THUNDERBIRD DISTRICT NEWSLETTER - NOVEMBER, 2008
Three Fires Council - BSA
This Scout eNewsletter is being sent blind copy to the Troops, Packs, Teams and Crews of Thunderbird District, Three Fires Council, from the District & Commissioner Service Teams. Please share this time sensitive information with the other adults in your units. To change your email address, or sign up to receive the monthly newsletter, or to opt off this list, please send your request to the following link, or drop off changes at any Roundtable.

TIME SENSITIVE NEWS

ROUNDTABLES

CUB SCOUT ROUNDTABLE: Theme:

BOY SCOUT/VENTURING ROUNDTABLE: Theme: Diversity... How do you include it in the Scouting program? Diversity of culture, age, ability, job, food... diversity can be a tool we use to enhance our programs. Theme: The monthly Scout Theme for Roundtable and February meetings is Public Service. Assignments: Opening/Closing-T501/C33; Recipe-T510/C169; Outing Review-T67/T505.

ACTIVITIES NEWS

1. 2010 NATIONAL JAMBOREE Our council will be sending 6 troops to the 2010 National Jamboree. Qualifications are found on the 2010 Jamboree Page of the Three Fires Council Website. On-line registration for Scouts & Adults & Staff is also available on this page. The Jamboree is a huge event and a lifetime experience! Please feel free to also contact Paul Chemler (630-355-7556) or Ed Hedborn(630-985-0655) with questions.

2. SCOUTING FOR FOOD 2009: In February of the last six years, Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, and Varsity Crews from Thunderbird District collected food for local food pantries. In 2004, we collected more than three tons of food, and this has risen to collecting more than six tons of food in 2008! Participation has also risen – in 2003 and 2004, twelve units participated, in 2005, fourteen units, in 2006, nineteen units, in 2007, 27 units, and last year 31 units and more than 1,350 people! The pick-up date for Scouting for Food 2009 will be Saturday, February 21, 2009.

Thirty-one units have signed up for Scouting for Food 2009: Lisle’s Pack 89, Crew 108, Pack 108, Troop 108, Pack 504, Naperville’s Pack 66, Pack 70, Pack 87, Pack 99, Troop 100, Pack 105, Troop 107, Pack 198, Team 198, Troop 198, Troop 222, Troop 501, Pack 503, Troop 505, Pack 506, Pack 507, Pack 513, Pack 562, Pack 567, Pack 5556, and Woodridge’s Troop 67, Pack 104, Troop 109, Pack 367, Pack 511, Troop 516.

3. SCOUT SPORTING EVENTS: Make sure that you check out the Sports Page of the Three Fires Council Website. Teams like the Chicago Storm, Rush, NIU Huskies, Kane County Cougars, Milwaukee Bucks plus many more, have Scout Days. You can get tickets to attend these games & participate in lots of great special activities. Don’t miss out on the FUN!

5. 2009 WEBELOS OVERNIGHT: Mark your calendars!

• Webelos Overnight - June 6-7, 2009 at Thunderbird Youth Camp, Naperville

TRAINING CORNER

1. NEED TRAINING? See the Council Training Calendar for your training needs. There should be a course to meet your busy schedule as well as everyone else in your unit! Courses are being added each month, so check out the Three Fires Council Training Page to find one that meets your needs, or click on the training page on our T-Bird site to download the local registration forms! BE TRAINED!

3. THE ONLINE LEARNING CENTER: At this center, you can take the online Fast Start course for your position in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, & Venturing, as well as Youth Protection, Troop Committee Challenge, Safe Swim Defense & Safety Afloat. NEW courses include Unit Commissioner Fast Start, Generational Diversity & Weather Safety Training. Weather Training will be required for tour permit approval beginning January, 2009.The On-Line Training Center is located on the TFC Website under the training tab. When registering, be sure to have your BSA membership card handy - registering with your membership number will ensure that your training is recorded by the BSA, but you should still notify your unit (pack, troop, crew, etc.) and district training personnel of the completion of any courses you take.

CAMPING CORNER

HIKING PROGRAM for CUBS: The Outdoor Promotions Committee has developed a new program for Cub Scouts. It is a hiking club. The idea is to get the Cub Scout introduced to the outdoors in an easy and fun program. The Hiking Club program is simple and the cost is minimal. The pack will schedule a hike each month, track the miles walked for each Scout (and parent). The Scout can earn segments, a hiking patch, and they can even earn a walking stick. The hikes can be done in a Forest Preserve or the Prairie Path. The program is up to the pack. For more information please consult the attached flier.

• Cub Scout Hiking Program

FINANCE NEWS

ADVANCEMENT NEWS

2. ON-LINE ADVANCEMENT: Three Fires Council is excited to announce that units can now use Internet Advancement to record their youth member advancements from any online location, at home or at the office. You will find this new method to be easy, convenient, and accurate because YOU enter the information. Here’s how it works: Three Fires Council has an Internet Advancement link at Three Fires Council with instructions and a link to this new functionality. Internet Advancement makes it easy for unit leadership to record awards, ranks, and merit badges to youth via an online process.