HOAC Camping/Program August Updates

Heart of America Council, BSA - Camping/Program Updates August 2007 Updates

2007 Camp Attendance Totals for HOAC Residence Camping Opportunites Scouts - 14,851 Leaders - 7,853 Part-time Leaders - 1,291

Wood Badge Training has Openings Wood Badge training is an experience like no other!!! You will take part in several days of classroom training followed by several days of training and fun in the outdoors with your patrol. This training is a once in a lifetime experience with other Scouts from the area. The fee for the course is $200 (including a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit of $50.00) and includes all meals and training material. Please complete a Wood Badge participant application and together with the registration deposit, mail or bring to the Council Service Center. Please click the Wood Badge graphic to be directed to the Council website for your Wood Badge Forms. University of Scouting - Saturday, November 3, 2007 Start watching your mail in September. University of Scouting Program materials are being mailed to all registered adult leaders in the Heart of America Council. University of Scouting is a Council wide Cub, Boy Scout & Venturing Leader learning extravaganza where you pick your own classes. It's an annual get-together, a conference, a convention, a big fun-filled experience where ALL Scout Leaders increase their knowledge, improve their skills and gain enthusiastic attitudes about Scouting. It's an opportunity to add the fun and pizzazz to your program. Fall Fellowship Weekend - September 14-16, 2007 Arrowmen, don't miss the 2007 OA Fall Fellowshiop Weekend. Reservation are now being accepted with a dealine of September 7, 2007. Please visit the Council website by clicking the picture to the right and print off you registration form today. Truman Library Merit Badge Program - September 22, 2007 8:00 am to 1:30 pm Scout can earn all the requirements for American Heritage or Citizenship in the Nation during this merit badge clinic. The cost is $10.00 with a small snack provided. On-line Registration will begin at 12:00 am on Monday, August 20, 2007. This event is a participant registration (there is no unit registration), so be prepared to enter each participant individually (first name, last name, district, unit #, participants address, emergency contact name, phone number and the merit badge that the Scout wishes to attend). Registration is limited to 100 Scouts on a first come first serve basis. General Camping Updates for 2008 Information With the 2007 Camp Season concluding, units are trying to plan their 2008 Camping Season. Please be aware that 2008 Camp Draw information will go in the mail to the Registered Committee Chair around the first part of October. For those wishing to apply for Camp Staff, the 2008 Camp Staff Application will be sent to all previous Camp Staff members around the middle of October. The application will also be placed on the Council website at www.hoac-bsa.org under resources and forms around the same time period. Heart of America Council, BSA

Tragedy At Rotary Boy Scout Camp

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the staff, counselors, campers, and their families.

News reports are still vague but it appears that between 3AM and 4AM this morning one of our mentally handicapped campers left camp and wandered down to Lake Jacomo where he tried to get the attention of a fisherman in a boat on the lake. The fisherman told reporters the camper then entered the lake calling "Hey Dude" repeatedly. When the camper began struggling the fisherman called 911. But before help could arrive, regrettably, the camper drowned.

The Jackson County Sheriff's department conveyed that this was a tragic accident and no one on the camp staff, or scout counselors were at fault. In fact, they had just checked on the campers shortly before the accident occurred.

Rotary Boy Scout Camp program offers the Boy Scout camping program to young men who have a disability, which prevents them from attending either the Naish or Bartle Scout Reservations.

This year, Troop 42, as for many years, supplied counselors for Rotary Boy Scout Camp, as it is located in close proximity to our Troop.

Please pray for everyone involved in this tragic accident.