NWSC kicks-off membership initiative with
Knights of Columbus Councils
Twenty-five Grand Knights of Columbus Councils in northwest Illinois attended a banquet held in August hosted by the Northwest Suburban Council. The purpose was two-fold--to kick-off a membership initiative between the K.C. Councils and the National Catholic Committee on Scouting; and to thank four Councils for their sponsorships of existing Scout units.
Bray Barnes, the N.C.C.S. Chairman, traveled from New Jersey to serve as the keynote speaker and to help support the initiative. While emphasizing the K.C.'s common bond with Scouting and the mutual goal of character development in youth, Bray challenged the Grand Knights present to aid the youth development ministry within the Catholic Church by embracing the Boy Scout family.
Steve Taylor, NWCS Scout Executive, also challenged the K.C. Councils to "not only sponsor a unit, bur bring together the while Scouting family by chartering a Pack, Troop and Venturing Crew." He stated that the Grand Knights could be influential in "making a difference in your communities and in the life of a child."
Knights of Columbus Councils honored by the NWSC were the Ave Maria Council # 4456, for sponsoring Troop 16 in Schiller Park; Holy Ghost Council # 4977, for sponsoring Troop 91 in Palatine; Regina Council # 4837 for sponsoring Troop and Pack 112 in Wheeling; and St. John Breheuf Council # 1107 in Niles, for sponsoring Troop, Pack and Crew 175.
Many Grand Knights later expressed a desire to sponsor a Scout unit and augment their youth ministry programs by utilizing the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
Camp Napowan and Lakota Reservations
Are you ready for some camping? Camp Lakota and Camp Napowan are both available for year round camping and fun. If your unit is interested in camping at either Camp you should be aware that the reservation procedure has changed.
For reservations directly contact the Camp Ranger to reserve your camp site or cabin. For Camp Lakota contact Chris Zarada, Camping Director at Camp Lakota at 815-338-6820 or czarada@bsamail.org. Camp Napowan can be reserved for non-summer Camp camping by contacting Napowan Ranger Chuck Vetrone at 920-622-3680 or at Napowan@centurytel.net.
It is recommended that you utilize email to request your camp reservation. The Rangers are frequently away from their telephone performing camp maintenance and improvements. Using email also ensures that your reservation will be accurate as telephone messages are frequently difficult to understand. Please make sure you include your unit number and appropriate contact information in your email. In the very near future dates that Camp Lakota and Camp Napowan are available for your unit reservations will be posted the NWSC web site.
Deposit and payments for reservations will be still be processed by the Council Office.
Order of the Arrow's 11th Annual Haunted Hike
The Witching Hour Booking Agency has confirmed that the cast for the Order of the Arrow's 11th Annual Haunted Hike is set for Friday – Saturday, Oct. 27 & 28, at the Methodist Camp Grounds in Des Plaines.
Matthew Cottrell, Haunted Hike Youth Chairman, stated that the OA really dug deep to find a non-perfect set of ghosts, witches, ghouls and other weirdoes, complete with screams and moans, to unman the scary trail.
"We're daring our NWSC Leaders and Scouts of all ages to "venture" into this maze of non-reality activities and be prepared to be frightened," moaned Cottrell. "They can be sure we won't let them down….while they're living!"
As in previous years, the event promises to provide a lot of Halloween-type fun for Scouts, their families and the general public.
Besides featuring a Haunted Hike through the creepy darkness and discovering (or being discovered by) unknown monsters and ectoplasmic half-life forms, the event will feature an electric chair, several period ghost story tellers, food concessions and face painting.
For the terror-stricken and/or ghoul victims, undead, real doctors will man a First Aid booth, a safe haven, barricaded from any zombie onslaughts.
All will be staged in the Methodist's Camp Ground's unique 1800's village setting, located at 2000 E. Algonquin Rd., Des Plaines, just east of River Road. Security and Traffic control will be provided by the Des Plaines Police Department, Des Plaines Police Reserves, and the Main Township EMA, Emergency Management Agency.
Uniformed Scouts and Leaders will be admitted for only $4.00; children, ages 5-12, for $5.00; and adults/children, 13 and over, for $6.00. Plan to attend and get into the right "spirit!" Additional information may be obtained at the Service Center or at www.nwsc.org or www.lakotalodge.org.
Centennial Quality Award
Changes are in store for the Quality Unit awards for Pack, Troops, Crews, Districts and the Council. In the next several weeks your Commissioners will be informing your units about the changes associated with earning the Quality Unit designation beginning in 2007.
The Centennial Quality Award stresses leader training, membership retention and growth, recruitment of new adult leaders, advancement, youth involvement in outdoor activities, planned programs, participation in the Friends of Scouting program and annual product sales.
The changes associated with the Centennial Quality Award are designed to further strengthen Scouting units, Districts and the Scout Council. This is a four year program that will serve to help Scouting celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2010.
Start planning now to be a quality unit in 2007!
"It Ain't Always Gonna Be Summer!"
Sign up for Okpik the annual Cold Weather Camping Course that trains the trainer (that's all Troop Leaders, Senior Scouts and Trainers) how to go camping in the winter and have FUN.
Four indoor Sunday afternoon sessions are to be held at the Christian Life Church, 400 E. Gregory, Mt. Prospect on: Oct. 22; Nov. 5; Nov. 19 and Dec. 10.
The 5th session is an actual campout at Camp Lakota on Jan. 13 – 14 when students and staff will set up campsites and put their new skills to practical use.
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3 Months of Council-related events
OCTOBER
Professional Staff Meeting (NWSC) Oct. 6
Mega Training Event Oct. 7
SH Webelos Weekend Oct. 6 - 8
(Sv. Ctr. Closed; SS Open) Oct. 9
Popcorn Consignment Re-order Oct. 10
Executive Committee Mtg Oct. 11
Popcorn Consignment Re-order Pick-up Oct. 13
NW Camp-O-Ree Oct. 14 - 15
Distinguished Citizens Banquet Oct. 19
CPR/1st Aid Trng. Oct. 21
Life To Eagle Seminar Oct. 21
Okpik Winter Camping Trng. - Session #1 Oct. 22
Cub Scout Leader Specifics Trng Oct. 25
Family FOS Kick-off Oct. 26
Order of Arrow Haunted Hike Oct. 27 - 28
Popcorn Consignment Returns Oct. 28 & 30
Halloween Oct. 31
NOVEMBER
Professional Staff Meeting (NWSC) Nov. 3
Okpik Session #2 Nov. 5
SH Webelos Trans-o-rama Nov. 5
NW Webelos Trans-o-rama Nov. 8
Executive Committee Mtg Nov. 8
SH Annual Mtg Nov. 9
Veterans Day Nov. 11
Scouter Trng. Day Nov. 14
Executive Board Mtg Nov. 15
Popcorn Take-Order Pick-Up Nov. 17 - 18
CPR/1st Aid Nov. 18
Okpik Session #3 Nov.19
BH Annual Mtg Nov. 21
(Sv. Ctr/Scout Shop Closed) Nov. 23
Scout Shop Open till noon. Sv. Ctr. Closed Nov. 24
FOS Kick-Off Nov. 29
DECEMBER
Professional Staff Mtg. Dec. 1
Popcorn Take Order Payment Due Dec. 1-2
Okpik Session #4 Dec. 10
Executive Committee Meeting Dec. 13
Hanukkah Starts Dec. 16
CPR/First Aid Dec. 16
Executive Board Meeting Dec. 20
Venture Activities Committee Dec. 21
Hanukkah Ends Dec. 23
Christmas (Service Center/Scout Shop Closed) Dec. 25
Service Center Closed Dec. 26
Eagle Scout Breakfast Dec. 27
Order of the Arrow Banquet Dec. 28
DiLullo Scholarship Recipient
Joseph A. Bracco, Jr. of Wood Dale is the 2006 recipient of the Joseph DiLullo Eagle Scholarship for Eagle Scouts that are entering freshmen to a four year accredited college. The Joseph DiLullo Eagle Scholarship was established in memory of Eagle Scout Joseph DiLullo of Troop 10 who passed away unexpectedly on December 29, 1988.
The Eagle Scout receiving the award was selected based on merit by the DiLullo family based upon information that was provided by Eagle Scouts applying for the Scholorship.
Bracco is an Eagle Scout from Troop 95 in Elk Grove Village. His Eagle leadership project involving over 200 hours of planning and labor involved cleaning, repairing and plantings near the VFW Post 9284 flag pole. This was followed by a flag retirement ceremony. Bracco has served as a counselor at Camp Napowan and is currently enrolled at Aurora University and is majoring in Media Technology/Secondary Education.
Thank you to the DiLullo family for their support of the Scholarship and the Scouting program.
NWSC Welcomes College Intern
Sara Lee a junior at DePaul University majoring in Marketing and Business has joined the Council as a part time intern. Sara is originally from Glenview but now lives in Chicago is a Korean and Chinese language specialist with nearly ten years of training in these languages.
Sara will be working with the District Executives in an attempt to strengthen the Scouting program in the Korean and Chinese religious communities.
If you know a college student interested in expanding their educational experience the Council is looking for additional interns in the marketing and public relations areas. Please contact Erin Bass at the Council office for additional information
2007 Philmont Contingent
Planning is under way for the 2007 NWSC contingent to Philmont Scout Ranch. The Ranch is the Boy Scouts of America's oldest national high-adventure base. Its 34 staffed camps and 55 trail camps provide an unforgettable adventure in the high country along hundreds of miles of rugged, rocky trails.
Space is still available in the contingent from the Council that will be heading to Philmont next July. This is an adventure that your Boy Scouts will remember for a lifetime. Nearly all Scouts and Scouters who have returned from a Philmont adventure have returned with a new respect for the Scouting program and the beauty of the Scout Ranch. The most common comment is that the trip was a very spiritual event.
Sign up now as training for the adventure is starting soon. Contact Randy Toland at the Council Office for additional information.
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