MacBrave

Yes, the air show is one of the yearly "free special events" that this adventure fee is supposed to provide to units. For this event units will camp at Camp Belzer then bussed to the Air Show site, about 8 miles away. Meals are provided. Units are also expected to volunteer for some kind of service at the air show, although I yet to see exactly what this service entails.

The Crossroads of America Council in central Indiana appears to have finalized on a new fee structure. From a PDF council volunteers received last week: A couple of things to note. When this plan was first introduced back in February the yearly amount was not $160 but $240, with the preferred payment mechanism being $20 a month automatically charged to a families credit or debit card. There was such an outroar over this the council leadership retreated for several months and have returned with this. Yay. I still hold to my personal opinion that this will decimate membership in the outlying rural counties of the council, which is where I currently serve as a volunteer.

A link to the PDF that was used to present this new "Adventure Fee" to CAC volunteers at last week's district roundtables is here:https://crossroadsbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PP.pdf?vgo_ee=PEyTUlc0mr504drzrLyWRWVLY1pGRWb2%2B0FTX4hhTec%3D And as a long time volunteer in the Crossroads of America Council at both the Pack and Troop level I do not approve of this fee.

Noticed that requirements #6 and #8 require a parent or guardians approval/help. What if a scout can't get that approval or help to complete these requirements?

Recently received this email from our Scout Executive, Crossroads of America Council: This email is being sent to the Charter Organization Representative, Unit Committee Chair, and Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, and Crew Advisor in units chartered by Methodist churches. Dear Key-3: As you may know, the Resident Bishop of the Indiana Conference of Methodist Churches recommended local churches no longer serve as chartering organizations for Scouting Units after December 31, 2021. We received information this week that has changed that situation. The Church and the BSA issued to the following joint statement regarding the status of units chartered by United Methodist Churches. The Boy Scouts of America and United Methodist leadership continue to work together to resolve matters related to BSA’s financial restructuring and have agreed, in the best interest of the young people who participate in Scouting, to strongly recommend to United Methodist Church chartering organizations and Boy Scout Councils to extend existing Charter Agreements and Facility Use Agreements in force at this time through March 31, 2022. There will be no additional fee required from those chartering organizations through March 31, 2022. This will pause new chartering, re-chartering and the use of facility use agreements with United Methodist churches. This automatic extension will allow Boy Scouts of America, United Methodist leadership, and other parties in the bankruptcy case time to resolve important issues affecting Chartered Organizations, including a favorable release for Chartered Organizations for any Scout abuse claims. We are extremely pleased with this announcement as it allows Scouting to continue uninterrupted for the Scouts, leaders, and Scouting families in units chartered by Methodist churches. We are conducting three one-hour Zoom calls with the Key-3s of all units chartered by United Methodist churches. We want to share with you the situation and options developed should the need arise. These are for Methodist chartered Unit Key-3s only. Please pick one of the sessions to join. All three will be identical information. <list of call date/times follow>

Wow, I know of several long running packs in our area that would have folded if this bylaw was in effect.

I reuse smartwater bottles when I go on backpacking trips where weight is a concern. Never have had an issue with them breaking. For just general troop 'plop' camping and day hikes I usually take my 5+ year old camelback chute bottle.

Ransburg Scout Reservation, owned by the Crossroads of America Council and located south of Bloomington, IN recently published a series of Covid guidelines for the 2021 summer camp season, covering items from a pre-camp Covid screening to the dining hall.: http://www.ransburgbsa.org/covid19 Most if not all of them have this regarding mask wearing: Masks: ⚜ If the participant is unvaccinated, a mask must be worn at all times while indoors except while engaging in certain activities like eating, drinking, sleeping, or showering. Masks must be worn outdoors when unable to social distance at least six feet. ⚜ If the participant is fully vaccinated, a mask is not required to be worn, but may be worn for comfort, peace of mind, or out of an abundance of caution.

https://troopleader.scouting.org/patrol-leaders-council/#:~:text=In addition to making sure,run by its youth members. At our monthly PLC meeting I usually just inform/remind the SPL of any upcoming events on the troop calendar then get out of the way and let him do his thing. I'm at a nearby table listening to the meeting while doing other things, and am of course available should the PLC have any questions or want my input.

Not exactly a typical internet forum but there is this: http://scouts-l.net/

They don't really have one now, unless you call a large open field area with a couple shelters and archery/bb ranges a wilderness area. The trouble with Camp Belzer is that the city of Indianapolis grew up around it and it is now more of a "urban camp" than anything else. Our troop has camped there a couple times, once for a district camporee and the other for a troop campout. We really didn't really enjoy the experience. Raccoons were rampant and you had the constant drone from nearby interstate 465 to keep you awake all night. The camp is home to a pretty good Voyaguer Canoe Training program though. But IMHO other CAC owned camps like Ransburg, Krietenstein and Kikthawenund are much better facilities for scouting. And don't get me started on what other grand ideas Mr. Wiltrout has proposed/implemented for the council.

Here is a link to a recent Indianapolis Star article stating over 300 Hoosiers have filed abuse claims: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2020/11/16/boy-scouts-assault-claims-indiana/6220598002/

We held our own summer camp in mid-June, right after our state's covid restrictions moved to the appropriate level. Been meeting in person since then, although outside at an open-air shelter behind our CO. They haven't given us a date yet on when we can start meeting indoors, hopefully not long after Labor Day. Had an outing the first weekend of August to a state recreation area. September outing will be at a state park, and hopefully canoeing if we can find a livery that can accommodate us. The livery we have used in the past has drastically reduced the number of trips they are offering, may have to go with another outfit. October we may be attending a fall district/section camporee, depends on the PLC's decision. We weren't going to be able to attend this because the organizers scheduled it the same weekend as a local festival where we traditionally run a food booth (our primary unit fund raiser), but the festival was canceled about a month ago so that weekend is now open. November is open right now, but I hear the district/section spring camporee that was originally planned for April has been moved to the first weekend in November (?), so the PLC may want to do that or maybe have our own campout at a local camp.

Ransburg Scout Reservation in Indiana is allowing units who had reservations for the cancelled 2020 summer camp season to register for the same week, same campsite for 2021 beginning 7/1/2020 and running through 7/22/2020. After that any open weeks and site are fair game for other units.

Before the pandemic started our unit had a reservation at Camp Daniel Boone in North Carolina. It was for early August to camp for two nights as part of a whitewater rafting trip. Three weeks ago they confirmed to us that our stay was still a go, they just needed a firm head count to know how many of their standing wall tents to reserve for our stay. Then two days ago we get an email from the camp stating that they have changed their mind, no out-of-council troops units will be allowed to stay to ensure they have the space for their in-council units. *sigh*