Smiley News 

February 2023

A monthly newsletter for families and leaders of Samoset Scouting - Where Camping is King

February 10-12: Hanna Winter Adventure Period 3
February 11: Electricity Merit Badge (registration closed)
February 11: Cub-A-Rama 
February 13: Scouting Heritage Merit Badge (registration full)
February 15: Volunteer Award Nominations Due 
February 16: Welding Merit Badge
February 17-19: Polar Cubs Period 3
February 18: Wausau Cyclones Hockey Scout Night 
February 20: Presidents' Day Council Office and Scout Shop Closed
February 22: Annual Business Meeting
February 24-26: Hanna Winter Adventure Period 4
March 11: Top 50 Popcorn Party
March 12: Samoset Recognition Event 

March 13: Veterinary Science Merit Badge (registration full)
March 25: Scouting For Food Door Hanger Drop Off  (except Wisconsin Rapids area)

April 1: Scouting For Food Donation Pickup (except Wisconsin Rapids area)

April 10: Reading Merit Badge (registration opens February 15)

April 15: Scouting For Food Door Hanger Drop Off (Wisconsin Rapids Only)

April 15: Council Pinewood Derby (registration opens March 1)
April 22: Scouting For Food Donation Pickup (Wisconsin Rapids Only)

COUNCIL NEWS CORNER 

Read Below for a Roundup of the Latest Council Happenings 

Welcome Steve Macherey
Unit Serving Executive WAUSAU

Let's welcome Steve Macherey to the Samoset team! He was hired February 1 as the Unit Serving Executive serving the Wausau area. Below is a message from Steve.

Hi Samoset Council Scouting community! I grew up in West Bend, where I was a Scout with the Bay Lakes Council. Kayaks, shotguns, Wreath Sales, loved it all! I moved away to college, earning a Bachelor of Science in Communication at UW - Stevens Point. Recently I found a place to call home in Rib Mountain with my fiancée Kelly.

We have a dog and two cats, and I won't hesitate to show off the pictures. My hobbies include fishing, playing guitar, and getting hands-on experience with new technology like crypto and AI

I've worked a number of interesting and challenging jobs, like analyzing the player data at a casino and running my own digital marketing agency. I'm up to the task with Samoset Council, to make sure everyone in the Wausau area has a great Scouting Experience. I'm looking forward to meeting and working with everyone!

Nuts for Scouting - Spring Product Sale!

Unit Commitment is March 15

We’ve teamed up with Virginia Diner to offer a spring nut sale for those units looking to raise more funds for summer activities!

This is also a great opportunity for any Scouts headed to the National Jamboree to raise additional funds for their adventure.

• Unit Commitment Deadline March 15

• Sale starts March 27

• Earn a 30 Percent Commission on Every Sale!

Samoset Recognition Event 
Sunday, March 12 

The annual Samoset Council Recognition Event will take place Sunday, March 12. The highlight of the event will recognize the 2022 volunteer award recipients and the 2022 Eagle Scouts. Please join us to recognize the hard work of our volunteers who make Scouting possible. There's Still Time to Nominate! Volunteer award nominations are due February15.

Scouting for Food 2023

Are you ready to beat last year’s numbers and provide even more food to help fill the shelves at local food pantries?

Samoset Council is kicking off its annual Scouting for Food (SFF) campaign Saturday, March 25 to help families and children facing food insecurity. Please note, the Wisconsin Rapids area SFF campaign will start at a later date on Saturday, April 15.

Your Safety Moment - Grooming

People still imagine that people who commit child abuse are strangers to victims and threatening figures in society, not true.

“Most often, it’s someone who’s known, and when we’re talking about child victims, someone who has access and is in a position of trust,” said Ian Henderson, director of legal systems with the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

What is grooming?

“Grooming is a deliberate process where one person gradually erodes someone else’s — often a child’s — natural boundaries, with the goal of developing an abusive relationship grounded in secrecy,” Henderson said.

Grooming mostly occurs when there are significant imbalances of power between two people, such as adult-child relationships.

Usually, grooming starts with non-criminal behaviors, such as focusing a lot of attention on a particular child, giving gifts, or filling emotional needs.  

Grooming is also designed to make the child feel culpable. Perpetrators may use emotional manipulation or threats to maintain the relationship.

Perpetrators will try to make parents and other adults around a child comfortable with them.

“When they start abusing the child, the child has been so groomed by them that at times they’re afraid to come forward because this is a person that’s very important to them, is a person that they might love,” said Mary Kleman, a prevention manager at Children’s Wisconsin.

As a parent or leader be familiar with grooming techniques and question behavior when it just does not seen right.  To learn more about Scouting’s youth protection policies and barriers to abuse go to https://www.samoset.org/youth-protection