With the pandemic limiting some in-person activities, these videos offer an easy-to-deliver virtual alternative for leaders.Your Content Goes Here

On Sept. 1, Member Care Contact Center will shift to serve council employees so they can address local volunteer needs.

Those connected to the process for the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts should review the updated guidance.

Mayflower Council would like to recognize Scouts and adults who are Scouting at a distance with a patch that is sure to be a collector item. Requirements for Scouts and leaders to earn this award are simple.

Guidelines:

1. Complete the requirements for the appropriate rank
2. Complete online award completion form
3. Order your patch.
   • The link to order your patch will be provided when you submit your online completion form
   • Patches are $4 each
   • Our patch design will be available soon and we think it’s so cool
4. Award is available for a limited time requirements must be completed by September 30 and patches must be ordered by October 15.
5. Contact Joe Livingston if you have questions about the award.

Continue to follow all applicable state, local, and council guidelines. We encourage you to take and post pictures of your events and post them on social media with the hashtag #mayflowerscoutsinaction #scoutingatadistance

Cub Scout Den Requirements (complete 3 out of this list)

• Attend an in person den meeting
• Plan and practice a den skit or song
• Participate in a den campfire (can’t be the same as the den meeting from above)
• Perform at least one hour of community service with your den
• Participate in a den scavenger hunt

Scouts BSA Patrol or Venture Crew Requirements (complete 3 out of this list)

• Attend an in-person patrol or crew meeting
• Plan and attend an in-person patrol or crew camping trip
• Participate in at least two hours of community service with your patrol or crew
• Go on a 5-mile hike with your patrol
• Participate in a patrol or crew scavenger hunt

Adult Leader Required

• Ensure you are 100% trained for your current position through your My.Scouting profile (for ASM, SM, and Crew Advisors if all that is missing is IOLS an in person training submit email to your local council to be notified when this training will be offered next)

Adult Leader Elective Requirements (complete 2 out of this list)

• Facilitate an in person meeting utilizing the guidelines provided at the time based on local guidelines
• Explain Scouting to a non Scouting family or to a community group of your choice
• Share through social media or a letter to the editor explaining the values of Scouting and what Scouting means to you to help spread the positive message of Scouting
• Following Youth Protection Guidelines ensure at least 1 Scout advances a rank or earns a MB (not virtual if allowed by local guidelines)

Dear Scouting Families,

Families today have many options, but Scouting continues to stand out as a safe and fun atmosphere where a kid can be a kid all while preparing them to become an even better adult.

As we look toward the future of Scouting, the Mayflower Council is committed to providing a  wholesome and cost-effective Scouting experience.

Our activity fee is being increased out of necessity to support critical safety components of our organization like youth protection resources, criminal background checks, technology upgrades and insurance coverage rates which have risen substantially over the past few years.

The Mayflower Council staff and board volunteers have worked tirelessly to keep the cost of Scouting as low as possible for our families. Our council is fiscally sound; however, it is crucial that we continuously review our financial structure in order to guarantee the longevity of our local programs.

Over the past three years, our council has maintained the activity fee and subsidized rising core costs – the greatest being insurance coverage – to keep fees as low as possible. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to subsidize these costs at past levels.

Additionally, COVID-19 coupled with the challenges created by a National BSA bankruptcy, has required our council to consider how these external factors will impact Scouting in the MetroWest and South Shore.

As a result, the Mayflower Council has been forced to make dramatic changes to expenses because of the decreases in our traditional revenue sources.

ACTIONS & TRENDS

• Family participation in our annual Investment in Character fundraising campaign has fallen from 16% to only 5%.
• Due to COVID-19 camp restrictions we have absorbed $406,000 in camp loss of revenue
• We have reduced our expenses by 31%
• The Mayflower Council Staff has been reduced by 10%

The decision to increase our activity fee was not made lightly, but it is necessary to fulfill our promise and continue to offer the level of Scouting our families are accustomed to without any decline in service. Many factors went into increasing the council activity fee and it was imperative that the information was conveyed in a timely manner to our units and families.

The activity fee will allow the Mayflower Council to provide:

• Medical and accident insurance coverage as well as local liability insurance for all registered members.
• Free tent camping at Camp Resolute, Camp Squanto and Nobscot Scout Reservation.
• Camp fees that are as low as possible while enhancing camp properties.
• Free required training course for adult leaders.

For a comprehensive list of how the Mayflower Council supports units and Scouting families click here.

After careful consideration, and approval by the Mayflower Council Executive Board, beginning on August 1, 2020, the activity fee will be increased from $30 to $36 per youth member (50 cents per month) in Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Exploring. (the previous activity fee excluded Lions, 18 – 21 year old Venturers and Explorers.) The fee will not apply to adult members and will be prorated on a monthly basis. The new fee will not apply to existing members until their unit recharters for 2021.

One hundred percent of the recently increased annual National registration fee goes to the National Boy Scouts of America Council to support Scouting for you. Including: Scoutbook; Youth Protection Training; liability insurance; program development and much more.

If you have questions on the council activity fee or the National BSA membership fee, please do not hesitate to reach out to your district executive or email us at communication@mayflowerbsa.org.

We thank you for your commitment to Scouting in the Mayflower Council and urge you to continue to be an advocate for Scouting as our programs are preparing thousands of youth across the MetroWest and the South Shore of Massachusetts, for life.

Yours in Scouting,

Mike Rotar
Council President

Josh Paulin
Council Commissioner

Bryan Feather
Scout Executive / CEO

That’s right! We’re happy to announce the New England Scout Shop in the Brickyard Square Plaza located in Southborough has reopened with modified operating hours to help further your Scouting adventure! Over the last several weeks, we have been working hard to implement enhanced safety measures that make yours and our team members safety the top priority!

Effective today, you’ll notice the following changes upon entering our location:

• Hand sanitizer is available for customer use in all Scout Shops.
• We’ve implemented rigorous cleaning routines throughout the day and have temporarily closed fitting rooms.
• Prior to beginning every shift, all team members must complete an Employee Health Screening to ensure they are ready and able to work safely.
• Every team member is provided with facial coverings to use during their shifts and are asked to frequently wash their hands.
• Social distancing markers are placed in every Scout Shop.
• All product returns are being disinfected or quarantined for five business days before returning to the salesfloor.
• We have updated our payment systems to need fewer signatures and to accept contactless pay to include Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
• Plexiglass sneeze guards are installed at checkout points, in areas of the country where required.
• Limited occupancy regulations will be in place in compliance with state and local requirements.

While not mandatory in every Scout Shop, we respectfully request you to follow social distancing and safety protocols recommended by public health officials, including wearing a facial covering when visiting our stores to help protect yourself and our team members.

Now that we have re-opened, we are very excited to announce that we’ve redesigned our in-store shopping experience with your safety and convenience as our main goal.

Effective today, you can purchase any of our 600 Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA Advancement related products online, and have the order gathered, bagged, and set aside for you to either pickup in-store, contactless curbside, or have the items shipped directly to you!

Click on the image below to check it out.

Looking ahead, we will continue to evaluate and modify our safety measures and in-store experience with you and our team members in mind. In the meantime, we’re taking this seriously so we can get it right. We cannot wait to welcome you and our Scouting community back to our Scout Shop!

Remember, every purchase made in our store supports the future of local Scouting.

Join the National Recruiting Webinars happening this summer. These regular, one-hour sessions will cover topics important to recruiting in 2020, including geofencing, BeAScout.org, Zoom 101, online registration, and much more. Plus, the hosts will answer your questions. Mark your calendars.

Register today!

Schedule:

June 24 – 8:00 pm:  National Recruiting Webinar – Virtual Recruitment Events, Working with Schools

July 9 – 8:00 pm: National Recruiting Webinar, Tech Edition – BeAScout.org, Invitation Manager

July 16 – 8:00 pm: National Recruiting Webinar – Scoutbook 101, “Who’s Zooming Who?”

July 23 – 8:00 pm: National Recruiting Webinar – Geofencing, Search, Social Media, Peer-to-Peer Recruiting

August 6 – 8:00 pm: National Recruiting Webinar – Local PR How-to’s Print, Digital, Video

August 20 – 8:00 pm: National Recruiting Webinar – It’s Not Too Late: Five Things You Should be Doing Now

Dear Scouting Family,

Today the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America announced an increase to the annual membership fees. These increases are a result of rising operational costs and COVID-19, which has created a substantial unplanned loss of revenue due to mandated Scout Shop closures and shortened high adventure base seasons.

Locally, our council is also facing financial challenges and we are doing our best to address the impact of three months of office closure, activity cancellations, diminished fundraising campaigns, and the loss of some of our 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 understand many of our Scouting families are also dealing with similar financial issues. 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.

We are aware some of our members may have heard about these fee changes this weekend via social media. The Mayflower Council did not share this information previously because the National Council requested that all councils wait until June 1st before distributing this news. Some councils, unfortunately, chose to share the information prematurely, which may have spawned some confusion. The Mayflower Council apologizes for any inconvenience this action may have caused.

Please review the infographic below. Click here to view the frequently asked questions about the fee increase. As more information is released, we will share the most up to date information here.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our Scouts. As Scouting navigates these turbulent times, we stand together to achieve our shared mission: helping young people in our community learn, grow, and thrive.

If you have specific questions regarding these changes, please contact your district executive or email us.

Yours in Scouting,

Mike Rotar
Council President

Josh Paulin
Council Commissioner

Bryan Feather
Scout Executive / CEO

May 18, 2020

Hello Scouting Families,

As you’ve proven over the last few weeks, our Scouting communities are resilient, prepared, and able to adapt to any situation. Now, as we look ahead to the 2020 camping season, the question on everyone’s mind is, “What is Adventure Day  Camp going to look like and is it safe to attend?”

To alleviate some concerns, we thought it would be helpful to share with you our current decisions as well as modifications to our pre-camp preparations and to the camp experiences offered this summer.

First and foremost, the health and safety of our Scouting families, volunteers and staff remains our number one priority as we continue to adapt to this unprecedented situation. Our council continues to develop new plans and review existing procedures that will keep our Scouts and volunteers safe.

The decision to operate our council camps will be based on our ability to operate safely within the CDC’s summer camp guidelines, in addition to recommendations from local, state and BSA authorities. Rest assured that the council will only conduct camp if it is legal, safe, and practical to do so.

This summer may not look like all the summers that have come before or any of the summers that will come after. What we do know is that camp plays a vital role in the lives of our Scouts and Scouters. At this time, we are taking steps to determine how we can best serve our Scouting community this summer.

As of today, May 18, 2020, we are announcing the following decisions: 

The following Cub Scout camps and activities have been cancelled for 2020.

• Adventure Overnight Week: August 2 – 5
• Adventure Overnight Week Plus: August 6 – 7
• Camp Norse Day Camp: Cancelled by the Narragansett Council

The Adventure Day Camp has been postponed to later in the summer. The modified schedule is as follows:

• July 13 – 17
• July 20 – 24
• July 27 – 31
• August 3 – 7
• August 10 – 14

The following Adventure Day Camp modifications will be made:

• Weekly attendance will be limited to 36 participants
• There will be no bus service to/from day camp

For those that had signed up for any of these events, you will receive an additional email with steps regarding refunds, transfers, and additional information about the event. For any event cancelled, you will receive a 100% refund. If you are interested in signing up for Adventure Day Camp we suggest doing so soon, as we anticipate camp selling out given the reduced capacity.

So what can you expect this summer? 

Just because some of our planned outdoor experiences cannot happen as expected, we are still committed to helping you and other families experience camp in a safe environment. We understand the importance of an outdoor in-person experience, and we will find ways to help your family experience the fun of camp this summer. It will look different from a traditional camp and that is ok. In the coming days you will see us roll out the opportunity to participate in a virtual day camp this summer, for those not comfortable with the in-person experience.

Allow us to share a glimpse of some of the additional elements of what “safely operating” our camps in this new environment will entail. While this list is not comprehensive and our review is an ongoing process, you can expect some significant updates to many of the following:

• Check-in Screening – Upon arrival at our camps, staff and participants will be screened and their temperature will be taken. Those with temperatures above 100.4 will not be allowed entry; those who travelled with them will also not be allowed entry.
• Sickness at Camp – Participants presenting symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent home.
• Visitors – Will not be allowed into camp.
• Group Size – group size will be reduced from 10-12 participants last year to 5-6 this year
• Family BBQ & Closing Campfire – Will NOT be held this summer.
• Hand Washing – Participants will be directed to wash their hands often.  Additional hand washing and sanitizing stations will be available.
• Restrooms – Restrooms will be cleaned 3 times a day.
• Protective Gear – We will be reviewing best methods for use of gloves, masks, etc., while on our properties.
• Camp Equipment – We will properly sanitize all community and reusable program equipment after each use.
• Social Distancing – We will avoid activities where appropriate social distance cannot be maintained.

These items and many more are all under review as part of the comprehensive evaluation now underway of our standards and policies. As we move forward, you can expect a comprehensive list complete with instructions.

We thank you for your continued commitment to Scouting and for helping us prepare and adapt to any situation. We will continue to monitor the situation daily and relay any updates as they become available on our council website and through our social media channels. If you have specific questions please email them to covid19@mayflowerbsa.org and we will respond to them as quickly as possible.

Please stay safe and keep Scouting!

Mike Rotar
Council President

Josh Paulin
Council Commissioner

Bryan Feather
Scout Executive / CEO