AUGUST 2024

CUB SCOUT LEADER TRAINING

Being prepared for the fall is critical, especially considering the updated Cub Scout program. It’s particularly important that den leaders get trained and are up-to-speed.

Cub Scout leader training is available online.  Additionally, it will be offered in person five times this fall.  Training will be available for all pack positions. 

In-Person Training Opportunities:

• Saturday, Sept 7, 8:30am to 12:30pm: 
• WCC Service Center, Doylestown, PA 
• Note: Den Chief Training will also be offered on this date. 
• Friday, Oct 4, 6-9:30pm: 
• Ockanickon Scout Reservation, Pipersville, PA 
• Note: This is the night before BALOO training begins

• Sunday, Oct 6, 1-5pm: 
• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Princeton Junction, NJ
• Thursday, Oct 24, 6-9:30pm: 
• St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Yardley, PA
• Tuesday, Dec 10, 6-9:30pm: 
• Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce, Flemington, NJ

PACK PROMO SOCIAL MEDIA LAB

To help Scouting units make the most of social media to attract new members and families, the council will be hosting a social media lab webinar on September 10 where unit leaders can learn from marketing professionals.

Note: This webinar will be geared toward Cub Scout packs (in examples and language), but it is open to all unit leaders.

GREAT MEMBERSHIP RESOURCES

A number of great resources for Cub Scout packs to use as part of the fall membership campaign are available online at the WCC webpage. Nearly every resource shared at the August 1 and August 7 Membership Rallies is available at the site.

OUTDOOR FUN FOR ALL CUB SCOUTS!

Adventure awaits at the CUBCOT Cub-a-rama! Join Cub Scouts from around the Washington Crossing Council on September 28 from 9am to 2pm.

Cubs will travel around the world, ala Epcot, with passport in hand, visiting country-themed stations and learning about different languages, culture, foods, and customs while enjoying games and crafts. CUBCOT Cub-a-rama will be held at Kuser Farm Park, Hamilton Township, NJ

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS



The 2024 Ockanickon summer camp season offered 95 merit badges with Scouts earning 5,165 total merit badges. The top three badges completed were fingerprinting, swimming, and first aid.

With this year’s camp theme being “Western”, Scout patrols participated in other activities such as the camp-wide OSR Rodeo with stations such as “Canyon Crawl Out”, “The Watering Hole”, “Team Barrel Racing”, and more. 

Individual Scouts demonstrated their physical fitness in the OSR Ironman competition which included a half-mile swim, 5k run and a one-minute ascent of the climbing tower. Other camp activities included a homerun derby, volleyball tournament, and a triathlon. 

2025 RESERVATIONS



Troops can start planning now for summer camp 2025 at Ockanickon! With over 90 merit badges to choose from, every troop should consider OSR as a summer camp option. Troop deposits are now being accepted!

The theme for 2025 will be "Ockanickon Olympians"! Stay tuned for the Ock-olympics.

Troops can choose from six different sessions which are:

• June 15 – June 21
• June 22 – June 28
• June 29 – July 5

• July 6 – July 12
• July 13 – July 19
• July 20 – July 26

Troops that sign-up with a $150 deposit by September 30 will lock-in a special discounted rate guarantee allowing their Scouts & families to have until April 30 (two extra months) to qualify for the deepest discounts in camp pricing.

CUB SCOUT ADVENTURE CAMP WAS A HIT!

On opening day after checking in and a plunge in the pool for the BSA swim check, packs sat down for a hotdog and hamburger meal in the camp dining hall, followed by a game of blob tag and then the opening campfire.

During the following two days, each pack visited ten different program areas participating in activities like fishing, climbing on a tower, swimming, boating, marshmallow roasting, BB guns, archery and slingshots. Each Cub Scout had an opportunity to work on nine different Adventures (belt loops and pins). 

In the spirit of the camp’s western theme, a camp-wide rodeo was held in the grand parade field. Cub Scouts got to make their own custom leather patch, designed and launched air rockets, lassoed some sawhorse steers, and competed in a pool-noodle javelin toss. Throughout the three-day session, Cub Scouts were on the hunt for hidden cacti around camp. Scouts who found all eight were awarded a cactus sticker. 

Next year’s adventure camp is scheduled for July 27 – July 29. 

WELCOME NEW STAFF MEMBER

The Washington Crossing Council is excited to announce that Tony DeMario will be joining the staff team. He'll be serving as the district executive for the Tohickon District starting in mid-August.

Tony is a graduate of UNC Charlotte, and he's previously worked in sales with Ellis Coffee, Coca-Cola, and REPAY. He has also coached school lacrosse.

LEARN ABOUT ONLINE REGISTRATION

Scouting America offers an application process for new youth and adults that can be completed almost entirely online. This allows prospective members and leaders to register and pay in a way that’s convenient for them. Please be aware that adult volunteer clearances required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania do necessitate some additional steps.

There are a number of short training videos available for unit leaders to help with key topics.

They include:

• Be A Scout Pin Set Up
• Configuring Online Registration
• Processing Leads in Invitation Manager
• Accepting Youth Applications

The council is also offering some small group tutorial zoom sessions where leaders can go in depth with a question. Sign up for those sessions here.

NATIONAL YOUTH LEADER TRAINING

WOOD BADGE

All adult Scouters are invited for a fun, exciting, and action-packed program where they will learn and build on leadership skills and experiences they can use back in their home units as well as in their life outside of Scouting.  The Wood Badge course teaches the best in modern leadership theories in the context of traditional Scouting activities. 

The course will be held at Ockanickon Scout Reservation over 2 weekends: 

• February 21-23
• March 8-9

Please contact Course Director John Nieradka with any questions.

JAMBOREE ALUMNI PICNIC

The WCC jamboree committee will be hosting a picnic reunion for anyone who attended any National Jamboree from 1937 through 2023. Join in and reconnect with jamboree friends for an evening of fun. Hot dogs and beverages will be provided. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Friends and family are welcome, too!

• Date: Sunday, August 11, 2024        
• Time: 4-7pm
• Location: Crossings Community Church, 80 Lower Silver Lake Rd, Newtown, PA

The Silver Beaver is Scouting's award for distinguished service. Recipients of this award must be a registered Scouters who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given at the council level. All Scouters are encouraged to think of someone deserving of this honor and nominate them.

Completed nominations are due to the council office by September 15. They may be submitted by email to Anna Marie Pepper or submitted to the council service center (1 Scout Way; Doylestown, PA 18901).

Some readers are having trouble with the council newsletter getting caught in their spam filters. To help solve this, Scouters are encouraged to add the address "news@washingtoncrossingbsa.org" to their contacts or white-list that address. Please share this tip with other Scouters.

SCOUTS BSA & VENTURING

Air Rifle Competition

• No pre-registration required; $5.00 to be paid at the door; 12-4pm
• September 8
• October 6
• November 3
• December 8

Rifle Merit Badge

• $20 fee
• Click here to register
• Must attend all 4 sessions to complete the merit badge: Sept 8, Oct 6, Nov 3, & Dec 8

Order of the Arrow Induction Weekend

• September 13-15
• Click here to learn more

Order of the Arrow Fall Fellowship

• October 18-20
• Click here to learn more

COPE & Climbing Weekends

• September 20-22
• October 11-13
• November 8-10
• Click here to learn more

Cooking Extravaganza Fall Camporee

• September 27-29
• Click here to learn more

CUB SCOUTS

Shooting Sports Events

• Archery: October 6
• Slingshots: November 3
• BB Guns: December 8
• Click here to learn more

ADULT LEADERS

Camp Builder Days

• September 21
• October 19
• November 16
• December 21
• Click here to learn more

Chainsaw Work Days

• September 14
• October 12
• November 9
• December 14
• Contact Ranger Alec to learn more

Cub Scout BALOO Training

• October 5-6
• Click here to learn more

Scouts BSA IOLS training

• October 5-6
• Click here to learn more

• The next issue of the Trail Guide will be published on September 5, due to Labor Day.
• A class for the "Ad Altare Dei" Catholic religious emblem for Scouts BSA members will be starting on August 25 at Immaculate Conception Church in Clinton NJ. Contact Nora Klippstein for details.
• Learn more about two upcoming fundraisers by clicking the links below:
• Farm to Table Dinner at OSR (Sept 7)
• Sporting Clays Tournament (Oct 10)
• Fall hours for the Scout Shop start on September 3.
• It's not too late for a unit to sign-up to sell popcorn. Contact Michael Kostic if interested.
• The WCC service fee will remain at the 2023 level ($75) for this fall and through Q2 of 2025.

Find copies of the most recent (July) district newsletters by clicking below:

The Washington Crossing Council has a number of special newsletters. Scouters may self subscribe to any of them by using this subscription link.