August 2026

From our Selection Committee Chairman

With mixed emotions, I am pleased to announce the Selection Committee has completed its authorized process to select a new Scout Executive/CEO to succeed our retiring Scout Executive/CEO, Magne Gundersen, who will retire on September 30, 2026.

Over the past two months, the committee conducted a comprehensive search process that culminated on July 29, 2026, with a full day of candidate interviews, deliberations, and the final selection. I am pleased to announce that Mr. John Gliot, currently serving as Scout Executive/CEO of the Anthony Wayne Area Council in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been selected as the next Scout Executive/CEO of Washington Crossing Council.

John will join Washington Crossing Council on September 1, 2026. Please join me in extending a warm welcome as he begins this exciting new chapter with our council.

John has dedicated more than 30 years to the Scouting movement. He began his professional Scouting career in 1995 as a District Executive and later Senior District Executive in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where he served until 2001. He then joined the Central New Jersey Council as Program Director before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer/Assistant Scout Executive in 2006. In 2011, John became Scout Executive/CEO of the Anthony Wayne Area Council, where he has served with distinction ever since.

John graduated from Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania with a degree in Secondary Education. He is a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow, as well as a recipient of the Founder's Award. He is the proud father of three Eagle Scouts.

I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the members of the Selection Committee. Their countless hours of meetings, preparation, research, discussion, reference checks, interviews, and thoughtful deliberation ensured a thorough and successful search process. Their dedication and commitment have positioned our council for a successful future, and I am deeply grateful for their outstanding service.

Selection Committee Members:

Chris Cattie

Kevin Cornwall

Ron Davis

Heath Dumack

Mary Hanson Fatzinger

Barry Frank

Marcia Karrow

Steve Kaufhold

Pete Liptrot

Bill Pfundt

Chris Phelan

Blair Rush

Mike Shavel

Mark Zaba



I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our Territory Director, Matt Adams, for his guidance and leadership throughout this process. His counsel, insight, and steady support were invaluable to both the committee and our council.

As we prepare to welcome John, we also remain deeply grateful to Magne Gundersen for his exceptional leadership and dedicated service to Washington Crossing Council. We look forward to celebrating his many contributions before his retirement at the end of September.

The future of Washington Crossing Council is bright, and I look forward to the next chapter in our council's history.

Yours in Scouting,

Terry McCarty

Chairman of the Selection Committee

Cub Scout Day Camp: A Dino-Mite Adventure!

Cub Scouts traveled millions of years back in time for a prehistoric adventure at this year’s Dino-themed Day Camp! Throughout the week, Scouts explored, played, created, and learned through a variety of dinosaur-inspired activities designed to keep the fun going all day long. From hunting dinosaurs to taking on hands-on challenges, there was something for every Scout to enjoy. It was a week filled with adventure, laughter, plenty of memories, and definitely a dino-mite way to spend the summer!

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Membership Rally

Join fellow Scouting volunteers for an evening focused on building successful recruitment campaigns for Cub Scout programs. This rally will cover community marketing strategies, school and event recruitment, presentation techniques, joining night structure, and methods to improve family engagement and retention.

Date: August 20

Time: 7:00 - 8:30

Location: Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville

Membership Mixer

At the September Membership Mixer, we will continue this conversation by focusing on the role of the Patrol Leaders’ Council in recruiting. Recruitment is not just an adult responsibility. When youth leaders are involved in planning activities, welcoming visitors, sharing what makes Scouting fun, and helping new families feel connected, recruiting becomes more authentic and more effective. Join us as we discuss how to connect the PLC, youth leadership, and unit recruiting efforts into one stronger membership plan.

This mixer is for Scouts BSA and Cub Scout leadership as well as youth leaders.

Date: September 29

Time: 7:30

Location: Mercer Community College, West Windsor, NJ

Don't Forget Your Fall Recruitment Materials!

As you finalize your fall school recruitment dates, don't forget to submit your Materials Request Form to the council office. This helps us ensure your unit has everything needed for a successful recruiting event.

Submit your request here: https://bit.ly/2026RecruitmentMaterials

A complete list of available recruitment materials will be included in the next Membership Blast, so keep an eye out!

Make Sure Families Can Find You on BeAScout!



Fall recruitment is here, and BeAScout is often a family's first look at your unit! Take a few minutes to review your Unit Pin and make sure your meeting information, fees, contact information, and other details are accurate and up to date.

An updated BeAScout pin makes it easier for interested families to find your unit, know what to expect, and take the next step toward joining.

Popcorn is Here. Get Ready to Sell!



Popcorn pickup is this week! Make sure your unit signs up for a pickup time and is ready to get product into the hands of your Scouts for the first big weekend of selling.

Once you have your popcorn, hit the ground running with storefronts, wagon sales, and your online store. A strong first weekend can set the pace for your entire sale!

Haven’t ordered popcorn yet? It’s not too late! We have product available and can help your unit get started. Reach out to the Council office and we’ll help you get what you need to join the sale.

REGISTRATION NOW LIVE!

Bee-A-Scout Cub Fun Day

Buzz into adventure at Bee-A-Scout Cub Fun Day on November 1 at Ockanickon Scout Reservation! Current Cub Scouts and boys and girls ages 5–10 are invited for a day of fishing, climbing, hiking, conservation, bee education, slingshots, and more.

Cub Scouts, bring a non-Scout friend and they attend FREE!

STAY INFORMED

Technology Updates Coming to Council Websites and Event Registration Platforms

Over the next two months, our council will be transitioning our websites, online forms and event registration system over to a new product: CouncilWare. After a nine-year relationship with Tentaroo, the vendor has decided to cease operation as of October 31st. We will begin migrating fall event registrations to the new platform. Some events are already live. The goal is to have all October events through the new platform. 

Our online giving forms will move to a product from Bonterra called EveryAction provided through the Scouting America national office. This change should occur by September 1st. We are still evaluating alternatives for generic forms which do not require payment processing. The last part of the project will be moving the two websites (www.wccscouting.org and www.ockanickon.org) to hosted WordPress sites. The goal is to launch by October 1st. 

What can you do to prepare for the coming change?

In CouncilWare, you will want to create a MyCouncil User Login – This User Login will give you access to various features in the system. It will remember your event registrations and other orders you place and will give you access to those registrations so you can make payments, manage changes and other similar items. It will also give you access to Unit and Event DashBoards if you have a specific role. If you were using Tentaroo previously, you used both unit logins and user/family logins – In CouncilWare, each person uses a single login that can make registrations for both units and individuals. There are no “unit logins”

Create your MyCouncil User Login at https://mycouncil.wccscouting.org – click Create Login – Enter your first and last name, your email address, and your password and that’s all there is to it!

Add more functionality to your User Login… After your login has been created, click the Account button in the top blue bar of MyCouncil and update your profile – Add your Scouting Member ID, phone number, address and other personal information. The system will allow you to pull this information into your registrations so you wont have to type them all out each time you register for an event.

Add Saved Registrants for even more convenience… In your profile, you can also add “Saved Registrants”. Are you a parent and have children in Scouting? Add their information as a Saved Registrant and you will be able to pull this information into registrations without having to type all the data out each time.

Unit DashBoards… Currently each unit in the council has been setup with the unit leader (i.e. Cubmaster, Scoutmaster) set as the key leader. We will be adding youth rosters shortly. The key leader will be able to add additional adults to the unit and grant permissions such as “Unit Administrator”, “Registration Manager” and “Membership Manager.” We will cover in more details in a future newsletter. 

Questions? Reach out to events@wccscouting.org

COPE & Climbing Weekends

The weekend COPE program offers the opportunity for your Troop, Crew, Ship or Post to experience a team building program like no other. Low COPE consists of warm-up activities and initiative games in the field before moving on to the Low COPE course. This course includes 12 elements low to the ground, ranging from the Archimedes Bridge to the 12-foot Wall. Adults are invited to participate.

High COPE returns to OSR Fall 2026!!

Registration opens 6 months in advance. Click link below for dates and registration.

Reminder: Safeguarding Youth Refresher Training Has Launched

The new Safeguarding Youth Refresher Training has launched to help you renew this annual required training. 

If you have completed the full Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT) course and it is currently active or has expired within the last 7 days, you are eligible to take the Refresher Training. 

If your full SYT training has been expired for 7 days or more, you will need to complete the full Safeguarding Youth Course again before receiving credit. 

If you have not taken the full 90-minute Safeguarding Youth Course, you must take that before taking the 20-minute refresher. If you take the 20-minute refresher but don’t take the full course, you will not get credit for SYT.

Participants taking the Refresher Training must successfully pass the exam on the first attempt to receive credit for the Y01 training code. If the exam is not passed, the system will automatically route you to the full Safeguarding Youth Course to ensure a complete review of the material. Once the refresher exam is failed, the refresher course cannot be relaunched, and the full course must be completed. 

The Safeguarding Youth Refresher Training will be available in English and Spanish in the Volunteer Learn Center under the following course titles: 

• Safeguarding Youth Refresher 

• Curso de actualización SYT 

Thank you for your continued commitment to safeguarding youth and helping ensure a safe environment for all. 

Throughout the year, the Council Range & Target Committee offers several different activities for Cub Scouts. For all activities, an adult is required to be present to satisfy the 1-to-1 adult participant ratio. Fall registration opens September 1.

Archery Adventure:

October 4

Slingshot Adventure:

November 1

BB Gun Adventure:

December 20

Venturing Camporee

"Shoots, Ladders and Paddles (SLP) III, is an event for Venturing Crews, Ships and Explorer Posts. Range and target activities, the climbing tower and the lake will be available. Participants can bring their own tents or use the adirondacks in a campsite. You will be sharing a campsite with other units. A communal Saturday dinner will be provided and we ask each unit to bring a dessert to share. Bring a game to play after dinner. This a great opportunity for recruitment."

Lens on Litter Photo Contest

Both Scouts and adult leaders are welcome to participate! What a great way to tie in with conservation projects.

Exposure Leads to Prevention

Enter to win cash prizes

Deadline: October 31

Click links below for more details and to register:

• BALOO - October 10-11 - registration opens May 1
• IOLS - October 10-11 - registration opens May 1
• NYLT - November 6-8 & November 20-22

PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE DISTRICT

Don't miss out on some great Scouting events beyond your District!

• One World Observatory, NYC - offered Saturdays & Sundays at 9am
• 2027 World Scout Jamboree

For more information regarding these Events please refer to the Council newsletter.

ANNUAL GIVING

Supporting Tohickon District helps our Scouts thrive!

Your support strengthens the programs, camps, training, and resources that give our Scouts the best possible experience—building confidence, leadership, and lifelong skills. When families support the Council, we ensure every Scout has the opportunity to grow, explore, and succeed.