Program Planning Event: Scouting Adventure Con | |
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Scouting Adventure Con is a new event that’s aimed at helping units plan their next year of program. This event will be a one-stop-shop to learn about all of the programing that will be happening in the Washington Crossing Council in the year ahead. Every unit will want to send at least one adult leader.
Scouting Adventure Con will be set up like an expo or convention. There will be booths from all districts and for all major council activities, plus there will be several community organizations who have events for Scouts. There will be a fellowship area where participants can gather and share ideas and a short workshop about program planning that will repeat several times throughout the evening making it easy to check out.
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Scouting Adventure Con will be held at Bucks County Community College on Thursday, May 21. Booths will be open from 6pm until 8:30pm, but participants are free to come and go at any time during the evening.
This event is being designed to make it as easy as possible for participants to attend, feel informed on upcoming activities, and come away with a ton of great ideas for their next year of program.
All participants are asked to register in advance. Click the button below to sign-up.
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Help with Managing YPT & PA Act 15 Requirements | |
To assist unit leadership in maintaining the required standards for BSA youth protection training, the Washington Crossing Council is making a few helpful changes. These changes will go into effect on April 15, 2024. | |
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PA Act 15 Reminders: For units meeting in Pennsylvania, the council digitized PA Act 15 clearance records and will be able to proactively remind individuals of a pending expiration.
Unit Key 3 Notification: Approximately 45 days before an individual’s YPT or PA Act 15 clearance expires, the council will send a reminder message to the individual volunteer and copy the unit key three. This is in addition to the 30/60/90 reminders about YPT that an individual volunteer receives from the BSA national office.
Suspension: Recognizing the importance of being fully compliant with BSA policy and PA state law, individuals with expired YPT or PA Act 15 clearance will be suspended from their BSA roles. This will happen immediately after expiration, and unit leadership will be notified. The suspended individual should refrain from being involved in the BSA until the suspension is lifted by completing the necessary training or clearance.
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Record Clean Up: Through some instructions in the notification messages, unit leadership will be able to alert the council that that someone has left the unit and remove them from the unit’s rolls mid-year.
Online Registration: The council will begin accepting online registration for adult volunteers on April 15. At the same time as applying to be an adult leader, new adults must take YPT and submit Act 15 clearances. All can be done online. Someone who does not complete these items will be treated in the same way as a person with an expired training/certification.
Reminder - Criminal Background Checks: As announced last month, new adult applicants and unit leadership will receive a message that an applicant has received a clean (or “green”) background check or if it is flagged (or “red”). New applicants should not function in a leadership role until a “green” CBC message has been received.
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The Washington Crossing Council appreciates all of the work that unit leadership does to provide a safe and fun program for young people, and the council is glad to make some process changes to allow the registration process and YPT/Act 15 to be easier to manage. | |
Scouts BSA Summer Camp at OSR | |
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Pre-Camp Leaders Meeting
There will be a virtual camp leader meeting on Saturday, May 4, beginning at 9am until 11am. All leaders attending Scouts BSA resident summer camp are invited to participate, and an invitation email will be sent in mid-April to register. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the camp’s website for anyone not able to attend.
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Great Merit Badges Offerings!
Ockanickon Scout Reservation offers a robust number of merit badges. With so many options, there's something for every Scout's interest.
Highlights from summer's schedule:
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Over 80 Merit Badges
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10 New Badges Compared to Last Year
- 14 Eagle Required Merit Badges
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Individual Camper Program
Ockanickon’s Individual Camper Program allows Scouts to participate in OSR’s program when their troop isn’t at camp. This program is perfect for Scouts who can’t attend with their unit but don’t want to miss out on a summer adventure. It’s also a good option for Scouts that wish to come to camp for a second week to earn additional merit badges. Individual campers will be placed with another troop that is attending camp that week. For additional information and to sign-up, click button below.
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Cub Scout Adventure Camp at OSR | |
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OSR Team Will Visit Pack Meetings!
The OSR team is willing to visit pack meetings to share information about this new camp program! The format can be tailored to suit pack needs, but typically one team member will present to parents while another team member has fun with the Scouts. This is a great opportunity to learn about camp and to get potential campers excited for the summer!
For information or to schedule a meeting, reach out to Scott Gift.
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Program Fun!
Ten amazing program areas have been selected for this year’s inaugural Adventure Camp: camping skills, fishing, boating, archery, BB guns, slingshots, aquatics, ecology, arts, and field sports with the climbing tower. Along with these activities, there will be morning swimming (polar bear), delicious camp meals in the dining hall, evening events, and a campfire!
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Sessions Filling Fast - Make Reservations Now!
There is still space available in both sessions this summer. However, camp is already about half full. So, packs thinking of sign-up should do so now. For more information and pack sign-up, click on the button below.
- Session 1: July 28-July 30
- Session 2: July 31-Aug 2
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Plan for an “Out of this World” experience this summer at the space-themed Cub Scout Day Camps! Blast off to outdoor fun and adventure with archery, sports, crafts, STEM, team building, and lots more! Camp is where memories are made to last a lifetime. Early bird pricing ends April 22 for the Core Creek and Mercer County Park Day Camps. (This includes the price of registration for children of volunteers increasing from $50 to $75.) There are 5 different weeks of day camp to choose from. To register or for more information, click button below. | | |
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2024 Day Camp Schedule
Core Creek Park, Langhorne, PA
Mercer Park County Park East, West Windsor, NJ
Rosedale Park, Pennington, NJ
Sauerland Outdoor Center, Lebanon, NJ
Ockanickon Scout Reservation, Pipersville, PA
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Scouts BSA & Venturing
Air Rifle Competition
March 17,12pm-4pm
April 14, 12pm-4pm
- At Ockanickon Scout Reservation. $5.00; no pre-registration required.
2024 Ockanickon Staff interview Weekend
March 16-17
OA Induction Weekend
April 12-14
Wilderness First Aid & CPR (Ages 16+)
April 19-21
COPE Weekend
May 3-5 and 17-19
Pioneering Camporee
May 17-19
Cub Scouts
Slingshot Event
March 17
Super Cubs Campout
April 6-7
Archery Event
April 14
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Adult Leaders
Campbuilder Days
March 16
April 20
May 18
Chainsaw Work Day
March 9
April 13
May 11
Chainsaw Training Day
May 4
NRA Rifle Instructor Course
April 12-14
Wilderness First Aid & CPR (Ages 16+)
April 19-21
Cub Scout Baloo Training
April 20-21
Scouts BSA IOLS Training
April 20-21
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BALOO: Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation
Is an engaging training course that will cover everything Cub Scout leaders need to know to plan and run a pack overnighter. BALOO training is required for Cub Scout packs to go camping. The BSA requires at least one BALOO-trained person on each pack campout. BALOO is being offered Saturday, April 20, to Sunday, April 21, at Ockanickon Scout Reservation, 5787 State Park Road, Pipersville, PA.
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IOLS: Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills
A training course for current/future Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters and other registered adults interested in improving their basic Scout Skills. Friday, April 19, to Sunday, April 21, at Ockanickon Scout Reservation, 5787 State Park Road, Pipersville, PA.
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Wilderness First Aid and CPR/AED
Wilderness First Aid is required for high-adventure trips. Friday, April 19, to Sunday, April 21, at Ockanickon Scout Reservation, 5787 State Park Road, Pipersville, PA. CPR/AED (If needed) is offered Friday night (3-4 hours) starting at 6:00pm.
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Lots of Learning at University of Scouting! | |
Over 100 Scouters attended the University of Scouting on Saturday, March 2! | |
BSA Membership Update for Scouters with Multiple Roles | |
For volunteers who are registered in multiple positions, the BSA national office will be doing a one-time sync of all membership records and member IDs. In WCC, this will mostly impact volunteers who hold a unit position and who are also merit badge counselors. The "expiration date” for the paid position, which is most likely the unit role, will be used for all positions going forward. | |
Jewish Scouts & Friends are Invited to Scout Shabbat | |
Scout Shop & Council Service Center Hours | |
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Scout Shop Hours Regular Hours
- Monday-Thursday:10am-6pm
- Friday: 10am-3pm
- Select Saturdays: 10am-1pm
Upcoming Select Saturdays
Council Service Center & Scout Shop Special Closure
- Friday, March 29: Closed in observance of Good Friday
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District Newsletters from February 2024 | |
Find copies of the most recent (February) district newsletters by clicking below: | |
The Washington Crossing Council has a number of special newsletters. Scouters may self subscribe to any of them by using this subscription link. | | | | |
