Iron Horse District Roundtable 

December 12, 2019

Roundtable is a district monthly meeting typically held the second Thursday of the month at the Bammel Church of Christ (2700 Cypress Creek Pkwy, Houston, TX 77068) at 7:00 pm to help unit leaders plan and carry out their own program. Roundtable is a form of supplemental training for volunteers. The objective of roundtable is to give leaders program ideas; information on policy, events, and training opportunities; and an opportunity to share experiences and enjoy fun and fellowship with other Scouting leaders. As a result of the roundtable experience, unit leaders will be inspired, motivated, informed, and able to provide a stronger program for their Scouts. Follow the official district Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IronHorseDistrict.

Pushmobile

December 7, 2019 

A pushmobile is a Cub Scout powered go-cart. Cub Scout dens make their own pushmobile. Cub Scouts work together as a team to push their pushmobile through the course to the finish line at this annual district event. Teams are formed by grade, often organized by dens. Teams need to be a minimum of four Cub Scouts. The ideal team size is eight Cub Scouts. Teams with less than eight Cub Scouts may add Cub Scouts from other teams (as long as they are in the same or lower grade/rank). The event is being held at Klein Collins High School Parking Lot (20811 Ella Blvd., Spring, TX 77388). The registration fee is $11 for the first Cub Scout and $9.50 for each additional Cub Scout who registers at the same time. The late fee begins 11/25/19. Registration closes 12/5/19. There is no onsite registration.

Learn More and Register

District First Aid Meet

December 7, 2019   |   9:00 am - 1:00 pm

The First Aid Meet is an event that challenges Scouts in troops to perform first aid in simulated real-life situations. Patrols compete in practical first aid problems, displaying hands-on skills from the Scout Handbook, First Aid Merit Badge pamphlet and current American Red Cross guidelines. The top-scoring patrols represent the district at the council First Aid Meet. Only those patrol members who participate in the district meet with their winning patrol can participate in the council meet. The meet is being held at Bammel Church of Christ (2700 Cypress Creek Pkwy., Houston, TX 77068).

November Roundtable: There will be a first aid presentation at November roundtable. Every troop should send at least one representative to November roundtable to learn more about the first aid meet. There will be an EMS unit to demonstrate and teach some first aid skills, so it will be beneficial for youth and leaders participating in the meet.

Learn More and Register

Iron Horse District Newsletter

The Iron Horse District newsletter is a monthly newsletter that contains information about upcoming district and council events and activities that is distributed at roundtable. Soon, the newsletter will be sent electronically. Sign up below. After signing up for the newsletter, please respond to the confirmation email.        

Sign-up for Electronic Newsletter

Friends of Scouting Presentation

Presentation date due by December 12, 2019

Friends of Scouting is an opportunity for families, friends, alumni, businesses and community organizations to support Scouting. The registration fee goes directly to the national office of the Boy Scouts of America. If a Scout unit collects dues, that money stays with the unit to help pay for supplies, advancements and other activities. None of that money helps the Sam Houston Area Council. In order to keep Scouting affordable for all youth, the council runs an annual Friends of Scouting fundraising campaign.

Friends of Scouting helps:

  • Recruit and train youth and leaders
  • Provide assistance to those in need
  • Keep camps and activities affordable
  • Enhance programming and facilities
  • Provide communication tools for volunteer leaders

Friends of Scouting contributions provide approximately 24 percent of the support the council receives each year. The success of Scouting depends on those who support it. Please help Scouting provide the resources necessary to make sure every youth can benefit from Scouting’s fun, exciting, adventure-filled activities that foster character, honesty, respect and life-long values.

Unit Leaders: Each unit is requested to hold a FOS presentation at your unit’s biggest gathering (typically the blue and gold banquet or a troop court of honor) during the months of February through May. The presentation, which takes approximately seven minutes to conduct, informs parents and leaders of all council services, its financial needs and extends an opportunity to help fulfill the need. Please sign up for a presentation.

  Sign up for FOS presentation       Donate

The Scouting Trail

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: November 2019

College of Commissioner Science

December 7, 2019  |  8:00 am - 4:00 pm

The College of Commissioner Science is a day of training for commissioners from Commissioner Basic Training through advanced learning experiences in unit service. The objectives are to help commissioners expand their skills and unit service philosophy. The goal of this experience is to promote the increased effectiveness of the individual commissioner.

This ongoing training opportunity will benefit new commissioners and experienced unit commissioners. Participants do not have to be a commissioner. Any adult leader that is interested in the numerous resources available in the Scouting movement is also invited to attend.

Learn More and Register

National Scout Jamboree: Contingent Leaders Needed

July 21-30, 2021 (plus travel days)

Scouting’s flagship event is one-of-a-kind. It’s a gathering of approximately 40,000 Scouts, leaders, and staff that showcases everything that is great about the BSA and its members. Over the course of 10 summer days, once every four years, the Boy Scouts of America comes together. The result is the national Scout jamboree. Scouts and Scouters will explore all kinds of adventures—stadium shows, pioneer village, Garden Ground hikes, adventure sports, patch trading, and more—in the heart of one of nature’s greatest playgrounds. With 10,000 acres at the Summit to explore, there’s no shortage of opportunities to build Scouting memories. The jamboree is the best of Scouting rolled into 10 days of fun, friends, and adventure. You won’t want to miss out on this incredible Scouting experience. Qualified adult leaders are needed to serve as jamboree troop Scoutmasters, assistant Scoutmasters and crew Advisors. 

Learn More and Apply

New Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training

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

Scouts BSA Summer Camp 2020 Registration

We are excited to announce that new Camp Strake will open for summer camp 2020. Weeks one through five are full; weeks six and seven are open for registration. Summer camp is a week-long council-organized overnight camp for Scouts BSA that operates under council-retained leadership. The program provides opportunities for Scouts to earn merit badges along their advancement trail. Camp Strake is located on more than 2,800 acres between New Waverly and Coldspring, Texas near the community of Evergreen, Texas. Lake Livingston is 10 miles east of the property. The camp is a 1.5-hour drive from downtown Houston.  The camp is surrounded on three sides by the Sam Houston National Forest and has the Lone Star Hiking Trail close to one corner of the Camp property. Camp Strake will be a first-class and state-of-the-art facility for Scouts and their leaders and will have 20 campsites with pavilions and an air-conditioned dining hall, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) center, 28-acre lake, aquatics center with a swimming pool and pool house, extensive trail system, basketball court, sports fields and several chapels.

Activities will include shooting sports (rifle, shotgun, archery, sporting arrows), Wild Hex (aerial adventure tower), zip lines, climbing, rappelling, COPE, biking and more. The Camp Strake facilities have been designed and built to meet both ADA and ScoutsBSA requirements for both girl and boy units concurrently. The program will include an extensive merit badge program as well as some more challenging activities like zip-lining and climbing. The full program will be published in the online leader’s guide that will be available in November. To follow the progress of construction, visit www.shac.org/strake.

Learn More and Register           About Camp Strake

LDS: Continue the Legacy

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that starting on January 1, 2020, it will shift the focus of its youth programs toward serving an increasingly global membership. That means the LDS church will no longer charter Scout units beginning in 2020 and beyond.

“All youth, families and leaders are encouraged to continue their active participation and financial support of Scouting … ,” the LDS church expressed in its joint statement with the BSA that it will continue to support Scouting even after its official partnership has ended.

Check out our blog post with some information for the thousands of LDS families who love being a part of the Scouting adventure and want to continue their journey and for the other BSA Scouters who want to help them do that. The post includes information:

  • LDS church members looking for a new Scouting home
  • Community packs and troops welcoming LDS church members
  • Recruiting Scouts currently enrolled in LDS units
  • Three Reasons our Family will Still be in Scouting in 2020 

LDS: Continue the Legacy

Cub Scout Camping

Adventure Camp is weekend campout for Cub Scouts and their families at Bovay Scout Ranch. Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webelos Scouts and their families will enjoy an exciting variety of activities at several program areas. Meals are eaten in the air-conditioned dining hall. A staff member in each area will provide program supplies and support the parents who will be invited to assist in leading the activities.

Learn More and Register

During family camping weekends, the pack leadership plans the camping program and food. Enjoy all the wonder and beauty of the central Texas rolling hills and lakes at Bovay Scout Ranch. Bovay has year-round camping program opportunities for pack overnighters and Webelos dens. Conveniently located 60 minutes from downtown Houston, Bovay Scout Ranch can be found just three miles south of Navasota on the east side of Highway 6, on County Road 317. Campsites, restrooms and showers are available; however, the program areas and dining hall are not available during family camping.

Learn More and Register

Employment Opportunities

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

 

Help us Promote Scouting

SHAC FacebookThe 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