As winter turns to spring, I’m sure many of you are like me and your mind turns to camp. As a Scout growing up, summer camp always held a certain mystery as I was getting ready to go. Regardless of whether I was attending George W. Pirtle Scout Reservation as a camper or Philmont Scout Ranch as a staffer in college, this was a time of anticipation and excitement for the summer ahead.
As we gear up for camping season here in the Mid-Iowa Council, that same sense of anticipation and excitement abounds again. Whether it is the new ziplines going in between Frankel and Blank Ridge, or a new bouldering wall in Fort Pella, I can’t wait to see our Scouts having a life changing experience at camp.
However, with that same touch of nostalgia comes the realization that our programs at camp have to be relevant to today’s youth. So, along with getting the pool and Scoutcraft area ready we’re also preparing our drone program for 2019. And as we prepare for another season of archery and shooting sports, we’re also improving our wi-fi so more Scouts can earn gaming merit badge.
One thing I never did appreciate as a youth was the countless hours that volunteers and camp staff put into getting camp ready for the summer. To that end, I want to thank all of our volunteers and staff that make camp run, but I especially want to thank our ORFS, our Reservation Ranger Jeff, and Reservation Director Shidfar.
Whether your Pack, Troop, or Crew plan to attend Mitigwa Scout Reservation or go out of council, we hope you have a great summer camp experience. As our founder Lord Bayden Powell said "A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room."
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Summer Camp Promotion Videos!
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Scouting For Food Impact
Early estimates are showing that nearly 2000 Scouts, leaders, and volunteers helped collect over 35,000 pounds of food donated to Food Bank of Iowa and other local food pantries across Mid-Iowa Council. Well done Mid-Iowa Council.
Read more
www.midiowacouncilbsa.org
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Scout Day at the I-Cubs | Sunday, April 28th
Normally tickets are $14.00, we are selling them for $10.00 a ticket and $3.50 comes back to Scouting. If you buy tickets in these sections, you will get a commemorative Scout Day patch, and your Scouts, in uniform, will get to participate...
Read more
www.midiowacouncilbsa.org
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Scout Day at the Iowa Cubs Jersey Auction
Not only will the Scout Day with Iowa Cubs be a fun day for baseball and Scouting, you might even be able to take home a piece of the game! The uniforms pictured above are actually the baseball jerseys the players will be wearing that day. They have the Eagle Scout Badge, Neckerchief, Slide, and the Mid-Iowa Council shoulder patch. This is truly a one-of-a-kind jersey.
A silent auction, by the front gate, for 30 jerseys going on during the game. T
he auction closes after the final out of the 6th Inning. After the game, winning bidders will be invited on to the field to receive
their jersey from the player.
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Camp Card Sales
Started February 1st!
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Sign-up to make the easiest money possible for your Scouting unit. Cards sell for $5 and have a $400 value. Fill out our on-line form today to reserve your cards!
SALE ENDS MAY 18TH
Earn up to 60% commissions!
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Railroad Camporee | May 3-4 - Deadline to register April 19
Mid-Iowa Council presents the 2019 Railroad Camporee. This event is similar to the Railroad Merit Badge presented at the National Jamboree. The event is open to the first 1,050 Scouts registered. Cost is $25 per person.
Read more
www.midiowacouncilbsa.org
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Plan your ideal Scouting year by attending the Program Planning Fair
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The entire family will enjoy visiting booths with fun activities, crafts, learning Scout skills, and meeting new friends. Watch demonstrations, interact with participating booths from our community partners and pick up free offers.
You can look forward to:
- 6 Sparks Sessions: supplemental training opportunities
- Free Lunch
- An update on the Family Programs
- See the latest in online tools and communications
10:00 am Registration opens
10:30 am General Session
11: 30 am Booths open
Lunch
12:00 pm Spark Session #1
1:00 pm Spark Session #2
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MITIGWA
LODGE
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Ring Blitz, May 4
- Spring Conclave, May 17-19
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MERIT BADGE COUNSELORS NEED TO RENEW YEARLY
Merit badge counselor renewal process will take place in May. Be sure to attach your E-mail for your renewal notice starting in March. If you do not respond to the renewal notice you will not be able to teach merit badge classes. You can renew your merit badge counselor status any time between March and May. If you do not receive a renewal notice, contact the Maytag Scout Center 515-266-2135
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Alumni & Friends of Scouting are on the cutting edge!
Tuesday, May 28
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from 5:30 to 7:00 pm
We invite all Alumni and Friends of Scouting members, and anyone over 18 and interested in joining, to Ironside Axe Club for a unique opportunity to throw Axes.
You too can go back to the days of the Vikings and test your skills. The Ironside Axe Club is located at 2700 University Ave Suite 100 West Des Moines, IA 50266.
They have CHOPPED their price to have us come and give it a try. Cost will be $10 plus tax, pay at the door. NO Charge, if you would like to come and just check it out. All axe throwers must wear closed toed shoes and fill out a waiver before they can throw.
Please arrive 15 minutes before the beginning.
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Shortcuts to your favorite links
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Be the
BEST
leader you can! Get Trained
Check out training opportunities below
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Position-specific training course updates
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Position-specific training courses for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts (Scouts BSA) were updated as of January 2, 2019. Any training that was not completed before December 31, 2018, will now have to be taken using the new course for your position.
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Cub Scout Leader BALOO Training
April 26 - 28
Does your Pack have a Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) trained adult? Did you know each Pack should have at least two adults trained in BALOO? Join us for BALOO training April 26 - 28 at Camp Mitigwa.
The cost is $20, includes meals.
Participants will camp overnight in their own tents.
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Scouts BSA Leader IOLS Training
April 26 - 28
Along with Scoutmaster Specifics training, the Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS) course is required for all direct contact leaders, registered in Scouts BSA Troops, to be considered “trained.”
Join us for IOLS training April 26 - 28 at Camp Mitigwa.
The cost is $20, includes meals.
Participants will camp overnight in their own tents.
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Leave No Trace (LNT) Training
April 26-28 Camp Mitigwa
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LNT Trainer / Outdoor Ethics Course
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Trainers are the backbone of Scouting’s outdoor ethics program, providing instruction to individuals and units wishing to adopt cutting-edge outdoor ethics into their unit programs.
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Upon completion of the course, participants will be certified as LNT TRAINERS.
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Scouts will be trained to fulfill the leadership position of “Outdoor Ethics Guide”.
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The course is open to all registered Scouts BSA (14 and older), Venture Scouts and adult leaders. Units that send youth must also send an adult leader to mentor the Scouts when they return to their units.
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April 26-28, 2019 Camp Mitigwa
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Cost is $30 per person – includes training materials and meals
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For more information and to register click below
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September 13-15 & 27-29
Limited space available. This is not outdoor skills training, this is developing your personal skills of group leadership. Wood Badge is offered every two years. Consider attending the finest leadership training that Mid-Iowa Council has to offer!
Read more
www.midiowacouncilbsa.org
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Youth Protection - Boy Scouts of America
BSA Youth Protection Mission Statement: True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within the Boy Scouts of America...
Read more
www.scouting.org
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Submitting Eagle Scout Rank Applications
A simple step has been added to the process of preparing for Eagle Scout boards of review in our council. A completed Eagle application form must be submitted for confirmation of earned merit badges and other details by the council before a board of review may be held. When this step has been completed ...
for more information
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Membership Card printing process
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The BSA is committed to streamlining basic operations by putting tools in the hands of volunteers. For several years, individuals and unit key 3 have had access to print membership cards through my.Scouting. In addition, functionality was added to my.Scouting on January 1, 2019, to enable members of the unit key 3 to print their unit Charter Certificate.
This “self-service” functionality allows volunteers to print membership cards and the unit charter certificate in a timely manner and enhances the on-boarding experience for new youth and adults.
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The World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) is only 8 months away. If you have not signed up there is still time but you must act soon. The requirements: you must be a registered member of Scouts BSA, you must be at least 14 years of age by July 22, 2019, you must be no older than 17 years of age on August 2, 2019. Meet these requirements and you too can be part of one of the truly life changing events offered by Scouting.
On July 22, 2019 young men and women, who belong to Scouting organizations in over 150 countries, will come together at The Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, for two weeks of fun fellowship and Scouting. With opportunities for camaraderie with Scouts from around the world, the WSJ is a unique cultural immersion experience that supports the World Organization of the Scouting Movement’s mission to create global citizens and educate young people.
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WE NEED YOU AS A 2021 JAMBOREE LEADER!!!
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Mid-Iowa council only has
15 adult leaders and up to 4 alternates spots available to guide, inspire, and mentor our Troops and Crew to and from this once-in-a-lifetime event! If you are a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America and will be at least 18 by July 2021 you are eligible to be considered as a leader. We anticipate taking at least two male Troops, one female Troop, and ¾ of a venture Crew.
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2019 Contingent Still has openings!
Our 2019 departure date is July 20th returning on August 3rd. Cost for the trip is estimated at $1,320.00.
If you are interested, DON'T WAIT, act now!
2020 Contingent Registration Now Open!
Mid-Iowa Council’s annual Philmont Contingent for 2020 is open for registrations. We plan to include over 50 Scouts and Adult Advisers in our 2020 Expedition. We will organize those participants into five crews of 10-12 Scouts. Each crew will make their own choice of 35 available itineraries. This opportunity is open to individual Scouts or unit crews. At this time, we are just under half full.
ACT NOW!
Our 2020 departure date is July 25
th returning on August 8
th. Cost for the trip is approximately $1,375.00 (all inclusive).
If you have Scouts looking for a real adventure in the mountains of New Mexico, let us know!
For additional information contact:
Chuck Jordal
(515)279-8746
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BSA Safety Moment
April is Youth Protection Month
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April is Youth Protection Month
BSA Youth Protection Mission Statement:
True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting. It is the mission of Youth Protection volunteers and professionals to work within the Boy Scouts of America to maintain a culture of Youth Protection awareness and safety at the national, regional, area, council, district, and unit levels
This month would be a great opportunity for unit leaders to go to Chapter 13 (Personal Safety Awareness) of either the 2015 printing of the Boy Scout Handbook, and/or the 2019 printing of the Scouts BSA Handbook for Girls. This chapter in both books was written for youth and does a very good job of addressing issues with a youth point of view.
Here are a few other links that talk about the importance of Youth Protection.
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Welcome to the Eagle's Nest
Congratulations to the Newest Class of Eagle Scouts
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Hours
Monday -Thursday 9:00-7:00
Friday 9:00-6:00
Saturday 9:00-4:00
Closed Sundays
- Closed the following dates:
- Memorial Day - May 27, 2019
- Independence Day - July 4, 2019
- Labor Day - September 2, 2019
- Thanksgiving Day - November 28, 2019
- Christmas Eve - December 24, 2019
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Mid-Iowa Council offices
Hours: M-F 8:30am-5pm
Closed the following dates in 2019:
- Good Friday - April 19
- Memorial Day - May 27
- Independence Day - July 4
- Labor Day - September 2
- Columbus Day - October 14
- Thanksgiving - November 28-29
- Christmas - December 24-26
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Thank you to our sponsors:
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Mid-Iowa Council | 6123 Scout Trail | Des Moines, IA | 50321 |515-266-2135
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