OA Lodge Updates

Nearly four years ago we embarked upon a journey that would witness the birth of a new lodge for our Order serving the Scouts, units and camps of Northeast Ohio.  Today, the Erielhonan Lodge is growing and gaining steam as it determines its path and future. Like all things, it takes leadership, drive and clarity in purpose for any entity to achieve success and celebrate milestones.  We have been and continue to be blessed with some exceptional Scouters who believe deeply in the mission and purpose of the Order and have worked hard to integrate those ideals into the Lake Erie Council. Much like our council and the world around us, change is always part of progress for these concepts are forever tied together.  

Today I am pleased to announce the selection of Sean Fahnestock as the new Lodge Adviser for our lodge. Before I share more about Sean, let us pause to reflect upon the dedication and job done by current Lodge Adviser Joe Wollet. Joe has been a terrific leader, working diligently to help make Erielhonan Lodge a reality.  From guiding the youth to building a foundation for success, to his tremendous support of the program and operations at our camps, Joe has given so much of himself and coordinated the efforts of a superb group of advisers along the way.  Joe plans to remain active in the lodge and has been asked by Sean to serve as his mentor. Please join me in offering Joe our sincere thanks and deep appreciation for his commitment and devotion to brotherhood, cheerfulness and service as our Lodge Adviser.

Sean Fahnestock is well known in our lodge and to our members. Currently serving as our Membership Adviser, Sean has worked closely with Joe, his fellow associate advisers and our youth to create the success we enjoy in our lodge today.  Most recently Sean, Lodge Chief Evan Richwalsky and other brothers worked tirelessly to host a safe and productive induction weekend where more than 100 Scouts and Scouters became members of the Order, more than 50 sealed their vows, and 14 were called to the Vigil Honor.

Sean, a Vigil himself, is active in many other facets of Scouting and our council as well.  In addition to serving as a merit badge counselor and a camp host, Sean is on the committee for both the girl’s and boy’s Troops 52 in Saybrook.  Sean completed his ticket as a member of Wood Badge Class C-4-463-14.  In his professional life, Sean is in regulatory compliance at the Perry Nuclear Plant, where he has been for the last 15 years, starting in the security department. He is also a veteran of the United States Army where he served for eight years. 

Scouting is a family affair in the Fahnestock home!  He and his wife, Jacqueline, Pack 52 Committee Chair, have four children all in the program.  Lane is 14 years old and is a Life Scout. Justin is 11 years old and is a First Class Scout.  Declan is a seven-year-old Wolf and Zoey is six years old and is a Tiger.

Sean will become the new Lodge Adviser on November 1, 2020, as we induct the new lodge youth officers.

Please join me in welcoming Sean to this critical role and wishing him, our youth officers and adult advisers well as we progress into our next chapter as a strong lodge with a clear purpose!

About BSA Ads You May See or Hear

Dear Lake Erie Council Scouters, 

 I am constantly impressed by the dedication of our Scouting Movement and the way we band together as an organization in challenging circumstances. Amid these great difficulties, Scouting has continued to build character, confidence, leadership, and hope in families and communities across the country, and your efforts have helped make some incredible things possible this summer:

  • Beaumont Scout Reservation ran an incredibly successful and SAFE resident camp serving over 1,000 youth who earned more than 5,600 merit badges.  In addition to the great program and life changing experiences, our staff conducted over 41,000 temperature checks; none of which exceeded 100 degrees.

  •  At Firelands Scout Reservation, nearly 50 families enjoyed participating in our family camping adventures and 90 youth took part in the National Youth Leadership Training programming, preparing them for key roles in guiding their home units. 

  • Virtually we were very active as well!  Volunteers and staff created and executed content for the extremely popular Virtual Merit Badge University.  Over 100 badges were offered, and 1,363 total merit badges were earned.  Our Lake Erie Council Eagle Celebration went virtual on Facebook Live as well and welcomed over 2,000 viewers to celebrate our newest class of Eagle Scouts!

 Now more than ever, families are looking for what Scouting offers. When asked what they want from youth-serving organizations this fall, parents overwhelmingly said they want to give their children a sense of normalcy, as well as something to do as a group, even if socially distant, or something productive to do with peers, even if it’s online. Scouting delivers what parents are asking for. Together, we need to stand ready to bring Scouting to even more youth and families this year.

 As we promote Scouting in our community, some people may have questions about our youth protection policies and how we keep kids safe. Each question is an opportunity to shed light on the important policies and procedures we’ve put in place that make Scouting safer than ever before. 

 It is important to emphasize that the safety of children in our programs is our absolute top priority. That’s precisely why, over many years, the BSA has developed some of the strongest expert-informed youth protection policies found in any youth-serving organization. 

 If you are a volunteer, you’ve taken youth protection training, undergone a criminal background check, and play an integral role in the BSA’s commitment to keep kids safe. At Lake Erie Council, and at all councils across America, adhering to and upholding these policies is a duty we take very seriously. I encourage you to view and share this video and infographic about the BSA’s youth protection measures and resources that make Scouting safer than ever before. 

 Conversations about safety will be especially relevant over the next several weeks when those in Scouting and other members of the public will likely see and hear print, TV, social media, digital and radio advertising from national BSA’s Chapter 11 noticing campaign. Although only the national organization has filed for Chapter 11, you will likely come across these ads in the coming weeks, so I wanted to make sure you knew their purpose and had the necessary information to address questions or concerns they may raise for you or others.

 These noticing ads are different than those many people have seen so far that have been sponsored by plaintiffs’ attorneys trying to solicit clients. The BSA’s ads are instead designed and sponsored by national BSA to ensure that victims have the opportunity to come forward and apply for compensation from a proposed Trust by filing a claim by the November 16, 2020 deadline set by the court. This advertising effort underscores the BSA’s commitment to the dual objectives of its bankruptcy proceeding: equitably compensate victims of past abuse and continue the mission of Scouting.

 If you would like additional information about the BSA’s outreach to victims of past abuse, see this FAQ. For questions about local Scouting, please contact Marc Ryan, Scout Executive at marc.ryan@scouting.org.  

 

Yours in Scouting, 

 

 Marc J. Ryan

Scout Executive/CEO

2020 Fall Recruitment Training

The best things in Scouting happen at the unit level. It’s true for life-changing experiences that happen in every pack meeting, and it’s true for recruiting as well. When packs and dens get involved, more boys and girls are introduced to the adventure of Scouting than through any other recruiting campaign or method. We can’t do it without you!

Its time to think about fall recruitment! Lake Erie Council is holding virtual recruitment training sessions.

  • July 28, 2020 - 6:00 PM

  • Aug 1, 2020 - 10:00 AM

  • Aug 5, 2020 - 6:00 PM

Stay tuned for more details! Please contact your USE with questions. We look forward to helping grow your amazing programs!

Reopening Safeguards

As the summer months approach, the Scouting program is alive and well in Northeast Ohio. We have been receiving questions and requests for guidance about when our units can start meeting again. We are happy to announce that we have received guidance from the CDC as well as the State of Ohio to release guidelines for units to begin meeting and to participate in non-camping activities.   

 

Safeguards for restarting: 

1.  If the unit is not yet ready to meet, we continue to encourage virtual meetings. There are several free media platforms that accommodate virtual meetings. You must follow all youth protection policies and guidelines for online meetings including having multiple adults over the age of 21 present the entire time. If both male and female youth are on the same conferencing event, one adult of each gender must also actively participate. As a reminder, make sure youth are never being recorded or filmed.   

2.  It is important that your unit committee develops its own COVID-19 safety plan and it is shared with your Chartered Organization in order to receive further guidance and permission to begin meeting in person. Your Chartered Organization may have its own policies and requirements on meetings. At a minimum, this plan should address the guidelines listed below including but not limited to transportation, maintaining social distancing, wearing face coverings, taking attendance, and sanitization. It is important this plan is communicated to each of your Scouting families. Although not required, it may be an excellent learning opportunity for the Patrol Leaders Council, Crew Officers or Ship Officers to participate in drafting and preparing the plan.    

3.  Be sensitive to all families and consider offering a hybrid (both in-person and virtual) program opportunities to ensure all Scouts can participate. Parents should only resume Scouting when they are comfortable. Scouts must be able to continue to be members in good standing and accrue tenure by participating in-person or virtually with the unit if parents state they are not yet comfortable having their youth participate in-person. Parents are highly encouraged to ask their unit leadership questions about the unit's plan to restart in-person Scouting safely and a unit should ONLY begin meeting if social distancing can be ensured.

4.  The plan should include a COVID-19 communication strategy. It should include a plan for if a member of the unit or their family tests positive for COVID-19 or has been exposed to someone who has tested positive and also a contact tracing plan. Despite all precautionary measures, there is always a risk of exposure to communicable diseases. For guidance, please refer to  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/open-america/contact-tracing/index.html

5.  Please follow local, state, and federal guidelines as it pertains to participation in activities. There are specific guidelines that continue to be set for activities such as museum visits, national, county, municipal, and state parks, zoos, and amusement parks. These guidelines can quickly change, so always check local, state, and federal guidelines before you participate in activities.      

6.  When transporting Scouts, carpooling is not yet allowed as only families can travel together. If a unit is planning an activity outside the State of Ohio, please also be aware of certain travel restrictions other states may have including the need for self-quarantining. Learn more about travel guidelines here.

7.  While non-camping activities and meetings can resume, there is NO overnight camping allowed outside of Beaumont Scout Reservation Resident Camp or other BSA Camps authorized to be open by the rules of their State or other jurisdiction.  We will communicate with our families with procedures and guidelines once those restrictions are lifted. Unit's who choose to camp independently when it is not permitted by the State, will not be covered by liability insurance that normally covers leaders and the supplement health insurance that covers leaders and Scouts will not be in effect during those camping activities.

8.  Units may not provide homecooked meals or serve commercially purchased food. Outside of resident camp, food for activities should be purchased and prepared by the Scout's individual family.

9.  When meeting as a group please remember: 

·     To maintain social distancing and limit group sizes to 10 or fewer. As with summer camp, we encourage troops to follow the patrol method and split large groups into patrols of under ten people and maintain social distancing between patrols. Packs can split into smaller dens of 10 or under while meeting in large groups. With summer approaching, large outdoor spaces are a more ideal place to meet. Again, please make sure there are no restrictions with your desired meeting venue. 

·     To wear face coverings.  

·     To sanitize the meeting area as well as the equipment used for each activity. 

·     To keep attendance for both youth and adults in case contact tracing is needed. 

·     To adhere to Youth Protection Policies.  

·     To ensure hand sanitizer is available (either supplied by the unit or requiring each person to bring their own) with unit and youth leaders encouraging regular use.

·     To encourage everyone to wash their hands with soap and water if available for at least 20 seconds.  

 

There is also additional guidance that can be found at:

·     https://www.scouting.org/coronavirus

·     COVID-19 FAQ

 

While we know these guidelines make Scouting look a little different than normal, we must adhere to these changes for everyone's safety. We look forward to helping our units begin to meet and participate in activities again. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us should you need any help. As more updates become available, we will continue to update you accordingly.

 

Yours in Scouting, 

 

Greg Voyzey

Director of Field Services

Lake Erie Council

Don Groszek

 Council Commissioner

Lake Erie Council

News from Beaumont Scout Reservation

Summer Camp 2020 Update

We are excited to share good news today! This morning the Lake Erie Council Executive Board with the approval of the state voted to commence operations at Beaumont Scout Reservation for Scouts BSA Resident camp. This means that we will be operating summer camp this summer!

Yesterday, we were all waiting in anticipation of an announcement about resident camps during the daily press conference of Governor Dewine. Between 3:00 PM and 5:18 PM, it seemed that all hope was extinguished for offering summer camp this year. However, at 5:19 PM we received a signed order from Dr. Amy Acton with opening procedures giving resident camps permission to open immediately. Our operations plan, which was submitted to the Ashtabula County Board of Health, mimics the opening procedures provided to us by the state.

All of this being said, we are excited to get started this summer. If your troop hasn't registered for Beaumont Scout Reservation BSA Resident camp yet, you can do so by contacting Philip Williams or Noah Boksansky. There are a couple of notes below that you should keep in mind.

  1. Please make sure that you and your Scouts are checking temperatures 14-days before arrival. Attached below is the form for tracking temperatures before arrival.

  2. The program that was released last week will be closely followed, however, patrols of 8 or less must stay consistent throughout the week. Additionally, patrols camping at the campsite will need to be separated to follow the procedures outlined in the letter from the state.

  3. Troops using troop lodges will need to use room separators for separating campers. Up to 10 campers can stay in each room.

More information will be coming, but I am so excited to be able to offer Summer Camp this year! 

Tonight at 8:00 PM, the LEC team will be hosting a Facebook live on the LEC Facebook page to give further details.

Temperature Recording Form

Directors Form

Membership Fees Update

Dear Lake Erie Council Scouts and Scouters, 

As many of you have seen, the National Council has increased membership fees. Despite premature information, the National Council officially released this information today and Lake Erie Council chose to wait until the official announcement to ensure our Scouting families have the most accurate information.

To ensure the resources to fulfill the promise of Scouting are available, the updated national membership fee is:

  • $66 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts participants

  • $42 for Exploring participants

  • $30 for council-paid memberships

  • $42 for all adult volunteers (includes cost of background check)

  • $75 for a unit charter fee

The membership fees will take effect August 1, 2020, for new members in the 2020-2021 program year. For renewing members, the new fee will take effect on October 1, 2020. The updated unit charter fee will take effect August 1, 2020, for all new and rechartering units.

Starting August 1, 2020, there will also be a one-time $25 joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts; however, there is no joining fee for Exploring participants, participants previously registered in any BSA program, those transferring from one program to another, council-paid memberships, or adult volunteers.

We understand these changes may come with some potential hardship for our units and Lake Erie Council has also done everything in our power to ensure the success of our units including covering the increased membership fee in 2020. We want to emphasize that the Lake Erie Council service area volunteers and professional staff are here to help and there are several ways to counter the increased fees. 

Over the next couple of months, each of our units will be receiving help to review your unit budget and develop a fundraising plan. We, along with Trails End, are developing new resources and strategies to help our units have a successful popcorn sale in the midst of COVID-19. Additionally, units may still participate in our Scout’s Own online sales while supplies last. Our service area volunteers and professional staff will be discussing these options with you. Each unit should take advantage of the resources we will be providing as we work through this together. 

As always, know that we are here to help our Lake Erie Council Scouting family through the good times and the bad times. While 2020 has not been the year many of us had hoped for, Scouting continues to help our Northeast Ohio community. Whether it has been participating in a “social distance” service project, the Lake Erie Council Blood Drive, or placing flags on Memorial Day for our fallen heroes, Scouting continues to be a beacon of hope and helpfulness to our community in need. The value of Scouting is undeniable for those within the program and the greater public, and we are committed to continuing to offer this unmatched opportunity to young people and families nationwide. Please do not hesitate to reach out should you have any questions. 

Yours in Scouting, 

Greg Voyzey Don Groszek

Director of Field Services Council Commissioner

Lake Erie Council Lake Erie Council

Click here to view the FAQ’s

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