"Ask the Prez" Click here to ask our Council President, Hal Miller, your questions about Scouting, the Council, or even his favoite Wood Badge patrol! Answers will be posted below as they come for the general public. A Chartered Organization Representative Asked: Why are you not pictured wearing a scout uniform? Answer: The photo that you saw is the most recent one I had. It was taken by my youngest son and filled a request from a textbook publisher. I wasn't in Scout uniform at the time. Obviously I could have arranged for another photo while in Scout uniform (as with many Scouters, my uniforms occupy a foot or more of hanging space in the clothes closet), but I think the present photo works for the purpose--a friendly-faced, grandfatherly appearance that avoids uniformed formality and may therefore invite wider readership.
A Unit Leader Asked: Is there a commissioner college being held in Richfield this year? Answer: I posed your question to Dr. Tracy Frandsen, the Council Commissioner, whose prompt reply will be helpful to you: There is not a Commissioner College in Richfield this year. Instead, there will be geographic Commissioner Colleges throughout the next year. The schedule will be finalized and posted after our September Board Meeting. Thanks for the interest. Tracy M. Frandsen, Council Commissioner.
A Person Asked: The day camp we are attending is full, we recently had 3 new move in the ward, is there any way they could participate on July 28 Girls day camp? Answer: I referred your question to Kathy Worthen, the Council Vice President for Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting and trust that her prompt reply will be helpful to you: I think this is probably a leader of Activity Day girls who has already signed up to attend on July 28 and now has additional girls that want to come. There are two slightly different programs offered and they are probably signed up for the "B" program on July 28, which appears to be full, but there is space in the "A" program that afternoon so I am pretty sure that they would be allowed to bring three additional girls and that they would be allowed to participate with the rest of their group. They would need to bring payment and the proper medical form for the new girls and add them to the roster they bring with them. Also, they can contact Council Services at the Orem Service Center (801-437-6222) where the staff can help with questions about camp registration, training, advancement, tour permits and other additional help units may need to run their program.
A Unit Leader Asked: Do you ever encounter a problem that you need to 'sleep' on before you come up with a reasonable solution? What is the biggest problem the council faceslong term? money? the aging staff? Answer: For me, sleeping on a problem typically means losing sleep over it--waking up to think about it during the night or thinking about it at length before falling asleep. It used to happen more often when all of our children were still at home. Though I can't claim that the loss of sleep necessarily enhances the reasonability of the solution, I consider it a helpful practice. As for decision making generally, I recommend something I found last month while reading a biography of Waite Phillips in the Seton Museum at Philmont. It was one of Phillips's rules for his extraordinary business success--"Consider the options carefully, then decide quickly." As for the biggest problem the Council currently faces, clearly the challenges presented by the economic recession require careful accounting, expense reduction, new approaches to revenue generation, and our best collective thinking in order to pilot the Council through the turbulence. In such times, the seniority of the staff is a definite asset. You should be aware that a younger generation of professionals is emerging on the Council's staff, so there is not an overall "graying," as it were. In my view, the biggest problem the Council faces is its longstanding need for trained Scouters--for adult leaders, bottom to top, who seek training in an ongoing way in order to carry out the program that their Scouting units charter from the Boy Scouts of America. Too often, new leaders are not informed about the abundance of training opportunities available to them--online and through Unit Commissioners, the local District, and the Council--and thus fail to leverage the benefits of that training in their work with boys, young men, and young women. The too-brief average tenure of Scouting leaders in the Council also blunts the impact of training. In my experience, when I ask leaders of Quality Units for the secret of their success, the answer is the same--"I got trained and learned that all I need to do is follow the program that BSA lays out."
A Unit Committee Member Asked: When do I need to get a tour permit? I have read and been told TOO MANY different things. The BSA scouting office in Orem told me yesterday that I needed on even to take the boys 2 miles away to Macey's, however the district website says 25 minutes away. Does that mean I can take them up AF canyon without a permit? Could you please clarify? Answer: I consulted with Karen Adams, the Council Resource Center Supervisor at the Council Service Center. Her response follows: "We are telling our volunteers to follow the "Guide to Safe Scouting," which states: Tour Permits If a unit plans a trip within 500 miles of the home base, it is important that the unit obtain a local tour permit. A national tour permit is required for trips in excess of 500 miles from home or outside the continental United States. (See examples of both in the appendix.) Tour permits have become recognized by national parks, military institutions, and other organizations as proof that a unit activity has been well planned and organized and is under capable and qualified leadership. These organizations may require the tour permit for entry. Most short, in-town Cub Scout den trips of a few hours do not require a tour permit; however, it is recommended that den leaders obtain permission slips from parents." Should further questions about tour permits arise in the future, please contact Karen at kaadams@utahscouts.net or at 801-437-6222.
A Unit Leader/Parent asked: Why is it that I can never log in to get a Tour Permit? It appears the only time the Tour Permit site is up is during working hours, when I'm not allowed to use company equipment or time to do scout work. When I get home, the Tour Permit site is down again. My assistants work during the day too, so how can I get a Tour Permit off hours? Answer: With questions about Tour Permits, I turn to Karen Adams, the Council Resource Supervisor at the Council Service Center. She advised me as follows: "Sometimes the National Office of the BSA will shut down the Tour Permit system for maintenance. They do that on weekends, which does interfere with the volunteers' need for the system. They also have changed the interface with the Tour Permits recently, which has compounded the problems with the system. I have been assured that the National Office will get the system working better for volunteers very soon. There could also be errors within the internet browser that the volunteer is using. Any volunteer is welcome to come in or call us, and we'll figure out the problem. We will contact the National Office if we can't figure it out." Should further questions about tour permits arise in the future, please contact Karen at kaadams@utahscouts.net or at 801-437-6222.
A Unit Leader Asked: Will anything be done to control the huge overhead of scouting and the control the expensive cost of scouting supplies in this economy? Answer: The question you posed was in the air at the national meeting of the Boy Scouts of America that I attended in late May. There were several assurances from the National Key 3 of substantial, ongoing efforts to reduce the cost of Scouting to Scouts and Scouters. At the same time, they announced an increase in the annual registration fee from $10 to $15--an increase approved by the National Executive Board on grounds that is was long overdue and would result in leaner, more efficient operation of the National Council. I trust that will be the case. Together with Sector and District Key 3s, the Council Key 3, Council Executive Committee, and Council Executive Board are intent on cost-saving and efficient operation at every turn. This involves ongoing budget reductions, elimination of overlapping operations, hiring freezes, and operational reviews designed to further delete unnecessary expenses. Although some of these efforts should be considered recession-sensitive and therefore subject to change in future years, others are here to stay. Should further questions arise about the Council's cost-cutting efforts, please contact Lynn Snow (c21cr@ubtanet.com), the Council Vice President for Finance, or Ray Chipman (raymondc@squire.com), the Council Treasurer.
A Unit Leader Asked: Is there a commissioner college being held in Richfield this year? Answer: According to Dr. Tracy Frandsen, the Council Commissioner, there will be no Commissioner College in Richfield this year. Instead, there will be geographic Commissioner Colleges throughout 2010. The schedule will be finalized and posted after the September Executive Board meeting.
A Parent Asked: Will your Council be hosting a Merit Badge PowWow in the near future? If so when & where? Answer: Thank you for your question. You can go to utahscouts.org and click on the BYU-UVU Merit Badge PowWow link that appears on the Council Calendar there. John Gailey, the Council professional for Public Relations informed me that there is a possibility of a PowWow at BYU next spring.
A Committee Member Asked: Who is usually the PR for rechartering? Answer: Thank you for your question. The person ultimately responsible for rechartering is the Chartered Organization Representative (COR), who words closely with the leaders of the Scouting units the organization charters. The Unit Commissioner is an excellent resource for the unit leaders as they and the COR prepare for rechartering. Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Parent Asked: Is it ok for a leader to teach and have the boy scouts learn the "LDS 13 articles of faith?" Answer: Thank you for your question. The answer properly rests with the Scouting unit leader, the unit committee, the Chartered Organization Representative, and the Institutional Head. Scouting exists to help each Chartered Organizations further its purposes for its youth members. Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Community/Church Leader Asked: Are you doing anything to work with foster boys? Are you coordinating with local agencies to offer special programs to special populations? Answer: Thank you for your questions. To my knowledge, there are no Scouting units in the Council, that is, no Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Varsity Scout Teams, or Venturing Crews whose membership is composed exclusively of foster boys or foster young men. They are welcome to join existing units and, I hope, will find cordial fellowship there. A few units within the Council are sponsored by community-based organizations with an interest in Special Needs Scouting. It is my understanding that, in those cases, there is at least nominal coordination with local charitable and other service agencies. I will share your questions with Ron Nyman, the Council's Director of Field Services, with the invitation to provide additional commentary. Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Parent/Unit Leader Asked: Can we get online advancement changed so that we can access and enter all
three units at the same time? I would like to to enter my scouts, venture and varsity information with one log on ID. It wastes time to log in and out seperately and also wastes paper when you printoff the boys progress. It takes more time and creates more paperwork when you submit the records to the store and pick up meritbadges and rank advancements from the scout store. Answer: Thank you for your question and for proposing what, on the surface, seems a very reasonable revision of the current procedure. But, as I'm sure you are
aware, where computer programming is concerned, what appears reasonable on the surface may be far from doable beneath it. I lack sufficient acquaintance with the program to answer the question decisively. Therefore, I'm referring it to Jon Rosdahl, who chairs the Council Technology Committee, and to John Gailey, the Scouting professional who works closely with the Committee. Between the two of them, I am confident a well-considered answer to your question will emerge. I invite them to share it with me, too, once it is in place. Thanks again, and Good Scouting! Hi Hal and John, I understand the frustration that the questioner is describing. However, we need to remember that while entering MB and awards for a group of Boys in a Ward can be thought of as one group, they are infact registered and chartered as 3 separate groups (Units). Combining the entry and reports into a combined report really is not realistic. The information at the top of each report from the Internet Advancement is
specific to the Scoutmaster, Coach or Advisor for the Unit. There is actually different information at the top of the report. The Internet Advancement tool has to work for all cases. Not all groups have a single person handle the advancement for all three units...(although I would agree it makes sense to do it that way). John may have more to suggest on the "reasons". I do offer the following as a work around that gives the petitioner what he wants (a combined shopping list) but does not reduce the headaches of multiple logins. If the petitioner is using Troopmaster, it does allow you to create the shopping list and report into a combined report, but then the specific unit data for the respective boy is lost. But what I have found useful is to take the combined shopping summary and Court of Honor report from Troopmaster, and the specific unit reports from the Internet Advancement when I go to the Scout office, and find that very workable. Yours in Scouting,
Jon
A Parent/Unit Leader Asked: A few months ago I sent in some questions concerning the upkeep of Camp Maple Dell.They are as follows: "Over the years Camp Maple Dell has seemed to have gone downhill as far as upkeep. The pond is moss filled and we were told at the begining of camp this year that the boys needed to shower due to rashes and infections from the pond. The pool is no longer there which was a popular draw and the facilities just don't seem to be as well taken care of. Is there a reason? Answer: Thanks for your question. Please forgive my slowness in responding to it. Camp Maple Dell long has been the flagship camp within the Utah National Parks Council--popular with generations of Scouts in the Council and outside it. Over the years, the summer-to-summer demand was taken for granted, and the long-term maintenance of the Camp, in addition to repairs and new construction, largely were neglected. What you have described is the result. Beginning this year, each of the Council's 12 camps has its own Camp Committee. Each of the committees is expected to provide advocacy for the camp in terms of its current and longer-range needs, including creating a master plan for the camp through 2025 and a funding plan to accompany it. Each committee is represented on the Council's Properties and Maintenance Committee, Camping Committee, Marketing Committee, and Fund Development Committee. Together, these Council Committees are charged with providing a comprehensive master plan for the Council through 2025--a plan that assures adequate room for a day camp or long-term camping experience for all Scouting units within the Council on an annual basis. The Council Executive Board is committed to marketing each Council Camp so that it is filled to capacity each season. In addition, the Board will pursue vigorously the funding necessary for Camp operations and maintenance, as well as capital improvements at each Camp. Until recently Dave Cook served as the Camp Maple Dell Committee Chair. He recently was succeeded by Steve Frisby. I am confident that Steve will welcome your suggestions for the best ways to restore Camp Maple Dell to its former prominence. Please contact him through Darryl Alder, the Director of Council Services (Darryl.Alder@scouting.org). Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Scout/Youth Asked: What is the "Heart of Scouting?" Answer: Thanks for your question. Please forgive my slowness to respond to it. The Heart of Scouting program was introduced in the Council approximately four years ago and was designed to encourage Scouts and Scouters to do their duty to God. You can find the details of the program at the Council Web site (www.utahscouts.org). Click on Advancement, then Heart of Scouting. Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Unit Leader Asked: When can we expect the Wood Badge schedule for 2010 to be out? Answer: Thanks for your question. Please forgive my slowness in responding to it. The opportunity to register online for 2010 Wood Badge courses is available at the Council Web site (www.utahscouts.net). Click on Training, then Advanced Adult Training Courses. Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Scout/Youth Asked: Where do I find the on-line applicatiion to attend the Zion District Pow-Wow Nov. 7 2009? Answer: Thanks for your question, and please forgive my failure to provide a more timely answer. Had I responded more promptly, I would have steered you to the Zion District Web site, which you can access by clicking on the "Districts" link at the Council Web site. If you've not done so, I encourage you to do so and there be informed about other Zion District events and communications. Thanks again. Good Scouting!
A Person Asked: Why was there no effort put into the Jamboree on the Air in the State of Utah? Answer: Thanks for your question. I am unaware that no effort went to October's JOTA within the state. However, it is accurate to say that the event went unpublicized within the Utah National Parks Council, despite the presence of many ham-radio operators and enthusiasts among the Council's registered youth and adult volunteers. I invite you to contact John Gailey, the Council's Webmaster, at jgailey@utahscouts.org to assure that future JOTAs are announced there well in advance and that the World Scout net schedule is also posted. Thanks again.
A Parent Asked: Can you tell me where the Friends of Scouting dollars end up? Specifically, if I donate a dollar how much ends up being spent directly on the boys? Answer: Thank you for your question. It is a fair one and, as you might suppose, is asked often. All contributions to the Annual Family Friends of Scouting Campaign become revenues in the Council's Operating Fund. In 2010, those revenues will constitute approximately 45% of the Council's Operating Budget. The major non-personnel expense categories in the budget relate to the operation of the Council's eight service centers, its 12 camps, the training of volunteer leaders, District and Council events and recognition, and charter and insurance fees paid to the National Council. The largest expense is personnel-related and consists of the salaries and benefits paid to the Council's professional employees, all of whom are listed at the Council Web site. To my thinking, the major categories of expense I have listed here all combine to serve directly the nearly 70,000 boys, young men, and young women who are registered members of the Boy Scouts of America within the Council. When that sum is divided into the annual operating budget of the Council, it amounts to an average expenditure of $100 per boy, young man, and young woman--an expenditure which ranks the Council among the lowest in the country and therefore among the most efficient. Given that the volunteer and professional services of the Council, together with its facilities and other physical resources, are concerted to promote the mission of the Boy Scouts of America, then a reasonable answer to your question is: "All of it." It is your dollar donation and 99 others just like it that currently provide a year's worth of the experience of Scouting to every Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Venturer, and Sea Scout in the Utah National Parks Council. For that, you have my heartfelt thanks. Please forgive my lengthy delay in responding to your question. Thanks for it again.
A Person Asked: Why is it that the web-site, which has so much promise for making things easier to do, does just the opposite of what it is intended to? I've tried logging on 6 or more times just to get my youth protection training. I can't even get the site to send me a confirmation e-mail to validate my account. When the e-mail does come, it is past it's 10 day expiration date. Where exactly is my "friends of scouting" money going if not to improve this system? I'll tell you where my friends of scouting money is going in the future - to pay for activities for our local boys. I'll do what I can to give them the program they deserve in spite of the BSA's half baked attempt to make a productive program for them.
I can't get return phone calls from anyone at Entrada. The people in the local scout office cannot give me any of the answers I'm looking for. The web-site is poor (at best). Just as an illustration of the quality of the web-site, I'll paste a portion of this exact page into this message . . . "Answers will posted generally to the Council Web Page." What does that even mean? I'm all for the goals and intentions of the scout program, but for Pete's sake, is the government running this program? It is running just about as efficiently. Thank you for your questions posed several months ago. Please forgive my abominable slowness in responding to them. Answer: I hope that in the interim you have noticed some improvement in responsiveness at the Web site. I referred your question to John Gailey, the Council Webmaster, who shared these thoughts in his reply: "The Web site referred to by the questioner is the National Council's Web site, www.myscouting.org. We try to incorporate it into the Utah National Parks Council's Web site so that our users don't need to remember so many sites. Unfortunately, we have not control over the log-in process or associated problems with the National Council's site. If the questioner will contact me, I will quickly get him in contact with the right people at National Council headquarters in Dallas and get his problems resolved. By the way, I would love to have the questioner's expertise and desire to improve the Web site if he would be interested in volunteering to become a member of the Council's Technology Committee." John's phone number is 801-437-6222. As for the question regarding the Entrada High Adventure Base, Darryl Alder, the Council's Director of Support Services shared this: "Entrada has been closed since mid-July, so no one was there to return calls. I am happy to answer his questions and help him with Entrada. Have him try my cell phone at 801-592-9749." Thanks again for your questions. I apologize once more and assure you of my continued, fervent efforts to improve the quality of customer service--both in-person and electronic--throughout the Council. Good Scouting!
A Unit Leader Asked: I can find very little information on the BSA Mile Swim award. As a unit leader, is this something that I can judge and award to the boys? Can this be done in a pool or does it have to be done in a lake? If done in the pool, can the participant touch the side? Push off with his feet? Push off with his hands? There is a boy in our unit that regularly swims a mile for his swim team and their standard is to push off the wall with their feet each time. If it's good enough for the swim team, is it good enough for the BSA? Answer: Thank you for your question, and please forgive my abominable slowness in replying. I referred the question to Kathy Worthen, the Council's Vice President of Program for Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting. Her response follows: "The requirements for this award were revised in January 2009 and are included in the current Boy Scout Requirements book and at the BSA Web site.
Requirement #3 states: 'Under the supervision of a currently trained BSA Aquatics Instructor or equivalent, participate in four hours of training and preparation for distance swimming (one hour a day maximum).' Requirement #4 states: 'Swim one mile over a measured course that has been approved by the trained instructor who will supervise the swim.' This and other additional information is found on p. 296 in Aquatics Supervision Guidebook, a BSA publication available at the Scout Shop. It includes the following in 'Notes to Counselors': 'The training sessions may be conducted separately or in combination with another program, such as instruction for the Swimming merit badge. Credit may be given to anyone, such as a swim-team members, who provides evidence of regular participation in a supervised swim training or fitness program that covers at lest four hours over four different, regularly scheduled sessions.' Also, 'The mile may be covered by laps in an closed or protected area or in open water if each participant or buddy pair is accompanied by a rowboat occupied by an experienced rower and a spotter prepared to lend assistance.'" I trust this will be informative, if you've not already found the answer. Thanks again for your question, and please accept my apology for the long delay. Good Scouting!
A Community/Church Leader Asked: How do I get my Scouting ID? Answer: Thank you for your question. And please forgive my abominably long delay in replying to it. According to Karen Adams, the Council Resource Center Supervisor, there are three ways to obtain one's ID number: (a) In the Internet Advancement program that each unit uses to record their advancements, there is a report entitled "Review Unit Roster." This report contains all the BSA ID numbers for both adults and boys.
(b) The National BSA Registration Department will supply a BSA ID card with the ID number at the bottom of the card once the individual has registered.
(c) Call (801-437-6222) or e-mail the Council Resource Center (801-437-6226) for the BSA ID number. I trust this is helpful information, should you not have already found the answer to your question. Thanks again for the question, and please accept my apology for not responding to it in more timely fashion. Good Scouting!
A Committee Member Asked: We are a small ward and we have been chartering three separate groups (Troop, Varsity, Venture). This separates our boys into such small groups the patrol method is impossible and the segmentation is a detriment to working together. Is there any reason we couldn't just charter one troop and keep all the boys together? Answer: Thanks for your question. Please forgive my abominably long delay in replying to it. I sought the counsel of Rex Barrington, the Council Vice President of Program for Varsity Scouting and Venturing. His replay follows: Before suggesting an answer to this question, we must first understand the definition of "scouting" and "Scouting". Scouting (capitalized) is the 4-family series of programs, designed by the Boy Scouts of America, to sequentially develop a participant's character, knowledge, and skills along a continuum taking an 8 year-old along thorough experiences and opportunities until he is a young adult (19 years of age). These programs are Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing. The other term, scouting (with a lower case "c"), refers to boy scouting - the merit badge and rank advancement, camping, knot tieing, patrol-method program that is designed for boys aged 11 - 14. If your only purpose for membership with the Boy Scouts of America is to earn merit badges and earn the Eagle rank, then there is no problem combining your 3 young men groups into 1 large unit. But this will not efficiently meet the needs and interests of all the young men, and misses many other broad benefits and advantages accrued in the ascending nature of Scouting, through Varsity Scouting and Venturing. In boy scouting a boy learns essential, basic skills and knowledge. He learns to be part of a larger group (patrol and troop), to follow his leaders, to have fun, and to achieve (merit badges and ranks in Scouting). He learns to follow a Scoutmaster, and to gain a core of skills that should be the foundation of the rest of his Scouting career. While seemingly this is done better with a large group of boys in a troop, it can still be effectively done in small groups. It works for all sizes.
-Work the program as it is outlined for boy scouts, and you will succeed. Varsity Scouting further builds on a young man's development, by giving him more responsibility than in boy scouting (as a "program manager" working hand in hand with an adult from the committee). It allows him greater participation in decisions about what his "team" does. Here he isn't "mastered" but is "coached" by a Varsity Team Coach, who treats him as someone who knows something, has something to offer to the team, and who can be further developed. The young man's relationships become more eye-to-eye with adults, and he sees them as mentors who guide him in his progression. He receives high adventure experiences and functions on a different, higher level than in a troop. He may still work on merit badges, but guided in working for his Varsity Letter and the Denali award, he senses he has moved on and up in the Scouting movement. The recognition he deserves should be different. He is on the next level up from boy scouting.
-Work the program as it is outlined for varsity scouts, and you will succeed. We have many 14-15 year olds who say they do not want to do "scouting" (note the small letter "s"). They want something more challenging, that meets their interests and needs. They have confused scouting with Scouting. The Varsity Scout program was created to do just that - give these new teenagers a program of their own that catches their interest. With no varsity scout program, you will find it difficult to hold on to this age group in the troop. They will lose interest and go to other things. Boy scouting wasn't designed for them. Venturing is the capstone experience in Scouting, and in this setting the youth are "advised" by an Advisor, and are now given support to lead out in various activities, projects, service, and organization - on a level never possible as a boy scout. Their maturity, interest level, and growing interest in the world around them is in stark contrast to that of new scouts at age 11 or the boy scouts of the troop. These, who are on the edge of becoming tomorrow's leaders, want to be trusted, work toward challenging goals, and do meaningful things they come up with. Venturing gives them experience areas to work in, more high adventure, and significantly more leadership that any other program in Scouting. Their achievements now can be very broad - merit badges and the Eagle rank, but also the Bronze, Gold, and Silver awards, as well as the Ranger award.
-Work the program as it is outlined for Venturing youth, and you will succeed. With each family of Scouting designed with a specific purpose and age group in mind, each building successively on the earlier one, you must maintain the integrity of each to really develop the character, the values, and the future of the young men involved in Scouting in its true sense. Moving all 3 of your youth groups to the lowest common denominator - boy scouting - takes your older youth down to a level they don't want to be on. It reduces the benefits, options, and unique key highlights of these additional programs of Varsity Scouting and Venturing. You will dilute your potential to a point where you will not be able to retain the support and involvement of the older youth - at least not without a significant amount of extra energy, effort, and persistence. Don't water down the offering to these young men. Keep each level interesting to them, filled with new and elevated opportunities, and then watch them soar." I trust that Rex's response will be helpful to you. Thanks again for your question, and please accept my apology for failing to reply in more timely fashion. Good Scouting!
A Committee Members Asked: This is the second time I've asked this question; I'd really like and answer. Will you please explain to me why the lower ranks cannot be accessed on the internet advancement for boys who are venture scouts? This information is required for all eagle rank processing. If it is required, why is it not available? Why do I have to call the scout office to obtain these data? This is inconvenient and a waste of time. I asked this same question over six months ago and still have not received and answer. Answer: Thank you for repeating your question. Please forgive me for failing to respond to it originally. I passed your question to Dave Mitchell, who chairs the Council Advancement Committee. Dave's response follows: "When it comes to keeping records, the unit has a responsibility to keep detailed information on each of its members. Many times a young man will earn a badge or rank but the unit will fail to report the information to the Council. While the Council may have some of the information, often times the unit will have information that has not been reported to the Council. As a part of the advancement process, the Council Advancement Committee has asked the unit to provide a detailed listing of the awards earned by the young man so the information the unit has can be used to process the young man's Eagle application." I will also ask Karen Adams, the Director of the Council Resource Center, to respond to the question and specifically to indicate whether there is a change in the offing for the Advancement database that will allow you to access the full Scouting record of advancement for Venturers. Again, my apology to you. Should you have any further question about the matter, please contact me. I will be sure to answer in much more timely fashion. Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Parent Asked: Where can my son find suggestions for an Eagle project? Does the Utah National Parks Council have a site for Life scouts to visit to get ideas or to see if there is a need that may be used as an Eagle project? Answer: Thanks for your question. If you go to www.utahscouts.org, then to Advancement, Information, Eagle Rank, and Sources for Eagle Projects, you'll find a helpful list. Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Scout/Youth Asked: I would like to work as a CIT at mapledellI would like to work as a CIT at Maple Dell. Answer: Thank you for your question. If you go to the Council Web site (www.utahscouts.org) and click on Camps, you'll find the link to Camp Employment and the online application form there. Thanks again. And Good Scouting!
A Community Volunteer Asked: Recently in the paper there was an article that the Council donated funds to a PTA organization that was going to use the month for some art program. How is it that the Council can give money to other organizations when the money given to them thru FOS, charity contributions, etc. is given to support the scouting programs? Answer: Terry Richardson, the Council Finance Director, provided the following summary: The Gingerbread Festival and Gala is a partnership that was started by Folk Artist Eric Dowdle to raise money for Child abuse and protection issues. The Utah National Parks Council and the Utah PTA have been beneficiaries since the beginning of the Festival. Five years ago the festival was handed to the two organizations as a partnership. The proceeds from the event help the Learning for Life program of the Utah National Parks Council and the Utah PTA Art Endowment. Grants are then awarded to Schools from the Art Endowment to help local Schools. The PTA povides a volunteer for the committee and helps selecting a Teacher of the year. They also provide volunteers the days of the festival. The PTA has been given 5% of the gross proceeds of the event for their help on the Festival. Below is a breakdown on the past two years: YEAR GROSS PTA AMOUNT NET 2008 70,395 4,600 28,734 2009 68,299 3,800 25,758 I have attended the opening night of the Festival and was impressed by the extraordinary generosity of Eric Dowdle. I was also impressed by the support and good will of the State PTA officers who attended and the outstanding teachers who received awards. You should know that the Gala and Festival are the two major fund-raising events for the Council’s ever-growing Learning for Life program. Thanks again. In particular, thank you for your own generous support of Scouting!
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