Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to spend some time at Bear Paw, attending the dedication of the new STEM Center Building. It was a gorgeous day to be in camp. The best part was that over 450 Scouts and leaders attended the day’s events. Lots of smiles and laughter.  Aside from masks, it sure looked like the Scouting we are all used to.

What really struck me was how far the camp has come <continued> in getting the new buildings completed. The structures are impressive, to say the least. It was very clear in the dedication ceremony that the efforts of volunteers played a huge role. A number of volunteers received jackets, recognizing their donation of 500 or more hours of physical service to the camp. Think about it – that’s nearly 10 hours per week, every week, for a year! Wow! Thank you to all of you and all the volunteers who are participating in this effort.

One of the goals of Commissioner Service is to support units and provide them with the information they need to be successful.  As part of a National Commissioner meeting that I was a part of earlier this week, a document was presented that is designed as a reference tool for Commissioners. It is a “one-stop-shopping” concept, geared toward Commissioners, providing links to a wide variety of resources. After going through it, I thought it would be a great tool to share with all the units. You can find the information right here.

When I was a Scoutmaster, this is exactly the sort of thing I would have loved to have had in my bag of tricks. There is a of information provided, some of it may not interest you. But check it out, use what you can and let your Commissioner know if you have any questions.

By the way, this document was developed by Mike Moegenburg, a Bay-Lakes Council Assistant Council Commissioner, who also serves as a member of the National Service Team. Thanks, Mike!

Temperatures are rising. The snow is melting. It feels like things are finally beginning to open up. There is a lot of pent-up energy for Scouting. Get your units back together as best you can. Sign up for spring events and summer camp. Let’s get out and have some fun!

Roy LaPean
Council Commissioner

“Commissioners – useful, not ornamental!”