My Scouting journey started with my father who was born during the Great Depression. He joined Cub Scouts only to drop out when his family could no longer afford to pay his dues. His dream was to give his family the opportunity to participate in Scouting that he never had. I joined Scouting as a Cub and continued as a Boy Scout eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout. The first merit badge I earned was Canoeing. Little did I know that several years later I would put that learning to use in rescuing a group of 8th Grade girls on a school field trip who swamped their canoe and without life jackets started the long swim back to shore. I remembered the T-Rescue technique and with the help of a few friends got everyone safely back into their canoe. My Scout training helped prepare me for the unexpected and enabled me to effectively address what might have been a life-threatening crisis.

Having benefitted from the selfless service of leaders who influenced and supported me, I resolved as an adult to give back to the Scouting program and became an Assistant Scoutmaster and later Scoutmaster of a troop in California. Almost ten years ago my family and I moved to Massachusetts and my son began his own journey in Scouting. Now he has earned his Eagle and is beginning to prepare for college. For the past four years I have been able to serve on the Council Executive Board and in January assumed the role as Mayflower Council President. I have seen the amazing impact that Scouting can have on people – both youth and adults alike. The values and life skills Scouting provides to those that participate and volunteer are unparalleled in any other organization.

It has been said that the only two things in life that are certain are death and taxes. I might add a third – change. In 2017 we successfully merged the legacy Knox Trail and Old Colony councils into the Mayflower Council as well as our two Order of the Arrow lodges into Tantamous Lodge. We hired our new Scout Executive, Bryan Feather, and consolidated our support staff, executive board, officers and council committees. In 2018 we will complete redistricting and introduce girls into our Cub Scout program. While change can be difficult, it is essential for continual growth and improvement. As the Mayflower Council leadership we are committed to growing membership, providing an amazing program to our youth and training our leaders. We appreciate all that you do! Scouting has so much to offer and we don’t want anyone to miss out. I hope that each of us will reflect on our own personal Scouting journey and how we can help to create a new legacy as the Mayflower Council. Whether you are a youth or an adult, please invite someone you know to participate in Scouting and you will change their life for the better forever. Let’s enjoy the Scouting journey!

Yours in Scouting,

Michael Rotar
Mayflower Council President

It is with great pride that the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting announces that the following adult Scouters have been nominated for, and selected to receive recognition on behalf of the Diocese of Worcester and the National Catholic Committee on Scouting;

St. George Emblem:

Fr. James Mazzone

Jamie Pitney

Dcn. William White

Bronze Pelican:

Tim Daly

Stephen Lavoie

Larry Mayone

These recipients will receive their awards at our annual dinner on Saturday, June 9^th at St. Joseph’s Parish Center in Auburn, MA. Those who wish to attend to join us in celebrating their achievement are invited to register for the event at https://neworcester.org/2018-adult-scouting-awards-dinner

If you are unable to attend, you can also use this site to make a donation in support of Catholic Scouting programs in our Council and Diocese.

Bishop McManus will be in attendance to bless and present the awards to these worthy Scouters, and your support in attending will make the evening even more special. Gathering time is 5:30 PM. Questions can be directed to John Atlas, Chairman of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, via email at Scoutmaster.Troop9@gmail.com

Over the past two years, the BSA has worked with experts in the field of child abuse, child sexual abuse and maltreatment to develop new training and resources that will further strengthen our ability to protect youth. These changes include:

• Fully updated and revised Youth Protection Training developed with leaders in the field of child abuse prevention and includes insights from experts, survivors and the latest strategies for recognizing and preventing major forms of abuse. This is the designated Youth Protection training for all adults.
• Expanded youth protection content across all our communications channels will inform and engage our volunteers and parents.
• An expanded National ScoutsFirst Helpline to aid volunteers and families in addressing potentially dangerous situations.
• The BSA also provides unlimited counseling and support for healing to anyone who has ever been abused in Scouting.
• Youth protection training for youth members will be available in 2019.

In addition to updated training and resources, the BSA announced new policies to ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements. These policies have been in place in the NCAC for a number of years. These policies include:

• As of January 1, 2018, no new leader can be registered without first completing youth protection training.
• As of January 1, 2018, no council, regional or national leader will be allowed to renew their registration if they are not current on their youth protection training.
• As of September 1, 2017, no unit may re-charter without all leaders being current on their youth protection training. Registrars no longer have the ability to approve charters without full compliance.

**Of Special Note**

By October 1, 2018, all new and currently registered leaders will be required to complete the updated training. The enhanced and updated content will allow leaders and councils to comply with all current legal requirements. While this may be inconvenient for some, it reflects the BSA’s commitment to the safety of all youth.

For camps this summer across the BSA:

Adults accompanying units on activities who are present at the activity for 72 hours or more, must be registered and take Youth Protection Training. The 72 hours need not be consecutive. If your unit desires to set a more strict policy, like ALL adults going to camp must be registered and have current YPT, that is certainly permitted.

This training is now available on my.Scouting at  https://my.scouting.org/

You may download a “HOW TO GUIDE FOR TAKING YOUTH PROTECTION TRAINING”

Introducing ScoutsFirst Helpline

ScoutsFirst is a new national tool to help with questions, concerns and reporting. The ScoutsFirst Helpline also makes it easier for volunteers and families to address dangerous situations. If a leader or parent has a question about a situation, or something they’ve seen or if they want to report a possible incident, they can contact the Helpline for assistance. In cases of abuse, they should also notify the local authorities. ScoutsFirst Helpline (844)-Scouts1 or (844)726-8871.

ScoutsFirst for Counseling and Support. The Boy Scouts of America is committed to providing ongoing support to victims and their families, including counseling. We want to help victims heal, on their own terms, with a professional counselor of their choice. Through the ScoutsFirst Helpline, the Boy Scouts of America offers assistance with counseling to any youth member, former youth member, or the family of any youth member who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting. To reach the ScoutsFirst Helpline, call (844)-Scouts1 or (844)726-8871, or email scouts1st@scouting.org. Support is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Coming Soon:

In-person youth protection training available June 2018.

Spanish-language resources will be available later in August 2018.

Youth protection training for youth members will be available in 2019. More details will be shared as they become available.

For more Youth Protection resources check out,   https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/

The Marlborough and Canton Service Centers will be closed on Monday, April 16th in honor of Patriot’s Day.

The National Executive Committee and Board voted that the Lion pilot has proven successful and is ready to officially join the Cub Scouting family! Research and feedback says… Developing character is the #1 reason to join Scouting, according to parents. 61% of Lion youth are new families to Scouting!