Every three years, Troop 305 cycles from North Bend, Wash., on the western side of the state to Taft, Montana, just beyond the Idaho state line. It’s a long trip, winding across arid flatlands and up wooded mountain passes. The Scouts usually log close to 450 miles.

To prepare for such a trek, the troop organized weekly practice rides for four months. Scouts racked up more than 400 training miles, including scaling steep hills and pedaling consecutive 45-mile days.

Starting out on a gravel trail in North Bend, the crew felt enthusiastic yet nervous. We all felt prepared, but we knew we’d be riding through a record heat wave for Washington,” says Life Scout Joshua Courtney, 17. “It got the hottest it’s ever been.” All riders carried about a gallon of water along with tools for quick repairs. Some adult leaders drove a support vehicle with a trailer, carrying the rest of their gear and cold water. This is an amazing story and Michael Freeman from Scout Life Magazine did a great job spotlighting Troop 305's journey. To read the full article click the link below.

Congratulations to all of the Scouts, Scout Leaders, Parents and Volunteers that participated in this incredible life experience. BRAVO ZULU to Troop 305 for showing true grit, working together as a team and not giving up.

Aga's last day in the Council was Jan. 6th. Aga was approved and admitted to the WSU Nursing Program and she decided to pursue her life dream of becoming a RN. We wish her the very best with her future. She will be missed at the Council. Every Monday she provided shrink sessions to the Development Director, Jay Scott and anyone else who needed someone to talk to about work or daily life events. Jay might have become a bit crazier by the end of the sessions but he enjoyed the many conversations he had with Aga.

Aga gave 110% everyday for Scouting in her district. Her passion and drive to make Scouting a better program was evident in everything she did. THANK YOU Aga for being a role model and a leader in the Council. You will be missed by everyone in and outside of the Council.

All of the staff at the Blue Mountain Council wish Aga the very best in her next chapter of life. Bravo Zulu Aga!

2022 LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST 

The Council is excited to announce that its 2022 Leadership Breakfast has been scheduled. The event will be held on Tuesday, March 22nd at the Red Lion in Pasco. The event will be ran from 7:00AM-8:20AM.

The Council is extremely excited to announce that this year, on the Council's 100th Anniversary, the Keynote Speaker will be none other than Former Secretary of Defense and Former President of the Boy Scouts of America, Dr. Robert Gates.

The Council is also in communications with General Mattis to try and have him present at our event to introduce Dr. Gates during the Breakfast. The General has expressed his desire of wanting to attend our event, he's trying to adjust his schedule to make it work so he can attend. More information will be released regarding General Mattis's availability as the Council receives more information.

If you would like to purchase a ticket for this event, sponsor a table or become a sponsor for this grand occasion, please visit the link below. Don't wait too long to secure your seat/table for this tremendous opportunity to potentially hear two great Americans speak at this event, only 800 tickets are available, act now!

The Council conducted it's Holiday Open House right before the holiday break. The turnout was great! was nice to see so many people in the Council sharing Scouting stories and enjoying one another's company. The Council staff would like to thank everyone who came out in the bitter cold to attend this event. We hope everyone has a great 2022.

The Council staff are grateful for everything our Volunteers do to make Scouting great in our region. THANK YOU to everyone for your service to Scouting!

The schedule, instructions, notes, and registration are ready for Scouts to peruse at: Sign-Up Here.

This don’t-miss event offers 37 sessions covering 32 topics. Sign up to learn more about subjects of interest while making progress toward advancement.

This month the Blue Mountain Council is excited to recognize a great Scout Leader, Volunteer and Scout Grandma from Troop 2020, EvahAnn Powelson. EvahAnn is very active with everything that is Scouting in our Council. She travels to events all over the council region and she's selfless when it comes to giving up her time to help ensure Scouting remains strong and active in the Tri-Cities. Thank you EvahAnn for your years of service to Scouting. Your selfless service has made positive impacts on the lives of the youth in the Tri-Cities, great work and thanks again for all you do for Scouting!

What are you doing on Saturday, Feb 5th? If you like to bowl, come hit the lanes for only $10 per person, bowl 2 games and have a chance at winning prizes.

Spend a fun Saturday morning with

family and friends at:

Sign up for a lane at:

Unit leaders have been coming to the Council to pickup camp cards in order to take advantage of this great program and easy opportunity for their Scouts to earn their way to camp this summer. Sell 20 cards and earn $100, its that easy!

If you are interested selling camp cards this winter, don't wait. The Council ordered a limited number of cards this year. Once they are gone, they are gone until next year. Contact Jay Scott or Aga Tashea at the Council office to get connected to the program today.

eScouts tournaments are returning in 2022 with a larger prize pool and more chances to win. Scouts and Non-Scouts can register to play. Half of all registration fees from Scouts and on-Scouts who play goes directly back to the unit.

The Council is once again partnering with Grand Canyon Council in Phoenix, AZ and there are 11 other Councils located throughout the west coast of the United States participating in this years tournament.

There are 3 tournaments scheduled and if you and your partner qualify in one out of the three tournaments, you and your teammate will qualify for the end of the year championship.

To learn more about eScouts and to see the results from the tournaments ran in 2021, please visit the eSCOUTS WEBSITE.

A shout out to: THE BROS TEAM

These two Scouts finished 3rd in the 2021 eScouts Championship. They made it all the way to the semifinals and lost to the team in the that went on to win the championship. They were ranked #2 going into the final tournament and gave it their very best. Is 2022 the year The Bros win the crown and bring it home to the Blue Mountain Council? Or will there be another team from the Blue Mountain Council that claims the crown?

Registration will open soon. Start forming your teams today and be ready to signup as soon as registration opens.

Contact Jay Scott if you have questions or would like to learn more about the Scouts.

During the next month, review the guidebook, practice skills, ready your sledge, secure a strong box, check your patrol flag, and purchase an Oregon Snow Park Pass.

Select your patrol name when you register for $8 per Scout at: REGISTER HERE.

WHAT: 1ST ANNUAL SPORTING CLAYS CLASSIC

WHEN: APRIL 23-24, Saturday & Sunday

WHERE: Walla Walla Gun Club       

CONTACT: WW District Executive, Maryelizabeth Garcia: maryelizabeth.garcia@scouting.org or 509.735.7306

As of March 01, 2022, all temporary changes made to Scouts BSA advancement requirements to address the COVID-19 pandemic will expire, and there will be a return to the standard rules for Scouts BSA advancement. This includes deferment of some swimming requirements for First and Second class, virtual activities for Tenderfoot, Second and First Class, and requirement 9b of the Camping merit badge.

As always, the BSA’s top priority is the health and safety of all youth participating in BSA programs. In 2020, the BSA instituted several modifications to rank requirements and merit badge requirements (“advancement modifications”) to accommodate activity restrictions necessitated by COVID-19. Effective March 01, 2022, those modifications will be removed, and the standard rules for advancement and merit badges will again become effective.

These requirements are published at: CLICK HERE TO VIEW REQUIREMENTS and in the Requirements Guidebook.

Specifically, these modifications related to the swimming requirements for Second and First class ranks, virtual activities for Tenderfoot, Second and First Class, and requirement 9b of the Camping merit badge.

The Guide to Advancement, section 10.2.2.0, states that “Members must meet current advancement requirements as written for merit badges, all ranks, and Eagle Palms—no more and no less—and they are to do exactly what is stated.”

Questions? Email Garfield.Murden@Scouting.org.

When: 01-16-2022 1:00PM to 9:00PM

Where: Glenn C Lee Service Center

Safety Moment: Incident Reporting

Scouts First Helpline

1-844-726-8871 or 844-SCOUTS1

BSA has established 844-SCOUTS1 (844-726-8871), a dedicated 24-hour helpline to receive reports of known or suspected abuse or behavior that might put a youth at risk.

Scout leaders, registered members, parents, Scouting professionals, or anyone else who believes a youth in Scouting might be at risk.

Anytime you believe a youth has been harmed or their safety and well-being is at risk, and you cannot immediately reach your Scout executive or local council. Below are some examples:

• A leader on a campout receives a report that one of the Scouts has been abused, and the council office is closed.

• Parents learn after their Scout has returned from camp that the youth was threatened with a knife, but they don’t know who to call at the council.

• A Scouting professional receives an anonymous report of abuse and would like guidance on next steps.

• An individual is camped next to a Scout troop and witnesses behavior that appears to be unsafe.

Can I use the helpline during normal business hours? Yes. The goal of the helpline is to provide immediate assistance that ensures the alleged victim as well as unit and council leadership are fully supported and appropriate actions are taken. During business hours, a member of the National Service Center will help you. Calls made after hours may be answered by an answering service that will take the information, determine the level of urgency, and then notify the appropriate person.

Accurate information is critical to an appropriate response. However, a lack of specific information is not a reason to delay a report. The Scouts First Helpline is not intended to take the place of council involvement. It is to provide 24/7 guidance to volunteers, Scouts, parents, and Scouting professionals to report abuse or serious youth protection violations outside of the local council’s business hours. Local councils receiving reports of abuse or behavior that might put a youth at risk will contact Scouts First to report the incident.

2022 Camp Ranger Basic Course Registration Available 

Questions? Contact Ollie.Burks@scouting.org.  

If you know someone that has just completed their Eagle Service Project, encourage them to visit www.bmcbsa.org and fill in the form on the home page to put their Eagle Scout Leadership Project on our local map. Help us show the community some of the best work done by our amazing Scouts.

Support Future Leaders of Tomorrow Today!!!