Do you know Roland Cloutier? Roland is the Squanto Camp Ranger who has always kept the camp top notch and ready for all of our scouts year round. Please join us as we wish him the best of luck on his retirement.

Register Today To Attend

The Mayflower Council is proud to announce the 2017 Downey Campership Fund recipients for having the largest number of scouts attending Camp Squanto during the 2017 Camp Season.  2017 was a very competitive year with 2 units splitting the award as they both had the same number of youth attending camp.  As a result, both units have received $500.00 to assist in funding their 2018 camping season.  The units are:

Troop 126 Franklin, Christopher Botchis, Scoutmaster and

Troop 9 Weymouth, Philip Bartel, Scoutmaster

Please be certain to extend them your congratulations for a very successful 2017 Camp Season.

Craig D. McKenna

VP-Endowment

Mayflower Council, Inc.  BSA

On May 8th a joint statement was released by the LDS church and the Boy Scouts of America that outlined the strategy the LDS church has established to develop a worldwide youth program to serve its families. Because of this new program, the LDS church has decided to end its relationship as a chartered organization effective December 31, 2019.

For those families who are currently active in a unit chartered to a LDS church and want to continue your scouting journey after 2019, we wanted to let you know our volunteers and staff in each district will be there to help facilitate that for your family.

Official National Boy Scouts of America Statement:

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) deeply appreciates the long-standing relationship we’ve had with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a chartered organization. While Scouting remains a beloved program for many LDS families, the Church has decided to pursue programming that helps it meet the needs of their increasingly global membership and will no longer charter units after December 31, 2019. We jointly express our gratitude to the thousands of Scout leaders who have selflessly served over the years in Church-sponsored Scouting units and wish the Church all the best as it prepares to introduce the new program in 2020. There are many religiously-affiliated programs that are offered alongside Scouting, and as such, we are confident that many LDS Scouting families will go on to enjoy Scouting for years to come – continuing the legacy of LDS youth who have become Eagle Scouts and community leaders. For LDS families who want to continue the tradition of Scouting beyond 2019, the BSA will ensure a smooth transition to community-sponsored units that will welcome youth previously served by LDS-sponsored units. At the same time, the Boy Scouts of America is excited about our future and the opportunity to grow by providing families more options for their children to benefit from the incredible character-building experiences we provide. On background, approximately 425,000 youth in the LDS Church are served by the Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs. As one of the nation’s largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations, the Boy Scouts of America is deeply heartened by the commitment of our many chartered partners whose ongoing commitment to Scouting enables us to serve about 2.3 million youth each year. 

The BSA Launches Historic ‘Scout Me In’ Campaign Inviting Girls and Boys to Experience Adventures Through a Cub Scout’s Point of View

‘Scouts BSA’ Also Unveiled as the Name of the Program for Older Boys and Girls to Ensure All Youth Are Welcome and Can See Themselves in Scouting

Irving, Texas – May 2, 2018 – The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) made history today by unveiling the new Scout Me In campaign that features girls, as well as boys, in its iconic Cub Scout program for the first time. Starting this summer, all kids are invited to say, “Scout Me In,” as they join the fun, adventure and character-building opportunities found in Cub Scouts. The campaign presents an energizing Scouting experience that speaks to kids by putting them in the middle of the action. It also engages parents who are looking for ways to make the most of the time they have with their kids and help them to be Prepared. For Life.

The Scout Me In creative shifts the perspective by showing what it’s like to be a Scout from a kid’s point of view. Instead of simply showing Scouts participating in activities, the campaign brings the young viewer into the middle of the action – from fishing, biking and canoeing to launching rockets and making slime – where they get even closer to the experiences that Scouting brings to life.

“Cub Scouts is a lot of fun, and now it’s available to all kids,” said Stephen Medlicott, National Marketing Group Director of Boy Scouts of America. “That’s why we love ‘Scout Me In’ – because it speaks to girls and boys and tells them, ‘This is for you. We want you to join!’”

The Scout Me In campaign celebrates the BSA’s expansion to serve families and welcome girls and boys into Scouting in communities across the country. It reinforces that the mission and core values in the Scout Oath and Scout Law are welcoming, inclusive and foundational for both young men and women. Since announcing the BSA’s historic decision to welcome girls into Scouting, more than 3,000 girls across the nation have already enrolled in the BSA’s Early Adopter Program and are participating in Cub Scouts ahead of the full launch later this year.

“As we enter a new era for our organization, it is important that all youth can see themselves in Scouting in every way possible. That is why it is important that the name for our Scouting program for older youth remain consistent with the single name approach used for the Cub Scouts,” said Michael Surbaugh, Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. “Starting in February 2019, the name of the older youth program will be ‘Scouts BSA,’ and the name of our iconic organization will continue to be Boy Scouts of America.”

The new Scout Me In recruitment campaign and creative approach was created by award-winning Dallas agency Johnson & Sekin, who also led efforts in the naming process supporting Scouts BSA. The Cub Scout and Scouts BSA program launch, led by Golin, will encompass a fully integrated strategy that spans paid, owned and earned channels.

“Scouting is deeply woven into the fabric of American life,” said Chris Sekin, Managing Partner of Johnson & Sekin. “It is a privilege to work with the organization to usher in its newest era that now includes all of our country’s youth and families.”

“We are excited to partner with the BSA to expand its impactful programs that are relevant to all families,” said Caroline Dettman, Golin’s Chief Creative and Community Officer. “We are thrilled that the mission and goal of the BSA’s programs to instill character and leadership is now a powerful promise for boys and girls alike.”

About the Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®” The Scouting organization is composed of nearly 2.3 million youth members between the ages of 5 and 21 and approximately 960,000 volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit www.scouting.org.

Highlights in this months May Training newsletter:

• Let’s get more leaders training!
• New Weather Hazards Requirement
• Upcoming In-person Training Schedule
• Youth Protection Reminder

May Training Newsletter

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!