This email was sent to all registered adult leaders in the Golden Gate District (San Francisco and part of Daly City). It was NOT sent to scouts or scout parents. If you see an event or other information in this email that you want your unit to participate in, please communicate that to your unit.
For Everyone
Recharter: It Begins
October 1
Recharter systems will open on October 1. There are several important changes for this year:
On-time completion means finishing recharter by December 31. Any unit that does not complete recharter by February 28 will be deleted -- this means if you are a 100-year-old scout unit, you become a 0-year-old scout unit. Further, adult leaders and scouts in lapsed units are no longer covered by BSA insurance.
Payment is handled this year exactly like it was last year -- except that all new scouts and scouters who began after August 1, 2023 will have prepaid their National and Council fees. These scouts and scouters will show up as "Prepaid" on your Recharter Rosters and you will not need to pay their National and Council fees.
Look forward to more information about recharter soon!
Certified Angling Instructor (CAI) Training Courses are facilitated by the BSA National Fishing Committee. Courses cover Cub Scout, Scouts BSA and Venturing Fishing Programs held at the Unit, District, Council, Area, Regional and National Levels. Simply put, CAIs teach Scouts and Scouters to fish!
Fishing helps you to “Deliver the Promise of Scouting." CAIs learn age-based and skills-appropriate fishing tools and techniques, ranging from a simple cane pole to fly fishing. The course highlights best practices in both the classroom and in the field.
Who can attend?
All adult leaders - Den Leaders, Cubmasters, Scoutmasters, ASMs, Committee Members, Merit Badge Counselors, Crew Advisors, and all other BSA registered adult volunteers.
Scouts (15 years and older) with parent and Scoutmaster permission
Unfortunately, we have to cancel this year's Fleet Week BBQ. We normally hold this BBQ on the lawn outside of the Sea Scout Base, but that lawn is currently being replaced. We'll miss seeing you at the Fleet Week BBQ this year but hope that we'll be back next year -- bigger and better.
District-Wide Fall Recruiting Event - Scout Zone @ Sunday Streets
October 15
Get excited! We have partnered with SF Sunday Streets to secure a whole city block during the Excelsior Sunday Streets (Oct 15) event for our 'Scout Zone'. Each unit is being asked to run a fun, youth-engaging activity to show off the best side of scouting -- and to recruit new scouts. We've connected with every unit -- and now we need you to let us know what activity you'll be doing ! If you haven't already, please let Larry Morales (District Membership Chair) and Paul Lanzi (District Commissioner) know about your planned activity!
Scouting for Food: Kickoff, Door Hanger and Collection Dates
October 15, November 4 and 11
Every unit has been contacted about the Scouting for Food Kickoff Party, coming up on October 15 (4-6pm @ SF-Marin Food Bank). Francois Chadwick will be organizing our District's participation this year, and we're aiming for bigger and better! At the Kickoff Party, scouts and parents will get to learn about the impact of the food collection we do AND get to tour the all-new facilities at the SF-Marin Food Bank. We will also be handing out door hangers at the Kickoff Party.
RSVP your unit here today!You can return to the registration page and update the expected scout and adult counts until a few days before the Kickoff Party.
Jamboree On The Internet / Jamboree On The Air Resources
October 21
The global reach of scouting is brought into sharp focus during the JOTI/JOTA when scouts can use shortwave radio and the internet to connect with each other. JOTI/JOTA participation can be done by individual scouts, Patrols/Dens or as a whole scout unit.
Here are some resources to make your unit's JOTI/JOTA activities fun and engaging -- feel free to forward these to Patrol/Den leaders that may be interested:
San Francisco's Salute to Veterans Parade: We want you to join us!
November 5
The Veteran's Day Parade in the Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco is a great civic celebration and one of only a few opportunities we have, as scouts, to march in a parade each year! Come show your civic and scouty pride by joining the Scouts marching contingent -- scouts and adult leaders are strongly encouraged to wear Class A uniforms, and every unit is invited to carry their unit flag and (optionally) an American Flag. The parade start time is 11am (line up time is around 9:30am) and concludes around 12:30pm.
Position Specific Training: Cub Scout and Scouts BSA Leaders
November 18
With thanks to our neighbors to the north in Marin Council, one-day Position Specific Training is available for both Cub Scout Leaders (8:45am-noon) and Scouts BSA Leaders (8:45am-1pm). Both courses will be held concurrently at the Marin County Foundation in Novato.
This year our Golden State Warriors will hold TWO Scout Nights. On December 23, the Warriors will play the Portland Trailblazers. Associated with this game, and exclusively for the Scouts, the Warriors will hold an educational basketball clinic at their practice facility in Oakland. On April 14, the Warriors will play against the Utah Jazz.
Being offered for the first time ever, scouts will enjoy a weekend of adventure roleplaying and merit badge advancement at Camp Hi-Sierra. Organized by the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council, scouts can work on Leatherworking; Forestry; Signs, Signals and Codes; Music; Orienteering and Insect Study merit badges all while participating in a camp-wide roleplaying scenario.
A required part of Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster Position Specific training is to complete IOLS Training. Parent volunteers are also invited to attend -- all participants will sharpen their hands-on, practical outdoor skills.
October 21-22
With the continued road closure at Camp Tamarancho, Marin Council is offering this training at Samuel P Taylor State Park in Lagunitas. Training concludes mid-day on Sunday Oct 22.
Offered by PacSky Council, this IOLS training is held at the Palo Alto office and is split between two separate weekends. Attendance at both weekends is required for course completion credit.
This IOLS session will take place on November 4 at Camp Herms in El Cerrito -- the closest Council camp for us here in Golden Gate District. Note that even though the online portal mentions Briones, Meridian, & Herms Districts, we have secured several spots for Golden Gate District scouters as well.
Did you know that BSA has a special National Outdoor Award Program? For scouts that excel in outdoor participation, this is the award to get! Scouts in Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts and Venture can earn the award and any of the six available segments: Camping, Aquatics, Conservation, Hiking, Riding and Adventure. Learn more about this special program here.
Cub Scouts
BALOO (In-Person) Training
October 14-15
Every Cub Scout overnight outing must have at least one BALOO-trained leader. This particular training will be at Camp Chesebrough (Big Basin) and offered by neighboring Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council (SVMBC).
4th Graders: Free National and State Park Admission
Year-round
Be sure to remind your Webelos (4th grade) Den Leaders to pass word to their scout's parents: they are entitled to a year of free admission to all National Parks and State Parks.
Featured this month: Robin Praeger, District Chair
After a busy summer of scouting including Cub Camp, summer camps, as well as two Jamborees, your units and the Golden Gate District are hitting the ground running this September. Just as, each year, your units look to add to additional volunteer leadership, we too at the district level are looking to increase our team. Paul Lanzi (GGD District Commissioner) has reached out to most if not all of you requesting volunteers to contribute at the District level.
We are looking for people to serve as either District committee chairs or members, contributing in an area of their expertise and/or interest. Our needs are in all areas of scouting including but not limited to: Communications, Camping, Advancement, Training, and Finance. The District Operating Committee (DOC) meets monthly, typically by Zoom and occasionally in person -- all with the mission of supporting the units in their scouting activities.
Efforts include the organization of many District activities, ranging from camporees to the GGD Recognition Dinner to Scouting for Food. Additionally, the DOC supports the Council while working with units in such areas as rechartering, membership, YPT -- to name just a few. Volunteer commitment on the DOC is flexible and can vary from leading a committee to taking on a small support project within a committee. There is a great deal of opportunity for people to help and get involved.
The DOC is currently comprised of approximately 15 members with ties to Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, and Sea Scout units. Some members have enjoyed the district operations so much they have been been part of them for over 20 years. Other members, like me, have been involved for less than a year and in addition to meaningfully supporting scouting have met many dedicated energetic scouting volunteers. If you are interested in joining or have someone to recommend and want to find out more information, please reach out to our Nominating Committee Chair Steve Welch @ stevenwelch22@gmail.com. Alternatively, please reach out to me at ggd.chair@gmail.com and I can set up a time to talk. On October 15th many members -- including myself -- will be attending both the Sunday Streets Scout Zone membership event and Scouting for Food kickoff; each of those will be an excellent chance to answer questions you or others might have.
Robin
Service Hours Update
Monthly Update on our District's Service Hour Progress
GGD Community Service Hours YTD Recorded as of 9/22/2023
Camp Tamarancho Needs Your Help
During the winter of 2023, a major slide undermined Iron Springs Road -- the only paved road into Camp Tamarancho in Marin County. A frequent destination for scout groups from all nearby Councils, the lack of access to Camp Tamarancho has already had -- and continues to have -- a big impact on local scouting. Marin Council is trying to raise $450,000 to shore up the road, but even that might not cover the full amount of the work required.
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Golden Gate Area Council BSA, 6601 Owens Drive #100, Pleasanton, CA 94588, USA, (925) 674-6100
