A Welcome From Our New Scout Executive
Wow, how fast the first week went by.Getting to meet staff and volunteers; a few in person, but most by zoom.Getting to visit some amazing camps and see a lot of construction in progress.It has been a whirlwind and I am excited to be a part of the Bay-Lakes Council Family.
Some folks have been asking why we are going to host summer camp this year in the middle of a pandemic. I must admit, it would be a lot easier for us not to hold camp than it is for us to jump through the hoops and make it happen. For me it boils down to a visit to Gardner Dam and Bear Paw this past weekend. I got to meet Dave, Craig and Warren for the first time. Their enthusiasm for all the projects that are going on is contagious, but it was really when we stopped for lunch at the burger joint by Bear Paw that opened my eyes.
It was a stunning weekend here in Wisconsin. The sun was out and the birds were singing. The roads were clogged with boats, trailers with ATVs, motorcycles and folks heading for a day of fun in the woods. Most people were practicing social distancing and wearing masks. But the number of people heading to the woods was a lot more than I expected. And even through their masks, you could see the way that adults were connecting with the woods and their favorite hobbies.
There were also small groups of volunteers at each of the camps, all working on projects to get camp ready to open. How blessed we are to have volunteers that give so much in the service of young people.
What I also noticed was that it was almost all adults.
Our kids have had so much taken from them this year. Schools closed, friends only on zoom, no musical or dance recitals, graduations online. I am excited that our camps are something that youth can look forward to experiencing this year. I am proud of the plans that our Covid-19 response team have developed to give us a safe camping experience. Over the next couple weeks, our camp staffs will join in and start getting camps ready as well as posting some videos showing how they are preparing to serve young people while following CDC, BSA, State and local guidelines.
Many have concerns for family members not staying close right now. That is certainly a valid response to the pandemic. Others are ready to try and bring some normalcy while maintaining standards to keep people safe. That is where we are as a Council today. Whatever your choice, we hope that Scouting can help you and your family in these tough times.
The Council Service Center opens June 1 and our Scouting store will be opening June 3. We are slowly finding our way back to serving you. I look forward to meeting you and look forward to our Scouting trails taking us on grand adventures together.
Ralph Voelker
Scout Executive
From the Council President
As a nation, we are anticipating a U.S. space launch this week! I think back to President Kennedy’s speech about going to the moon, and, paraphrasing, “We don’t choose to do it because it’s easy, we do it because it’s hard.” That same notion came up in Wednesday’s Council Board meeting. You will get a lot of information in this newsletter about Summer Camp. With all the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, it would have been easy to write off camp for this year and focus on 2021. The team of staff and volunteers working on camps would not let that happen! They chose to do the hard work, and the rework, as new developments occurred, to make camp happen. They deserve high praise for their perseverance.
Similarly, many of you worked hard to come up with creative ways to keep your units engaged during this pandemic. You are looking forward to getting back to as close to “normal” as you can. It would have been easy to take a couple of months off, but you didn’t. This brings me to my concern. We have a number of young men and women, units, dens, that are struggling, and may not continue in Scouting. It would be easy to add them to the list of Covid 19 casualties. I ask that we all work to not accept that easy answer. The “hows” can be many. It might be a youth reaching out to a fellow Scout they may not know well to encourage them to stay in the unit. A unit leader, committee member, or parent reaching out to a family that wasn’t engaged during this time, to offer help or encouragement. It might be a person approaching a unit to offer to pay registration fees for Scouts whose families are financially hurting during this time. It might be a fellow parent offering to take over as Den Leader for another struggling parent. It might be upping your FOS contribution because you know some families can not. It could be a Commissioner taking on another unit. The opportunities are many, if we do the hard work to look for them, and act on them. Let’s choose to not let this pandemic keep a youth from experiencing all that Scouting has to offer!
Rod Goldhahn
Council President
Need more information right now? Bookmark these links:
From the Council Commissioner: CONFIDENCE
Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said, “Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking tartar sauce with you.” While confidence is not one of the twelve points of the Scout Law, it is probably just as important to us as Scouts and Scouters as we continue to adapt to our changing environment.
Confidence comes from understanding the values that inspire you and guide your decisions. Confident people are proud of their values and understand why they are important, not only to themselves, but to others. Scouting’s values come from both the Scout Oath and the Scout Law, and they help us “to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes.” I think all leaders of the Bay-Lakes Council would agree with me that getting young people ready to face the future is not only necessary, but critical.
The next year is going to bring plenty of challenges for us as leaders in the Scouting movement. The return from social distancing, the bankruptcy and abuse lawsuit issues, declining membership trends and others. We will need to work together to turn these challenges into opportunities. Our goal is important.
We can get through this and come out on the other side better and stronger than ever. I know we can.
So, let’s go. I’ll bring the tartar sauce!
Roy LaPean
Council Commissioner
Bay-Lakes Council Re-Opening Plan
Several staff members pitched in (appropriately distanced of course) to clean and sanitize the Center for Scouting for a new opening on Monday, June 1st! We are doing our best to make sure our office is open, safe and ready to serve you again. We look forward to seeing you.
The Center for Scouting– Opening Monday June 1
Hours of Operation:
M-F – 9am-3pm or by appointment, 920-734-5705
Scout Shop – Opening Wednesday June 3
Hours of Operation:
T-F – 10am-6pm, closed 2:30-3 each day for lunch
Sat. – 10am-2pm
Sun.-Mon – Closed
Curbside pick up by appointment, 920-831-9504
Scouting Units and individuals may consider meeting in person again at their own discretion and consideration. Our recommendation is that in person meetings begin the week of June 15. Some chartered organizations may have requirements that need to be considered. Check with them and discuss your plans. Always comply with state and county restrictions and guidelines, personal and community readiness levels, as well as individual and group readiness levels before resuming in-person activity.
Working Toward a Safe Summer Resident Camp
Camper and staff safety in Scouting is always the first consideration. Work continues in earnest with several senior staff members coming on board this week to get jump-started at each of the camps. All staff will report June 28 to ensure each camp is safe, clean and sanitary, and properly outfitted for the following week. As plans are finalized, know that everything will comply with state, local and BSA guidelines.
What should you expect this summer? You will limit your contact to only designated individuals and groups of other Scouts, Leaders, and Staff as part of a comprehensive plan to limit the opportunity for exposure and contamination. Expect a healthy, fun outdoor experience, that may look and feel very different from past Summer Camp experiences as advancement and program delivery is adapted to keep campers and staff as safe as possible. Sadly, to protect our campers and staff, there will be no visitors. Watch for some fun, informative videos from camp leadership next week to be shared with unit leaders, camp coordinators and all Scouting families.
Summer resident camp provides youth what they need now more than ever: resilience, determination, leadership, and friendships. We continue to work hard to offer a safe experience for every camper this summer. It remains our number one priority. We are also committed to keeping you updated.
Links to Your Summer Camps:
A Look Back to Winter Amidships
It was cold and snowy on February 29, when hundreds of youth from three states gathered at the National Guard Amory in Fond du Lac for the 46th Annual Winter Amidships. This year’s teams were composed of members from Scouts BSA Troops, Venture Crews, and Sea Scout Ships, Girl Scout Troops, and Mariner Ships. Also welcome to participate: Career Explorer Posts, Varsity Teams, American Heritage Girls Units, and 4-H Clubs. There were 15 events and an all-out 100-pin super bowling party. Top honors went to: Girls Division 1st Place: Girl Scout Troop 2257 Oconomowoc, WI; Guy/Co-ed Division 1st Place: Boy Scout Troop 93, New Berlin, WI. Put this date on your calendar: February 28, 2021. Find them on Facebook.
Scouting @ Home
The Ultimate Hike-in This Weekend!
You may have received an email about it, but this weekend is the right moment to go hiking. Be sure to join us for the
Facebook Live broadcast at 6:30 PM Central Time on Monday, June 1, for an Awards Campfire featuring a slide show of everybody’s hike, red carpet treatment of winning picture announcements, and a few songs and skits from Summer Camp and Council Staff! And, stay with us, because at 7:00 PM Central Time, we will have a fire side chat with the Council Key 3 leadership team: President Rod Goldhahn, Commissioner Roy LaPean and Scout Executive Ralph Voelker, as they introduce themselves and answer your questions.
Virtual Merit Badge Work Continue
Scouting @ Home Merit Badge Chair, Mark Fessenden, will offer additional classes in June: Citizenship in the World on June 9 and June 11, and Coin Collecting on June 2, 4, 16, and 18. Please contact your unit leader before registering for any merit badge class. If you are a Merit Badge Counselor and would like to help Mark, contact him at
Scoutmaster1902@gmail.com. We are grateful to Mark, who is Scoutmaster for Troop 1902, for organizing these sessions. More opportunities await; stay tuned.
Cooking Corner with Mr. K.
He showed us the Mountain Man Breakfast, and shared his Scout Monkey Bread recipe. Have you tried Mr. Klapatch’s Peaches and Cream Cobbler Concoction? What will be this week’s new favorite? Thank you Pat Klapatch, Troop 1113 Scoutmaster.
We want to see what you are doing. Send us your pictures of all your Scouting activities. All details for Scouting @ Home events, even Mr. K’s recipes, can be found
here.
The Kon Wapos Lodge Update
Elections and Spring Conferences
In-person elections were held between January and March and virtual elections were conduction this month. A “Welcome” meeting will be scheduled for the newly-elected; look for that invitation. While the Spring Conferences were cancelled, the Lodge is working on a service day at all camps in late June to help get them ready for summer resident camp. The Lodge will gather Aug. 28-30 at Bear Paw Scout Camp; more information and
registration is now open, If you have questions, please contact the
lodge adviser.
Momentum Update
Kon Wapos Lodge has 18 delegates who will be attending the National Order of the Arrow Momentum event at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in August. This is a week of training, high adventure, and fellowship with Arrowmen from across the country. For those unable to attend, a virtual event will be held during the same time frame. Watch for more details.
2021 National Jamboree Planning Continues
Registration continue to join over 30,000 of your Scouting friends from the USA and around the world in July 2021. Youth participants will be members of the Bay-Lakes Council Jamboree contingent. You can find more information on the Bay-Lakes Council Jamboree webpage. The Jamboree also needs adult volunteers. You can serve as a member of the Jamboree Service Team. Additional information is available on theNational Jamboree website.
Jamboree Trivia Question from May 15 Issue
Question: How many National Jamborees have been held?
Answer: There have been 19, or is it 20 Jamborees? It depends on how you count the 1973 Jamboree(s). Moraine State Park in Pennsylvania and Faragut State Park, Idaho each hosted the Jamboree at the same time. And now you know the rest of the story. If you attended the Jamboree in 1973 and would like to share a story with the 2021 Jamboree participants, contact
Mike Mailand.
One More Thing
As we continue publishing The Guide every two weeks, we are learning that not all our Scouting families receive it. Thank you to all who forward it to them. But we want to ensure that they get these communications firsthand. Either, please contact me directly, or have them send me a message. No longer interested? There is an unsubscribe button below my signature line.
Final Thoughts…
As we begin to move about again, our Scouting values should always lead us. These are easy promises to make when we recite the Scout Oath and Law at our unit meetings. The proof is when people observe us being helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, and cheerful toward others. Because we are trustworthy, no one needs to tell us to be obedient to what we know is right, loyal to each other, brave in all that we do and say. and thrifty in our habits. We can remain clean in everything with which we become involved. And, equally important, be reverent in our words, thoughts and actions. Those around us need Scouts more than ever, and we need each other to “do” Scouting at its best.
Till we “meet” again: Scout on! And, see you at camp!
Until next time…it IS a great day for Scouting!
In the Spirit of Adventure,
Feedback
Have a thought or question? We’d love to hear from you: Let us know what you think. Please share your comments with us. It is easy; just click the “reply” button to this email, or send it directly to warren.kraft@baylakesbsa.org
Know a friend who would appreciate this news? Feel free to forward it and have them let us know to add their address to the distribution list. Looking for past editions? Check out the Council homepage under News & Updates. And, thank you very much for supporting Bay-Lakes Council Scouting at its finest.
