Many volunteers have requested information on how to help Scouting in Ukraine. Please see the official statement from the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) below.

WOSM recognizes one National Scout Organization per country. For Ukraine, the Member Organization is National Organization of Scouts of Ukraine (NOSU). We encourage all NSOs that any Scouting support is channeled through the mechanisms made available through WOSM.

We are aware that many other non-WOSM but Scout-like entities are active in the region, including PLAST. We are not affiliated with organizations in Ukraine besides NOSU.

In most cases, the best way to help with the unfolding humanitarian crisis is to make a financial contribution through WOSM or another reputable NGO.

To directly support Scouts’ humanitarian relief work in Ukraine and for refugees, you can donate here. Representatives on the ground know what is needed and financial contributions help them purchase the most needed and locally-appropriate supplies.

For additional and ongoing updates, please visit here.

Questions? Email International Division at the National Council.

So, it’s March. The Freeze-Out is done. The Klondike Derby is over. Meanwhile, there are only so many times you can play “Manhunt” in and around your troop, pack, or den meeting space. 

Moreover, you have some Scouts who need, need, need to do something — anything — outdoors. Well Scouters, we here at your Mayflower Council have the solution. Actually, we have many solutions.

Resolute Base Camp continues this month, and runs programs into June (and returns in the fall, too).

Here are the deets:

• Resolute Base Camp Outdoor Experience is a daytime program offered on weekends at Camp Resolute in Bolton, MA. Outdoor Experience is an exciting new program offered on weekends throughout the year. It can be a fun bonding experience or outing for families, Scouts, and units. 
• All activities are run by trained and certified staff. Units can work towards specific advancements and awards while non-Scouts can participate in fun outdoor activities and skills development. Outdoor Experience is designed to allow participants to go at their own pace. 
• Outdoor Experience is open to all youth currently in grades K-12.  A parent/guardian or unit leader must stay with any youth attending Outdoor Experience.

Okay, okay. I get it. I had you at “Resolute Base Camp.”

So, click here to register.

You’re welcome!

In collaboration with the BSA National Aquatics Subcommittee, ScoutingU has released an updated version of “Safe Swim Defense” online training that is also mobile compatible. Since the inception of Scouting, learning to swim and engaging in aquatics activities have been core to the program. Safe Swim Defense training is required for any BSA unit who will participate in swimming activities. This online training ensures that adult leaders are prepared to facilitate safe swimming programs by reviewing the eight points of Safe Swim Defense. To access the updated training, log onto my.Scouting.org and search the catalog in the BSA Learn Center for “Safe Swim Defense.” For additional information regarding BSA aquatics programs, please refer to the Guide to Safe Scouting and the BSA’s Aquatics Supervision Guide.

FAQs

Q. Does Safe Swim Defense training have to be renewed?
A. Yes, adults supervising a swimming activity must have completed Safe Swim Defense training within the previous two years.

Q. Do I need to take the new version of Safe Swim Defense training if my current training is not expired?
A. No, you can complete the updated version of Safe Swim Defense when your current certification expires.

Q. Is Safe Swim Defense training available to take in person?
A. No, Safe Swim Defense is only available online. It is also mobile compatible.

In May of 2021, it was announced that 19 Cub Scout Elective Adventures would be retiring at the end of this program year (May 2022). See details here.

Elective adventures are reviewed for content and popularity. These 19 have been the least popular based on sales and advancement data. They will be archived in Scoutbook and Internet Advancement, removing the ability to mark them as completed after the retirement date of May 31, 2022. These 19 adventures are not being replaced with a new set of elective adventures.

Inventory at the Scout Shops for loops and pins is limited and will only be available while supplies last. Cub Scouts can still wear the adventure loops and pins after that date. Once it’s earned, it’s not taken away from the Cub Scout.

STEM Nova Award Impact – STEM Nova Awards that include Adventures also include an Option A and Option B to earn the award. Cub Scouts may choose to earn one of the remaining Adventures or Option A or Option B.

World Conservation Award Impact – The Wolf and Webelos rank are impacted. The Bear rank has no changes.

For Wolf Scouts who want to earn the World Conservation Award, the requirement to earn the Grow Something Elective Adventure will be replaced with the following activities:

1. Select a seed, and plant it in a small container. Care for it for 30 days. Take a picture or make a drawing of your plant once each week to share with your den or family.
2. Find out the growing zone for your area and share the types of plants that will grow best in your zone.
3. Visit or research a botanical or community garden in your area and learn about two of the plants that grow there. Share what you have learned with your den or family.
4. Complete one of the following:
   • Make a terrarium.
   • Using a seed tray, grow a garden inside your home. Keep a journal of its progress for 30 days. Share results with your den or family.
   • Grow a sweet potato plant in water. Keep a journal of its growth for two weeks. Share the information with your den or family.

For Webelos (including Arrow of Light) Scouts, the requirement to complete 1, 3a, and 3b of the Adventures in Science adventure will be replaced with:

1. Draw a picture of a “fair test” that shows what you need to do to test a fertilizer’s effects on plant growth.
2. Carry out the experiment previously designed as a fair test of fertilizer’s effect on plant growth.
3. Carry out the experiment again but change the independent variable. Report what you learned about how changing the variable affected plant growth.

Here is the complete list of adventures that will be retired on May 31, 2022:

Tiger

• Earning Your Stripes
• Family Stories
• Tiger Tales
• Tiger Theater

Wolf

• Collections and Hobbies
• Grow Something
• Hometown Heroes
• Motor Away

Bear

• Beat of the Drum
• Make It Move
• Robotics
• World of Sound

Webelos/Arrow of Light

• Adventures in Science
• Build My Hero
• Fix It
• Looking Back Looking Forward
• Maestro
• Movie Making
• Project Family

As part of the National Council’s ongoing mission to streamline and simplify the Scouting program, Scouting U, in collaboration with National Supply Group, has identified three Cub Scout device pins that will be discontinued from the program effective immediately.

These devices were traditionally worn on the Den Leader Training Award Knot, which recognizes den leaders who have completed training, tenure, and performance requirements. This Den Leader Training Award Knot (SKU 5016) will continue to be offered and is available to earn at any point throughout the den leader’s tenure.

Limited inventory of the Cub Scout Device Pins is available in Scout Shops while supplies last. These items will not be restocked once fully depleted.

The following SKUs have been eliminated:

• 932 / Device WE Pin
• 604950 / Device CS Pin
• 620592 / Device Tiger 2015

Scouters, Scouts, Friends, and Family Remain Impressed with Mayflower Council Standout…

Sometimes you just have to stop and listen. Such was the state of affairs at the annual Friends of Scouting (FOS) opening event held in January.

Newton’s Grace W., one of the first-ever young women to earn Scouting BSA’s highest honor – Eagle Scout – spoke to a packed room of loyal Scouting supporters. 

Conversations paused, and tasty appetizers remained plated; young and old alike listened to White as she reminded everyone about the many merits of Scouting.

In short, Grace loves it all.

“With my troop behind me and with the motivation of the adult leaders,” began Grace, “I was able to achieve my dream of reaching Eagle.”

“But if I were to sit down and pick out one aspect of Scouting that has shaped me the most, I could not tell you,” she continued. “There have been so many parts of Scouts that have shaped me as a person.” 

However, the final journey to Eagle remains omnipresent in Grace’s mind.

“The whole Eagle process, in general, was really impactful,” said Grace, who now attends college in Boston. “As you all know, every Eagle Scout that you meet they have gone through a lot to get to where they are.”

For Grace, the work toward Scouting’s ultimate goal had a hard stop, particularly as she began her work only a year and a half before her 18th birthday. But while the Scout handbook and merit badge work were daunting, it’s the Eagle service project that dominates Grace’s story.

Meanwhile, with her project set smack dab in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, White looked to make an immediate impact with her project – an outdoor classroom.

“I thought that I could benefit my community by building a safe outdoor space for students to learn,” she explained. “During the project, I learned a lot about leadership, and with my time constraints, I had to work extra hard to make sure that everything in my project was absolutely perfect.”

However, even a special Eagle service project has its defects.

“And if I’m being honest, [the project] wasn’t perfect,” admitted Grace. “But I think that’s the thing about doing these projects, especially as a young person, is that it’s not going to be perfect, but you get to learn something from it.”

And, amid her efforts, Grace learned the power of community.

“For me, I learned how nice people can be,” she emphasized. “I got a lot of help with my project; from people in my troop, my friends, and my family – everyone was so supportive, and it felt great to have that kind of people around.”

Of course, at the FOS dinner, Grace was  surrounded by “that kind of people.”Moreover, you can join that fantastic crowd by lending your pledge to help Scouts like Grace reach the pinnacle of Scouting and, in turn, serve others in the process. Click here to begin.

One of the best ways to promote our programs and encourage new membership is to continuously promote our units and activities to the public. By doing so, we can create several positive outcomes if we show our units, activities, and programs off “at their best.”  

Those benefits include: 

• Increased awareness, participation, and community support for our programs (such as “Scouting for Food,” etc.)
• Increased opportunities for fundraising (Friends of Scouting or “FOS,” Eagle service projects, etc.)
• Increased possibilities to recruit new members and volunteers

On a unit level, here are some ideas and ways that you and your leadership can easily promote your programs and units within the community:

• Know your local Patch.com representative. Look on Facebook for your town’s Patch page (there should be an email address to reach out to). If not, sending a message may get better results.
• Know how to reach your local news outlet. Community Newspaper Company, owned by Gatehouse Media, has weekly publications and the “Wicked Local” websites available for free in many communities within the council footprint. These publications & sites cover the local/community news. Scroll to the bottom and select CONTACT US to locate the reporter/editor for your community and send any upcoming events or ideas about your unit to them. 
• Does your unit have an organization Facebook page? Starting one is easy. Use it to share National Council and Mayflower Council posts and promote your upcoming community events. Don’t have one? Stay tuned for information on how to create and maintain one!
• Join and share your local unit event posts on your community’s local Facebook page! Also, make sure you monitor and follow up on any comments added to your shared post. Note: There will ALWAYS be someone who may try to speak negatively about your event/post, etc. As the OP (original poster), you may be able to hide their comments. Regardless, take the high road and kill them with KINDNESS when responding. Possibly send a message to the admin for the page and let them know what is going on if a note is particularly nasty.
• Local community access channels exist in almost every community, too. Some shine a spotlight on community organizations and events. Contact your local community access studio for more information. BTW: Some of these studios can also be helpful with the Movie Making Merit Badge for your Scouts.
• If you partner with another community organization throughout the year, make sure to share your “good news” or upcoming events with them through social media or directly through their leadership; this might also be a good time to mention the usefulness of Twitter and Instagram.
• Be sure to send your good news to your local town officials (mayor, town council/select board, etc.)

Of course, all of the above ideas take a certain level of commitment from your unit committee or leadership to make it work. So, consider asking for a volunteer or parent to help – it’s important. After all, spreading our good news will show your unit’s commitment to your community. 

Eagle Scout service project brings “tactile reading” to children Watertown’s Perkins School…

They say, what goes around comes around.

And for Life Scout Jack B. of Troop 12, Plymouth Congregational Church, Framingham, coming back around led him to Watertown. 

As a toddler, Jack participated in an infant-toddler program at Perkins School for the Blind.

Perkins, founded in 1829, was the first school for the blind in the US. Today the school “is the worldwide leader in education services for children and young adults who have multiple disabilities and visual impairments.”

But, according to Dara, Jack’s mom, “Perkins was kind of like a lifeline.”

According to The Boston Globe’s Grace Gilson, who profiled Jack on February 18, the Scout was “​​trying to think of things that were important for me, and my mom remembered the story box, and I did some research, and we realized how important they were for literacy development.”

What’s a “story box,” you ask? Well, it was one way that young Jack engaged with reading.

Gilson explained:

[A] “story box,” [is] an interactive literary tool for children with visual impairments that includes physical objects as part of the storytelling experience.

And for Jack, diagnosed with a visual impairment as an infant, initiatives like the story box were critical. Thankfully, the Scout’s vision improved in time; however, the family never let Perkins drop from sight.

So as part of Jack’s Eagle service project, he and his troop fundraised for and produced 40 story boxes. Each box includes objects important to stories like “Goodnight Moon,” “Brown Bear, Brown Bear,” and “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” A QR code points to audio of one of Troop 12’s Scouts reading the story aloud.

As a result, Perkins has new resources, and Jack owns a sense of accomplishment.

“I was really happy to finally give back to the full circle idea,” Jack told The Boston Globe.

If you want to read the full article, click here. To learn more about Troop 12, click here.

As part of the Mayflower Council’s Spring Membership Campaign, we would like to encourage your participation in Operation Re-Engagement between now and March 31st, 2021. This effort, which is council wide, is designed to invite former Cub Scouts who may have dropped from your roster back into your pack. Your participation will be beneficial to the health of your pack, district, and the Mayflower Council.

Here’s How To Make This Work…

• Download a report of Scouts who have dropped from your unit over the past two years. Step by step instructions on how to download this report on My.Scouting.org is available here.
  • NOTE:  Be sure to select the FILTER Button and enter dates from 1/1/2021 through 1/1/2022.
• Reach out via a callout campaign (If necessary, designate several volunteers to help you) to the parents of these “lost Scouts” to invite them to your next pack meeting. Use this meeting as an opportunity to welcome them back into Scouting by encouraging them to re-register with your pack (Some key points to promote with the parents include the Pinewood Derby in May, upcoming pack meetings, Chuck Wagon Derby in June, summer day camp and other activities you have planned for your pack.)
• If they indicate interest in re-joining, whether as part of the callout campaign or at the pack meeting, refer them to your page on BeAScout.org

A Few Tips for Success…

1. Review the list with your volunteers to see who may have a friendly/personal connection with certain parents. Sometimes a call from someone they know can be very influential.
2. If your attempt at a callout does not work, try an email.
3. If the parent indicates interest in attending the next pack meeting, schedule a time to remind them, whether it’s another callout, or an email reminder a week prior to the meeting.
4. If possible, work with them 1-on-1 with the online application. Try not to let them to “do it when they get home.” Remember, after that meeting, life happens. Help them transition back to Scouting by helping them in that moment, instead of possibly losing them to the things that happen after they leave your meeting.
5. Consider using your April meeting as a membership building meeting, whereby these “lost Scouts” can come back to re-discover the Scouting experience.

We appreciate your effort in Operation Re-Engagement. If I can be of assistance, please email Rob or call him directly at 508-217-4623.

As part of The Mayflower Council’s Spring Membership Campaign, we are primarily focusing on Scouts BSA troops and Venturing crews and 4 opportunities to increase participation in these aspects of the Scouting Experience.   

WHAT’S INVOLVED 

The Spring Membership Campaign involves several different elements: 

• Operation Re-Engagement
• Webelos To Scouting AND Scouting to Venturing Transitions
• Peer To Peer Recruiting
• April Membership Event

SETTING YOU UP FOR SUCCESS 

We have complied LINKS for the following documents to help you succeed, including: 

• A Checklist for Success & Overview on each phase/element of the membership campaign
• Suggested social media posts that you can use to promote your troop and/or your upcoming membership event:
• Instructions on how to download a list of Scouts who have dropped from your roster
  • (NOTE: When downloading this report, be sure to use the FILTER and select the dates of 1/1/2021 to 1/1/2022)

PLEASE NOTE: Once you have set a date for your April membership event, please let the council know by filling out the form located here.

THE INCENTIVES

• Top five units who recruit between now and May 31st will receive a weekend cabin at one of our camps.
• Any Scout who recruits a friend using our peer-to-peer campaign will be entered into a drawing to win one of three restaurant gift certificates

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

Additionally, the following resources are available upon request: 

• Photos/videos from BSA  
• Buddy cards 
• Posters/fliers to promote your membership event 
• Sign in sheets for your membership event 

Simply email Rob to reserve yours.  

NOTE FOR VENTURING CREWS:  Use this as an opportunity to invite prospective members to an upcoming meeting or event.  Additionally, we will be working on getting you information on Scouts who have “aged out” of Scouts BSA.

NEED HELP OR TO DISCUSS IDEAS ? 

If you would like to set up a time, please click here to schedule a time with Rob to discuss.

OR  

You can also register here for Virtual Office Hours on Tuesday, March 22nd and Monday, March 28th from 7 to 9 PM each night. 

We appreciate your effort with our Spring recruiting effort.