June 7, 2010

Recently, the Boy Scouts of America announced important changes to its Youth Protection policies. The purpose of these changes is to increase awareness of this societal problem and to create even greater barriers to abuse than already exist today in Scouting.

Effective June 1, 2010:

Youth Protection training is required for all BSA registered volunteers, regardless of their position.
New leaders are required to take Youth Protection training before submitting an application for registration. The certificate of completion for this training must be submitted at the time the application is made and before volunteer service with youth begins.
Youth Protection training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer's Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of recharter, the volunteer will not be reregistered.
To find out more about the Youth Protection policies of the Boy Scouts of America and how to help Scouting keep your family safe, see the Parent's Guide in any of the Cub Scouting or Boy Scouting handbooks, or go to http://www.scouting.org/Training/YouthProtection.aspx.

Questions and Answers

The following are answers to some of the questions we have received about these important changes. To read more, visit www.scouting.org/youthprotection.

Any Scout who recruits a friends into Scouting between October 5-December 4 will be entered into a Council-wide drawing for the following great prizes:

1. GPX 2GB Digital Media Player
2. Small Wonder High Definition Digital Camcorder
3. Audiovox 8" Portable DVD Player

Three lucky Scouts in our Council will win one of these items!

Write a one-page report titled “The Best Book I Read This Year” and enter it in the Boys’ Life 2009 “Say Yes to Reading!” contest.

The book can be fiction or nonfiction. But the report has to be in your own words — 500 words tops. Enter in one of these three age categories:

Each year, every Scout unit recharters with the National BSA.  Registered Scouts' rank advancement can be recorded and leaders' backgrounds checked. Unregistered people fall through the cracks. A proper and timely reregistration process validates our membership, an important process.

The Cherokee Area Council is developing a color guard to present colors at events in our area. If you are a Scout or know a Scout that would be interested in participating in this activity, please contact Blaine Tornow.

October 28, 2009

Dear Friend:

Don't miss out on this once in a life-time opportunity to celebrate 100 years of Scouting in America.
When: January 22nd-23rd 2010, 9:30 PM – 7:00 AM
Where: Hamilton YMCA, 7430 Shallowford Road
Who: all Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturers, Explorers, Leaders, and Parents

October 22nd, 2009 - U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), an Eagle Scout, announced that the Senate has passed a resolution he cosponsored to recognize February 8, 2010, as “Boy Scouts of America Day” in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts.

Blue Bell Ice Cream in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America and National Ice Cream Month, is giving away ice cream to boy Scouts at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, July 29th at the Chattanoogan Hotel. Click on the image to see the full size flier.