Smiley News Update

Join us for some fall fun!

Fall Cub Camp

Fall Cub Camp is an awesome event to say, “Welcome to Scouting” or for some “Welcome back to Scouting.” Trained staff lead Scouts and their parents to fun adventures around camp for a fun-filled day. This day camp is designed for anyone in elementary school or the Cub Scout program. Lunch is provided. Register here: http://www.samoset.org/camping/event-registration/59692

Winter Camp

Hanna Winter Resort and Polar Cubs registration is now open! Due to COVID restrictions, this year will be structured differently. We are running Scouts BSA programs and Cub Scout program at the same time on the same weekend. Registration is limited to 75 overnight. Sign up online now. www.campingisking.com/winter

Join Summer Camp

Applications are now open to join summer camp staff or counselor in training at the Crystal Lake Scout Reservation. Summer camp staff is an excellent opportunity to be part of a life-changing experience for many young people while making new life-long friends. Must be 14 or older to apply. www.campingisking.com/campstaff

October Roundtable

Don’t forget to register here for October Roundtable happening on Thursday, October 1^st at 7pm. We have resolved the issue of sorting people into breakout sessions by having separate Zoom meetings for the breakout groups that people can join on their own. You will receive a document with the links and agenda after registering. The topics this month are centered around starting the program year. Don’t miss out on all the fun!

BALOO Training

Basic Adult Leadership Outdoor Orientation or BALOO is an excellent training resource for new leaders in Scouting. The course focuses on how to prepare our adults to safely organize and execute an overnight camping trip. Baloo is designed as an entry level training to kick off the adventure with fellow Scouters and touches on things like site selection, food preparation, equipment packing and more! It is a Scouting requirement to have at least one Baloo trained adult on site when conducting any overnight activity, as this is a crucial component of training for those that are looking to tackle the great outdoors.
Baloo training is set to be held this fall at Camp Phillips on October 24^th and 25^th.

Register Here

*With Covid restrictions being a necessary consideration, our registration will be capped to ensure that we stay within the outdoor guidelines for safety.

Cub Scout Leader Training Opportunities

What: Den Leader Specific Training

Cubmaster Specific Training

Pack Committee Specific Training

Date: October 17, 2020

Time: 9:00am to noon

Where: McCormick outdoor shelter at Camp Phillips

3511 Camp Philips Road, Weston

(dress for the weather)

Note: Den Leader Specific Training covers Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos Leader training at the same time.

Pack Committee Specific Training covers Committee Chair and Committee Members.

Cubmaster Specific Training covers Cubmasters.

Join STEM Scouts!

It is that time of year again to sign up for the STEM Scouts Program!

Why read about science when you can just do it? STEM Scouts re-imagines creative ways to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Interact with professionals in weekly hands-on lab sessions and discover new things in a fast-paced, thought-provoking, and fun way. It's your world now. Join us and explore it.

You can all register, pay and apply for scholarships for STEM Scouts at https://www.cognitoforms.com/SamosetBSA/STEMRegistration2020

Samoset Council will be offering both in-person and virtual labs this year!

Contact: Amanda Flannery or Janice Watson with questions at 715-355-1450.

Peer to Peer Recruiting is Vital to Scouting this Fall

On September 17^th the Samoset Council had the council wide Scouting Sign Up Night and were able to recruit many new youths to the Scouting programs! But due to the lack of school access and other limitations because of COVID this year we have not yet reached our new membership goals. Because of the challenges we face, peer to peer recruiting is the best option to persuade new kids to join Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Exploring, and STEM. We ask all our current families to rise to the challenge and use your social network to invite new families into our programs. We will supply you with more peer to peer recruiting postcards and social media posts and photos are available on our website at Samoset.org/recruitment. Every Cub Scout that recruits a new friend will receive a free Hot Wheels car and so will the new Scout! Any Scouts BSA member that recruits someone new to Scouting will receive a $20 gift card to the store of their choice. Invite your friends to attend your October Pack/Troop meeting and plan something fun and exciting! Invite someone new to attend the Fall Cub camps, Camporees, or council Halloween activities!

Scout Shop Updates

It's not too late to complete your Summertime Passport for Scouts BSA! Click the link below to access your passport and activities needed to complete it:
Scouts BSA Summertime Passport
You'll also earn this awesome badge!

Scout Shop Hours:
Monday - Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm
Saturday October 10th 9:00am to 12:00pm

Pecatonica Popcorn Sale Update

We are into the first full week of the sale and it’s important to check-in with your Scouts on at least a few items:

1.Safety. Ensure they have enough take-order forms for their sales needs and the importance of safety during the sale.
a. A parent or guardian should accompany their Scout as they go door to door.

b. Scouts should never enter someone’s home.

c. Scouts should have a face covering handy and wear it as they go door to door.

d. A suggested technique is to have one sales form in a sheet protector hand the potential customer and then the Scout or parent writes down the order info on a separate order form. This technique is essentially no contact. Having hand sanitizer handy is always a good practice.

e. Use the door hanger if the resident it not home as an opportunity for follow-up sales.

f. Some customers will not be comfortable ordering face-to-face (see #2) or at all due to COVID19 safety concerns.

2.Online Sales. Every Scout should be signed up for online sales. There are 12 products as well as the military donation option for the online mix vs. the 16 for take-order and online sales products are not the same. Go to www.prpopcornstore.com to view the online product line-up. Scouts need to be given access to online sales by the unit popcorn kernel. Instructions are on page 8 of the Samoset Unit Popcorn Guide at www.Samoset.org/popcorn.

3. Resources. Does each Scout have enough order forms, door hangers, information about online sales, any unique dates your unit has as well as the key sale dates (see below). Unit kernels will likely want to ensure orders from families are received a few days before orders are due on the website. This will create a natural buffer to give you time to follow-up with those that don’t have their order in yet if it’s needed. Tutorial videos are also on the Pecatonica Rivers popcorn site at https://pecatonicariverpopcorn.com/tutorialVideoLinks.html

Key Sale Dates:

Saturday, September 26 – The sale begins

Sunday, October 25 – The sale ends

Wednesday, October 28 – Unit Popcorn Orders are Due (online only via www.prpopcorn.com)

Friday & Saturday, November 13 and 14 Distribution of Popcorn to Units (more details to follow on the www.samoset.org/popcorn page, but here are the locations:

Wisconsin Rapids: WSI Warehouse - 3500 Woloske Avenue, Wisconsin Rapids

Stevens Point/Plover: WSI Warehouse, 2500 Hoover Road, Stevens Point 54481

Marshfield: Superior Papers – 1616 Roddis Street, Marshfield

Weston: B & D Warehouse (formerly Weston Warehouse) – 7005 Rickyvale Street, Weston

Tomahawk: Tomahawk National Guard Armory – 215 Armory Road, Tomahawk

Rhinelander: National Guard Armory – 1136 Adams Way, Rhinelander

National BSA Reorganization

The National BSA is currently in the notification phase of their Chapter Eleven Bankruptcy reorganization. The noticing communications that you have likely seen are part of a required advertising campaign related to the chapter 11 filing. These notification advertisements will run through November 16 which is the deadline for anyone that might have a claim. We know it is tough to see these communications, especially during our main youth recruiting season. Scouting is committed to helping those that have been harmed by creating a victim’s trust during the chapter 11 process. For those that have not watched the Scouting is Safer than Ever Before whiteboard video, I would encourage everyone to watch this 4 minutes and
30 second video to increase your understanding and help you answer questions that you might be getting from family, friends and colleagues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwYCrdBIsqo

If you have questions, please contact John Overland at 715-355-1450

First Annual Smiley Stampede

The First Annual Smiley’s Stampede will take place at Camp Phillips on Saturday November 7^th. Registration, packet pick-up will be open at 9:00 am. Youth .75mile Run will begin at 10:00am. Adult 5K will run immediately after youth race. Participants can also participate in our Virtual Run.

Race will be timed by Tortoise and Hare timing company – using the Chip System.

Awards will be given to the first placed, male, female and youth in the 5K race.

All registered participants will receive Smiley Swag!

Cost: $25 per adult *

$15 youth

*$5 late registration fee will be charged after October 31^st.