoon," Charlie explained. "Since I didn't have anything else to do, I decided to go with her." He took to the work immediately - so much so that the organization's president, fellow Arrowman Jeff Brewer, offered Charlie his own segment of the trail to maintain near Jordan Lake.

Working on the trail gives Charlie the satisfaction of giving back. "It's a good service for the community," he says. "You also learn a lot about the environment and all kinds of things about the outdoors." He's also been able to watch the organization grow. When Charlie started, the first workday he attended was only made up for five or six participants. Now, he says, sometimes hundreds of people show up to help build and maintain new sections of the trail. That's something Charlie enjoys, "I've watched it grow and grow."

And this nineteen year old isn't done building trails yet. "Working on my section of the trail motivates me to build more trail," he says. For each new stretch of trail Charlie builds, he'll use the Power of One. How will you use it?

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

WSJ 2007 Trivia

For those of you who went the the 2007 World Scout Jamboree in the United Kingdom lets see if you can answer the following trivia questions from the November 2007 Scouting Magazine Website. So here they are
.  Scouting began in the UK in 1907. What was the second country to adopt the Scouting program? (Hint: It wasn’t the United States.)

2.  What is a kudu horn?

3.  Where did the word jamboree come from?

4.  In number of participants, what were the top five Scout associations attending the jamboree?

5.  How much did a .33-liter can of Coca-Cola (not quite 12 ounces) cost from an on-site jamboree vending machines?

6.  Only six countries have no Scouting programs. Can you name them?

7.  The next world jamboree takes place in 2011. Where will it be?

8.  What gigantic event took place at Hylands Park only 10 days after the jamboree ended?

9.  What item in the jamboree souvenir catalog was the most expensive?

10.  What are the two official languages of World Scouting?

ANSWERS

1.  Chile became the second country to adopt Scouting in 1909, one year before the United States.

2.  A kudu horn is a musical instrument made from the twisted pronged horn of the African kudu antelope. Baden-Powell blew it at the beginning of the 1907 Brownsea Island encampment, and the same horn was blown by U.K. Chief Scout Peter Duncan 100 years later at the island’s August 1 sunrise ceremony. The kudu horn is also often used to signal the start of a Wood Badge training course or activity.

3.  The word jamboree is thought to be derived from Swahili for hello, jambo. Speaking at the first world jamboree in 1920, Baden-Powell said, “People give different meanings for this word, but from this year on, jamboree will take a specific meaning. It will be associated to the largest gathering of youth that ever took place.”

4.  The United Kingdom (6,104), Boy Scouts of America (3,125), Italy (2,166), Japan (1,483), and Portugal (1,425).

5.  A .33-liter can of Coca-Cola (11.15 ounces) from a jamboree vending machine cost 1 British pound or $2.04.

6.  The six countries without Scouting are: Andorra, Myanmar (Burma), Cuba, People’s Republic of China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos.

7.  Sweden will host the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in 2011.

8.  The annual two-day V-Festival rock concert, sponsored by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, was staged at the same Hylands Park arena used during the world jamboree. This year’s headline acts -- Foo Fighters, Damien Rice, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, and The Fray -- entertained more than 160,000 concertgoers.

9.  Struck in 22 carat gold-proof quality, the Scouting Centenary 50-pence coin features the centennial dates, fleur-de-lis, and “Be Prepared” Scout motto. A limited edition of 1,250 coins from the Royal Mint was available at 345 pounds each (about $700).

10.  The two official languages of World Scouting, used in arena show programs and in the official jamboree newspaper, are English and French.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

NSJ 2010 Fun Facts

Here is a list of the BSA National Jamborees with the Year, the Location, and the number of people who attended the jamboree.

1937 Washington, DC 27,238
1950 Valley Forge, PA 47,163
1953 Irvine Ranch, CA 45,401
1957 Valley Forge, PA. 52,580
1960 Colorado Springs, CO (golden jubilee) 56,377
1964 Valley Forge, PA 50,960
1969 Farragut State Park, ID 34,251
1973 Farragut State Park, ID & Moraine State Park, PA. 73,610
1977 Moraine State Park, PA. 28,601
1981 Fort A.P. Hill, VA. 29,765
1985 Fort A.P. Hill, VA** (diamond jubilee) 32,615
1989 Fort A.P. Hill, VA 32,717
1993 Fort A.P. Hill, VA 34,449
1997 Fort A.P. Hill, VA 36,015
2001 Fort A.P. Hill, VA 40,002
2005 Fort A.P. Hill, VA 43,307
Total Jamboree Attendance through the Years 665,051

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Kids and Fitness

In today's world where being fit is compared to how strong, ripped, and muscular you are, how are kids who are not star athletes suppose to compare. It can be really hard for those kids who are not athletic or really strong to even get a fair chance when it comes to physical activities or physical education classes, just because so many PE teachers and coaches will not spend time with the kids that need the most attention. The group I am talking about is the out of shape kids who either dislike sports or are not able to participate in them because the sport is too competitive. This to me personally is too bad, so where are the kids who are out of shape and still scouts suppose to turn to. I think the solution is to involve the scout leaders more often in keeping themselves and their youth members fit. I most definitely admit that I am not the best example when it comes to physical activity but I am going to try my best anyway.

I think that the standard definition of the word fitness or fit needs to be looked at again. First lets look at society's definition which is as follows:

To be really strong, muscular, or otherwise built for athletic activities.

Now lets look at the dictionary's definition of the word"

The state or condition of being physically sound and healthy as the result of vigirous physical activity and proper nutrtion.
A state of general mental and physical well-being

Obviously the standard definition is far from the truth of what being fit actually means. So lets educate our boys on what true fitness is about.

After that I think we need to make a commitment to ourselves to be in good enough shape to enjoy all of the lovely outdoor activities that we want to participate in. Then finally after making a commitment to ourselves we need to help our youth find ways to stay fit that do not require us to break down the kid and making feel useless.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

SPL SOP Update One

A couple of days ago I talked about publishing a Senior Patrol Leader Standard Operating procedure. I have made tons of progress on this guide but unfortunately since tomorrow is my birthday and I have church stuff in the morning I probably will not finish this guide over the weekend. I was hoping to finish it but since I am running out of time to finish it probably will not get done but that is okay since i really do not have a hard deadline for this project yet.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Panamerican Jamboree 2009

The 2009 Pan American Jamboree will take place from December 26, 2009 to January 3 2010. It will be held in the city of Toluca, capital of Mexico.

Here is a brief description of the theme and what the Jamboree is going to be about:

The name of this 13 Pan Jamboree is "The Adventure of the Fifth Element", the setting is a place where the weather gods have been made to teach this man the care of ecological balance. Participants formed tribes regardless of the origin of each and will be directed by the gods. During 8 days living the essence of each element to learn the virtues of each, passing tests and challenges that will give you the final preparation for making the Fifth Element reborn. The birth marked the fifth element of the pact that the man does to nature and the man himself in an atmosphere of brotherhood and tolerance. The Fifth Element reborn in the last minutes of 2009 marked the beginning of a new era in the life of men, full of brotherhood and commitment upon completion of the mission, the gods of the elements return to their original shape and will continue to monitor Man steps to enforce the commitment sealed. Mexico is the perfect place where you can be part of this great adventure. Come and know the journey to the fifth element. You will have four guards who guides you go by introducing a material in a newsletter. These four guidelines help guardians to live an unforgettable experience at this event.

Here is information if you would like to participate or if you know of another scout who would like to participate:

We will be coordinating a national contingent to the 13th Panamerican Scout Jamboree in December 2009, in Toluca, capital city of the state of Mexico. The event is a wonderful opportunity to travel and learn about Mexico in an atmosphere of exploration and adventure and strengthen the Scout brotherhood. The motto of this great event is “Explore our territory, discover your spirit.” More than 8,000 Scouts from around the American continent are expected to attend the nine-day event. Bari Saunders, member of the International Committee, has agreed to serve as the BSA’s contingent leader. Bari and Esther Scoggins, of the BSA International Department, will be contacting those Scouters that have indicated an interest in attending this event. Do you have someone from your council interested in attending? Please contact Esther Scoggins at esther.scoggins@scouting.org.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Scouts of the WOrld Interamerican Seminar

This Seminar is planned to give a detailed presentation of the chracteristics, objectives and forms of operation of the Scouts of the World Award that is designed for use in the Venturing Section of the BSA> The BSA has currently not adopted the Scouts of the World Recognition program. Also in a fair amount of countries venturing is known as Rovering. The agenda for this event will include:

• Theory of the Award
• Examples of Successful Practices
• Ideas that have proven effective in promoting the Award
• Ideas that have proven effective in developing the Award.
• Specific contributions for implementation at the National Level

This Seminar will be given by Andres Morales who is the Unit Manager for the Adolescents and Young Adults Education Research and Development of the World Scout Bureau, Central Office, Geneva, Switzerland.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Interamerican Youth Forum

The 3rd Interamerican Region Youth Forum will be hosted by the Scout and Guide Association of Costa Rica. This event will be held from July 6 to 12 2009. The purpose of this event is to present share and learn from sustainable experiences of youth participation in order to enchace and consolidate youth networks and forums at the local and regional levels. People who are invited include the representatives from NSO's or National Scout Organizations who are participating in the Youth Network have appointed correspondents and this meeting is also open to young people aged 18 to 25 who have shown a interest in youth participation matters, have a broad and general understanding of youth issues relating to participation and decision making, or are familiar with institutional decision making. Obviously this includes a very wide range of people.

This forum will be directed by Daniel Corsen Jr the Youth Network Coordinator and his Deputy Youth Network Coordinators.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Cellphones and Scouting

As this world gets more and more technologically inclined we a scouts and scout leaders need to truthfully consider what the purpose of cellphones should be in Scouting. Yes I believe that cell phone use should be allowed in scouting. It is just a matter of teaching the the youth and to appropriately and responsibly use their cell phone. The scouts are just going to bring them anyways so what is the point of banning them. Also they can be very useful. Lets first work on some cellphone etiquette:

• Cellphones should not be used including the texting feature when a person is speaking to the group. It does not matter whether it is a youth or adult.
  
• Put the cellphone on at least vibrate but preferably silent when involved in a Scout meeting.
  
• Just because you want to talk or text someone on your phone does not mean that the rest of the world wants to experience or hear the conversation.

Cell Phone User Code

• I will take full responsibility and not blame anyone else if my phone is damaged, loss, or stolen. The only exception is if a phone is stolen by another scout then appropriate consequences should be used.
• I will use my cell phone only when appropriate.
  
• I will only use my cell phone when I have to. When I have to means it is for communicating information to parents, communicating information to adult leaders or communicating information to other youth members.
• I will keep my conversation on my phone down. I realize that the whole world does not want to hear my conversation.
• I will not let my phone become a distraction to myself or others.
• I realize that if I do not take appropriate percautions on scout outings there is a very high likelihood that the phone will become damaged.
• I agree that I will not be a show off with my phone because show offs are really just insecure people that have to push others around to feel good.
  

This code is probably not complete but the point is that cell phones are going to become a part of scouting whether or not we want them to or not. We as leaders must teach our youth how to use the phone just like we teach a new tenderfoot to setup a tent and the rest of his campsite.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Planning SOP

I have finally had it with reminding the Senior Patrol Leader that he is expected to plan and execute the meetings. If he is not there then he needs someone else to run the meeting. I am not trying to be negative or derogatory towards my SPL but I really need to do something else in order to ensure he succeeds and the Troop succeeds. The Troop does fine but it would be much better if I had a strong youth leadership team. So my solution is to write a SPL SOP. For those of you who do not know what a SOP is a SOP is a standard operating procedure. Basically I am over the long weekend going to write a SOP that describes the functions of the SPL and what is expected for outings and on a weekly basis. I will probably post this document in multiple parts for others to view once I finish it.

Again let me remind you that this may not be 100% in line with BSA policy but it is what works for our Troop that follows BSA guidelines as closely as possible. Another reminder this solution is just a possible solution for this problem. Hopefully some of you will be able to take the information and use it in your own Troop.

Also if anybody has any suggestions for making scouts perform the planning and logistics aspect of their position it would be greatly appreciated.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Also if anyone

Scout Quotes

Unfortunately, I'm not a person that's always capable of living up to the Boy Scout philosophy.
Stanley Crouch

We must depend upon the Boy Scout Movement to produce the MEN of the future.
Daniel Carter Beard

See things from the boy's point of view.
Robert Baden-Powell

To get a hold on boys you must be their friend.
Robert Baden-Powell

We never fail when we try to do our duty, we always fail when we neglect to do it.
Robert Baden-Powell

Be Prepared... the meaning of the motto is that a scout must prepare himself by previous thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise.
Robert Baden-Powell

The uniform makes for brotherhood, since when universally adopted it covers up all differences of class and country.
Robert Baden-Powell

A boy carries out suggestions more wholeheartedly when he understands their aim.
Robert Baden-Powell

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Arrowmen in Action

Arrowmen in Action: Stepping Up To Help When No One Else Did

The twists and turns that come with driving up a mountain road can often be unnerving. So can coming upon an injured motorcyclist on your way to a Scouting event. That’s what happened to 14-year-old Taylor Wood—a Life Scout and Brotherhood member of Siwinis Lodge in Torrance, California—while riding with his Scoutmaster and his Scoutmaster’s son. "We were driving up the mountain and there were about three cars in front of us," recalled Taylor. "Then we started to see motorcycle parts scattered in the road." The motorcycle parts belonged to a motorcyclist in need of help lying on the side of the road with his friend. "None of the other people ahead of us stopped to help so we stopped."

Even though it appeared the injured motorcyclist only had minor cuts and scrapes, Taylor rushed out of the car with his first aid kit. "I always have my first aid kit." Taylor said. "Some people keep them in the back of their car or in their packs, but I keep mine with me." He immediately began to clean the motorcyclist’s open wounds and made sure to stabilize him to avoid making any internal injuries worse. When medical personnel arrived, Taylor and the other passengers in his vehicle slowed traffic down on either side of the accident.

Finally, nearly 20 minutes after Taylor and the others came upon the accident, a Sheriff’s Department helicopter landed nearby to evacuate the crash victim to the hospital. Emergency personnel never revealed the motorcyclist’s name to Taylor or his Scoutmaster, making his heroic deed a random act of good citizenship. But for Taylor, deeds like that are nearly habits. He’s been involved with three other accidents similar to this one. "It’s just a normal instinct," he said.

Taylor used the Power of One to help save a life. How will you use it?

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

NSJ 2010 Bulletin

March 2009 Bulletin

There is room for you!

As of the end of February 2009, we now have more than 18,500 youth members who have signed up online for the 2010 National Scout Jamboree. That number was just 10,000 in December of 2008. That means that more than 140 scouts per day are signing up for the jamboree. Although that looks great, we have not come close to filling the jamboree. That’s almost half of our 2010 allocation for youth members. We have room for 925 troops each with 36 youth members and four adult leaders. Encourage those interested to go online and register now. This will be a wonderful, exciting, and historic jamboree. For those councils who have already filled your allocation, have waiting lists, and want additional troops, contact your regional office jamboree coordinator. There may be some additional troop allocations available to your council.

Again, the biggest issue with the jamboree application process is the way the MyScouting accounts are being created. As it states on the log-in page of MyScouting.org, "all jamboree applications must be submitted from the MyScouting account of a parent or guardian." (MyScouting accounts can be created by parents/guardians even if they are not registered with the BSA.) Some accounts are mistakenly being created with the youth’s BSA member ID number in the profile. This will result in an “invalid member ID number” error. While some councils are close to completing their recruiting efforts, most have not. Council recruiting success stories often revolve around some type of jamboree rallies for recruiting new participants, however, nothing takes the place of recruiting “one on one” by jamboree adult leaders. The following are some ideas your council may want to use to promote the jamboree.

• If you need additional jamboree promotional materials, the video, or the jamboree brochures, contact your regional office. The video is short, and has great pictures of the 2005 Jamboree and ideal for use at troop meetings and summer camp. Boys’ Life’s own Pee Wee Harris is talking to his friend about the jamboree. As he is talking, 2005 Jamboree highlights are being shown.
• Most councils are publishing a monthly jamboree newsletter on their council Web page. Each Scout and troop leader should have timely communication about the jamboree. Parents should know when their payments are due and exactly what kind of supplies and uniforms are required for the jamboree. There is no requirement for participants or staff to wear the new uniforms introduced in 2008.
• Emphasize new program features of the jamboree. There will be a new shotgun “five stand” along with the new Mountain Boarding program and, of course, the incredible 100th Anniversary arena shows that are being planned.
• Talk about the entire contingent trip including any side visits to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, etc. as part of your council’s jamboree experience.
• Assist parents who have questions or trouble with the online registration process. Council coordinators should feel free to contact the Jamboree Department at 2010jamboree@scouting.org for questions concerning the registration process.

For further information please visit www.bsajamboree.org
Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

WOSM appoints new head

For those of you who don't know the BSA is linked to a organization called the WOSM or world organization of the Scouting Movement and on March 21 the World Scout Committee a governing body in the WOSM appointed Luca Panissod as Secretary General of the WOSM. This appointment follows him after serving as a interim secretary since November 2007.

His words are as follows upon learning of his appointment:

“I am very honoured by the trust that the World Committee has shown towards me and I am perfectly aware of the responsibilities entrusted to me. In order to carry out my mandate, I count on the support of the Committee as well as that of all volunteers and professionals at all levels of our Organization. My commitment is guided by Scouting’s values. My work will aim to bring about the changes needed for our Movement to be able to respond to the needs of young people and to face the challenges of the future.”

Mr. Panissod became involved in world scouting in 1982. He was born in 1949. He has a degree in economics and an MBA from the Sorbonne and very has become very interested in promoting public and social causes.

Many NSO's or National Scout Organizations want the WOSM to help them in following way:

“National Scout Organizations are asking us for inspired
leadership that is focused on results. They are asking us to lead the way”

Mr. Panissod wants to fulfill this request to the best of his ability and the focus of the rest of meeting of the World Scout Committee was focused on taking this idea and making it become action.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Eagle Scout Project zand the 21st century

I subscribe to a free service called google alerts that monitor news or new items on pretty much which every subject you want from apples to zoology. In today's e-mail from google I received a interesting article about a scout who completed his eagle project by hosting three weekened workshops to create a 3D map of his community.

First off I would like to say what a interesting and different idea for a eagle service project. The majority are just trail work or similar work which are just fine but it is always interesting to hear about those eagle projects that are totally different.

This life scout got the idea from the city's mayor who wanted to create this 3-d map but could not find someone who was willing to take on the project. In order to complete this project this scout had to train community members to use google's software known as 3-d sketchup which is designed to be uploaded to the google earth platform. Google still has to approve the 3-d designs since their were google masterminds on hand they will most likely be approved.

Here is a link to the full article:

click here

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08