News - October 2008
RYUKYU RENDEZVOUS
This year’s “Rendezvous” is scheduled for October 10-12th at Tamagusuku Youth Hostel in Naha. This program is for Boy Scouts and Webelos. Pre-registration is required by October 2nd. Get in on the fun, sign-up today!
FAMILY CAMP
Get ready…our next Family Camp is scheduled for November 7-9th at Torii Beach. Sonnie Kay will be this year’s chairperson! This is a great event to bring the new Cub Scouts that join your unit this Fall.
SCOUT ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN’S FALL CAMPOREE
Boy Scout Troops…you’re invited! November 28th – 30th, 2008 at Ishikawa Youth Nature Center. This is during the Thanksgiving Holiday but if you’re around, you can attend. Contact Ken Nakai for more information.
ROUNDTABLES
Please take advantage of our monthly Roundtables held on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Information, materials, and fellowship are freely shared. If you would like to be a part of the Roundtable Staff, please contact Kevin Burg, our District Commissioner.
LEADER TRAINING
Leader Basic Training will be held on Thursdays, October 2nd & 16th at the Scout Hut. Call Barbara Johnson at the Scout Hut 645-9236 to make a reservation .If you are a new or untrained leader, please plan to attend as it will make your job easier and give the boys a better program.
EVERY YOUTH MEMBER DESERVES A TRAINED LEADER!
MARINE CORPS THRIFT SHOP
Did you know…the Marine Corps Thrift Shop is the single largest contributor to Scouting on Okinawa! Please consider a service project in your unit to help at the Thrift Shop, they can always use a hand. Contact the store at 645-6025 to schedule a time to work.
Come to the Spooktacular at the Thrift Shop! Saturday, October 25th from 6:00 pm to 7:00 p.m. Lots of fun and prizes for the best costumes. Don’t miss it!
CENTENNIAL QUALITY UNITS 2008
Are you a Quality Unit? Be sure to chart your progress towards this year’s award. If you need help, contact your Unit Commissioner or call the Scout Service Center at 645-9236. Let’s provide a quality program to all of our youth!
WOOD BADGE 2008
The Far East Council is hosting a Wood Badge Course at Tama Hills this Fall! Course dates are November 3-8, 2008. The cost of the course is $250.00 and must be paid in full by October 15th. The council will help fund your transportation to the course if you sign-up (completed application and fee paid) A $300.00 travel subsidy will be available for the first 5 individuals that register. Be sure to sign-up early!
Get the best advanced leader training available.
CHARTER RENEWAL
December is charter renewal month for most of our units. Please get ready to get your charter paperwork completed in a timely manner. Packets will be available this month and need to be submitted to the Scout Office by December 15th so that Barbara has time to submit them before the end of the year.
Your charter is your license to operate your Scouting unit.
FRIENDS OF SCOUTING
Our 2008 campaign is up and running! To date we have collected $ 17,755.00, about 71% of our goal for this year.
Congratulations to our Blue Chip and Presidential Units!
Blue Chip
Packs: 101,102,104, 109,110
Troops:
Presidential
Packs:
Troops: 101,102, 109, 110
IF YOU HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED, PLEASE DO SO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE…WE NEED EVERYONE’S SUPPORT TO KEEP SCOUTING STRONG!
JAMES E.WEST AWARD
The James E. West Award is presented to individuals who donate $1,000.00 to the council endowment fund. Endowment money stays with the council. Only the interest generated by the endowment fund is used to help financially support the council. We currently have about $200,000.00 in this fund. Each year we strive to get 12 new James E. West Fellows. If you are interested in becoming a James E. West Fellow, please contact Jennifer Smith, our District Finance Chairman.
A big “THANK YOU” to our James E. West donors so far for 2008!
BOY SCOUT SUMMER CAMP 2009
Our next Boy Scout summer camp will be held at Torii Station during the Spring Break week. Camp will start on Sunday, April 5th and end on Saturday, April 11th. Be sure to mark your calendar! Information and sign-up materials will be available at the January Roundtable. We will have the traditional summer camp programs as well as a few new ones. We’ll keep you posted as information becomes available. DON’T MISS IT!
DISTRICT EXECUTIVE’S CORNER
Our new program year is off to a great start. I just completed my fall visit to our off-island units in Thailand and Taiwan. Our Packs and Troops there have had great recruitment programs and have gotten their new leaders trained and ready to provide a good program to their boys. We also got a new Scouting Program started at the International Community School in Bangkok and should have all the paperwork completed soon.
Our Okinawa units are completing their recruitment efforts and we should have everyone on board soon. Be sure to get all of your new members registered as soon as possible as we will be printing out the charter renewal packets and it will make your job easier if everyone is registered.
Thanks for all you do for the youth in our communities!
PHILMONT TREK 2009
The Far East Council has 2 treks to Philmont Scout Ranch this Summer. Trek dates are July 13-25. Cost to attend is $495.00 and does not include airfare. There are still two youth spots open. If interested, contact the Okinawa Trek Leader Peter Ramey. $322.50 is due now and balance of fee is due on February 1st.