Everyone's gearing up for another successful Scout Camping Summer!

Cub Day Camp registrations are coming in -- have you registered your scout yet?  Go to the Cub Day Camp webpage and select your camp.  Online registration is the way to go!  Don't want to pay a convenience fee to make a payment?  Click "offline payment" and call in a credit card number or send in a check.  It's that simple!  Let us know if you have questions!

May 17 - 18  High Adventure Training Team presents Basic Backpack Awareness

     Information/Registration Flyer

May 30  Basic Unit Commissioner Training

     Information/Registration Flyer

June 7 - 9 High Adventure Training Team presents Advanced Backpack Awareness

     Information/Registration Flyer

June 9 - 15  National Youth Leadership Training

     NYLT webpage

     Participant Registration Form

Order of the Arrow Spring Ordeal at Camp John Mensinger

Friday through Sunday, May 31, June 1 & 2, 2013

All Ordeal Candidates and Members need to get registered. Registration Forms are available on the Council’s website under “Program/Activities”

The Order of the Arrow is Scouting’s national honor society and its purpose is fourfold:

 ~ To recognize those Scout Campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives.

 ~ To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit.

 ~ To promote camping.

 ~ To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others.

Scouts are elected to the Order by their fellow unit members, following the approval of the Scoutmaster, Varsity Coach, at an election conducted by your local Chapter.

To become a member, a youth (under age 21) must:

~     Be a registered member of a Boy Scout Troop, Varsity Scout Team,

~     Have attained at least the rank of First Class,

~     Experienced fifteen days and nights of Boy Scout camping during the two-year period prior to the election,

~    Included in the fifteen days and nights, have one, but no more than one, long term camp consisting of six consecutive days and five nights of resident camping, approved by the Boy Scouts of America

Adults are nominated to the Order by the Unit Committee. (It is recommended that one adult be nominated by each unit).

To become a member, an adult (21 and over) will:

~     Have at least one youth elected from the unit. One adult may be nominated for every three youth elected or portion thereof,

~     Be able to perform the necessary function to help the Order fulfill its purpose,

~     Fulfill the camping requirements as set forth for youth members,

~     Provide a positive role model for the growth and development of the youth members of the Lodge.

In addition to the other nominations, the Unit Committee may nominate the Scoutmaster/Varsity Coach as long as he or she has served as Unit Leader for the previous twelve months.

After youths & adults have been selected as candidates for membership in the Order of the Arrow, they may attend a ceremonial “Call Out” usually at the local District Camp-O-Ree.  To become an Order of the Arrow member candidates must attend a weekend outing to learn more about the Order while attaining full membership. The choices of dates this year are May 31 - June 1 – 2 or August 23 – 25 and more information will be mailed to each candidate.

Good for your Troop

The goals of Order of the Arrow are to build upon the leadership and development that has begun in his unit.  The experiences available to OA members allow them to become more effective in their Scout craft, share activities with other Scouts from many other Troops, develop Leadership Skills that will enhance the Scouts Ability to serve his unit.

Cub Scouts!

Grab yer buddy and head to a baseball game!

The Greater Yosemite Council presents Scout Night at Banner Island Ballpark and John Thurman Field.

Pick the date that works for you and bring your buddy to a ballgame!

Here's how it works:

Cub Scouts who recurit at least one buddy into a local Cub Scout Pack from January 1 to May 31, 2013: BOTH the recruiter and the buddy get a free ticket to the game of their choice:

Stockton Ports, June 8th or Modesto Nuts, June 15th.

Scout Families:  Order additional tickets at just $7 each and take the whole family!

Scouting Units:  Order additional tickets at just $7 each and make it a unit activity!

For further information visit the Baseball & Buddies webpage and/or download the registration flyer.

We really are part of the largest youth movement in the world!  Last month Carl Dealy, former Director of the GYC NYLT program and Chaplin for Troop 148, Stockton, paid a friendly visit to the National headquarters of the Liberia Scout Association in Monrovia Liberia, West Africa.  How far away that Scout Movement is, yet the similarities to our program are phenomenal.  In a meeting with the executive staff, they discussed training needs, membership and Commissioner challenges.  Apart from unique logistic challenges you might think you were at a Council meeting in Modesto.

The Scout movement was introduced to Liberia in 1918 by Jaiah A. Massaquoi. Five years later – January 26, 1923 The Liberian Legislature, passed an act granting a charter establishing the Liberian National Scout Movement. Their Mission is to contribute to the education of young people, though a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

The sad news is how devastating years of civil war have effected the LSA.  Not only did the war cause a fantastic amount of destruction and internal population displacement but in some cases Scouts themselves were conscripted by force to join several rebel factions. They continue to struggle with the rejuvenation of their program.  Still you can find very active and busy units here and there.

After the gregarious meeting Mr. Dealy presented his hosts, Aloysius Y. Smith, National Executive Commissioner, and John Blamo, Commissioner Montsurrado County, with Camp John Mensinger Hats.

To view Carl's photos from his visit: Dealy Africa 2013

THERE ARE ONLY THREE WEEKS OF THE CAMP CARD SALE LEFT!

We will have THREE more drawings for $25 Amazon gift cards for boys who sell 25 cards or more.

Our winners so far are

2013 Greater Yosemite Council Official Jamboree Merchandise

ON SALE THROUGH OUR BRAND NEW ONLINE STORE!

Check it out! 

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