Central Region Venturing Area 2 Newsletter - Spring 2015

Winter2015 2015 Spring/Summer

Area 2 Newsletter Everything new in Area Two! Area 2 is comprised of the lower peninsula of Michigan, also known as the Michigan Crossroads Council. It serves the four Field Service Councils: President Gerald R. Ford, Water and Woods, Great Lakes, and Southern Shores.

Meet the President: Jacob Hardy Hello Fellow Venturers!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

My name is Jacob Hardy. I am from the Great Lakes Field Service Council in Detroit, but will be starting my freshman year at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, where I intend to study Secondary Education in English. I am a career Boy Scout who started as a Tiger Cub back in the first grade, and eventually crossed over into Boy Scouting, where I attained the rank of Eagle Scout. During my time in Scouting, I have undergone National Youth Leadership Training, and went so far as to go back to staff it both as a team guide, and then as an assistant course director. Also, my troop elected me into Scouting’s national honor society, the Order of the Arrow, in which I am a Vigil member. Within the Order of the Arrow, I have served in the capacity of Chippewa Chapter Chief, and more recently as Noquet Lodge’s Vice Chief of Activities.

I have a real passion for Scouting’s excitement, and have witnessed firsthand many of its benefits. Venturing has a lot to offer, and I am really excited to bring my training and experience to the table! This year, alongside the other officers, I hope to bring about a thrilling and productive term. My goals this year include laying groundwork for communication between crews, strengthening local Venturing Officers’ Associations, and building area wide events that are accessible and exciting for everyone. I hope to meet many of you at events over the coming term!

Yours In Venturing, Jacob Hardy- Central Region Area 2 Venturing President 2015-2016 Central Region Venturing, Area 2 1

Meet the President!

1

Philmont Training Center

2

National Annual Meeting

3

Powder Horn!

4

Duke of Edinburgh Award

5

Message from the Area 2 Venturing Advisor

6

A Note from the Editor

7

Scouting One-Liner

8

Winter 2015

Philmont Training Center “Training, training, training!” – Dr. James E. West, Chief Scout Executive, BSA, when asked to define the three things Scouting needed most.

The need for well-trained and well-prepared leaders remains true over one hundred years later. With the significant changes to Venturing’s recognition model and adjustments to its methods, this is a great opportunity to re-launch your understanding of Venturing and join your Central Region colleagues at Philmont Scout Training Center this summer.

The new Venturing A-L-P-S program model builds on success from the past and provides a framework for a dynamic program of adventure, leadership, personal growth and service, grounded in a flexible program of continuous, youth-led adventure with the new recognition system providing Venturers with benchmarks of progress. If you are involved in Venturing at a unit, district, or council level, come and learn firsthand how you can take on the challenge and fun of the new program.

Special guests from the national cabinets and region VOAs, including authors and designers for the new program materials will bring this adventure to life.

In addition to advisors, the conference also welcomes older Venturers as full participants. Make this conference your first step in supporting a great Venturing program for years to come.

Conference dates: July 7-13, July 19-25, August 2-8, and August 9-15. The conference scheduled from August 9-15 will be led by advisors and region Venturing officers from the Central Region. Please consider joining us at Philmont.

To register, visit www.philmonttrainingcenter.org

Interested in having the time of your life and gaining invaluable leadership experience? Get involved in Area 2! E-mail us at crventuringarea2@gmail.com.

Central Region Venturing, Area 2 2

National Annual Meeting

Winter 2015

Each May, Scouts, Scouters, and Professionals from all across the country gather together for the National Annual Meeting of the Boy Scouts of America. This year, the meeting happened May 20-22 in Atlanta, Georgia.

What exactly goes on at these meetings, you might wonder? There is an exhibit hall with close to 100 vendors promoting different programs and opportunities for Scouts. One of these booths was the Venturing booth, where we had the opportunity to promote our amazing program to all attendees.

During the day, there are also tons of sessions to attend, which include various different committee meetings and spark sessions on different topics.

Finally, there are several different receptions, including ones for the Order of the Arrow, Venturing, and Sea Scouting.

This year, the Venturing and Sea Scouting Reception was brought back! During this reception, it was also announced that the Venturing Leadership Award will be available to both youth and adults again! In addition to this announcement, this year’s class of National Venturing Leadership Awards was presented and the Change of Watch ceremony for the Sea Scouts was conducted.

Additionally, Venturing was represented at each of the four Region Luncheons and Region Business Meetings.

Overall, Venturing was readily present at the National Annual Meeting through the exhibit hall booth, reception, luncheons, and business meetings, which was an excellent opportunity to promote our wonderful program!

Yours In Venturing, Emily Mausshardt Central Region Venturing President 2014-2015

Above: Venturers representing our program at the National Annual Meeting.

Right: The Sea Scouting Change of Watch Ceremony.

Central Region Venturing, Area 2 3

President Ford Field Service Council Powder Horn

Winter 2015

President Ford Field Service Council is hosting Powder Horn!

This August 2015, the President Ford FSC will be a hosting a two weekend long Powder Horn course. Powder Horn is a resource course for adults and youth over the age of 16 who are registered with the Boy Scouts of America. After having taken this course, participants will have the knowledge and resources needed to plan an effective, high adventure program. This interactive course is jam-packed with hands-on fun and experiences that show the participants what an awesome, high-adventure Scouting/Venturing program could look like. All segments are lead by local experts in their fields in order to provide examples for what to do and who to call for future adventures. This course is probably the most fun you could ever have in a weekend, and will include backpacking, cave exploring, conservation, cooking, cycling/ mountain biking, emergency preparedness, equestrian, first aid, fishing, hunting, life saver, mountaineering, physical fitness, plants and wildlife, project COPE, scuba, shooting sports, watercraft, wilderness survival, winter sports, and much more!

This course will be held at Gerber Scout Reservation in Twin Lake, MI, August 21st-23rd, and 28th-30th. Before August 1st, the cost to attend is $285; after August 1st, the cost will go up, so be sure to register now! Powder Horn is a resource course, not a training program; it is intended to introduce youth and adult leaders to various activities, not to train them to lead such activities.

For more information check out the flyer at http://www.crventuring.org/ document.php?ID=1097&NUM=1

We Want Your Events!

We are interested in what your crew and field service council are doing! If your event is open to other crews, councils, or even areas, please add it to our Central Region Calendar via http://www.crventuring.org/ event_submission.php

This calendar is a great resource if your crew is looking for something fun to do. Check out all events on the calendar here: http:// crventuring.org/Activities/Events_Calendar/

Central Region Venturing, Area 2 4

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA

Winter 2015

Many Scouts and Venturing youth may be looking for a new challenge after earning their Eagle Scout, Silver Award, or Quartermaster. The Michigan Crossroads Council has been approved as an award chapter of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award for any youth aged 14 to 25.

This award was founded in 1956 and named for the United Kingdom’s His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since the award’s inception, it has grown to an international award, and has spread to over 140 countries across the globe. Over 8 million young people have earned the Duke of Edinburgh award.

In 2006, the award program was expanded to the United States, and recently the award has been highlighted in the new Venturing Awards and Requirement handbook under the section of International Scouting Awards. The award emphasizes four areas of development: community service, special skills, physical recreation, and adventurous journey. The Duke of Edinburgh award has three awards levels—Bronze, Silver and Gold—which differ mainly in length of time committed to each of the four. We are excited to have, for the first time, the opportunity for any Scout or Venturing youth to earn a Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award of their own from the Michigan Crossroads Council or any of its Fields Service Councils.

Find out more about the awards on www.dofeusa.org or on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/The-Duke-of-Edinburghs-Award-USA For more information or learning about how to start earning your award please contact the MCC Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Committee!

Matthew Bursley

mpbursley@gmail.com

Jeff Geralds

jwgeralds@gmail.com

Ann Mellen

1annmellen@gmail.com Central Region Venturing, Area 2 5

A Message from the Area 2 Venturing Advisor

Winter 2015

Venturers!

It has been a real pleasure traveling around the state to visit with Michigan Crossroads Council leaders and members of the Venturing community. The Area 2 officers and advisors attended the MCC Board Leadership Summit in February. We attended the MCC Program Impact meeting in Lansing on March 14, and the MCC Board Retreat in April. The purposes of the meetings were to share best practices regarding the elements of Venturing in the BSA's Program Impact arena, and the development of better calendars. The support and well wishes we received from the MCC and Field Service Council leadership was very encouraging.

Venturing was featured in twenty program planning meetings hosted by the FSC Program Impact Teams around the state during the end of May. The audiences included unit leaders, commissioners, and other council/district volunteers. Venturing activities, meetings and events have been added to the new 18-month program planning calendars that were recently published. The calendars include all sorts of great information. Many thanks for their completion are due to the FSC VOA's, FSC professional staff, FSC Committee Chairs, and their teams.

The Area 2 Advisors enjoyed working with Joe, Erin, Dan and Chuck during the past year, and we wish them well in the future. They were an exceptional officer team! Now we're looking forward to good things from the 2015-16 team of Jacob, Erin, Jessica and Nick .

Have fun this summer, and post your activities on our Venturing Facebook pages!

Jeff Geralds Area 2 Venturing Advisor Michigan Crossroads Council Venturing Chairman

Events Looking Ahead 

June 20-23, 2015 Area 2 Venturing White Water Rafting, Fayetteville, WV

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August 7-9, 2015 Venturing Zombie Apocalypse Weekend, Pioneer, Ohio (Area 6)

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August 9-15, 2015 Venturing Training, Philmont Training Center, Cimarron, NM

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August 21-23 and 28-30, 2015 Powder Horn, Gerber Scout Reservation

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October 2-4, 2015 Sea Badge, Claire, MI

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July/August, 2015 World Jamboree, Yamaguchi, Japan

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June 25-July 3, 2016 High Adventure in Southwest US, from Detroit, MI to CO and UT

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July 25-31, 2016 Michigan International Camporee, West Branch, MI

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2017 National Jamboree, Bechtel Summit Reserve, WV

Central Region Venturing, Area 2 6

Winter 2015

A Note from the Editor Fellow Venturers, It has been a very eventful year! Although I came into this position part way through the term, I have still thoroughly enjoyed serving on the Area 2 VOA. This time of year always tends to make me reflect on life and think about where it is taking me and the people around me. As I look back this year, I see how much I personally have grown through Venturing as well as how it has impacted others that I know. It saddens me that my time as a youth member of this organization is ending, but I can not help but to be excited for what will come next! I look forward to what this next year will bring as the new Area 2 officers transition into their positions. I know that they will do great things!

I would like to use this opportunity to thank two people in particular for helping me during my term as VP of communications. First, Lizzie Wisman, who was my predecessor and who has served as my advisor. Without her urging and help, I never would have come to hold this position. Her willingness to lend a hand, even when she herself is swamped with things to do, is extraordinary. Second, Mr. Jeff Geralds. Not only has he served as the Area 2 Venturing Advisor for the past several years, but the amount of work that he does for Scouting as a whole is awe inspiring. I hope to someday be as great a servant as Mr. Geralds.

Lastly, I want to thank the rest of the Area 2 officers for all of the work they have put in over the past year. Joey, Chuck, and Erin have all been great people to work with! Once again, it has been a fantastic year, and I can only imagine what will come next for this exciting game that we call Venturing! I wish you all a very happy and safe summer!

Yours In Venturing, Daniel Ruland Central Region, Area 2 Vice President of Communications 2014 -2015 ruland2@gmail.com

Central Region Venturing, Area 2 7

Winter 2015

Scouting One-Liner and More

Like Area 2’s Page on Facebook!

Area 2: Area 2: http://www.facebook.com/ http://www.facebook.com/groups/ groups/CRV.Area2/?fref=ts CRV.Area2/?fref=ts Water and Woods: http:// Water and Woods: www.facebook.com/ http://www.facebook.com/ groups/44602549603/?fref=ts groups/44602549603/?fref=ts President Ford: http:// President Ford: www.facebook.com/ http://www.facebook.com/ groups/58006254760/?fref=ts groups/58006254760/?fref=ts Southern Shores: http:// Southern Shores: www.facebook.com/ http://www.facebook.com/ groups/45491999635/?fref=ts groups/45491999635/?fref=ts Great Lakes: Great Lakes: https://www.facebook.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ groups/81835021000/ groups/81835021000/ Sea Scouting Sea Scouting: https://www.facebook.com/crss2 https://www.facebook.com/crss2 Also follow Area 2 on Pinterest!

Also follow Area 2 on Pinterest! http://www.pinterest.com/ http://www.pinterest.com/ venturingarea2/ venturingarea2/

Have a Scouting comic or one-liner? Send it in to be in our next newsletter!

CRVenturingArea2@gmail.com

Central Region Venturing, Area 2 8