Dear Scouting Families:
We have learned that BSA plans to make an announcement later today about an increase to the annual membership fees. This increase is a result of financial needs created by the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings and COVID-19, which has created a substantial unplanned loss of revenue due to mandated Scout Shop closures and shortened high adventure base seasons.
We understand many of our Scouting families are also dealing with similar financial issues. Once we receive the official notification from BSA we will evaluate how it will impact our local families. We do not want finances to be a barrier to participation in Scouting, and will do our best to assist families who need it to the fullest extent possible.
Locally, our Council also faces these same issues and are doing our best to address the impact of three months of office closure, activity cancellations, diminished fundraising campaigns, and the loss of our entire summer camp season. We know, however, that our staff and volunteers will continue to do their best to offer high-quality Scouting experiences during these challenging times.
We continue to be amazed by the innovation our Scouting family has shown at every level, from Scouts making masks for essential personnel in their community to Goshen’s new alternative summer program. We are living in interesting times, as the saying goes, but will emerge the stronger for it.
Please review the infographic below. As more information is released, we will continue to share it with you.
The crew also ran a drive-thru drop off station in the parking lot of their charter organization with one Venturer and adult family member at a time rotating to supervise the drop offs there. The sum of everyone’s individually coordinated effort was 721 pounds of food and $45 cash donation were collected to help our local food pantry respond to the increased demand resulting from our current public health situation.
On May 26th, Pack 242 of Aquia Harbour in Stafford, VA conducted its annual crossing over/ranking up. Traditionally, this event is held at the last Pack meeting of the school year in order to advance Scouts’ Dens prior to the start of Day and Summer Camps. As part of the ceremony in previous years, Scouts come forward as a Den, have their neckerchiefs removed, and the neckerchief of their new rank is placed around their neck by the Scouts from the next higher level Den.
Dens were given time slots to line up in cars. They would be sent forward, the Scout, or sibling Scouts, would exit the vehicle, greet Cubmaster Jim Isajewicz, salute and give the Scout sign and Oath before some words of wisdom or a short discussion about their Scouting year, often with a little humor, such as the social distancing measuring tape (pictured). The Scout(s) would proceed through the streamers to a table to pick up their new rank’s neckerchief, then triumphantly return through the streamers and to their families. The entire event was live-streamed in the same way as conducting our virtual Pack meetings. Scouts and families not ready to venture out, as well as distant family members, were all able to participate through the live virtual event.
A photo station was set up further past the ceremony location using our traditional bridge for Arrow of Light crossovers and our Pack and US flags, where parents could take additional photos of their Scouts.
