(1) Notes from the Colonial District Round Table meeting March 14, 2007

• Thanks to Bill Burns and Tom Schulte who volunteered to attend and to Bill Burns for notes from this Roundtable for our Troop 680.
• Timberline Resort:  Davis, WV.  A representative handed out information on their ski packages and merit badge program.
• Wood Badge flier:  Spring 2007 (April 27-29 and June 1-3) or Fall 2007 (Sep 7-9 and Oct 6-8). Editors note:  I fervently hope a few of our Scouters (adult Scouts) will attend a Wood Badge course soon.  Complete your position-specific training, then sign up for Wood Badge--it's excellent! More details listed in the second section below and at this Wood Badge link.
• Friends of Scouting:  Turn in your checks if you are still planning to contribute.  The troop has raised $1,010 so far.  Editors note:  contact me (John Millikin, mailto:John.Millikin@gallaudet.edu) for more information; I have extra forms with me and bring those forms to troop meetings.
• Boy scouts still needed to help out with Cub Scout Day Camp.  $55 Goshen credit if you are 14 years old or older.  Community service hours for those under 14.
• Make nominations for the Superior Scouter Awards (adults).  The forms will be on the district web site soon and in the Crier.  Deadline is the end of April for submissions.
• We have a new District Camping Coordinator:  Jay Minett.
• There are a few slots still open for the International Jamboree.  Go to the council web page for more information.
• Camporee:
• Theme is "Disaster Preparedness".  20-22 April.
• The noon meal is part of the theme, so everyone will be served by the soup kitchen.  The cost of this lunch meal is included with the camporee fee.
• The people organizing the camporee gave a very good presentation. They had a prepared flyer but the district staff didn't distribute it.  We were told it would go out by e-mail today.  Editors note:  Flier will be on our Troop 680 web page, http://troop680.net in a day or so.
• Big thing is to gear troop meeting activities between now and then to prepare the boys for the events . . . Scout Midway Events (Scout Jeopardy, First Aid Baseball, Map Symbol Game, "What Knot Tree"...), mine rescue, downed airplane, find lost hunters, Venturing Crew restoring communications.
• Patrols are required to have at least 6 boys in every patrol; they said you should mix the new scouts with older scouts because of the level of difficulty and leadership needed at the stations.
• Scouter and Scout (senior scouts not in patrols) are needed for the Midway Events; send in volunteer names even before arriving to help them out.

(3) General information from John Millikin:

• See the New Early Rank Requirements Videos for Boy Scouts for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class Ranks on the NCAC Council home page ( http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org ), specifically at  http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/pages/49893_early_rank_requirements_videos.cfm.  Excellent resource for our Boy Scouts working toward First Class.  Thanks to Luis Villalobos for pointing out this new resource!
• See the Colonial District March 2007 Crier newsletter issue at http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/download/3527_2007_03_colonial_crier.pdf.
• See the Merit Badge pictures (including some Troop 680 Scouts) on pages 8-9.
• The NCAC (Council) web site is http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org and the Colonial District web site is http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/colonial.
• Internet advancement:  The National Capital Area Council is very pleased to announce that units can now record youth member advancements from any online location - at home or at the office. You will find this new method to be easy, convenient, and accurate because you enter the information. Details at  http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/pages/48470_internet_advancement.cfm.
• Eagle Scout Information (repeated for your information/convenience):
• The new Eagle Scout Rank application form can be found at  http://www.nesa.org/trail/58-728.pdf.
• Troop 680 information is located at http://troop680.net/Eagle-Scout-Info.htm. Thanks to Pam Johnson for the Power Point presentation at http://troop680.net/T680-Life-to-Eagle-2006-12-01.ppt.
• The Eagle Committee Chair is Mr. Donald Bobby, mailto:Donald.Bobby@hqda.army.mil, phone 703-681-1033.  See details at the district Eagle Scout Page at  http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/pages/2014_eagle_scout_page.cfm.
• See the new Eagle Procedures Guide 2006 located at: http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/documents.cfm?documentID=1843. For those of you who might want details, see the following which comes from the BSA NCAC web site which is arrived at via http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org under Home/About Us/Council Committees/Advancement (obscure location).
• The "Eagle Procedures Guide" is for the adult leaders who are working with Life Scouts working to earn their Eagle rank. Unit leaders should share the contents of this guide with each Eagle candidate so that he fully understands the procedures which must be followed. The purpose of this guide is to address commonly asked questions and issues encountered in completing the "12 Steps From Life to Eagle Rank." It is not intended to answer all questions. If a unit leader or an Eagle candidate is unsure of a particular step or requirement, do not hesitate to call your District Advancement Chairman. The guide describes the 12 steps from Life to Eagle. The "Eagle Procedures Guide" has been updated and can be downloaded [as described above].  Please note that this is a large file (1.03 MB) that may take a few minutes to download.