Upcoming Events

Camp Card Sale

Now through July 3

Earn your way to camp with Camp Cards! Camp Cards are cards that offer valuable discounts to local retailers. Some of the discounts are single-use, while many can be used throughout the year. Scouts sell the cards to family, friends, neighbors, and community members. Units earn a 50% sales commission, which they can use to pay for camping adventures.

The Camp Cards have great discounts from The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium, iFly Virginia Beach, Harris Teeter, Tractor Supply Co., and more! See the full list of vendors here.

Contact your district executive to sign up for the sale.

Popcorn Kernel Meet & Greet

July 17

Popcorn Kernels, drop by the Mary Jayne Breeden Council Service Center on Saturday, July 17 between 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM to meet your District Popcorn Kernels and pick up your sales flyers, sample box, and promotional items.

Cub Scout and Webelos Family Resident Camp

July 29 - August 1

Pipsico Scout Reservation is the ultimate in outdoor Scout camping in Tidewater Council. Cub Scout and Webelos Family Resident Camp is a great way to enjoy a safe haven for each Scout amid a beautiful wilderness camp, while learning about the out-of-doors. These fun-filled days spent in camp will make memories that will last a lifetime.

All Cub Scouts, leaders, den chiefs, parents, and siblings are encouraged to participate during their stay at Pipsico. As you travel through the day’s activities, everyone will have the opportunity to participate in hiking, games, and swimming. Plus there will be some activities just for our Cub Scout-aged participants, such as crafts and shooting sports. Pirates of Pipsico, set out for the adventure of a lifetime at Cub Scout and Webelos Family Resident Camp!

District Relaunches and Roundtables

August 10-12

Join your district for its Roundtable this August for a special relaunch gathering. We’ll provide units with tips and tools for recruitment, so we can help the youth in our community Escape the Great Indoors. Refreshments will be served.

Albemarle District: Wednesday, August 11 at 7 PM at Holy Family Catholic Church, 1453 N. Road Street, Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Bayside District: Tuesday, August 10 at 7:15 PM at Haygood United Methodist Church, 4713 Haygood Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23455. Use the doors on the west side of the building.
Princess Anne District: Tuesday, August 10 at 6:30 PM at Community United Methodist Church, 1072 Old Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23464
Three Rivers District: Thursday, August 12 at 7 PM at Deep Creek United Methodist Church, 141 George Washington Highway N., Chesapeake, VA 23323

Adult First Aid / CPR / AED Training

August 21

The Adult First Aid/CPR/AED course incorporates the latest science and teaches students to recognize and care for a variety of first aid emergencies, such as burns, cuts, scrapes, sudden illnesses, and breathing and cardiac emergencies. Successful students will receive a certificate for Adult First Aid/CPR/AED valid for two years.

This is a blended learning course. Participants must complete the online portion of the course before taking one of the skills demonstration sessions, which will be offered at the Mary Jayne Breeden Council Service Center in Virginia Beach. There will be three sessions, each limited to eight participants.

Pow Wow

November 13

Pow Wow is a supplemental, action-packed training event for adult Cub Scout leaders, pack committee members, chartered organization representatives, parents of Cub Scouts, and others interested in Cub Scouting. Mark your calendar for November 13 to save the date for Tidewater Council’s next Pow Wow!

News

Membership Fees

The National Council BSA has announced new membership fees that will go into effect on August 1, 2021. These fees, which are paid to the National Council, represent an increase of $3-6 per person, depending on the program.

Tidewater Council is committed to keeping local council fees at the lowered $24 rate. The council fee stays local and includes insurance costs. The council fee is due only at charter renewal.

As always, financial assistance is available.

Popcorn

Looking for a way to fund an awesome program for your Scouts? The annual Popcorn Sale is here to help!

Six Reasons Why Your Unit Should Sell Popcorn

Fund your program year and defray costs for Scouting families.
Tidewater Council offers some of the highest commissions in the BSA.
Tidewater Council provides great prizes to reward Scouts.
Teach Scouts salesmanship and the value of earning their own way.
Scouts build camaraderie and learn communication skills.
Participation in the Popcorn Sale may help Scouts meet certain advancement requirements.

Six Things Your Unit Should Be Doing Now to Get Started

Read the 2021 Popcorn Guide.
Identify the Unit Popcorn Kernel.
Sign up for the sale at prpopcorn.com using Council Key 596TWC.
Develop the unit budget and fundraising goals at the unit’s annual program planning meeting.
Set up Show & Sells.
Plan and promote your unit kick-off.

Resources

Did your unit miss Popcorn Training or Popcorn 101 for new kernels? You can view recordings on our Popcorn Sale webpage.

Do you need help with any aspect of the sale? We have a great team of District Popcorn Kernels who are here to help you! You can find their contact information on the last page of the Popcorn Guide.

Scout Shop

Supplies for Summer Fun

With summer in full swing, the Scout Shop continues to supply Scouting needs, whether it’s uniforms, camping equipment, or fun activity kits!

Regatta races are always exciting outdoor events for Cub Scouts. Kits are $5.99 each and the inflatable raceways are available for $26.99. To chase away mid-summer boredom, we have various kits that keep kids busy and learning and are large enough for siblings to share the fun. Come in and check out the Kidzlab kits ($12.99), Crystal Radio kits ($10.99), the Smithsonian Eco Science lab ($12.99), the Smithsonian 30X Telescope ($14.99), and others.

Americana T-Shirts

New Americana T-shirts greet our customers on the front T-shirt rack. Navy blue with an eagle head screen print, these 100% cotton T-shirts are just $9.99, come in sizes adult small – 2XL, and you don’t have to be an Eagle to wear them.

Camping Gear

Need camping supplies? Our camping section is full, with mosquito nets, sleeping bags, mats, mess kits, and other items. A new item in the Scout Shop is the Thermacell Mosquito Repellent Lantern. A heat-activated mat releases repellent into the air, creating a 15 ft. x 15 ft. zone of mosquito protection. For lighting, it provides up to 220 lumens or as low as 55 lumens. It requires four AA batteries (not included) and sells for $39.99. With four light settings, rubber-armored, and weather-resistant, this lantern is a “must have” for any summer camp-out.

Flags

If you are doing a flag ceremony, we are still over-stocked, so just ask for flags at the front counter. For questions about in-store inventory, call us at 757-497-2688 or email polly.fugate@scouting.org.

Scout Shop Hours

Our July closing will be from Saturday, July 3 through Friday, July 9. We will reopen on Saturday, July 10. Have a safe and happy 4^th of July!

Relaunch Scouting

Families are ready to ESCAPE THE GREAT INDOORS!

This fall, parents will be looking for things to do for their kids and the whole family! You are well aware of the character-building, learning, and fun your family experiences in Scouting. Now is the time to bring other families into your pack!

We want to give 100% of Cub Scout packs the resources to reach 100% of the school and homeschool families in our community. There are 8 steps you can take before school starts in August/September to prepare your pack for fall recruiting success:

Complete a Membership and Leadership Inventory
Recruit a New Member Coordinator
Plan your program calendar for 2021-2022
Update your BeAScout Pin
Produce an information sheet for your pack
Attend the District Kickoff at your August District Roundtable
Complete a Pack Marketing Plan
Plan an open house in a public place frequented by families

Your district executive, district membership committee member, and unit commissioner will be contacting you to help you and provide resources.

Download the 2021 Pack Relaunch Guide to help you in the process of bringing new families to your pack!

New Member Coordinator

Does your unit have a New Member Coordinator? Sustaining strong membership in a unit depends on:

Recruitment: Reaching new audiences to invite them to join the unit
Retention: Engaging members and their families so that they feel welcomed and want to stay

The role of the New Member Coordinator is to ensure that both keys to success take place.

BSA Safety Moment

It is recommended to include a BSA Safety Moment during meetings to inform Scouts and parents and keep everyone safe. Numerous downloadable BSA Safety Moments are available here.

Campfires

Campfires are a powerful part of the outdoor experience. They can be lively with laughter, storytelling, and fellowship. The campfire can also be a time of reflection, learning, and great peace. Safe behavior around a campfire ensures a good time can be had by all while mitigating the inherent danger of the fire. Review the Behavior Around Campfires Safety Moment for some helpful reminders that can make your next campfire a positive and safe experience.

Civic Service

Youth civic engagement means working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community. It also involves developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to make that difference. These activities enrich the lives of youth and are socially beneficial to the community. What projects does your unit plan this summer and fall?

Service is Scouting’s greatest legacy and the primary reason that the Boy Scouts of America is the world’s premier youth organization. We currently have several opportunities for youth to give back to our communities through service. Here are some current projects needing assistance:

Marshview Park is a little known gem in an undeveloped wetland area between Seatack and Shadowlawn. Many years ago when it was privately owned, some parts of the park were used to dump construction debris in the wetlands. Virginia Beach recently improved the trails and park facilities at this location and several groups of volunteers have started to remove some of the debris, but we need a hard working crew to get serious about finishing the job. The city will bring a dumpster as close to the site as possible, but we will need wheel barrows and strong backs to pull the debris out of the wetlands and transport it to the dumpster. We are looking for at least ten people, including leaders, for about three or four hours. There is also the potential for a unit to adopt this area as a long-term service project, as there is additional work that needs to be done, including invasive plant removal, trail maintenance, and park improvements. Contact Vince Bowhers at vince@lrnow.org or 757-773-1636.

Rain garden project to benefit the SPCA. Contact Clay Bernick at clay@lrnow.org or 757-377-3120.
Various projects for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Contact Clay Bernick at clay@lrnow.org or 757-377-3120.
Build two five- to six-foot wooden benches with plant boxes and complete a butterfly garden for the ViBe District Mediterranean Avenue Parklet. Contact Vince Bowhers at vince@lrnow.org or 757-773-1636.
A few projects on the horizon for those Scouts wanting to be a part of planning, execution, and maintenance are slated for the future. A landscape project in the ViBe District, a living shoreline project in Great Neck, and a couple fall tree plantings. Contact Vince Bowhers at vince@lrnow.org or 757-773-1636.

Supplemental Online Training

There are four safety-related online training courses that need to be renewed every two years. Take the time to update your training this summer. They are:

Find these training courses and more at My.Scouting.org.

Red Cross Preparedness Programs

Prepare with Pedro

Prepare with Pedro is a preparedness education program offered by the American Red Cross for grades K-2. This 30-45-minute program follows Pedro the Penguin and his friends as they learn how to be prepared and take action during an emergency. Participants receive a storybook to share what they have learned at home.

Contact Danielle Englund at danielle.englund@redcross.org or call 540-676-5316.

Pillowcase Project

The Pillowcase Project is a preparedness education program offered by the American Red Cross for grades 3-5. This 40-60-minute program teaches youth about personal and family preparedness, local hazards, and basic coping skills. Red Cross volunteers lead students through a “Learn, Practice, Share” framework. Upon completion, participants receive a sturdy pillowcase in which to build their personal emergency supplies kit.