Death of Three Scouts in Texas

Death of Three Scouts in Texas

Their sailboat ran into an overhead power line. Two died immediately, one later. 

"Two Texas Boy Scouts, aged 16 and 18, were killed and another was hospitalized after their sailboat collided with an overhead power line, likely sending a jolt of electricity through the boat, Texas officials said on Sunday." Click here to see the NY Times article of August 6 by Jon Herskovit. The third Scout was taken to a hospital in Shreveport, LA, but died later.

The Scouts were camped on private land near Lake O' The Pines in East Texas and took a catamaran onto the lake. They were just off shore when their boat struck the power line, so help arrived almost immediately. Rob Walker, general manager of Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative, said in a statement that the company is working to determine what happened.There was a candlelight vigil on Sunday night.

2017 Popcorn Sale: Dates

2017 Popcorn Sale: Dates

Aug 1 or Aug 10: Required popcorn training: Register
Aug 12: Show-n-Sell #1 orders due
Aug 24-26: Show-n-Sell #1 pickup
Sep  9: Show-n-Sell #2 orders due
Sep 21-23: Show-n-Sell #2 pickup
Oct 28: Show-n-Sell returns due
Oct 28: Take-order orders due
Nov 9-11: Take-order pickup
Nov 11: Prize orders due
Dec  2: Absolute last date for prize orders
Dec 17: $1,000 sellers invited to view Star Wars VIII
Jan 6: Top 100 sellers party.
Link for popcorn orders and prize orders: scouting.trails-end.com

Two Ways to Sell Popcorn

Show-n-Sell:
•    Estimate what you think you can sell this way.
•    Place an order online, either or both Aug 12 and/or Sep 9.
•    Pick up that order (without paying for it) on Aug 24-26 and/or Sep 21-23.
•    Spend the next month selling at a table you've set up, door-to-door, or at parents' workplaces.
•    Turn in money and leftover product on Oct 28.

Take Order:
•    Sale starts on Aug 10
•    Scouts go door-to-door with an order form and ask people to support the Boy Scouts by buying popcorn. They pay for it on the spot but get no popcorn yet. The Scout takes the money and writes pertinent information on his order form.
•    On Oct 28 the unit popcorn coordinator uses the online system to enter all the orders.
•    On Nov 9 or 10 or 11 you drive to a warehouse and pick up all the popcorn that was ordered and then distribute it to the customers. 

America's First Eagle Scout - Baden-Powell Was There

America's First Eagle Scout - Baden-Powell Was There

Arthur Eldred was America's very first Eagle Scout, passing his Eagle Board of Review on January 31, 1912. The Boy Scouts of America was founded on February 8, 1910, so clearly Eldred was a speed demon.

What's really cool is that Lord Robert Baden-Powell sat in on the Board, as did Ernest Thompson Seton and Daniel Carter Beard, three of the giants of early Scouting history. Baden-Powell happened to be in America at the time on an inspection visit, and so he was invited to participate in Eldred's Board.

Although lots of details about this very first Eagle Board were already known and published, some new details about dates recently came to light, which prompted Scouting Magazine to revisit the event. By the way, in addition to an Eagle badge, Eldred also received a Bronze Honor Medal for saving a boy from drowning.

Now Easier for New Eagle Scouts to Earn Palms

Now Easier for New Eagle Scouts to Earn Palms

Note: This change applies only to Scouts who pass their Eagle boards on or after August 1, 2017.

The change: When the new Eagle receives his badge at his Eagle Court of Honor, he may also receive one or more eagle Palms at the same time. 

For example, assume that your over-achiever attends his Eagle Board of Review with 41 merit badges on his sash; that is, 20 more than the 21 needed for Eagle. At his Court of Honor, he will receive an Eagle badge + silver palm + bronze palm!

Any palms due to merit badges earned after his Board will have to wait for three months, which is in line with the portion of the palm requirements that have not changed, BUT...

But the additional 3-month post-Board palms have also gotten easier to earn. No palm Board of Review is required, and the "be active for 3 months" requirement has also gotten easier. Here's a link to a Scouting Magazine article with lots of details.

By the way, a related article talks about the non-intuitive silver palm is better than a gold palm. Just be happy that, as in the Olympics, a gold Journey to Excellence award is better than a silver.

List of Events in June 2017

Three Rivers Events During June 2017

Jun 1 - TRD District Committee Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1971407&OrgKey=944
Jun 6 - TRD Unit Commissioners Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2092261&OrgKey=944
Jun 10-11 - NNJC Cub Family Weekend (hosted by TRD)
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2059312&OrgKey=453
Jun 13 - TRD Program Launch and BBQ (instead of a Roundtable)
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1971501&OrgKey=944
Jun 17 - TRD Fishing Derby
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1971502&OrgKey=944
Jun 20 - TRD Assistant District Commissioner Meeting
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1971477&OrgKey=944

Training Sessions During June 2017

Jun 10 - TRD Merit Badge Counselor Orientation
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1982317&OrgKey=944

Other Council-Approved Events in June 2017

Jun 2-4 OA Induction Weekend at Turrell
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2082889&OrgKey=1921
Jun 5 - Cub Night at Paintbrush Studio
  http://www.paintbrushstudio.com/painting-class/cubs-night/
Jun 6 - Each unit should update www.BeAScout.org pin information.
  Enable online registrations/payments directly to National
Jun 8 - Scout/Venturer Night at Paintbrush Studio
  http://www.paintbrushstudio.com/painting-class/boys-scoutsventure-night-7-9-pm-40/
Jun 9-11 - OA 2017 Section NE-5 Conclave
  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2113535&OrgKey=1921
Jun 9-11 - Camp Turrell X-Treme Sports Weekend
  http://nnjbsa.doubleknot.com/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2078880&OrgKey=955&Signon=N
Jun 15 - Deadline for early NNJC unit popcorn sign-up and drone prize
  https://scouting.trails-end.com/tools/recruit/signup?council=c693c740-f21c-11e5-a5eb-0632e198f0a5&campaign=9d1cb394-0d8d-11e7-a5e5-12a0d168e510

List of Events in May 2017

Three Rivers Events During May 2017

May 2 - TRD Roundtable

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1956432&OrgKey=944

May 2 - TRD Unit Commissioners Meeting

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2092260&OrgKey=944

May 4 - TRD District Committee Meeting

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1971406&OrgKey=944

May 16 - TRD Assistant District Commissioner Meeting

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1971441&OrgKey=944

Training Sessions During May 2017

May 5-7 - Eve Takes to the Woods Outdoor Session

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2014635&OrgKey=2104

May 27 - COPE Course at Camp Lewis

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=1932961&OrgKey=956

Other Council-Approved Events in May 2017

May 5-7 - OA Induction Weekend #1 at No-Be

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2082891&OrgKey=1921

May 6-7 - NNJC Family Weekend at Lewis #1

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2054220&OrgKey=453

May 6 - Friends of Camp Turrell Comedy Night in Pompton Lakes

  Larry Burke - lpb51@msn.com or 201-704-5006

May 8 - Council Recognition Dinner

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2087122&OrgKey=453

May 20-21 - NNJC Family Weekend at Lewis #2

  http://www.nnjbsa.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx?ActivityKey=2059311&OrgKey=453

Beaver Day at Turrell (Apr 22)

Beaver Day at Camp Turrell 

Saturday April 22

Volunteer workers are needed to get Camp Turrell ready for Scout summer camp when it starts up again in July.

Meet up with Ranger Bruce Bobrowski.
Breakfast at 8;00 AM
Work starts at 9:00 AM 


Please contact Bruce now to let him know you are coming and to tell him what kind of skills you can offer: 845-754-7111.