Adult Leader Development Conference

You’re invited to participate in the second edition of the Adult Leadership Development Conference on Saturday, November 16th from 8AM-1PM at Lorain County JVS in Oberlin. During this conference, you will receive a wealth of information that will make your life as a volunteer easier. This is a free event that is geared toward Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, and Venturing leaders. Participants will learn about Succession Planning along with up to three other helpful training sessions.

Breakout Sessions:

Each session will be well-structured and engaging, with participants receiving relevant materials that can be immediately utilized to improve unit health. Each session will provide leaders with a call-to-action and timeline for success.

• Scoutbook: Getting Started

• Scoutbook: What can it do?

• Better Budgets Create a Better Program

• Calendar Planning and Your Unit’s Ideal Year of Scouting

• 365 Days of Recruiting New Scouts

• Making Outdoor Adventures a Breeze

• Lions, Tigers, and Wolves… OH MY!

• Bear, Webelos, AOL’s: Knives, Fires, and Sharp Things

• Is the End of the Program Really the End? What’s Next?

• It’s All About the Journey

Registration is LIVE Now

In addition to the Merit Badge University coinciding with the conference, there will also be activities for younger Scouts. We will also have information available about upcoming events.

Background Check Authorization

Providing a safe and secure environment for our youth members is the greatest priority of the Lake Erie Council. We work every day to protect our children through our Youth Protection policies including mandatory youth protection training for all registered leaders, leadership selection policies and mandatory criminal background checks for new leaders.

As Scouting and the Lake Erie Council look to strengthen our youth protection policies, we have instituted a periodic criminal background recheck of existing leaders. In order to do this, a new signed Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization form must be collected for every registered adult leader this year prior to your unit’s charter renewal. Detailed instructions are below.

Thank you for all you do in Scouting and for your commitment to ensure that we provide the safest environment for the 15,000 Scouts and families we serve.

The steps below must be completed before your 2020 annual registration can be processed.

Please complete the process at your earliest availability to help us continue to provide the safest environment possible for our Scouts and leaders. Please note that these steps must be completed prior to your units annual registration can be processed.

Step 1: Review the separate disclosure document linked below that is being provided to you separately for your review. It is titled “Background Check Disclosure.”

Step 2: Once you have reviewed the documents, print the document titled “Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization.” Fill in and sign the Authorization form. Note: A hand written signature is required for this document. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.

Step 3: Turn in the signed “Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization” form promptly to your unit leader by November 15.

If you choose to decline the background check, or if you do not complete the Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization form and return it to your unit leader, your 2020 annual registration will not be processed.

Membership Fee Increase

Dear LEC Scouters,

I want to make you aware that late yesterday we were informed that the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, is considering a fee increase for 2020. While the fee increase would be effective beginning this recharter process, unfortunately, the amount of any increase will not be known until approximately November 1, 2019.

We recognize the timing on this likely fee increase creates challenges as units have already begun communicating and collecting fees for their 2020 registration renewal process. As soon as we know more, we will share it.

As the father of three Scouts, an active parent in all of their units and a registered leader myself, I appreciate concerns and ask for your patience while we work through this together.

Finally, please be assured that finances will never be a barrier to membership for our families. Our council is proud to provide registration assistance to those in need. Information will be shared in follow up communication.

Thank you again for your commitment to delivering the life-changing programs of Scouting to the youth and families we serve and those who will soon join our ranks!

Yours in Scouting
Marc Ryan

BSA Insurance

The safety of our youth, volunteers, staff, and employees is the most important part of the Scouting experience and continues to be our number one priority. For the past several years, insurance costs have been subsidized in the general operating budget at one dollar ($1) per registered member and leader (approximately $14,000) versus annual insurance costs in excess of $150,000 dollars. Just as you may have experienced with your own health, auto and property insurance, our insurance costs continue to rise.

Lake Erie Council continues to seek and bid for the best insurance rates; however, Scouting has seen increased costs to protect our most valuable assets, our Scouts! Because of this, the Lake Erie Council can no longer continue to subsidize these costs and remain fiscally strong and relevant. In the 2019-2020 chartering cycle, insurance premiums will be one dollar ($1) per month per registered Scouter to equal an annual fee of $12.

Cub Scout Fall Events

Cub Scouts! Kick-off your fall Scouting season right with an overnighter at Firelands Scout Reservation! Cub Scouts can attend camp with their parents and siblings, or with their Pack! Bring your tent–we're sleeping under the stars!

Webelos! Are you looking for an exciting weekend out at camp? Join the Lake Erie Council for Webelos Woods! Your Scouts can attend this event on November 2-3, 2019 at Firelands Scout Reservation.

Visit our Council calendar for more information!

2019 Great Scout Luncheon

The 2019 Great Scout Luncheon is a unique opportunity to share and celebrate the Scouting story with business leaders, alumni and friends. This is also a special occasion to honor an individual in our Scouting community for being an example to others. The goal is to raise over $400,000 from the local community to continue our efforts in forming the next generation of community leaders.

Ken Schmidt is one of the business world’s most outspoken and provocative thought leaders on topics such as competitiveness, marketplace advocacy and loyalty. His philosophy on driving business growth -- by leveraging basic drivers of human behavior -- will change the way you see the world. It might even make you want to buy a motorcycle.

Ken’s best known for his work with Harley-Davidson, the legendary American motorcycle manufacturer. As its former director of communications, he shaped the company’s competitive positioning and served as its primary spokesperson to the media and financial communities in the 1980s through the mid ‘90s. His success in helping rebuild the company’s brand played a vital role in its against-all-odds turnaround from the brink of ruin to global dominance.

Since that time, he’s been a highly demanded consultant who works with leaders of many of the world’s best-known businesses -- as well as smaller businesses looking to improve their competitiveness. 

In late 2018, he released a best-selling book called, “Make Some Noise, The Unconventional Road to Dominance,” which businesses of any size can harness to become market dominators. He also co-wrote a book, “100 Years of Harley-Davidson,” which is the best-selling motorsports book of all time. He has appeared on network television numerous times and has spoken to more than one thousand audiences around the world. Ken is an strong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. He is a Life Scout and former assistant Scoutmaster.

Contact Pete Biltz (Pete.Biltz@scouting.org) at 216-458-8934 or Jason Setser (Jason.Setser@scouting.org) at 216-458-8923 with questions.

Scouts BSA Fall Camporees

Join us for the Top Shot Camporee to see if you have the best shot for the Weekend of September 13-15, 2019 at Beaumont Scout Reservation. Scouts can come out and enjoy everything shooting sports. Plus the zip line will be open!

If that doesn’t fit your schedule, join the Lake Erie Council to celebrate Camp Stigwandish for its 90th Camping Season. Join us September 20-22, 2019 for our Fall Camporee. Events include canoe races, fishing, shooting sports, metalworking and more. Reserve your campsite now by contacting Anthony at the email below.

And wait we still have one more fall camporee for our Scout to attend this fall and that’s the Firelands 24! Join us October 4-6, 2019 out at Firelands Scout Reservation for 24 hours straight of program.

Visit our calendar to sign up!

Council Impact Meeting

Join the Lake Erie Council and continue the conversation for our next council impact meeting: All are invited on August 24, 2019 to Harding Middle School in Lakewood (16601 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107). The meeting will take place from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. Register today and we hope to see you there.

These meetings include a continental breakfast — pastries, danishes, donuts, fruit, coffee, water and juice.

Cub Haunted 2019

There's nothing more beautiful then camping in the fall, and nothing more fun and spooktastic than Lake Erie Council’s Cub Haunted.  Enjoy a haunted fort, haunted hayride, cider making, pumpkin carving, and much more. Come for just the day or camp all weekend! Cub Haunted is open to both individual families and Cub Packs.

Multiple weekends are available in October including 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27. Food will be provided, and each youth will receive a t-shirt and patch. Both troop lodges and tent sites are available for more information or to register, click here.

Community Service Opportunity

The Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Ohio Chapter is in need of  50-75 volunteers to help direct the walkers on September 7th during their Cleveland 'Walk to End Lupus Now'. The time would be from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. located in the Flats of downtown Cleveland. Scouts/volunteers would help hold signs directing walkers along the route.

Please contact Victoria Hornikel, at  440-717-0183 if you are interested in volunteering.