Please share this newsletter with the Scout families in your unit. | | | | |
Eno River Inaugural District Hike
Calling all Scouts!
The Eno River Inaugural District Hike will be at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Hillsborough, on Sunday, September 7, 2025 at 2:00 pm.
We just added a new District Hikes page to the Eno River District website. The various hiking locations will range across the district and accommodate different lengths for Scouts of all ages and skill levels.
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Greetings, Leaders!
This year's Popcorn kickoff meeting was held on Tuesday, August 5, and an overview of the selling campaign was presented to the unit kernels.
The fundraiser starts on September 13, 2025. At this point, we have 6 units in the Eno River District committed for the 2025 season.
The product selection remains the same this year, and units will be able to sell online and through storefronts and take orders. Improvements have been made to the app for processing sales, including tap to pay, and additional reward gift card options will be available for scouts this year.
It’s not too late to join this year’s sales! Please reach out to me at jenw54@gmail.com if you are interested in joining the fundraiser.
All new units selling in person for 2025 will receive 2 free cases of white cheddar popcorn (retail value $480).
Remember - if you prefer it, a unit can do only-online sales for Scouts to raise money for their units, as well as Occoneechee Council....
Jennifer Finch
District Kernal
jenw54@gmail.com
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Safeguarding Youth Training
(formerly YPT) is Live
All volunteers must complete
SYT by May 31, 2026, but we encourage leaders to get the updated youth safety information ASAP. If you completed YPT before May 22, 2025, it will be honored until May 31, 2026, after which SYT will need to be taken.
Read more >>>
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Fall Scouts BSA Membership Recruitment Kick-Off
On Zoom | Thursday, August 7 at 8:00 pm ET
Register to attend
| This could be the most important tool for keeping your Scouts BSA unit going strong | The Scouts BSA Troop Self-Assessment tool functions as a replacement for Journey to Excellence by helping troops enhance their operations. | | | | |
MESSAGE FROM THE DISTRICT CHAIR
“Every Family Has a Job” - that was the motto of our pack when I was a Cubmaster. We peaked at about 70 kids (65 families) and EVERY ONE helped with something - many with multiple things.
The Committee Chair and I sat down one day and brainstormed every possible thing we could think of that someone else could do. Of course, we had Den Leaders, Committee Members, and Assistant Cubmasters. We also thought about all our activities and came up with a list that included:
- Blue and Gold - room setup, room tear down, decorations, cooking, serving, dishwashing
- Pinewood Derby - room setup, room tear down, track setup, track tear down, race assistants, etc.
- Pack Meeting Help - room setup, room tear down (8 meetings in the gym, so opportunities for lots of families)
- Pack Meeting Awards Manager - 1 person who went to the Scout shop to pick up awards, filled out all the cards (which I later signed), and organized all the awards on a table, so they could be presented to the kids
- Shining Star Manager - at EVERY meeting, we recognized all the adults who helped with something during the past month, and created a construction paper star for them. When we awarded these, their kids put the star on the wall (with removable tape). The manager collected these after each meeting, then put them all up at the next. At the end of the year, the kids could collect all their parents’ stars, and we started over in January.
- PTA Liaison (we met in a school) - even if you aren’t meeting in a school, are any of your parents on a local PTA (PTSA, PTO, etc.)?
- Display Case Manager - the principal let us have a display with the trophies, etc., and we changed this up monthly; is there something like this where your unit meets?
- Pumpkin Patch Cooks - our October meeting was at a local pumpkin patch and we were able to bring a grill and cook hot dogs. Funny thing was that the 3 guys who took this job did so very grudgingly. However, after the event, they immediately signed up to do it again the next year.
This is just a partial list, but I think you get the idea. Though I listed Pack activities, there are plenty of things that Troop, Crew, and Ship parents can do as well.
As every new Scout joined, we showed the parents the list of jobs (including the names of people who already signed up), and asked which they will do. The question to them wasn’t “Will you help us out?”, but rather “Which job will you take?”
Many of these are easy jobs, but it took the burden off me and also got the parents involved. Once they had a taste of helping, it was easier to ask them to take a harder job, like Den Leader.
Randy Bernstein
District Chair, Eno River District
919-698-5760
Randall.G.Bernstein@gmail.com
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The next District Commissioner Meeting will be on Monday, August 18, at 6:15 pm, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Durham.
The next Roundtable will be on Monday, August 18, at 7:00 pm, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Durham. The theme of the August Roundtable will be Unit Key 3 Conference & Engagement.
The next District Committee Meeting will be on Thursday, August 21, from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. The meeting will be in-person at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 3639 Old Chapel Hill Rd, Durham, NC 27707.
Note: The Occoneechee Council Office and the Scout Shop will be closed on Monday, September 1, in honor of Labor Day.
| | Community Service Opportunities | | |
We are currently looking for Community Service opportunities that are appropriate for Scouts. Please contact me if you are aware of any.
Scott Cook
scottcook467@gmail.com
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First Aid, CPR, AED – Blended Learning
6:00 - 8:00 pm
August 21, 2025
in Raleigh
September 18, 2025
in Sanford
October 16, 2025
in Raleigh
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September 5 - 7, 2025
and October 4 - 7, 2025
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October 3 - 5, 2025
at Camp Durant
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Leave No Trace Level 1 Training
October 24 - 26, 2025
at Camp Reeves, Carthage, NC
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October 25 - 26, 2025
during the Spookoree at Camp Durant
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University of Scouting
November 1, 2025
at Holly Springs, NC
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November 14, 2025
at Camp Durant
| | | Upcoming Scouting Activities | | |
Ideas for a Local Adventure
Such as...
| | | | Watch Cub Chat Live every Friday at 3 pm Eastern/2pm Central on Facebook Live for tips, tricks and ideas to help your den or pack. | |
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