Golden Gate District Leader Updates

November 2023

For Everyone

10,097 pounds of food donated to the SF-Marin Food Bank

Scouting for Food - Great Success!

November 4 + 11

Amazing results in this year's Scouting for Food! THANK YOU to everyone who made this year's event a huge success. 

• Media: We were featured in two KPIX segments: live on morning news and pre-filmed segment on door hanger day
• Kickoff Party: New for 2023 was our Kickoff Party at the SFM Food Bank, where scouts and their families got to learn about the mission and impact of the food bank and tour the facility
• Nextdoor: Please Like/Comment our community thank-you post on Nextdoor. Thank you to those that made posts leading up to the event as well!
• Unit Participation: This year we had 100% of Troops, 89% of Cub Scout Packs and 100% of Explorer Posts participate in our Scouting for Food effort. We added two new pickup zones (T343 in Parkside and P88 in Noe Valley). This is the first time in recent memory that SO many of our scouts have participated!
• Fundraiser: Combining cash/check donations with the online giving platform, we raised $4,479 from ~57 donors. The Food Bank will be able to turn this into nearly $10k worth of food, and feed many more families.
• Food collection: In total, we collected, sorted and delivered 10,097 lbs of food to the SF-Marin Food Bank. This is a 28% increase over last year's total and shows the power of bringing ALL of our scouts to this effort.

Check out some photos and videos from Scouting for Food 2023 - you might just see a photo of yourself!

Reminder: Please record your service hours in Internet Advancement. Instructions on how to do so are here. Services Hours can be recorded by the Unit Key 3 and the Advancement Chair. Please choose "Food/Shelter Insecurity" as the type for Scouting for Food.

Last, a big thank you to Francois Chadwick for picking up Scouting for Food coordination this year and the 22 unit-level leads who coordinated the unit volunteers and scouts. Great job everyone!

Recharter: Next Steps for An Easy Recharter

October 1 - December 15

One month till due date! Check out the Golden Gate District Guide to an Easy Recharter. In it, you'll find the key activities to complete in November:

• Key 3: Ask leaders to complete YPT, AB506-Training (annually) and AB506-Livescan (once)
• Treasurer: Collect dues
• Recharter Lead: Log in to Internet Advancement to and mark as "Drop" scouts and scouters who you know will not be returning for 2024
• Committee Chair: Ensure Key 3 and XO in my.scouting are correct. Contact District or Unit Commissioner if these need to be updated.

Currently our leaders are at about 61% complete with their compliance items (YPT, AB506-Training and Livescan) -- this is a big 21% jump from just two weeks ago. Let's keep heading towards 100%!

Recharter is due by December 15. Your Commissioner Corps is here to help! We also have scheduled  'Ask Me Anything' sessions on the District Calendar: November 16 3-4pm, November 19 7-8pm. Bring your questions!

Golden Gate District Guide to an Easy Recharter

You're Invited: District Roundtable

Monthly on 3rd Tuesday (except November)

District Roundtables provide engaging and pertinent information for all unit leaders - with Break out sessions specifically for Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA we tackle subjects you wish to discuss in order to leverage the shared knowledge of leaders from across the District. The questions you have may have been identified and dealt with by other unit leaders, so why try and reinvent the wheel?

We also share new and important information or events that may come from the District, Council, or National which may impact your unit.

When? 3rd Tuesday of every month at 7pm

Where? Zoom, unless otherwise noted.

Why? because we want to help you support your Scout units!

Curious about what we talk about at the Monthly Roundtable? Here is a link to all of the past Roundtable minutes.

Special: National Roundtable Q&A

November 16, 5pm

Our own Jon Gillespie will join Mati Mayfield, Roundtable Chair, National Commissioner Service Team, in a live Q&A session hosted on Facebook.  Bring your questions!

Join this Facebook group to have access to this live event

🏀 Warriors Scout Nights 🏀

December 23, 2023 and April 14, 2024

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. 

Ready to buy tickets? Have questions? Contact Adam Postiglione (Group Sales Manager)

Council Awards Nomination Process: Now Underway

December 1

On March 2, 2024, the Council will hold their Annual Volunteer Recognition Event. From now until December 1, nominations for Council Awards are being accepted by the nomination committees.  See the list of awards here (nominating committee listed to the right of each award) -- check it out and nominate a worthy scouter today!

The GGAC DEI Committee is calling for your Adult Scouting Nominations for the following: The Vale la Pena Award; The Asian American Spirit of Scouting Award and the Whitney M Young, Jr Service Award. Complete forms and scan or email your nominations for consideration to Flory by Dec 15th. Thanks!

District Scouter Scoop

Have  a fundraiser? Let us know!

We are happy to advertise your fundraiser to the other adult leaders in our District. Just complete this form and we'll include your fundraiser -- let's support each other's units! If you need help completing a Unit Money Earning Application, contact your Commissioner Corps.

Tell us about your fundraiser

Scouts BSA

Update your Unit Information Sheets for AOL Den Leaders

ASAP

In the next week, we'll be sending out an email to AOL Den Leaders with information on resources available to them. One of those resources is the Unit Information Sheets that you completed last year; please review the sheet for your unit and make any updates needed. If you don't have edit access rights, contact Paul Lanzi for assistance.

Troops and Clubs: Review and update your Unit Information Sheet

Winter Camp Awareness Event

January 13

Winter Camp Awareness (WCA) is a fantastic and informational training session offered on the USS Hornet in Alameda from 9am to 3pm. It is hosted and taught by members of the Order of the Arrow (OA). The aim of this event is to teach how to camp safely in cold and frigid conditions while having the most fun.  All Troops are invited!

Register here ($15)

GGAC Klondike 2024

February 17-19

Save the date: if you'd like to put your winter camping skills to use, come to the GGAC Klondike 2024 event! The campout will be held Saturday February 17 to Monday February 19 (President's Day) in South Lake Tahoe.

More details to come!

Booking Camp Tamarancho for Hike-In Camping

Marin Council's Camp Tamarancho is just  over the Golden Gate Bridge and is a great place for Troops to do events focused on beginner's backpack camping. The hike-in is approximately 2.5 miles (longer options available) and while the road to Camp Tamarancho is currently impassible by vehicle, it's an easy way to hike in. Emergency services and camp facilities are still available at Camp Tamarancho. Even better: certain cooking equipment is available for reservation (no need to hike it in) and other Troop equipment can be ferried in by the Camp Ranger upon request.

Check out the Hike-In Camping Guide to Camp Tamarancho and contact the Marin Council Office to book a hike-in camping trip! You can also donate to the fund to rebuild the road to Camp Tamarancho. 

Cub Scouts

AOL Den Leaders: Assisting with Troop/Club Selection

AOL Den Leaders and Pack Key 3 - be on the lookout for an email from the District Commissioner with resources you can use in planning your Troop/Club selection. As part of the AOL Scouting Adventure, each AOL den must visit a Troop meeting and participate in a Troop campout or other outdoor activity. We have resources available to help with this - be on the lookout!

Winter Family Fun Fest!

December 2

Join scouts from the PacSky Council at their annual holiday season festival! Decorate gingerbread houses, do holiday crafts, enjoy cookies and hot cocoa and participate in scouty holiday games. Will be held at Palo Alto Fire Circle @ 1305 Middlefield Road, December 2 from 4-6pm.

Register here ($20)

Webelos/AOLs: Hike with Troop 333

December 3

Welcome Webelos! If you’re looking to meet your Scouting Adventure requirement, the December 3rd hike to Montara State Beach with Troop 333 is the outing for you. Starting at 10am at the Montara State Beach parking lot, Troop 333 Scouts will guide Cub Scouts on a moderate 5-mile hike. We will then all arrive at the beach around 12/12:30 for a picnic lunch hosted by the Troop. Parents and siblings are welcome to attend. 

RSVP here please (no cost)

Camp Yunakin (GGD Cub Day Camp) Registration: Opens in January

June 17-21 @ Golden Gate Park

Save the date! Golden Gate District's Cub Day Camp, Camp Yunakin, will be offered June 17-21 in Golden Gate Park. Registration will open in January.

Questions? Contact Deb Miller.

PacSky Cub Day Camp Registration: Now Open

June 17-21 @ Pacifica

The PacSky Camp Ta-Ki-Ma (Circle of Friends) Summer 2024 Day Camp registration is now live. June 17-21 the camp is held at San Pedro Valley Park in Pacifica (subsequent weeks are in Cupertino, San Mateo and Palo Alto).  Early bird registration ends March 1 and a week of camp costs $300; further discounts are available for those who volunteer 1+ days at camp.

Register here ($300)

GGAC 2024 Cub Camping Dates: Now Updated

Throughout 2024

The Council has updated their list of Cub Camping opportunities and dates for 2024.  Plan ahead for events all throughout 2024!

See the updated list here

Key 3 Corner

Featured this month: Keith Bauer, District Executive

Hello all and thank you for your participation in our very Busy fall and winter season! The Golden Gate District has had a strong year in membership and programming thanks to its amazing volunteers at unit and district levels. In looking toward next year, I wanted to take a moment to talk about one of the resources that you saw at the Sunday Streets event.

For those that participated, you either requested that I print a custom flier for your unit or were provided with one from one of the templates that the council has in bulk. There is one template for packs, but there are a few options for Troops. One of the features of the template is that a QR code can be generated to your unit’s online pin where they can learn more about your unit and apply! If your unit is looking to do some recruitment and you have a “sign up night” or open house, please reach out so the council can help publicize your event!

Keith

Service Hours Update

Monthly Update on our District's Service Hour Progress

Need help reporting your service hours? Check out this online guide and email GGD Commissioner Paul Lanzi if you have questions.

GGD Community Service Hours YTD Recorded as of 11/15/2023

Connect with Golden Gate District on Social Media

Find the latest stories and photos on a variety of platforms

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook using the buttons below. Want to see your own unit's photos and adventures featured in the GGD social media? Send photos to ggd.communications@gmail.com and/or tag 'BSA Golden Gate District' in your unit's or your personal posts.

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