February 2, 2012 -- If your Scouts are looking for a unique camping/hiking experience, consider the Isaac Davis Trail Camporee in Acton, MA. The weekend is April 14 and 15, and the complete information, including registration materials, is available at http://isaacdavis.org/.
February 2, 2012 -- Registration is now open for the York District 2012 Spring Merit Badge College, being held at Sanford High School, Sanford in February through May. The complete set of information, including a downloadable handout and the on-line registration form, is available at the Merit Badge College page.
February 2, 2012 -- Rick Raynes, York District Activities Chairman, has released the 2012 Spring Camporee Registration Form, which is downloadable here. The Spring Camporee is May 18-20, 2012 at Camp Nutter in Acton. The registration form is due to the Council Office in Portland by April 20, 2012. Any questions about the Camporee can be directed to Rick Raynes at rick.raynes@yahoo.com.
January 18, 2012 -- Jacob Moorman, York District Training Chairman, reports that "Trained" leader requirements have been updated to drop Fast Start and This is Scouting/New Leader Essentials. Therefore, to be considered a fully-trained Scouting leader and be eligible to wear the Trained emblem on your uniform beneath the Badge of Office, the following pathways include:
* Cub Scout leaders: Youth Protection + Cub Scout Leader-Specific Training for their position (both available online)
* Boy Scout troop committee: Youth Protection + Troop Committee Challenge (both available online)
* Scoutmasters/ASMs: Youth Protection (available online) + Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training (SMLST) (in-person) + Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (ITOLS) (in-person)
The council training team will be meeting later this month to set the training schedule for 2012 and ensure a balanced approach. Casco Bay District (covering greater Portland) and York District training teams generally share training dates.
The next scheduled training is available February 11, 2012 at United Church of Christ in Bridgton. Details and a registration form on the flyer can be downloaded at: http://www.pinetreebsa.org/training/CBFeb2012Training.pdf.
January 14, 2012 -- The next York District Committee meeting will take place on Monday, January 30, 2012 at Saco City Hall, 300 Main Street, Saco, ME starting at 7pm.
February 2, 2012 -- The 2011 Pinewood Derby Rules are available for download here. The final 2012 Pinewoor Derby Rules are being finalized, but the general information located here will remain largely unchanged. The York District Pinewood Derby will be hosted by Pack 308 in Biddeford on April 7, and information will be on this District Website prior to that event.
January 10, 2012 -- Venuture Crew 271 will be hosting a great day of leadership and fellowship planned on January 21, 2012 starting at 8am at the Oak Haven Training Center, 6 High Street, Windham, ME. The Venturing Leadership Skills Course (VLSC) for youth Venture Crew leaders will have Crew leaders from all over Pine Tree Council and will be facilitated by the Crew 271 officers. The arrival time will be between 8:00am-8:30am and will begin at 8:30am with the day concluding by 5:30pm. The cost is $7 to cover lunch and patches. For anyone that is interested or has questions please contact Steve Saucier, District Membership Chairman.
January 10, 2012 -- Looking for a uniqu opportunity to get some white water rafting in this year? Consider the Magic Falls Rafting Company in West Forks, ME. The website with information is located at http://www.magicfalls.com.
January 6, 2012 -- Information about the 2012 Wood Badge Course, the pinnacle Scouting leadership program, has been released on the Pine Tree Council website. Click here for the complete set of information.
January 5, 2012 -- Every year at this time, we like to have a representative from the Scouting program talk to all of our units about the Pine Tree Council and give Scouting Families the opportunity to support the program. If you have not scheduled a Friends of Scouting Presentation please contact Jason Mongeon or Andrew Rueger. Blue & Golds and Courts of Honors are great opportunities to schedule your presentation.
January 5, 2012 -- BALOO Trainnig for Cub Scouts leaders is designed to help introduce the procedures and process associated with leading a Cub Scout Pack on an overnight camping adventure under the auspices of the BSA. Only one leader in a Cub Scout Pack need be BALOO trained. The information flyer about BALOO Training on April 24, 2012 from 8am-4:30pm is located here. Registration information will be made available at the February Roundtable.
January 5, 2012 -- Bruce Theriault, York District Advancement Committee Chairman, announces that the District Advancement Committee will now hold its regular meetings on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7pm as before, but will now be located at the Sanford Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Westview Drive, Sanford, ME, off Route 109.
January 5, 2012 -- Information about the 2012 Klondike Derby is available. The Derby will take place at the Carroll Gravel Pits in Newfields, as was done in 2011. The fee for Scouts and adults is $6 per person. The information flyer from Klondike Pete is located here.
January 4, 2012 -- Information about the 2012 Scout Family Ski Days at local ski areas is available. Download the flyer here.
January 3, 2012 -- It is that time again for Boy Scout’s Night at the Portland Pirates! On Saturday, January 21, 2012, the Portland Pirates will be facing the St. John’s Ice Caps at 7:00PM and it is going to be another exciting Boy Scout’s Night! Tickets are the same as in past events with tickets for all Scouts and families being $10/ticket. We will also be having patches again this time for all Scouts in attendance! Download the flier with the information on how to purchase tickets. If you would like to attend this game, don't wait to reserve your tickets as this does tend to be a busy night!
December 13, 2011 -- York District Activities Chairman Rick Raynes alerts all units to begin making calendarization plans for the following District Activities:
Klondike Derby - February 4, 2012 at Carroll Pits in Newfields;
Spring Camporee - May 18-20, 2012 at Camp Nutter, Acton; and
Fall Camporee - October 19-21, 2012 in Biddeford.
December 6, 2011 -- York District Advancement Chairman Bruce Theriault urges all Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Venturing Advancement Chairs in each unit to acquire and review the 2011 National BSA Guide to Advancement. Review the complete set of advancement guidelines, suggestions and procedures and ensure that they are being followed in your unit. The 2011 Guide to Advancement is downloadable here.
September 28, 2011 -- Interested in getting the latest Scouting information in York District in your email Inbox? Sign up for the Salute-and-Shake Email Reflector! The information is located here.
August 29, 2011 -- BSA Youth Protection Training is required of all Scouting leaders every two years. Please contact your leaders that have Youth Protection Training expiring before 1/1/2012 in order to prevent unit recharting delays in December. Youth Protection Training is mandatory every 2 years for all positions, including the Chartered Organization Representative. This training is available online at http://myscouting.org, and for Cub Scout and Boy Scout leaders at the September 1 York District Roundtable. Contact District Training Chairman Jacob Moorman at jacobmoorman@gmail.com if you have questions.
August 29, 2011 -- Online popcorn sale is in full-swing, with only a few days left before the first prize giveaway. Info online at: http://pinetreebsa.org/finance/onlinepopcorn/.
June 3, 2011 -- Congratulations to the 2011 District Award of Merit recipients--Holly Knight, Jody Hart and Dan Seymour! Honored for their outstanding service to Scouting youth in York District, Pine Tree Council, the distinctive overhand knot of the District Award of Merit is the highest honor for service that can be bestowed by Scouting at the District level. Congratulations!
March 16, 2011 -- Hey gold rushers!!! The results are in. . .and boy howdy did you guys find gold!!! The assayer’s office has posted the tally with the top miners posted.
Top miners – Senior
1st Place 323 Redneck
2nd Place 308 Duct Tape
3rd Place 304 Grizzly
4th Place 320 Frozen Elite
5th Place 327 Flaming Moose
Best Sled 324 Yeti
Lightest Sled 312 Kayama
Top miners – Junior
1st Place 340 Flaming Arrow
2nd Place 313 Phoenix
3rd Place 308 Black Widow
4th Place 399 Phoenix
5th Place 313 Horror Movie
Best Sled 330 Tactical Nuke
Lightest Sled 310 Dragon
New District Executive--Andrew RuegerFebruary 3, 2011 -- Welcome to the new York District Executive Andrew Rueger! Andrew is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow and hails from Waterville, ME. He has been an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 436, a member of Venture Crew 436 and the Associate Lodge Adviser for Program in Madockawanda Lodge, Pine Tree Council. We wish Andrew the best as he serves all of the units in York District! To reach Andrew, his email address is arueger@bsamail.org and can be reached via phone at (207) 797-5252 x24.
February 3, 2011 -- The BSA Annual Health and Medical Record was released in December 2008, and its use became mandatory on January 1, 2010. The latest update to the record consolidates all records from the National Council and the three national high-adventure base forms, enabling a single medical form to be used across all BSA activities. The new form, bin No. 680-001, supersedes the previous, catalog No. 34605.
The Annual Health and Medical Record is required for participation in all Scouting events, including day and resident camps and high-adventure bases. It should be updated no less than annually. The 2011 update now lives on an interactive web page on Scouting Safely. Scouts, Scouters, parents and staff can download, fill in, and print it on standard paper, and can save an electronic copy for their personal files. The link to the entire four-part form is available here.
Links to just the sub-parts include:
Parts A and B--the health history and release statement--will be utilized the most for Cub Day Camp and Boy Scout Short-term Camping.
Part C is the physical exam (on the previous version of the form, Part B was the physical exam)--used for Long-term Resident and High Adventure camping.
Part D is a review piece for participants attending any of the national high-adventure bases.
Units should begin using this new BSA Annual Health and Medical Record immediately.
September 3, 2010 -- Cub Scout Leader Basic Training, using the new Cub Scouts 2010 delivery method, is available online via the MyScouting e-Learning portal at http://myscouting.scouting.org and qualifies as part of the Training Continuum to bring new Cub Scout Leaders to a position to deliver a great Cub Scout program for the boys. Manditory Youth Protection Training, Fast Start Training, This is Scouting Training and Cub Scout Leader-Specific Training are all online to allow new leaders to complete this training immediately upon starting down the Scouting trail with the boys. Logon to myscouting.scouting.org to take this training today!
September 28, 2011 -- David Sinclair, Pine Tree Council Advancement Committee Chairman, announced recently that Pine Tree Council is seeking nominations for the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor for service to Scouting youth that the local Council can bestow to a registered member of the BSA. Award nominations are being sought through December 31, 2011 and can be submitted in writing to the Pine Tree Council Office, 131 Johnson Road, Portland, ME 04102 via the Silver Beaver nomination form. Download a nomination form here.
March 28, 2010 -- Slides and handouts from a few of the University of Scouting presentations at Central Maine Community College in Auburn on Saturday, March 27, 2010 are available on the York District University of Scouting Page.
January 25, 2010 -- Dick Cabela, founder of Cabela's sporting goods store is an Eagle Scout. Requests can be made to the following contact information for letters of congratulations for Eagle Scouts. Greg Sirpis is the Events Coordinator at the Cabela's in Scarborough and Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge in Portland. Greg in particular is excited to help honor Eagle Scouts.
Greg Sirpis, Events Coordinator, Cabela's, Inc., 100 Cabela Blvd, Scarborough, ME, 04074-5507, greg.sirpis@cabelas.com
Mr. Dick Cabela, Chairman of the Board, Cabela's, Inc., 1 Cabela Dr., Sidney, NE, 69160-1001
January 5, 2010 -- The current Pine Tree Council Training Calendar has been put on the District Website with the latest information as to locations and dates of the upcoming training events. There is a contact coordinator for each training event if you are interested in further information. The Training Calendar is located at http://www.yorkdistrict.org/trainingschedule.php.
November 30, 2009 -- The York District Cub Scout Activities Guide has been posted on the District Website in the Program section. This guide is full of York District Cub Scout-tested program activities around the area that might be the source of your next great Pack or Den adventure. Thanks to Bruce Theriault and the District Camping Committee for their work in compiling this set of information. A quick link to download the guide (in Adobe PDF form) is here.
The 2011-2012 District Roundtable Program is off to an active start in both the Cub Scout and Boy Scouting worlds. Cub Roundtable Commissioner Jody Hart has planned an information-filled program co-mingling a traditional discussion and exercise in the following month's National theme for Cub Scouting that follows the Cub Scouts 2011-2012 program delivery method, along with training presentations on Cub Scouting-relavent topics from local Scouting leaders. In the Boy Scout Roundtable program, seasoned participants are experiencing topics that have timeless value to Scout leaders. Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner Dave Wade, in conjunction with the Roundtable Staff, have planned topics specific to each month's roundtable that can be used by the new Boy Scout Leader or the "Old Timer" alike. Roundtables are operated separately as compared to much of the combined manner of the last several years. For more details on the Roundtable Programs, see the Roundtable section of the District Website, and better yet, attend the Cub Scout or Boy Scout Roundtables, both held simultaneously at Sanford High School, Route 109, Sanford from 7pm-8:45pm on the First Thursday of each month. See the District Calendar for the 2011-2012 dates. And, see you there!
Pine Tree Council Website