LEC 3-Minute Update - February 15, 2024

Mornin’, all! Jake Brown here, and this week’s update will be three minutes! In this week’s three minute update, we have updates in: Registration, Training, Special Events, and Camping, the cool new unit bulletin board, and the Upcoming Youth Resilience Summit. 

The Youth Resilience Summit is upcoming on April 19th. The purpose of this event is to create and sustain safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children and families, and aims to reduce adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). It will provide resources and community support to help young people overcome ACEs. The summit will have presentations from top experts in fields like suicide prevention, mental health, special needs strategies, working collaboratively with law enforcement, online safety, bullying, financial literacy, and workforce development. It will also include breakfast and lunch all at NO CHARGE due to the generosity of donors and the community! Please help us by sharing this with your fellow scouters, parents in your circle, family, your colleagues, and associates. Register now. 

The Unit Bulletin Board is a new item, intended for units to share potential upcoming unit events or news with other units. This bulletin board is all about things happening in your unit, meant for activities or updates that originate in your unit. To post something on the unit bulletin board, simply go to the weblink and add it in! Make sure to check out the bulletin board to find more ways to collaborate with neighboring units! 

Note the adult application process will change to require the results of the Criminal Background Check to be received BEFORE a new adult volunteer can assume a leadership role, starting on March 4th. That means once the COR signs the app, it is paid for, and is received by the Unit Service Center OR online app portal, the person is then put into a pending status. Upcoming leaders MUST NOT assume a leadership role until AFTER the background check process is complete. The upcoming leader and unit key 3 will receive email updates about the status of new leaders. This adds time to the leader approval process, and unit leaders MUST allow 2-3 weeks for processing of new applications before they can assume leadership roles. If you have any questions, email Member Care. 

Also, effective on April 1st: Membership fees are changing. Annual registration fees for youth and adults are increasing $5. No other increases come with this change. The New Member Fee is also being eliminated! Woo-hoo! For questions, please contact Member Care. 

Next in training, there is still time to register for the University of Scouting, but classes are filling fast! Make sure you register now to be able to select the classes you want to attend! Note that there are over 50 classes to choose from during the day, including leadership succession planning, how to handle incident reports, backpacking skills, outdoor cooking demonstrations, cub leader specific training, den leader training, and much, much more! Your attendance will absolutely make you a better Scouter. Send questions to Dave Sechnick.

There will be a Rangemaster training on February 24th at Firelands. EDGE training, for Wood Badge staff and all future trainers of Council, is also upcoming in March and April. BALOO, Scoutmaster Basic, and Wilderness First Aid Trainings are open upcoming in April, and the Wood Badge and NYLT course registrations are open now! 

And speaking of Wood Badge and NYLT, their annual scholarship fundraiser breakfast will be held on March 9th at Lakewood High School. Send questions to Linda Gray. The Class of 2023 Eagle Scout Celebration will be on February 24th, and the annual Celebration of Scouting will be held on March 2nd. 

Now in camping, The next merit badge university is in March at Beaumont. Sap Camp is March 2nd.  Cub Scouts should attend Winter Mud Day at Firelands on March 9th! On March 17th, Scouts can join in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Cleveland, and you can email Julia Hearne for more information. Metalworking Merit Badge is upcoming on April 6th, there’s a Beaumont Spring Camporee the last weekend of April, as well as a service and camping opportunity on Kelley’s Island! 

And that’s a wrap for this week’s three minute update! Thanks for all you do and thanks for being you! We’ll see you next week! 

LEC 3-Minute Update - February 8, 2024

Mornin’, all! I’m coming to you from Sardis City, Alabama, where the news is good: the Alabama possum, better known as Sand Mountain Sam, agrees with his Yankee cousin to the North, Punxsutawney Phil: spring is just around the corner! In fact, Americans across the country turn to 78 large rodents to help predict the turning of winter into Spring. And hey, why not? How could Buckeye Chuck here in Ohio, Concord Charlie in West Virginia, Gertie the Groundhog in Illinois, and all the rest of these little critters’ shadows be any less accurate than most weather reports?

Okay, in this week’s three-minute update, we have updates in: Registration, Training, Special Events, and Camping.

First, effective March 4th, the adult application process will change to require the results of the Criminal Background Check to be received BEFORE a new adult volunteer can assume a leadership role. What does this mean? It means:

Once an adult application is processed (online or paper) the person is put in “pending” status

The adult leader will get an email notice informing them their registration is being processed and they are NOT TO ASSUME ANY LEADERSHIP ROLE UNTIL THE COMPLETION OF THE CBC PROCESS. The unit key 3 will also get an email.

If the applicant is declined or approved with restrictions, the applicant and unit key 3 are notified by phone and mail.

If the CBC comes back with no items to review, the system will finish registering the person and send an email to the person and unit key 3 that they can now be an active leader.

The turn-around time for criminal background checks (CBC) can be a few days to a few weeks, depending on several factors. The unit should allow at least 2 to 3 weeks for processing from when the application is received and paid. 

If you have any questions about this change, please contact Member Care.

Second, effective on April 1st: Membership fees are changing. Good news: the one-time new member fee for new youth members is going away! Scout Life fees, Exploring fees, the annual charter fee, merit badge counselor fees and local insurance fees are also not changing. Annual registration fees for youth and adults are increasing $5. For questions, please contact Member Care.

Next, in training, note that the LEC is hosting a University of Scouting on Saturday, March 16th. Send questions or inquiries to Dave Sechnick. There will be a Rangemaster training on February 24th at Firelands. BALOO, Scoutmaster Basic, and Wilderness First Aid Trainings are open upcoming in April, and the Wood Badge and NYLT course registrations are open now!

And speaking of Wood Badge and NYLT, their annual scholarship fundraiser breakfast will be held on March 9th at Lakewood High School. Send questions to Linda Gray; the Early Bird closes this Sunday, February 4th.

In other special event news, The Class of 2023 Eagle Scout Celebration will be on February 24th, and the annual Celebration of Scouting will be held on March 2nd.

And speaking of the Celebration, I have some great news to share! The 2023 Silver Beaver Award  recipients are: Erin Bringman, Genny Espinoza, Rob Burnham, Sal Kitko, and Krista Kanuch. Please join me in extending some well-deserved congratulations to these Scouters!

Now in camping, note the Firelands Trading Post will be open from 8:00am-4:00 p.m. and from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Saturday in conjunction with the Kodiak Klondike. And there’s still time to sign up for the, and the rescheduled Beaumont Klondike! The next merit badge university is in March at Beaumont. Sap Camp is March 2nd.  Cub Scouts should attend Winter Mud Day at Firelands on March 9th! On March 17th, Scouts can join in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Cleveland, and you can email Julia Hearne for more information. Metalworking Merit Badge is upcoming on April 6th, there’s a Beaumont Spring Camporee the last weekend of April, as well as a service and camping opportunity on Kelley’s Island! And with regard to the upcoming solar Eclipse on April 8th, come on out to Firelands to enjoy it with your Scouting family! Send Anthony or Jess your questions.

Finally, the Diocese of Cleveland Catholic Committee on Scouting is hosting a retreat on April 24th at St. Albert the Great Parish in North Royalton. Attendees will spend a day in prayer identifying their God-given gifts and talents, and discerning how best to use them within their Scouting roles. To register or to ask questions, contact the Committee.

And that’s a wrap for this week’s three minute update! Thanks for all you do and thanks for being you! We’ll see you next week!

LEC 3-Minute Update - February 1, 2024

Mornin’, all! I’m Jake Brown, and this next Firelands Klondike is going to be a real bear! That’s right, the Kodiak Klondike is the weekend after next, and who knows: maybe there will be a real-life bear up there! I heard through the grapevine that there were some at one of the last Klondikes, so hey: one can only hope, right? I love seeing bears! 

Okay, in this week’s three minute update, we have updates in the worlds of: Training, Special Events, and Camping, and Scholarships! 

First, in training, note that the LEC is hosting a University of Scouting on Saturday, March 16th. Registration is live with the event and course descriptions, and you can send questions or inquiries to Dave Sechnick. Its important to note that there will be a Rangemaster training on February 24th at Firelands, BALOO, Scoutmaster Basic, and Wilderness First Aid Trainings are open upcoming in April, and the Wood Badge and NYLT course registrations are open now! 

And speaking of Wood Badge and NYLT, their annual scholarship fundraiser breakfast will be held on March 9th at Lakewood High School. Come support future participants to Wood Badge and NYLT by attending the fundraiser breakfast, and bid on some great live auction items while there! Send questions to Linda Gray; the Early Bird closes this Sunday, February 4th. 

In other special event news, The Class of 2023 Eagle Scout Celebration will be on February 24th, and the annual Celebration of Scouting will be held on March 2nd. 

And speaking of the Celebration, I have some great news to share! The 2023 Distinguished Award of Merit recipients are: Jason Fredeen, Dan Fyfe, Clay Mastorovich, Joy Rowland, Molly Urban, Greg White, John Poggemeyer, Nicholas Riegelmayer, and Mary Wheatley who is better known to friends and family as “Muffy.” Please join me in extending some well-deserved congratulations to these Scouters! 

Now in camping, Klondikes are almost over, but there’s still time to Sign up for the, and the rescheduled Beaumont Klondike! Troop members can earn the Snow Sports Merit Badge at Kent State on February 18th. The next merit badge university is in March at Beaumont. Sap Camp is March 2nd.  Cub Scouts should attend Winter Mud Day at Firelands on March 9th! On March 17th, Scouts can join in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Cleveland, and you can email Julia Hearne for more information. Metalworking Merit Badge is upcoming on April 6th, there’s a Beaumont Spring Camporee the last weekend of April, as well as a service and camping opportunity on Kelley’s Island! 

Also, here’s some more BIG news: You only have to travel to Firelands Scout Reservation to witness the upcoming solar Eclipse on April 8th, and have a fun weekend of Scouting leading up to it! It’s big news because the next time it’ll happen in Northeast Ohio is in 2444. Send Anthony or Jess your questions. 

And that’s a wrap for this week’s three minute update! Thanks for all you do and thanks for being you! We’ll see you next week! Oh look, a pic-in-ic basket! Don’t mind if I do! 

LEC 3-Minute Update - January 25, 2024

Mornin’, all! I’m Jake Brown, and I’m going to the moon! Good news for me, I’ve got a much trustier steed to get there than the Peregrine lander! Golly gee, I can see my house from up here! 

Okay, in this week’s three minute update, we have updates in the worlds of: Training, Special Events, and Camping, and Scholarships! 

First, in training, note that the LEC is hosting a University of Scouting on Saturday, March 16th. Registration is live with the event and course descriptions, and you can send questions or inquiries to Dave Sechnick. Its important to note that there will be a Rangemaster training on February 24th at Firelands, BALOO, Scoutmaster Basic, and Wilderness First Aid Trainings are open upcoming in April, and the Wood Badge and NYLT course registrations are open now! 

And speaking of Wood Badge and NYLT, their annual scholarship fundraiser breakfast will be held on March 9th at Lakewood High School. Come support future participants to Wood Badge and NYLT by attending the fundraiser breakfast, and bid on some great live auction items while there! Send questions to Linda Gray; the Early Bird closes on February 4th. 

In other special event news, The Class of 2023 Eagle Scout Celebration will be on February 24th, and the annual Celebration of Scouting will be held on March 2nd. 

In fact, I have some great news to share! The 2023 Unit Scouter Award Recipients are known, and here are the recipients: Brian Klett, Jeff Pershing, Jennifer Miller, Kim McCraine, Laura Eizember, Maureen Hirt, Melissa Naymik, and Steven Lynch. Congratulations and a job well done, Scouters! Thanks for all you give this movement! 

Now in camping, Klondikes are almost over, but there’s still time to Sign up for the Firelands Klondike, and the rescheduled Beaumont Klondike! Troop members can earn the Snow Sports Merit Badge at Kent State on February 18th. The next merit badge university is in March at Beaumont. Sap Camp is March 2nd.  Cub Scouts should attend Winter Mud Day at Firelands on March 9th! On March 17th, Scouts can join in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Cleveland, and you can email Julia Hearne for more information. 

Also, here’s some more BIG news: this here moon I’m headed to is going to totally eclipse the sun on Monday, April 8th around 3:15 in the afternoon. You only have to travel to Firelands Scout Reservation to be witness it first-hand, and enjoy some Scouting activities on the weekend leading up to it! It’s big news because the next time it’ll happen in Northeast Ohio is 420 years from now. Hopefully I’ll be retired from broadcasting the three minute update by then! Register now and send Anthony or Jess your questions. 

The deadline for the Class of 2023’s Eagle Scout scholarship applications is almost here, on January 31st. Any Eagle Scout from the class of 2023 is eligible to submit an application, regardless of their age. Forms should be mailed to the Council office or emailed to Heather McMillan no later than January 31st. Send Heather your questions about this process. 

And that’s a wrap for this week’s three minute update! Thanks for all you do and thanks for being you! We’ll see you next week, take care! Now, where’s the next seven-eleven? I could really use a slushie for the rest of this ride. 

LEC 3 Minute Update - May 11, 2023

Mornin’, all! And thanks for tuning in to this week’s three-minute update. I’m Jake Brown, and I’m coming to you today from the beautiful shores of Lake Erie. Special Thanks to all who participated in Trash the Trash last weekend, and helped make these shores cleaner and better for us all! If you haven’t sent in your total trash collected yet, please email Michelle.

Additionally, we still help at the Cleveland Marathon. Please contact Tyler Matthews directly to learn more. This is the last week to sign up to give service, so do it!

The organization Trials for Hope is in great need of assistance for sorting and labeling items (such as food, clothing, and toiletries) that come in as donations. Saturdays are the preferred days for this. Sorting happens at 4321 Bridge Avenue, Cleveland.

Canned food donations are also appreciated. Canned items need to have pop tops to open as they go to the homeless, who might not have the means to open cans.

If you’d like to help or have any questions, please reach out to Teresa Sabol.

You can still sign up for the Beaumont session of EDGE training this Saturday, where adult leaders can learn best practices for how to deliver trainings, inside and outside of Scouting! Come, join us, and learn new skills!

ILST and NYLT registrations are still open! Dave Sechnick and Jen Folkman can your questions about the courses. In addition, if your NYLT participants aren’t able to attend the May ILST session, but you want some helpful resources in providing the course at the unit level, also email Dave!

LEC is offering EDGE training, mobile rock wall training, and Archery Level 1 Training (Archery for Scouts BSA members) over the next few weeks. Check out the Council calendar, and register now!

In addition, note that the Council is also hosting its first-ever Council-Registered Unit Representative Training on Saturday, June 3rd. We’re encouraging Key 3 leaders from council-registered units to attend, in addition to those who are curious to learn more about how volunteers and professionals jointly administer chartering a unit through the LEC. If you have any questions about this course, contact me!

The Membership and Product Sales trainings this July will be a huge asset for all Packs, Troops, and Crews. Veterans with years of experience and novices with no idea how to organize a fundraiser will both get new information helpful to your unit’s cause. Join us in person or virtually from any session! Register now!

Cub Scouts: register now for the Swings’n’Things Overnighter, along with the LEC Pinewood Derby Grand Championship, S’More Cub Adventures, and a Crushers’ Campout to fill your calendars with! Sign up for these and easily put the outing in Scouting now for your Cubs!

LEC 3 Minute Update - June 30, 2022

Mornin’, all! And thanks for tuning in to this week’s three minute update. I’m Jake Brown, and this week’s update comes to you from Lakewood, Ohio! Here’s home to multiple Scouting units, along with Lakewood Park, the Beck Center of the Arts, and the Lakewood Civic Auditorium, among other cool spots worth seeing!

And in this week’s update we have: non-unit Scouter registration, national fee increases, Scouting for Food, the National Catholic Committee on Scouting annual training conference, BALOO and SM Basic Trainings, and this week’s fun fact.

First, any Scouter who’s primary registration is not at the unit level, such as Commissioners, must renew their registration by July 31st. Everyone who is registered at the non-unit level must renew their registrations by completing this registration link. If your non-unit registration is your primary registration, you can either mail payment to the Unit Service Center, or you can pay electronically by following this link. Please email sfgarner@gmail.com or David.madigan@scouting.org any questions.

The National Committee on Catholic Scouting is hosting its annual training conference at Philmont from July 17ththru 23rd. Participants will learn the best methods to deliver Scouting through the lens of the catechism, among learning other intersectionalities between Catholicism and Scouting. For questions or to register, please email NCCS@scouting.org.

Shoutout to Troop 41 and Packs 3236, 555, and 455 for being the first to register for this year’s Scouting for Food drive. If your unit would like to register, please do so at this link. If you think you’ve already registered and didn’t hear your unit number, email Michelle.Cali@scouting.org.

Cub Leaders: if you need Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (otherwise known as BALOO training), please register now at this link. The next course is August 26-28 at Beaumont. Send rebbecca.setty@gmail.com your questions.

Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters: if you need Scoutmaster Basic Training, please register for the next course at this link. It is September 9-11, and will be at Beaumont as well. Send phobsa@att.net your questions.

If you are interested in taking Rangemaster Training, please email Julia.Hearne@scouting.org . The next offering is scheduled for October, so if you’re aiming to take it sooner, please reach out.

Lastly, here’s this week’s fun fact: what’s the cost of a new chimney these days? Tough sayin’, but at minimum it’s through the roof!

Haha! Oh, what a knee-smacker!

Hey, and speaking of things being expensive, I’m about to share what I know is your favorite news of the week: National BSA is raising registration fees again. Let’s break this down. Explorers, Sea Scouts, and all adults: your fees remain the same.

Brand new youth members: the New Member fee remains the same.

Youth Members: your fee increases $3, from $72 to $75 for the year.

Scout Life subscriptions: these also increased $3, from $12 to $15.

Charter Fees: The one-time annual charter processing fee raised from $75 to $100.

All of these increases take effect on August 1st. If you would like an updated cost sheet matrix or need any clarifications, please email lecmembercare@scouting.org.

If you’d like to reminisce about the good old days when Scout Life magazine was $5, and the registration fee was $12, and gas was 50 cents a gallon and the Cuyahoga caught fire and the school was uphill both ways Nixon to had to resign: we encourage you to do that on your front porch with friends and a pitcher of iced tea in this beautiful summer sun.

Now, please note that if you have any new Scouts to add to your unit’s roster, it will most definitely be cheaper to do that in July than it will be in August. So send in those apps now! And do remember to update your unit’s budget with these latest fees so you’re prepared come recharter, when most of us will see them take effect.

And folks: that’s a wrap for this week’s 3 minute update. Our office and Scout shops will be closed Monday in observance of July 4th, as we hope yours is as well. We hope your weekend is long, fun, and safe for all. Thanks for all you do and thanks for being you!

LEC 3 Minute Update - June 17, 2022

Mornin’, all! And thanks for tuning in to this week’s three-minute update. I’m Jake Brown, and this one’s coming to you from Lorain, Ohio! Lorain is a cool spot: it’s home to the 3 star restaurant, the Black River Landing, and the annual International Festival, among other things! Lorain is also the International City and prides itself on its diversity. If you’re driving along 2 or 6, you should definitely plan to stop by!

Ok, today in the update we have: Scout Shop Updates, Wood Badge, the Celebration of Scouting, Popcorn and Recruitment Fall Kickoffs, Syrup updates, Summer Scholar program, S’more Cub Adventures, and Cub Haunted.

But first, a friendly reminder that we are still accepting donations of medical kits to be shipped to Ukraine because, unfortunately, the war still goes on there. Please email me to receive instructions for how to make them, and any other questions you may have.

Registration for the Celebration of Scouting closes this Sunday, so make sure you register now to save your seat! Send any questions to Paula.Swiner@scouting.org: she is back from Alaska now!

Wood Badge registration is still open, and there are still a few slots available: please register now at this link and let joelbussman@gmail.com know if you have any questions.

The Cleveland Scout Shop will be closed this coming Monday in observance of Juneteenth. Make sure to stop by Saturday from 10-2 if your plan was to come over on Monday.

We have big news in the world of Scout’s Own Syrup: we officially have MORE syrup! Woohoo! If your unit would like to sell Scout’s Own syrup effective immediately, get in touch with Heather.McMillan@scouting.org to get some!

And speaking of syrup, did you know it’ll be part of this fall’s popcorn sale as well? And that both the syrup and popcorn can be sold through the Trails’ End app, starting this fall? We have lots of good updates to share with you at out fall kickoffs, where we will discuss the fall product sale in addition to sharing our best recruitment practices. We will have some resources for you as well, so make sure you register at this link to visit with us and get the real scoop on recruitment, popcorn, and syrup first-hand! You should also register your unit to sell popcorn with Trail’s End as soon as you can: sign up at this link to register for the sale.

It's also not too late to sign up for S’More Cub Adventures! Do so at this link now, and have lots of fun in the sun as a Cub Scouting family at Firelands. Send jlweaver1998@gmail.com your questions.

Speaking of Cub Scouts, it’s time to mark your calendars, folks: Cub Haunted is officially the 2nd and 3rd weekends of October for 2022. AND there will also be a Cub Haunted session open to the general public on the 3rd weekend of October! Registration is live, you can register here. Send grace.prorok@scouting.org your questions.

Lastly, on November 12th, there will be a training event for adult Scouters to learn a thing or two about a thing or two. G.A.M.E.S. Training is all about having fun and building upon skills. GAMES is an acronym, by the way, that stands for getting adults more expertise in Scouting. Registration is going to be live soon, so please check out the Council calendar for details.

And that’s a wrap for this week everyone! I hope you’re staying safe and cool, and we’ll see you next week, especially if you’ll be out at Beaumont’s week 1 or the first weekend of S’More Cub Adventures!

Thanks for all you do, and thanks for being you!

Eagle Scout Represents LEC at Ohio Statehouse

Eagle Scout Samuel Al-Hawaz from Troop 293 (St. Mark’s - Cleveland) represented Lake Erie Council at the Ohio Statehouse April 6th along with six other Eagle Scouts from Ohio for the traditional Report to State!

They met with Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Speaker of the House Robert Cupp. Sam had the opportunity to tell all three about his Eagle project, which consisted of the beautification of God’s Acre Cemetery, and what Scouting means to him. The Scouts, along with their families, had the opportunity to tour the capitol building and even observe an Ohio House Session.