Direct Service E-mail News

DIRECT SERVICE'S EAGLE NEST

Join us in recognizing the following young men who have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout since our last newsletter:

TOURING UNITS MUST HAVE A YOUTH PROTECTION TRAINED LEADER

Just a reminder: The Boy Scouts of America's national and local tour permits now require that at least one registered adult traveling with the unit have completed Youth Protection training before tour permits will be approved. This requirement may be met by taking the course from BSA's Online Training Center. A link to training center is available at the Resources section of the Direct Service Web site, www.directservicebsa.org.

If you take this test as a registered member of the BSA and designate Direct Service as your council, your completion will be reported back to us so that we may adjust your training records. You'll also be offered a certificate of completion.

VOLUNTEER FOR EUROPEAN CAMP STAFF

The BSA's International Division provides the opportunity for 18- to 20- year-old Scouters to volunteer in Scout Centers in Europe through the European Camp Staff Program. The goal of this program is to help young people develop their leadership skills and encourage intercultural learning. Applications are being accepted now for the chance to serve on staff in Scout camps in the European region. Interested Scouters should contact Esther Scoggins at escoggin@netbsa.org. The deadline to apply is March 1.

SUMMER CAMP OPPORTUNITIES

It's not too soon for individuals and troops to start making plans for summer activities. Here are some of opportunities for our leaders and Scouts during the summer:

Camping at BSA Council Camps - Do you have Scouts who will be back in the States this summer and would like to attend camp? We can help make the initial contact so that arrangements can be made! Just e-mail Terry Meyers at tmeyers@netbsa.org with the Scout's name and contact information, the part of the country they'll be in, and the dates they will be there.

The Far East Council tells us that their summer camps in Korea and Okinawa will open the second week of June and have extended an invitation to Direct Service units and individual Scouts who would like to attend. Contact Terry Meyers for more information.

CUB SCOUT PACK 3060'S GOOD TURN FOR AMERICA

Pack 3060, located in New Delhi, India, reported their service project to the BSA's Good Turn for America Web site. The pack participated in a service project they titled "New Delhi Pack 3060 Brings Thanksgiving to Shelter for Homeless Mothers and Babies." The pack collected over 200 pounds of rice, lentils, tea, sugar, and other dry goods for the shelter. Because of their efforts, the shelter received enough food to feed 40 women and children for more than a week.

Cubmaster Doug Breckenridge reports that the best thing that came out of the project was that the Cubs now have a greater understanding of how thankful they are for all they have. They also have a greater sensitivity to one of the important pillars of Thanksgiving: helping those less fortunate. Congratulations to Pack 3060 for a job well done.

Has your pack, troop, team, or crew been reporting their service projects to Good Turn for America? If not, read on...

REPORT SERVICE PROJECTS ON GOOD TURN FOR AMERICA

The Good Turn for America initiative addresses three critical areas of need in our society: hunger, hopelessness, and poor health. The Boy Scouts of America believes that we can do something about these issues - if we work together. That's why it has created Good Turn for America in collaboration with the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, and thousands of other community organizations that focus the power of volunteerism on these important community issues. Through this multiyear initiative, the Boy Scouts of America aims to accomplish the following:

• Inspire youth and adult leaders in and out of Scouting to higher levels of service and volunteerism
• Provide additional program experiences to help youth members learn qualities of good citizenship and gain a sense of belonging to, and being needed in, their communities
• Build service collaborations with community organizations across every community in the country
• Affirm the BSA as the nation's leading collaborating organization in community service
• Heighten our nation's awareness of the Boy Scouts of America's service commitment to all communities and citizens

We know that Direct Service Scouts are answering the call to service in the countries they are located in. To tell the story of how your den, pack, patrol, troop, team, or crew is contributing to this effort, log on to the Good Turn Web site, www.goodturnforamerica.org. You will need your unit's ID number to do so. If you do not know it, please contact Terry Meyers at tmeyers@netbsa.org.

THANKSGIVING IN THE ARABIAN DESERT

By Buck Organ, Eagle Scout, Troop 454, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

On the weekend of November 22, 2006, Saudi Arabian Troop 454 had a Thanksgiving dinner while camping and working on the Archeology merit badge at an old Hajji fort in the desert east of Rabigh, Saudi Arabia.

After having subs for lunch, the troop cooked two turkeys with homemade sausage stuffing on a low fire from noon to about 6:00 p.m. Later the cooks roasted corn on the cob and potatoes while preparing a tossed salad and Dutch oven apple pie.

Thanksgiving in Saudi Arabia is a little hard to hold in public, but they were able to have all the Scouts, along with some of their friends and neighbors, join in to celebrate together. Their Thanksgiving might have been far from home, but they were still able to celebrate, thanking God for their many blessings. After all, that is what Thanksgiving is all about.

UNITS DUE TO RENEW

It's time for the following units to renew their charters. Renewal kits have already been mailed out. If your unit is due to renew and you have not received the renewal kit, please contact Terry Meyers.

WORTH QUOTING

Happy New Year - Terry Meyers, Direct Service Administrator

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