Cherokee/Pickens District
Atlanta Area Council, BSA

What Is Venturing?

Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age.

Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.

Venturing is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth, adult leaders, and organizations in their communities. Local community organizations establish a Venturing crew by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people in the community. The result is a program of exciting and meaningful activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow, develop leadership skills, and become good citizens.

Venturing crews can specialize in a variety of avocation or hobby interests.

For more information on Venturing in the Cherokee Pickens District contact:
Mark Hess 770-592-1820
Chuck Brooks 770-345-0139
Charlie Pineo 770-591-0995

For more information on Venturing training and activities in the Atlanta Area Council visit the Atlanta Area Council Venturing web site.

Anyone can have fun during the daylight hours but it takes a special breed to thrive at night. On September 18 – 19 we get to see if you are that special breed. Activities will begin in the sun light and then continue under starlight.

The NightOwl is a chance for Venturing Crews to participate in fun activities , meet other crews and challenge themselves around the clock.

Here are the basic details:

What: A Venturing weekend of fun.
Where: Bert Adams Scout Reservation
When: Saturday, September 18 -19
How Much: $20 per participant
Register online at www.atlantabsa.org

A complete information packet will be available soon with the final details. Watch for it and then prepare for the fun!

INFORMATION PACKET

Mandatory Training is Here

From the Council Training Chair Susie Mahoney

"Top Leaders in the Atlanta Area Council MUST be trained by the end of 2010. These are Scoutmasters, Cubmasters, Crew Advisors, Team Coaches, and Skippers.

Direct Contact Leaders in the Atlanta Area Council must be trained by the end of 2011. These include assistants to top leaders and any other adult who comes in direct contact with the youth.

All new leaders are required to be trained within a year of the time they register or have a position change

ALL registered adults are required to have Youth Protection Training.

Penalties for not having trained leaders can be as severe as withholding the unit charter."

As many of you know, the information from Council for recharter has historically lacked any training information for leaders. Information has been turned in, but due to technology issues, the information has not been put in a place where it can be utilized.

Now, Susie is going to enter everyone's training data herself.

PLEASE FILL OUT THE LEADER TRAINING REPORT AND SEND IT TO DISTRICT TRAINING CHAIRMAN STEVE PFEIFER AT EAGLESCOUT72@YAHOO.COM

Points to remember:

• Enter your name as it appears on your BSA membership card

• Include your BSA membership ID number

• If you took a particular training many years ago and did not receive a training card make your best guess as to the date.

• If you’ve taken online training although there should be a record of it please include that date on the report.

What makes a trained leader? Refer to the Training Page on the BSA National web site or the back of the Adult Application.

Scouting Programs at the Funk Heritage Center

The Funk Heritage Center of Reinhardt College, Georgia’s Official Frontier and Southeastern Indian Interpretive Center offers special Scout programs designed for Scouts to earn an achievement, elective, or merit badge. The programs are tailored to suit the needs of all levels of Scouting. Activities are targeted for Cub Scouts, Webelos, and Boy Scouts. Scouts attend with their Den or Troop and leaders are required to stay with their Scouts.

The program offerings include Horticulture and Gardening, Plant Science, Field Botany (including tree ID), Soil and Water Conservation, and Georgia’s Native People and Indian Lore.

Horticulture and environmental education programs are presented in cooperation with the Cherokee Master Gardeners. Programs average 2 hours in length and can be scheduled for a Tuesday or Thursday at 3:00 p.m., with an option to schedule on Saturdays at 10:00 a.m.

Reservations must be made three weeks in advance.
The program fee is $5 per Scout with a $35 minimum

FLIER

To request a program and make reservations, contact: Martha Hout 770-720-9222 or Jayne Hunter 770-720-5969 or email heritagecenter@reinhardt.edu

Fish Habitat Maintenance Project

Dear Scouts and Scouters of the Cherokee/Pickens District,

It’s that time of year again. We are moving forward with the final stages of the development of the fish habitat structures as well as maintenance of the existing structures. The plan is to develop the last 2 new sites at Blockhouse and Paw-Paws and to finish development at Proctor Park that was started 2 years ago. All of these sites are at the lower section of the lake.

We also plan to complete the yearly maintenance of 4 sites that have already been completed. These sites are Victoria Day Use, Galts Ferry Day Use, Red Top Mountain State Park and the Bethany Bridge site. The yearly maintenance activities include a trip to the site in December to evaluate the needs (new cable, how many trees will be needed, etc.) and a second trip in January or early February to complete the work. We will be conducting the evaluations for all 4 sites on Saturday, December 5th. The January and February work days will be scheduled as availability of volunteers is determined.

All materials for the projects (wire, cable, trees, concrete moorings, etc.) are being coordinated through the committee so no units should have to supply any funds for the project. This year we are asking the scouts for help with the work on the 4 “maintenance only” locations listed above. If any units want to assist with the construction sites as well, I’m sure we can accommodate your request. These project are open to Boy Scout Troops, Venture Crews and Explorer Posts. If your unit wants to help please send me an e-mail at CareTaker@CampAllatoona.org with the site you would like to work and the number of youth/adults you expect to have working on the project. We will coordinate work days to meet your units availability.

If any units are planning a “Tree Collection” project as a fund raiser and you want to donate the trees to the project, let me know your planned days to pick up the trees and we will coordinate drop-off sites. You do not need to participate in the project itself to donate trees for the cause.

We look forward to working with you again this year and years to come to help the wildlife in our lake. Remember, for your youths advancement needs, this is considered a conservation project.

Thanks for all your support,
Tom Lyon
Ranger - Camp Allatoona Aquatics Base
Aquatics Base Phone: (770) 926-0580
E-mail: CareTaker@CampAllatoona.org

Wilderness First Aid

American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid Basic:

Planning a trip to the backcountry where a 911 call cannot get through, or where rescue may be hours away? Going to Philmont, Northern Tier, or Sea Base? Hiking the Appalachian Trail with your Troop or Crew? You might find yourself in a situation requiring not only first aid, but also care until evacuation or rescue. Take your standard first aid skills to a higher level. The Atlanta Area Council Health & Safety Committee will sponsor several American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid Basic (WFAB) courses at Bert Adams Scout Reservation in Covington, Georgia.

WFA-ARC-FAQ

Basic Wilderness First Aid - SOLO Course:

Are you going to be part of a high adventure Philmont, Northern Tier or Sea Base crew? Are you a weekend hiker on the Appalachian Trail or in the Cohutta Wilderness? Are you ever out of cell phone range and unable to "Call 911" when you are with your troop or crew? If so, you need to know more than what is taught in standard first aid classes designed for places where "Call 911" brings emergency assistance. How good are your first aid skills? Come to the Camp Allatoona Aquatics Base in Woodstock for Basic Wilderness First Aid Training. A well trained Scout, Venturer or Scouter with the first aid skills taught at this course will be an asset to any high adventure trek, venture crew or troop. The course is open to scouts and venturers 14 or older, male and female, and to adult scouters.

For the most up-to-date Wilderness First Aid information and a list of Wilderness First Aid contacts, please visit www.firstaid-aac.org.

C.O.P.E.

Project C.O.P.E. is a national program of the Boy Scouts of America. The program is composed of group initiative games, trust events, low course events, and high course events. Some activities involve a group challenge, while others develop individual skills and agility. Participants climb, swing, balance, jump, rappel, and devise solutions to a variety of problems. Most participants achieve much more than they imagined they could.

The Atlanta Area Council invites your Troop to come experience a challenging fun filled weekend at its C.O.P.E. Courses at Woodruff Scout Reservation and Bert Adams Scout Reservation

Questions? Visit the C.O.P.E. website or call the Program Center at 770-989-8820s

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