Scouts in Action
Troop 417 and Troop 19 held a joint Court of Honor on September 30. It was Troop 19’s first ever Court of Honor, and a historic moment for the Scouts!
Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts had a fun-filled weekend at the Webelosree, with outdoor cooking, knot-tying, shooting sports, and camping.
Crew 520 supported their chartering organization, Indian Lakes Association, by volunteering at their Fall Festival! The Venturers assisted with setup, games, and cleanup, and ran a recruitment table.
Scouts, Scouters, and community members enjoyed the Sporting Clays Tournament in Shawboro, NC on October 12.
At the Virginia Children’s Festival in Norfolk on October 5, Tidewater Council taught knot-tying, fire safety, identifying skins and antlers, and did crafts.
Three Rivers District and acting District Commissioner Amanda Warren honored units and leaders at Roundtable on October 10.
We want to hear from you! Send stories, photos, and videos of your Scouts in action to alison.harrison@scouting.org (with parental permission, of course).
Upcoming Events
Jamboree-On-The-Air (JOTA) - October 19
The Portsmouth Amateur Radio Club will host a JOTA station from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM in the parking lot at the Ambassador Club, 364 Peninsula Ave., Portsmouth, VA 23704, at the intersection of Peninsula Ave. and London Blvd. (Look for the white trailer.) Scouts will be able to communicate with Scouts in other cities or states via amateur radio. All Scouts (and their brothers and sisters) are welcome. For more information, call Carl, W4CAC, at 757-235-4813.
Fireside Chats with the Scout Executive
Our new Scout Executive, Jamie Parnell, wants to meet you! We want to hear about what is working well now and how we can strengthen and improve local Scouting for the future.
- Thursday, October 24 at 7 PM at Haygood United Methodist Church, 4713 Haygood Road, Virginia Beach 23455
- Monday, October 28 at 6:30 PM at Courthouse Community United Methodist Church in the Family Life Center, 2708 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456
- Tuesday, October 29 at 7 PM at Pilmoor United Methodist Church, 192 Courthouse Road, Currituck, NC 27929
- Wednesday, November 6 at 7 PM at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 621 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322
Fall Festival - November 1-3
Camptoberfest!
Come to Pipsico and witness the true spirit of Scouting: Scouts teaching Scouts at a fun-filled outdoor fall weekend. This event is open to all levels of Scouting and adds an additional opportunity for Cub Scout packs to Family Camp. There will be numerous general camp events including BB-guns, archery, bounce house, pumpkin carving contests, and throwing tomahawks, just to name a few. In addition to the general events, each unit is encouraged to create an activity as part of our program. Units will creatively teach a key Scouting skill or host an exciting Scouting activity. To maximize their experience, Scouts are encouraged to use their team-building and planning skills in preparation for and during the event. Choose to host a morning or an afternoon activity and spend the rest of the day participating. Guests will also be able to relax on the hay rides and enjoy excellent fall camping weather. Don’t forget to enter one of the many food cooking contests! Concessions will be served, and the camp Trading Post will be open!
Darden Gala - November 2
One of the most anticipated nights of the year!
Our annual Darden Gala is a fun-filled charity auction benefiting the Boy Scouts of America, Tidewater Council. Great food, games, music, and dancing!
ODU Football - November 9
Come out and cheer on the Monarchs! Tickets include postgame activities and entrance to the field following the game (weather permitting).
Tickets are available now through October 24 at the Scout Shop for $10 or $15 each.
Cub Scout Leader Pow Wow – November 16
Calling all Cub Scout leaders to save the day! Join us for Superhero Training Academy at Renaissance Academy in Virginia Beach.
Pow Wow is the best training event for Cub Scouts leaders. This one-day supplemental training provides a variety of den, pack, and outdoor planning courses to help manage the fun and adventure of the Cub Scouting experience. All adults interested in the Cub Scout program – den leaders, committee members, Cubmasters, parents – are welcome!
Course offerings include:
- Cooking with Cub Scouts
- Scoutbook Basics
- Working with Scouts on the Autism Spectrum
- Fundraising!
- What’s Your Web Presence?
- You’ve Taken the Online Training, Now What?
- and many more!
Enjoy a Blue and Gold lunch with keynote speaker Kim Stumbo, author of The Adventures of the One Arm Wondermom. Registration includes lunch, a reference binder, and a patch.
Eagle Scout Service Project Open Invitation - November 16
For his Eagle Scout service project, Jacob C. of Troop 490 will lead a group to install a marker on a deceased Scout’s grave, provide benches for the child section of a cemetery, and place flags on veterans’ graves.
Jacob invites Scout families to attend a brief ceremony and prayer service to dedicate the stone. If you can attend the ceremony on November 16 at 9:45 AM, please call 757-506-5015. The cemetery is located at 8100 Granby St., Norfolk, VA 23505.
Zomboree - December 6-8
A zombie outbreak will threaten civilization as we know it. The inhabitants of Pipsico City will hunker down to survive… You must band together with your closest friends to form a team of incredible skill and talent. Using your advanced Scout skills and teamwork, you must run through Pipsico avoiding the zombie hoard, eventually making your way to the sanctuary bunker that is fully stocked with supplies you’ll need to re-create human civilization.
There will be a cracker-barrel and competitions for all participants Friday evening beginning at 9:00 PM. Another cracker-barrel and an awards ceremony will take place on Saturday evening. No other food is provided, so participants should plan and bring their own meals. Event patches and recognitions will be distributed at the awards ceremony. The Zomboree is structured as a competition, “camporee” style event that will test your teamwork and Scouting skills in order to survive a zombie outbreak. Teams may compete for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, or simply participate for fun. This event is open to Scouts BSA, Venturers, Sea Scouts, and Explorers. Teams should have a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 youth. Teams may be composed of Scouts from the same or different units. For example, Scouts who wish to participate as an Order of the Arrow team or inter-unit team may do so. Participants may be considered youth through age 20; however, registrants aged 18-20 may register as adults if they are supporting youth in the capacity of a “BSA Adult Member.”
10th Annual BSA Day at Nauticus - December 7
Tickets are now available at the Scout Shop for the 10th Annual Scout STEM Day at Nauticus.
Scouts will participate in hands-on activities while earning award requirements! Learn about ship communications. Touch a shark or horseshoe crab. Build an underwater robot. Meet local maritime career professionals. And more!
A limited-edition commemorative patch will be available for purchase.
The crew is planning a special recognition to honor the 75th anniversary of the USS Wisconsin (BB 64) and the 78th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day.
Wreaths Across America - December 14
Each December, Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 1,600 veteran cemeteries in all 50 states, at sea, and abroad. BSA units are invited to participate in this project. To register, contact:
Arlington National Cemetery: Bre Kingsbury, 619-887-9455, bkingsbury@wreathsacrossamerica.org
Suffolk Veterans Cemetery: Dean Gould, 757-869-8622, dean.gould@cawg.cap
Scout Shop News
Shop Local! The Tidewater Council Scout Shop is the only place where you can purchase official BSA merchandise and have the proceeds stay in our Scouting community.
With the new school year in full swing, customers are discovering more new merchandise than ever before! We have many items aimed at the girls, but still many uniform options for boys in both the Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA programs.
The uniform SALE is still going on through October. Buy bottoms of any kind (shorts, skorts, capris, rollup pants, long pants) and get 25% off the uniform shirt. The bottoms and shirts must be for the same program to get the discount, but if a whole uniform is needed, this is the time to get it!
New hooded zippered jackets are now in stock and perfect for fall weather. In heather red and heather gray, adult sizes are $19.99 and youth sizes are $17.99. Get ‘em while they’re hot!
Fall camping is huge in this area and we have everything you need for a fun campout, from sleeping equipment to cooking. Come in and browse our camping section. You won’t be disappointed!
Eagle boxes are back. The beautiful mahogany boxes have a black velvet lining and pewter inset with Eagle on the lid. At $49.99, this makes a memorable gift for any Eagle.
Too busy to shop? Just email polly.fugate@scouting.org or call us at 757-497-2688, and we can send any order you want by USPS.
Our next holiday closing will be November 28-30 for Thanksgiving.
Connect with the Rovers
Rovers is a local pilot program for young adults, ages 21 through 34.
Upcoming Gatherings
October 16 at 6 PM at Tidewater Council, 1032 Heatherwood Dr., Virginia Beach, VA 23455
November 5 at 11 AM at Applebee’s, 5750 Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk, Virginia 23502
November 21 at 7 PM at Young Veterans, 2505 Horse Pasture Rd., Virginia Beach, Virginia 23453
Membership Growth
Congratulations to the top three units in each district who recruited the most youth during the month of September!
Albemarle
1st: Pack 117
2nd: Pack 150
3rd: Pack 164
Bayside
1st: Pack 375
2nd: Pack 628
3rd: Pack 493
Princess Anne
1st: Pack 179
2nd: Pack 374
3rd: Pack 791
Three Rivers
1st: Pack 55
2nd: Pack 462
3rd: Pack 48
Keys to Success
Local units attributed their membership growth to:
- Phone follow-up and call to action – The Cubmaster personally called everyone who showed up at the recruiting event, whether they filled out an application or not. During the call, he invited them back to the next meeting.
- Make the most of school night – The pack attended their school’s open house and handed out goody bags with stickers, a pencil, and joining information.
- Peer recruiting – Many Cub Scouts joined because they were invited by a friend. Awarding recruiter strips encouraged the other youth to invite a friend too.
- Be responsive – The pack responded promptly to all joining information requests.
Online Applications and Invitation Manager
The Boy Scouts of America offers online applications for youth and adults, allowing prospective members to register in a way that is convenient for them. Information, guidebooks, and videos offering assistance on online registration and BeAScout are available here.
8 Ways to Support Scouting
- Check out our AmazonSmile Charity List and share it with your friends. It’s a convenient way to donate needed ideas to Tidewater Council.
- If you shop on Amazon, choose Tidewater Council to receive an AmazonSmile donation. There is no extra cost to you.
- If you participate in the Combined Federal Campaign, designate your gift to local Scouting with campaign identification number 94511.
- Designate your United Way of South Hampton Roads gifts to “Tidewater Council, Boy Scouts of America.”
- Designate your Albemarle Area United Way gifts to “Boy Scouts of America – Tidewater Council (4004).”
- Donate your birthday to Scouting with a Facebook fundraiser.
- Make a memorial or tribute gift in honor of a loved one.
- Report your service hours. Tidewater Council reports Scouts’ service hours to United Way and other charitable organizations, and this information impacts the amount of their financial gifts. Scouts are already doing a Good Turn daily – it just takes a few minutes more to record their community service.
FAQs for Updated Background Checks
Is the BSA doing credit checks on volunteers?
No. The BSA will only use these signed authorization forms for approval to obtain a criminal background check. State and federal laws regulating background checks and consumer credit checks require that both items be mentioned on the form since a full background check includes both parts. The BSA is only using this form for authorization to obtain a criminal background check.
Why is this being done now?
Starting in 2020, rechecks will be performed every five years. Unfortunately, technical limitations and changes in the law over the last five years prevent us from using existing authorizations from older applications. As such, new signed authorization forms must be obtained.
What happens if a unit leader does not provide an authorization?
Leaders who do not provide new authorization will not be able to renew their registration.
Popcorn Incentives
October Incentives
It pays to pay on time!
Timely popcorn payments ensure that Tidewater Council is able to restock products throughout the season. And now your unit has the chance to win prizes for paying your popcorn balance and turning in your military donations! (See the flyer for more details.)
November 4 Deadline
Cub Cruises
Sea Scout Ships 42 and 64 are offering an opportunity for Cub Scouts to go sailing. A Cub Cruise usually lasts 2-3 hours and, depending on which boat, can accommodate a total of either 10 or 20 passengers (Cub Scouts and parents). The Cub Scouts will observe the Sea Scouts piloting the boat and performing all deck duties. Cub Scouts, under the supervision of the Sea Scouts, will take turns at the helm and learn the basics of sailing and safety at sea!
The Council Commodore, Victoria Lavarias, and the Council Boatswain, Heather T., lead Tidewater Council’s Sea Scout program. To learn more about Sea Scouts, Cub Cruises, and Day Sail opportunities for troops, crews, and posts, contact Victoria and Heather at TWCSeaScouts@gmail.com.
Let’s go sailing, Scouts!
Development Corner: Retirement Plan Designations
A simple and sound gift option
The need to plan today for the future is never more apparent than with retirement. For many people, retirement is a reward for a lifetime of work. But to make sure it is a reward rather than a burden, it is important to plan early — the security and comfort you deserve hinges on proper preparation.
In addition to the Social Security and Medicare systems, many individuals supplement their retirement income with investments in IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts), pension and profit-sharing plans, and other savings vehicles. In fact, many people discover that the bulk of their retirement assets are invested in these plans.
Many of these people also do not realize that, after providing for themselves and those who depend on them, these retirement investments offer many convenient and cost-effective charitable gift opportunities. With the growth in retirement and pension plans, many people now choose to designate their favorite charities as beneficiaries of any excess, or remaining, retirement funds once these funds are no longer needed. This is increasingly common, since these assets are often the most heavily taxed of all your assets if they are left instead to family members.
It is very easy to make these gifts to Scouting. If you have an IRA, Keogh plan, or a qualified pension or profit-sharing plan, contact your plan administrator and designate Tidewater Council as the beneficiary of any remaining funds you do not use. During your life, you retain complete access to the funds. There is an estate tax deduction for any assets that go to Scouting, and you have the satisfaction of knowing you have made a meaningful and thoughtful gift.
Please contact Susan Miley-Petrehn at 757-284-0796 or susan.miley-petrehn@scouting.org if you are contemplating this potential gift. We will assist you in determining how to use your gift and in answering any questions you may have. Your plans will remain confidential if you desire.
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