3 Rivers District, Northern New Jersey Council

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Three Rivers Events During June 2019

Thursday, May 23, 2019

An overview of the Boy Scout and Girl Scout organizations, past and present.

"Boy Scouts Are Just Scouts Now, and That's Making Girl Scouts Mad" is the title of an article that appeared in Bloomberg Businessweek on April 17, 2019 by Claire Suddath. Click here.

This is a terrific article! It's an overview of the Scouting program that includes some of the 100+ year-old history, a look at controversies, and a look at ongoing problems and proposed solutions. There's some Girl Scouts USA (GSUSA) history too, along with a "compare and contrast." Because the article appeared in Businessweek, there's also discussion about how Scouting BSA and how GSUSA finance themselves and about current Scouting BSA financial worries.

In spite of the article's title about how dropping "Boy" from "Boy Scouts" is "... Making Girl Scouts Mad," that is mostly downplayed. In fact Suddath dismisses that particular controversy with, "Two of America's most benign charitable organizations fighting over the right to call young girls “scouts” feels a bit like the Humane Society and ASPCA arguing about who can best care for kittens." Instead, Suddath says that the real concern "is a much more fundamental argument about the best way to advance women's equality." GSUSA says that this is what girls need and that GSUSA knows how to do it best.

Most disheartening for both organizations is a chart showing membership climbing steadily through 1973, and then declining quickly to less than half.

Included in Suddath's article is her interview with Chief Scout Exec Michael Surbaugh in order to get his take on declining membership and other problems. Suddath also tells how she interviewed Scoutmasters, parents, and youth, and said, "I realized: The only people upset by BSA's new policy seemed to be adults. I talked to dozens of kids for this article, and every one of them said they liked the idea of girls in Scouts."

Saturday, May 4, 2019

Three Rivers Events During May 2019

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Buying Scout Awards in NYC

It may be more convenient than Oakland

Consider going to New York City to buy Boy Scout and Cub Scout awards. The Greater New York Councils opened a small "Award Center" at its new office on 475 Riverside Drive and stocked it with lots of belt loops and pins for Cubs, and rank patches and merit badges for Scouts. https://www.bsa-gnyc.org/servicecenter

The Award Center is not an actual "Scout Shop," which means that it has just a smattering of other stuff, such as uniforms and neckerchiefs and accessories. But, if you know what you're after, you can phone a week ahead, and they'll transfer items from their actual Scout Shop at Alpine Scout Camp or Camp Pouch.

The GNYC Service Center and its Award Center is located on the 6th floor of the Interchurch Center building, uptown near Columbia University. Enter either from 475 Riverside Drive or, better, from 61 Claremont Avenue. Show your ID, get an entrance pass, and find the elevator. The building is between 119th and 120 Streets. It's a short walk from the 116 Street subway station 1 train line. There's street parking and also a garage on 120th Street off Riverside.

Contact: David Robbins, Director of GNYC Scout Shops

212-651-2466

David.Robbins@scouting.org

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Three Rivers Events During April 2019

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Scout Weekends at the Liberty Science Center

Our special weekend workshops provide in-depth science exploration for Scouts, helping them earn badges and Nova Awards through a focused learning experience based on relevant themes.

Each Scout Weekend experience contains a series of hands-on activities that go toward fulfilling Scouts' badge requirements, plus access to general admission exhibitions, and a souvenir fun patch.

For more information or to reserve a program for your group, call 201-253-1310 or email sales@lsc.org.

Saturday, March 2, 2019

NNJC Offering Wilderness First Aid (Mar 23 + Apr 6)

NNJC Offering Wilderness First Aid

Two 8-hour Saturday sessions in Oakland - March 23 then April 6

This 16 hour class will be conducted at the Council Training Center in Oakland on two Saturdays. Wilderness First Aid is sponsored by the ECSI (Emergency Care and Safety Institute and has been developed by the Wilderness Medical Society and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. It fulfills the training requirement for adult leaders for the adventure camps at Philmont, Northern Tier, Summit or Sea Base). This program is for all leaders, and will also be of interest for summer camp and weekend trips or just for around home with the family.

A second pair of classes will be offered on April 27 then May 11.

Click here for registration and additional details.

TRD Menu

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Three Rivers Events During June 2019

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Recommended Reading from Bloomberg Businessweek

Recommended Reading from Bloomberg Businessweek

An overview of the Boy Scout and Girl Scout organizations, past and present.

Saturday, May 4, 2019

Three Rivers Events During May 2019

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Buying Scout Awards in NYC

Buying Scout Awards in NYC

It may be more convenient than Oakland

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Three Rivers Events During April 2019

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Scout Weekends at the Liberty Science Center

Scout Weekends at the Liberty Science Center

Saturday, March 2, 2019

NNJC Offering Wilderness First Aid (Mar 23 + Apr 6)

NNJC Offering Wilderness First Aid

Two 8-hour Saturday sessions in Oakland - March 23 then April 6