Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Scouting Community - MyScouting.org



Get connected with the Scouting Community. Join the BSA's social network at MyScouting.org.

1. Go to www.myscouting.org and select MyScouting. enter information including your member ID.

2. Log into MyScouting and select Scouting Community. This is your private profile; toggle between it and your pulbic profile. Edit your public profile with information you'd like to share. Select an avatar or image to represent you.

3. Make friends. go to the Members page and find someone. Go to their page and select the Add to Friends list.

4. Check out the Forums. Start reading the forum posts. Familiarize yourself with how forums are organized.

5. Join a Group. Go to the Groups page and find a group that interest you. If it is public, you can join. It it's private by invitation, you can request to join.

I joined several groups. They are organized in several categories. Under Volunteers you will find Troop 182, Echockotee Lodege, and Saturiwa Chapter. You can join NYLT, Scoutmasters, Jamboree 2010, Scout Parents, etc.

Please join group Troop 182 and post your comments, and pictures. To join the BSA's new social network MyScouting.org you must be at least 13 years old and have a paid membership with a member ID.

Monday, May 25, 2009

2009 National Distinguished Scoutmasters

Troop 182,

My wife Flor and I attended the BSA National Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida from May 21 - 24, 2009. We attended different events and exhibitions with more than 1500 scout professionals and volunteers. We were invited to participate in the 2009 National Distinguished Scoutmasters Recognition Program. Scoutmasters from all the US were nominated by their Councils and only 43 were selected by the National Council. Florida was represented by one Scoutmaster from West Palm Beach and another from Jacksonville. We learned that our troops had active Eagle Scouts, First Class scouts, trained adults and scouts, good recruitment and retention, council, district, and OA participation, quality awards, service, active camping and outings, including summer camps, large committee, active parents, good charter organization support, good management practices, and leadership influence in our communities outside Scouting.

We were specially recognized in the Business Meeting, our spouses had private tours and events to thank them for their support to the Scoutmasters. We worked in Focus Groups and we had a private meeting with the Chief Scout Executive and National Council Commissioner.

It was a great honor and a huge challenge to represent Troop 182 during this recognition program. We had several meetings where we share our best practices. During the Focus Groups we worked in several areas (recruitment, training, advancement, retention, and time management) to analyze current issues and to define solutions or methods that can be implemented in the troops. We made the commitment to work online in our focus groups for the next 12 to 18 months in order to present our work to the National Council.

It was very interesting to share what we do in our troop with 52 scouts. At the same time, it was a great learning experience to hear from troops with more than 120 scouts, 13 patrols per troop, more than 20 ASMs per troop, 80 years old troops, rural troops, and from Scoutmasters from many states. We formed a great team to work together to improve other troops and the Scouts program.

In order to do our work, we will share our discussions with our Councils, districts, troops, charter organizations, and our communities to promote our best Scouting practices and to gather information to improve the Scouting program. During the upcoming weeks and months, I will meet with the North Florida Council leaders, Shawnee District Scoutmasters, Holy Spirit Catholic Church and School, Troop 182 parents, leaders, and scouts, to share our Focus Groups plan. I was selected because of your work and support to our troop activities. This is a recognition that belongs to all Troop 182. Now we all have the challenge to provide our ideas to improve other troops in our area of influence. Our reach should go to all Councils in Florida. The combined work of all the Distinguished Scoutmasters should make an impact in all the troops in the future.

During this meeting, I renewed my commitment to continue working with Troop 182. Besides, I will also continue my support to the NYLT, OA, and the National Council Hispanic initiative. I thank you for your continuous commitment to Scouting. This recognition should motivate us to be better scouts, leaders, parents and supporters. Be have to continue being an example to other troops and to expand our practices to other troops.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation with our mission.

God bless you and your families,

Jose

Jose G. Lepervanche
Scoutmaster Troop 182 Jacksonville
"2009 National Distinguished Scoutmaster"



Wednesday, May 20, 2009

2009 Scoutmasters' Recognition Program - May 2009



Our Scoutmaster Jose Lepervanche will attend this week the 2009 Scoutmaster's Recognition Program during the BSA National Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. He will represent 52 scouts of Troop 182 as one of the 42 distinguish Scoutmasters from the US invited to this event.

The program includes a business meeting and a focus group session where the Scoutmasters will share their best practices in guiding youth leaders in Boy Scout troops.

Holy Spirit Catholic Church Bazaar - May 2009



Thank you to the 24 scouts and 13 adults who participated in the team effort to help make the bazaar a success. During the bazaar, Father Ananda announced the participation of our Boy Scouts. Thanks to Mrs. Byer for coordinating this effort. Our troop was in charge of the basket ball and slam dunk games.

Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge!!

Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge!!

On June 13, 2009 the North Florida Council will host the inaugural Jacksonville Corporate Dodgeball Tournament at Bishop J. Snyder High School.

I invite you to join me and many other community leaders in supporting Jacksonville’s Corporate Dodgeball Tournament 2009. This is an adult event for those over 18 years of age. However, if a parent is on the team and you are a teen between 14-18 years old, you may play with a signed waiver!

Don’t miss out on this great event! Sign up a team today! Spread the word by forwarding this to others who may be interested! For more information, or better yet, to register, please visit http://jacksonville.corporatedodgeball.com/ .

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Brooke Hammon at (904) 265-3812 or at brooke.hammon@scouting.org

Let’s Dodgeball!!!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

North Florida Council Camporee - May 2009



More than 800 scouts of the NFC attended the camporee at Camp Shands. It was a weekend full of patrol competitions. Troop 182 Vikings patrol won the wall climbing competition. Our patrols participated in all 12 events including knots, fire building, relay, skits, first aid, orienteering, rifle, archery, Xtreme course, climbing, pioneering, and canoeing. These competitions were great to test our Scouting skills. Congratulations to the Vikings and Panthers patrols, their Patrol Leaders and to our Senior Patrol Leader Mikey for leading our troop during all the camporee.

OA Section Conference - April 2009



Our troop attended the Order of the Arrow Section Conference at San Hill Scout Reservation in Brooksville, Florida. We were 10 scouts and adults out of 24 OA members from the Saturiwa Chapter. We joined other NFC OA chapters to be part of the Echockotee Lodge contingent of 150. Section S-4 includes 8 lodges from Florida and 3 from southern Georgia. Our scouts participated in several competitions and got second place in cake eating and volleyball. They also competed in Pre-Ordeal ceremonies.

Our Lodge won the bulletin board award and three of our members were elected as officer of Section S-4. This Section Conference was a great opportunity to see more than 900 scouts and scouters camping under the "Together Fast and Firm".

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

It is Military Appreciation Day again in North Florida.

It is Military Appreciation Day again in North Florida.

The event will be all day Saturday, May 16, 2009 at Mayport Naval Base.

This is a great way for the Scouts of the North Florida Council to show appreciation to the men and women that serve this country. We are looking to have Scouts present at the event to help with any programs needed, and also helping to promote recycling.

If you have any questions about the event, or would like to sign up please email Mike Davidson at mikejr@mikedavidsonford.com.

Please register early by emailing info to Mike Davidson:

1) Car Make, Year, & Color
2) Licence Plate #
3) Names of attendees

Thanks,

Mikel Taft
District Executive – Great Muskogee

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

UNF SWIM TESTS

It's that time of year: Summer Camps!! Water activities!!
Swim Test:
UNF Aquatics Center
Wednesday, May 6th - 7pm - Older Scouts from 1st class and above.
Saturday, June 6th - 10am - New Patrol Scouts
$2.75 per person. Must sign a waiver when you get there.
Wear your suit, bring a towel!

Troop 182 Updates via @ScoutmasterJose Twitter