Iron Horse District

The Scouting Trail is a monthly handout provided to units at roundtable describing upcoming council events for the next quarter. This is a great resource for Scouters and parents.

The Scouting Trail: January 2019

January 26, 2019 (hanger drop off)
February 2, 2019 (food pick up)

Scouting for Food is a council-wide service project to care for people in our local communities who are hungry and those in need. In partnership with the Souper Bowl of Caring, the project begins Saturday, January 26, 2019, as Scouts distribute door hangers in their neighborhoods to announce the upcoming food drive. Scouts return the following Saturday, February 2, 2019, to pick up and deliver donations to their local food banks and pantries.

A Cub Scout and a Boy Scout promises "to help other people at all times." There is no better way to show our Scouting spirit than by participating in the annual Scouting for Food drive! Now is the time to show our community the Scouting values of being loyal, helpful, kind and cheerful.

Scouts will help make a difference to fight hunger. Scouting for Food is the leading service program for Boy Scouts of America and is a part of the national BSA program - Good Turn for America. The unit representative should register the unit for Scouting for Food.

Learn More        Unit Participation Sign-up

Scout Fair coupon books are a brilliant way for units to raise money and prepare Scouts to earn their own way! The Scout Fair coupon book offers great savings for the buyer, while Scouts earn commissions for every $10 coupon book purchased. Buyers support the Scouting program while receiving hundreds of dollars in valuable savings from partners. All units receive a 30% base commission for each $10 Scout Fair coupon book sold, for funds turned in on or before April 6, 2018. Participate at Scout Fair with a booth and earn an additional 10% commission. Units can also take advantage of early bird turn-in dates offering 5%, 3% and 1% additional bonus commissions. In addition, your Scouts will qualify for prizes once they sell 15 coupon books. Please refer to the Scout Fair prize brochure for prizes and sales levels. 

Scouts and the entire family will enjoy visiting hundreds of booths with fun activities and crafts, learning Scout skills, meeting new friends and tasting the delicious outdoor cooking. Meet leaders and Scouts from your neighborhood. Sample the amazing dutch oven creations and other delicacies in the outdoor cooking area. Watch demonstrations, interact with participating booths from our community partners and pick up free offers. The unit leader should sign-up the unit to sell Coupon Books.  The kick-off meeting for the unit representative is being held on January 24, 2019.

 Learn More      Sign Up to Sell Coupon Books

As the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) welcomes girls into Cub Scouts and older girls into the Scouts BSA program starting on February 1, it is important that families understand the program or organization they are joining.

There have been some instances where our volunteers may have inadvertently used the name or trademarks of the Girl Scout of the USA (GSUSA) brand in spreading the word that girls are or will soon be part of all BSA programs. GSUSA recently have filed a lawsuit asserting that these instances have caused confusion. While we don’t believe there has been any such confusion, we respect and support the GSUSA and their rights to their brand.

To ensure that we promote our programs in a clear and Scout-like manner, we have developed resources to make sure our leaders are aware of the do’s and don’ts in promoting BSA programs.

The Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training is one of the efforts underway to be sure Scouters have a clear understanding of what they can do. This builds on the infographic, and the guidance provided to councils in April.

Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training     Infographic 

This training should be shared with all volunteers to bring this understanding to all parts of our community. While our goal is to encourage youth to join our program, we must always be clear in our communications about the program they are joining.

• We are The Boy Scouts of America.
• The Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA are different organizations.
• We support all other youth organizations and do not disparage them.
• We encourage parents to enroll all youth in a character development program that meets their needs – and the BSA is certainly ready to welcome them.

To aid you in this effort, councils and volunteers are encouraged to use these intro talking points as you host info sessions and launch efforts for Scouts BSA. Additionally, please use this resource to help address any questions you might get in the community about this matter.

Learn More

January 18, 2019, deadline to submit

Do you know a Scout who conducted a great service Eagle Scout service project? Then nominate them for the Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. This is a program of the National Council is designed to recognize the valuable service of an exceptional nature by an Eagle Scout to a religious institution, a school, community, or other entity. The award recognizes the Scout for his Eagle Scout leadership service project, which is part of the requirements for earning the Eagle Scout Award. 

Every 2018 Eagle Scout service project is eligible.  Parents, mentors, or leaders of the Eagle Scout can complete the form on behalf of the Eagle Scout. The top six Eagle Scout service projects from the council will be recognized at the New Eagle Scout Reception on May 5, 2019. 

Nomination Form for Adams Eagle Scout Project of the Year 

Scout Days are awesome opportunities to get your Scouts, friends and family together for some exciting experiences around the area with other Scouting families. All Scout Days are offered at a discounted price of admission. Also, many of our partners offer merit badge classes and advancement workshops for Cub Scouts and Webelos.

Learn more about Scout Days

Help ensure the success of Scouting in the Sam Houston Area Council with meaningful gifts including donating cars, trucks, RVs, trailers, boats, motors, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, securities, uniforms, camping equipment, memorials and tributes, planned giving and yes, even services.

Many corporations match employee contributions made to the Boy Scouts. Some companies even make financial contributions for volunteering time to Scouting. Numerous local companies recognize volunteer time through the donation of cash grants to non-profits in which their employees volunteer. This means that for each hour of volunteer time, employers donate funds to support the Sam Houston Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. Volunteer time is money with volunteer grants.

The Sam Houston Area Council is continually searching for potential career employees who would like to work in a profession that has a meaningful, rewarding purpose. Bring to the BSA your varied life experiences, education, and perspective, and in return, have an opportunity to combine those skills and experiences in a career that values and respects others. Scouting is a profession with a purpose!  

Job Openings

The Sam Houston Area Council is focusing on leveraging the power of social media through Facebook.  The more Scouters share and repost, the more powerful our marketing can be.

We are compiling a list of unit social media sites so we can work together to spread the word about Scouting by tagging, liking commenting and sharing each other posts. 

Learn More          Take our Social Media Survey