West Wind District Newsletter | March 2026

In this issue:

Message from the District Chair

As Winter is slowly and reluctantly giving way to Spring our thoughts are shifting towards Crossovers, Pinewood Derby, new-to-your-unit leaders and parents, and thoughts of Summer camps. Be sure to check out the District Calendar on Google to keep up to date with any forthcoming events and as a look-forward to the spring (e.g. Pinewood Derby, Awards banquet, training opportunities). We'd love to highlight any unit activities here as well, and we always love to spread the word about our scouts and scouters in their community.

Please take a moment to review the training status for your unit volunteers and ask them to get up-to-date. Training is the way to ensure that the kids are getting a solid program and the adult volunteers have the skills and know-how to work with confidence and engagement. A lot can be done online easily, too.

We would love to hear your thoughts and what types of activities and support you and your units need. Please reach out to westwinddistrict@gmail.com and help us help you!

Thank you for everything you do for our Scouts and for Scouting!

-Sarath Krishnaswamy, District Chair

westwinddistrict@gmail.com

Good News Stories

Each month we want to highlight ways our Units or Scouts are making a difference.

Crew 4048, Chelmsford, has hiked Mts. Waumbek, Cannon, Tecumseh and Cabot this Winter

Troop 80 and the Centralville Sportsmen’s Club hosted another amazing District Klondike Derby! 200+ Scouts, 100+ adult volunteers, and 5+ inches of fresh snow!

Have Good News to share? Post on our Facebook group or Let us know!

Awards, Recognition, Dinner and Fellowship

SAVE THE DATE!! Our District Awards Dinner is coming up soon: May 28, 2026.

This is our chance to recognize all of our volunteers that put together the best program possible for our Scouts; this includes YOU!

Use this Nomination Form to submit all of the information needed to present the following award to members of your unit, the District, or anyone that you feel goes over and above to make a difference.

Use the form for these awards:

Spark Plug (one per unit, for an outstanding volunteer)
Training Award or Key (to recognize Scouters for tenure, training, and program excellence)
Unit Leader Award of Merit (to recognize outstanding Unit Leaders)
Veteran's Award (to recognize years of service)
District Award of Merit (outstanding service to the District)
Something Else (you want to propose a special recognition)

You can register for the dinner now! Please share with the rest of your unit (especially those that you’re nominating for awards) – we want to see every unit represented and recognized!

Activities & Events

Exciting events are being planned for this Winter!

District Pinewood Derby

Get ready to send your Pack’s top-3 racers from each rank to compete against the best in the District for the King’s Cup!

When: March 28, 2026

Where: St.Theresa Church, Billerica, MA

Training & Tips

Every Scout deserves a trained leader.

Are you Position Trained? Does your Pack have enough BALOO trained leaders to go on an outing? Are you a life-long learner and just want to take another training course?

Cub Leader Training

Did you know… that 52% of our Cub Leaders are under-trained? A trained leader is more confident and sure in the program they are offering

When: Saturday, February 28, 2026, 8:30 AM

Where: Trinity Lutheran Church, Chelmsford, MA

BALOO (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation)

Did you know…every Cub Scout unit is required to have at least one BALOO trained leader to hold overnight programs?

BALOO Training is a day+ of fun and learning which will help pack leaders plan and carry out a quality "entry-level" outdoor experience for the Cub Scouts and their families. Participants will better understand the policies of the BSA and camp programming while acquiring the skills and confidence to host a successful campout by increasing their knowledge of available resources and the use of national and local council standards as guidelines.

When: Saturday, April 11, 2026, 8:00 AM - Sunday, April 12, 2026, 12:00PM

Where: Camp 40 Acres, Andover, MA

Wood Badge

Did you know…Wood Badge is not just Scout Leader training, but it is leadership training that you can apply to all aspects of your life, inside and outside of Scouting?

Wood Badge is Scouting's premier training course. Baden-Powell designed it so that Scouters could learn, in as practical a way possible, the skills and methods of Scouting. It is first and foremost, learning by doing. The members of the course are formed into patrols and these into a troop. The entire troop camps outdoors, cooking their own meals, and practices Scout skills while honing their leadership and teamwork skills.

The Course occurs over 2 weekends at T.L. Storer.

When: Weekend #1: Friday, April 10, 2026, 8:00 AM - Sunday, April 12, 2026, 12:00PM

Weekend #2: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 8:00 AM - Sunday, May 17, 2026, 12:00PM

Where: T.L. Storer Scout Reservation, Barnstead, NH

Check out the Calendar of Events section below for a list of training sessions in the area.

What training do you need to help you help our Scouts? Let us know!

Roundtable Update

March Roundtable

Main Topic: Den Chiefs!! How to best utilize this position in your Pack and Troop/Crew. Enhance your program and an important RECRUITMENT tool

Cub Breakout: Engaging Den Chiefs in your Pack and Dens

Venture/Scouts BSA Breakout: What is the PLC? How does it work and what does success look like? And, what's a Scoutmaster to do?

Join us and other local scout leaders to share experiences, ideas and best practices.

If you cannot join in-person, we offer the ability to join online as well via Zoom

When: Thursday, March 5, 2026, 7:15 PM

Where: First Congregational Church, Billerica, MA

Leader's Minute

1% Better

I want to talk to you about a simple math problem that can change your life. In the book Atomic Habits, author James Clear explains that if you can get just one percent better at something every single day, you will be 37 times better by the end of one year.

Think about that for a second. We often think that to be a great Scout, or a great leader, we need to do something massive – like save a life or build a giant pioneering project. But the truth is, being a “First Class” person isn't about one big moment; it’s about your systems and your daily habits.

Every time you choose to be “Helpful” by picking up a piece of trash without being asked, you are voting for the person you want to become. Every time you practice a knot for just two minutes, you are building the system that makes you a master.

You don’t rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems. If your “system” is to do your best – even just 1% better than yesterday – then time becomes your greatest ally.

So, don't worry about being perfect tomorrow. Just focus on being 1% more like the Scout Law than you were today. Those tiny wins add up to a remarkable life.

Calendar of Events

Upcoming Events

Here are the events, activities, and training sessions being put on by West Wind, neighboring Districts, or Council in the next few months.

3/5: District Roundtable | Billerica, MA (Hybrid)

3/19: Eagle Boards of Review | Chelmsford, MA

3/21: Cub Leaders Training (Mayflower Council) | Westwood, MA

3/26: District Committee Meeting | Online

3/28: District Pinewood Derby | Billerica, MA

3/28: Eastern New England College of Commissioner Science | Burlington, MA

4/9: District Roundtable | Billerica, MA (Hybrid)

4/10-12: Wood Badge Weekend #1 | Barnstead, NH

4/11-12: BALOO (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation) | Andover, MA