With the return of School all of our Packs, Troops, Teams, Crews, and Ships are back on their regular meeting schedule.  If you have any Scouts that have not yet returned, now is the time to call them up and invite them back.  We often think they haven’t come back because they lost interest, and the Scout often thinks he has missed out and is “in trouble” for missing meetings.  The fresh start of the new school year is the perfect opportunity to get the whole group back together.  If you need to get a current roster don’t forget that you can get one anytime you want from the internet advancement site.

All of our Scouting units will recharter in December.   Remember that every registered adult must be current in youth protection training in order to recharter with your unit.  This is the perfect time to update your training before the crunch to recharter.   You will also make it easier on your units recharter by getting any new youth registered now.  Packets will go out at the October Quality Leader Event.  Check with your commissioner if you have any questions.  December is such a hectic month you will want to get it done as early as possible.

Activity Updates

Camp Schoellkolpf is having a "Shoot-Out" on October 6, 2012. Offered this year is rifle, shotgun, archery, air rifle, knife throwing, and more. There is a limit of 100 Scouts, so please sign up now>

Announcing the Fall Clothing Drive!

The GNFC is announcing the 2^nd Annual Clothing and Goods Drive supporting the Goodwill Industries of WNY Clothing Drive The drive is sponsored by Time Warner Cable and units are able to participate from October 8 through November 4, 2012.  Units are encouraged to plan a clothing drive at their chartered organization, within and amongst their families, or even a community wide drive in their neighborhood.  Units will turn in any and all goods collected to any Goodwill site along with a donation receipt card.  Receipt cards will be available soon at the Scout office for pick up.  For more information please click here>

Unite Against Bullying Event Sponsored by Time Warner Cable

Unity Day is a date that has been established by the National Bullying Prevention Center as a day in which we come together and Take a Stand Against Bullying.  Scouts are invited to participate in this event Wednesday, October 10^th (Unity Day) from 5:30pm – 8:30pm at the Buffalo Bills Healthy Zone Fieldhouse. The evening will be hosted by YNN’s Casey Bortnick and Kiss 98.5’s Janet Snyder and will feature 2011 Miss New York State, Kaitlin Monte and the Rodemeyer Family.  We will also have fun interactive inflatable activities, music, face painting, YNN’s Stormchaser vehicle, sponsor booths and door prizes.  For more information please CLICK HERE>>

Join the Fun!!  There will be a Navigation Camporee at Sprague Brook Park on October 12-14, 2012 . Activities include Orienteering, Geocaching, GPS, and Search and Rescue. The cost of $15.00 per person includes lunch on Saturday and a Buffalo Orienteering Club Meet on Sunday.  Register here now!

GO BIG.  GET WILD.  The National Jamboree is scouting's premier event, and there's never been a Jamboree like this.  It's 50,000 scouts, venturers, and scouters from around the country gathered together to celebrate scouting at BSA's newest high adventure base.  It's high adventure like you've never seen it.  It's history created by you.  Don't miss it.  July 14-24, 2013.  Sign up now - www.bsajamboree.org

UNIVERSITY OF SCOUTING 2013 UPDATE

The planning committee for the GNFC University of Scouting is already hard at work preparing for March 2, 2013.  We are currently reviewing your comments and suggestion to enhance our program and available training selections.  If you have specific requests or suggestions for the 2013 event, please e-mail us at gnfc.university@gmail.com.   We will be contacting you if you have previously volunteered as an instructor.  If you have never participated in teaching a class but would like to, email us at the address listed above and we will be in contact with you.

High Adventure,
     the call of the Loon,
          the still water of Algonquin
               awaits your Boy Scout Troop or Venture Crew!

Birchbark Expeditions, the Nationally Accredited BSA program hosted by the Greater Niagara Frontier Council, operates one and two-week long high adventure canoe expeditions in Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park and nearby waters.  One of the best values in a turn-key high adventure program, a fully-guided Birchbark Expedition teaches the back country camping skills and canoeing techniques needed to explore the interior waters of Upper Canada.  With a custom itinerary that fits the needs of any crew, your Birchbark Expedition will surely be a memorable experience.

To learn more, visit the Birchbark Expeditions information page or use the Information Request Page to request an on-site presentation for your troop/crew.

Reservations for the 2013 season will open soon and we expect the available crew slots for 2013 to fill rather quickly, so don’t delay!

Upcoming Camping Activities

We've updated the guidelines and application forms for short-term/weekend camping.  Check out all the details, including how you can submit your application online at www.wnyscouting.org/stwcamping.

COME JOIN US FOR A FUN FILLED TIME AT THE
Cub Scout “CUBOREE” at Camp Scouthaven, October 20th – 21st

Cub Scout and Adult partner.  Bring your tent and gear or come for the day; we supply activities all day Saturday, lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast.  All this, and much more for $25.00 per person.

Cabins are also available to rent.  Click here to register>

CAMP PROMOTION TEAM

The Camping Committee is looking for volunteers to promote Summer Camp to Packs and Troops.  Promote to 10 units and receive 1 free camp payment for a scout of you choice.  Camp promotion training will take place on September 18th, 7:00 pm at the Council Service Center.  If you are interested please contact Sue Gruber at 891-4073 ext 5209.

SUMMER CAMP KICKOFF

Camp Schoellkopf - October 20, 2012 at Camp Schoellkopf, Noon - ? 
Join us for lunch, followed by the presentation for 2013.  Sign up here>

Camp Scouthaven – November 14, 2012 at the Council Service Center, 6:00pm - ?
Join us for dinner, followed by the presentation for 2013. Sign up here>

Cub Scout Pack Leaders and Parents

Here are some suggestions to assure the success of your upcoming school night recruiting events:

• Post several of the new JOIN SCOUTING yard signs (yellow) at, across from, or near the school where you will be recruiting. There is a space on these signs designated for you to neatly write a local phone number for your pack. Please use a marker large enough for passing traffic to read from the road and please be neat.
• Be sure your cub scouts wear their uniforms to school the day of your school night.
• Be sure your cub scouts know that they will be awarded the Recruiters Badge if they invite and recruit one or more of their friends to school night or to one of your meetings.
• Be sure your cub scouts have recruiting business cards (My Friend is a Scout) so they can put their name on it and give it to their buddy. Be sure pack contact info is on the card.
• Put small Join Scouting fliers in the Sunday programs for your church and other neighborhood churches. If they have youth group meetings see if you could drop off fliers inviting them to join at your school night or next meeting night.
• Set up a table to join scouting at your school's OPEN HOUSE night. Be sure to have fliers with contact information for your pack.
• If you are planning to recruit at a school open house you must notify your District Executive so we know who and how many packs are at the event.
• If you want to distribute fliers at any appropriate youth group meetings or events please notify your District Executive. Fliers are available at the time of this e-blast and we need to know from which groups your unit is actively recruiting.
• Remember all fliers should come from GNFC to assure continuity.

Good luck and happy hunting.

OA - Chapter Service Weekends

Falling Waters Chapter - 9/21/2012-9/23/2012 Camp Stonehaven

Onondaga Chapter - 9/28/2012-9/30/2012 Schoellkopf Scout Reservation

Seneca Chapter - 9/28/2012-9/30/2012 Camp Scouthaven

POPCORN

The popcorn sale has officially started and units are doing both Show and sell/deliver and Take Order out there.  If you haven’t picked up your unit order forms please stop by the Scout office, M-F, 9-5 to get your order forms.  

We have already heard great stories of success and it seems as though the sale is going well!  Keep up the great work out there and keep motivating Scouts, providing constant encouragement and share great stories with your families via email to keep them focused on the prize.   Don’t forget to promote the online selling to your families; we have many scouts who enjoy sending emails to friends, neighbors and out of town family.  

If you need help organizing your unit kickoff, help in training scouts, motivating your committee and parents or even just to know more about popcorn and how to become a top seller please call us at 716-512-6202 or email Justin.king@scouting.org

  Back to School and Back to Scouting

  First and most importantly, there is a change that affects Tax Exempt Purchases at the Scout Shop.  In compliance with the New York State Tax Laws and EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY in order for a unit purchase to be considered tax exempt it must be paid for with Cash, a Unit Check, a Unit Debit Card, or Unit Gift Card.  We can no longer accept Personal Credit Cards or Personal Checks for Tax Exempt Purchases.  If anyone has any questions please see Brandon Rueger for more details.

  Between now and October 18^th anyone that comes in and purchases a full Blue Cub Scout Uniform (Shirt, Switchback Pants, Hat, Neckerchief, Slide etc.) will receive two bonus gifts from the Scout Shop.  First, is a pair of Jeans for only $0.01 (Yes just a single penny!) and a free limited edition “I’m A Scout Patch.”  If your unit provides you with parts of the uniform no need to worry, all you need to do is buy the remaining pieces and you may still take advantage of this fantastic offer. 

  Starting on September 21^st and running through October 4^th all BSA Brand Tents will be marked down 25%.  These include Trocha, Mountaineer, and EagleCrest among others.  In addition, all Camelbak merchandise will be 25% off which includes water bottles, hydration packs, and reservoirs.  Stock up now for those fall camping events!

  If you have not already done so, please check out the updated Scout Shop web page on the Greater Niagara Frontier Website.  The page now includes our upcoming promotions with dates and details as well as our phone number, fax, and hours.  Check it regularly to keep updated with everything going on in the shop including newly mentioned promotions.  You can get to it by clicking on the following link: http://www.wnyscouting.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.aspx?LinkKey=47570&orgkey=1977

  Brandon Rueger, Store Manager

  Niagara Frontier Scout Shop

  2860 Genesee Street

  Buffalo, NY  14225

  716-891-1689

  Fax 891-1940

  Brandon.Rueger@scouting.org

Important Information for Fall Re-Chartering

Required Training

• Youth Protection training is required for all BSA registered volunteers.
• Youth Protection training must be taken every two years. If a volunteer’s Youth Protection training record is not current at the time of re-charter, the volunteer will not be reregistered.
• New Registered Adult Volunteers have 30 days to complete Youth Protection Training and turn in their card showing training has been completed to GNFC Registrar.

The Greater Niagara Frontier Council will be strictly enforcing the Youth Protection Training Guidelines, which calls for ALL Registered Adults to have completed Youth Protection every two (2) years.  Registered Adults who do not have current youth protection will not be reregistered, which may cause a problem for units to be reregistered on-time.  Please make every effort to ensure all Registered Adults have completed Youth Protection and your records are up to date and current.

For assistance, please reach out to your Unit Commissioner or District Executive or District Director.

To Complete Youth Protection Training, visit www.myscouting.org

Once on myscouting.org

1. From the menu on the left, click E-Learning.
2. From the general tab, scroll down to Youth Protection Training and click Take Course.  
3. When you complete the course, print a certificate of completion to submit with a volunteer application or submit the certificate to the unit leader for processing at the local council.

When your volunteer application is approved, you will receive a BSA membership card, which includes your member ID number. You must enter this member ID into your MyScouting profile so that your local council has a record of the training you have taken online. To do this, log into MyScouting, click My Profile, and enter your member ID number. This links your Youth Protection Training and any other MyScouting training to your BSA membership.