Online Den Leader Training Available | | |
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One of the most important parts of having a successful Scouting program is having trained leaders. For a den leader, his/her knowledge of the program and how to conduct it directly impacts the Scouts’ experience.
There are a number of ways for a new leader to be trained. A series of in-person trainings were just conducted in Q4 of 2024. However, an online version of the training is always available.
To access:
- Login to my.scouting.org and select the “My Training” on the home screen.
- Scroll down the page to the “Training Courses by Program” section and click on “Cub Scouting.”
- On the Cub Scout Learning Page, select Den Leader Training and enroll
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2025 District Award of Merit - Nominations Now Open | |
2024 Mercer Area District
District Award of Merit Nomination
The District Award of Merit is the highest award that a District can bestow upon an adult Scouter. The Mercer Area District will be presenting these awards at our District Dinner on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
We are now seeking nominations for this year’s awards. A nominee must meet the following criteria:
· The nominee must be a registered Scouter who has provided noteworthy service above and beyond that of their volunteer position to youth in Scouting, outside Scouting, or both.
· The nominee’s attitude towards and cooperation with the district and/or council is to be taken into consideration when making a nomination.
· The nominee must not have previously received the District Award of Merit.
· Further details on the criteria for nomination can be found on the nomination form.
If you would like to nominate a Scouter who has performed exemplary service – above and beyond the call of duty – on behalf of youth within the Mercer Area District, please use the official nomination form that can be found here
Please forward the completed nomination form(s) to the Awards Committee by
Monday, March 31st for consideration to:
Kevin Ott
District Executive
kevin.ott@scouting.org
Yours in Scouting,
Michael Merritt
MAD Advancement Chair
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Cub Scout Day Camp will be offered to Cub Scouts throughout Washington Crossing Council in July and August of this year. Day Camp is a week-long program that runs from 9am-4pm each day. Day Camp programs will be offered in four separate locations throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania in order to cover as much of the council’s geography as possible. | |
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WHAT HAPPENS AT DAY CAMP?
Cub Scouts of all ranks can attend (although Tigers will need to register with an adult Tiger Partner). Like a regular Cub pack, Cub Scouts are assigned a den with Scouts in their own grade. They will stay in these dens for the week while participating in outdoor skills, STEM activities, games, cooking, crafts, nature, and much more! Campers will learn new skills, make new friends, and earn recognition for their accomplishments. Day camp takes place from 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday, at each location. Each camp also has a check-in on Sunday to pick up camp shirts and take care of any last-minute paperwork.
SAVE THE DATES
The 2025 Cub Scout Day Camp “Passport to Adventure” will be here before you know it! Registration will begin on February 1. Below are the tentative dates and locations of each camp:
- Rosedale Park, Pennington, NJ: July 7-11
- Core Creek Park, Langhorne, PA: July 14-18
- Mercer County Park, West Windsor, NJ: July 21-25
- Ockanickon Scout Reservation, Pipersville, PA: Aug 4-8
Interested in volunteering for a week of camp? Contact Kevin Ott
*Dates and locations could change based on park availability; finalized schedule will be available by the end of January.
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Cub Scout Adventure Camp at Ockanickon Scout Reservation | | |
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ATTENDANCE OPTIONS
Cub Scouts can attend as part of a pack contingent or as a family (an individual Cub Scout with a parent). Only youth registered in Cub Scouts may attend. A pack must have at least two registered adult leaders to attend the camp. In addition, a Tiger Scout must have an adult partner attend. Packs of eight or more Cub Scouts can earn free adult slots.

ZOOM INFO SESSIONS - EVERY PACK SHOULD SEND A REP
Want to know what Cub Scout Adventure Camp is all about? The camp program team will host two information nights via Zoom meetings. The team will give a brief program overview and then answer questions. There are two opportunities scheduled: Tuesday, January 21 and Wednesday, March 19. Both sessions start at 7pm.
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Mercer Area District Roundtable | |
District Chair Victor Vergara leads a discussion on the patrol method at the January 2025 Roundtable | |
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Roundtable is an opportunity for all Mercer Area District adult leaders to have an equal exchange of Scouting ideas. We meet once a month to learn and discuss today’s relevant topics for Packs, Troops & Venturing Crews.
Some things you may have missed at the January Roundtable:
- News, updates, & hot topics applicable to all units
- Using local media for promotion, recruitment, & recognition
- Raffles, giveaways, & refreshments
- Fellowship
The next roundtable will be held on February 12th, 2025, at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Hamilton, starting promptly at 7:30PM.
We will continue to host roundtables on the second Wednesday of each month thru June 2025 and then break for summer.
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Diocese of Trenton Eucharistic Revival Workshop | |
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This DOT-CCS Eucharistic Revival Workshop is open to all Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturers, Girl Scouts & Adult Scouting Volunteers who want to learn more about their Catholic faith. The event will consist of Eucharistic Adoration and Eucharistic Procession. There will also be programs about Eucharistic Miracles and Praying the Rosary (Rosaries will be provided).
Saturday March 1, 2025
1pm-4pm
Followed by Mass at 4pm
Church of the Epiphany
615 Thiele Ave
Brick, NJ 08724
Cost for the workshop $5
Eucharistic Revival Patch $3*~Rockers $1 each*
Registration Deadline February 15, 2025
Please send registrations and checks made payable to DOT-CCS
Care of: Barbara Dudek
128 Pheasant Drive
Bayville, NJ 08721
Questions please contact Barbara Dudek at superbarb3@aol.com or 732-575-4080
*patches will be available after the workshop
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Advancement Updates and Reminders for Eagle Candidates and Advisers:
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The new year brought updates to the Eagle application and references process, details below. Council will return applications if the unit leader (Scoutmaster) or Committee Chair are listed as references, and parents are strongly discouraged from being listed.
- Eagle candidates (NOT ADULT LEADERS) should send their Eagle Project Proposal, with the three initial signatures, to the District Advancement Committee.
- Units scheduling Eagle Boards of Review should coordinate with the District Representative who approved the candidate’s Proposal to attend if possible. Such continuity and familiarity with the candidate reinforce the importance of the Scout’s achievements.
New Eagle Application Reference form and process.
Here is the new section from the form. Note the instructions are in the Guide to Advancement, excerpted below:
Guide to Advancement
9.0.1.3…References: Must list names and contact information for four people who are willing to serve as references for the Eagle candidate. These may be Scout leaders, teachers, employers, coaches, other Scouts, etc. References do not need to be 21 or older. Parents and other relatives are strongly discouraged from serving as references. The current unit leader and committee chair are not eligible to serve as references; their signature on the application is their endorsement. See also Section 9.0.1.7…
9.0.1.7 References Contacted: The Scout is responsible for requesting references from the four people listed on the application—this is a valuable life skill.
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Using Local Media for Recognition, Recruiting, & Promotion | |
The training and discussion portion of the January District Roundtable centered around connecting with local media for your unit's newsworthy moments. Below are just some of the media outlets serving Mercer Area District that have a history of publishing local Scouting content: | |
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Happy New Year!
As we start a new year full of new and exciting possibilities, it is also a time to reflect and be grateful. I’d like to reflect on the great Scouters that have led our district and units this past year.
Outgoing Advancement Committee Chair Vince Lauricella steered the advancement committee with passion and commitment. Through his leadership we have become stronger and more determined to confront the challenges that are ahead. Thank you, Vince, for your friendship, leadership, and commitment to Scouting.
Stepping up to lead the District Advancement position is Michael Merritt who is eager to continue building the committee. Thank you, Michael, for volunteering.
District Unit Commissioner Rob Herb who has had to step down due to work commitments but continues to be a part of the Unit Commissioners. Thank you for your devotion and time to scouting.
Outgoing District Communications Chair Steve Gugenheim, who has for a number of years promoted scouting through his pictures and articles through the various media around the Mercer Area District. Thank you, Steve.
Outgoing Cub Day Camp Director Nancy Durie. She provided fun and excitement to the Cub Scout program and will be sorely missed. Thank you, Nancy, for everything.
If you did not know, Kevin Ott, a local Hamilton resident is now our District Executive, and he has taken off like a gazelle to provide service and assistance to make our District grow. Welcome and thank you, Kevin.
I would be negligent if I did not say thank you to all the other volunteers that are a part of the District Committee for all the time, energy, and effort they provide to help ensure our District provides an outstanding program. As the committee starts to meet in the new year, we will develop our goals and strategic planning to deliver the best district programs possible. So, thank you to Simon Clark, John Nieradka, John Kirkenir, Bruce Wentworth, Kevin Mellan, Laura Caputo, David Yasko, Marilyn Yasko, Alice Hillary, Don Weissenburger, Richard Lambert, Wayne Monsees, Zane Shellenbarger, Tyler Mellan, Sean LaVergne, Robert Manilo, Bob Horton, John Smith, John Dermond, Joan Nestor, Gene McDermott, Andew Jost, Edward Eckels.
Lastly, I would personally like to invite you to attend our district committee meetings. They take place on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in St Mark Methodist Church starting at 7PM. Consider sending someone from your unit committee to learn about how our district works and to bring back information to your units. Who knows, maybe our next District Chair will walk in one night. On behalf of our District Key 3, we hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and we wish you a happy and healthy new year.
See you at Roundtable!
Yours in Scouting,
Victor Vergara
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Upcoming Events! Mark Your Calendar | |
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Plan Ahead:
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Klondike Derby: January 31st - February 2nd; OSR
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Pinewood Derby: February 8th; Quaker Bridge Mall @ 10AM
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February Roundtable: February 12th @ 7:30PM; Our Lady of Sorrows, Hamilton
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District Committee: February 19th @ 7PM; St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Hamilton
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Diocese of Trenton Eucharist Revival Workshop: March 1st @ Church of the Epiphany, Brick
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March Roundtable: Martch 12th @ 7:30PM; Our Lady of Sorrows, Hamilton
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District Committee: March 19th @ 7PM: St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Hamilton
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