Sailfish
District

Sailfish District News

District pages are updated by District volunteer, Barb Melton.
Contact her or your District Executive, Dennis Armstrong if you have information for your District pages.
 

HELLO EVERYONE! I wanted to take a moment to be sure everyone remembered that your RECHARTER should be nearly complete and is DUE with all signatures this THURSDAY, MARCH 4th at 7:00 at the LDS Church off Matheson.  The council currently shows that NO UNITS have yet done the online portion of their rechartering, so make sure you take what time you need to make sure you can KEEP ON SCOUTING!  :)  Have questions?  Just ask your UNIT COMMISSIONER who will be very happy to help!  Not sure who your UC is?  Just drop me a line and I'll be sure to let you know!

Powder Horn – April 23-25 and May 7-9, 2010 – Camp LaNoChe, Paisley, FL     I’m pleased to invite members of the Gulf Stream Council to attend the Central Florida Council’s Spring 2010 Powder Horn Course. The only scheduled Powder Horn in Florida during 2010, I’m sure you will agree this is a valued opportunity for Boy Scout and Venturing Leaders. Your assistance to promote the course through your Council’s website training page, District Newsletters and through direct contact at District Roundtables is encouraged and would be greatly appreciated.  Below, please find course information.  Multi-Council attendance at our 2009 Powder Horn Course was an enjoyed dynamic – leaders discussed and shared their first hand knowledge of Scout Camps and program opportunities throughout the State.  I’m hopeful, with your help, that our participants will benefit by the same experience this spring!   Please feel free to contact myself if you or your staffs would like additional information; Brad Valdyke, bvaldyke@earthlink.net, (321)231-3316. Yours In Service, Brad Valdyke,Course Director, 2010 Powder Horn, Central Florida Council 

Additional information about this exciting BSA program is available here. 
(http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Venturing/Training/powderhorn.aspx)

No, it’s not the same – at all!  Powder Horn is an advanced BSA leader’s course designed to introduce and expose Venturing and Boy Scouting adult unit leaders to the activities and resources beneficial to a successful outdoor/high adventure unit-level program.  It is intended to help leaders get out of the box in finding and using resources.  A common misconception, Powder Horn is not Woodbadge for Venturing.  Based on the eight core and eighteen electives found in the Venturing Ranger program, high adventure skill certification is not taught in the Powder Horn course. It is instead designed to help leaders find the help they need for their programs by introducing high adventure disciplines through hands-on experiences and interaction with program consultants (volunteers and vendors) that can be contacted to facilitate unit high adventure events. Example is for scuba, Powder Horn participants will experience Scuba through a Discover Scuba (PADI) session where participants, guided by an instructor, will get into a shallow pool and wear scuba gear to experience the fun. It is not scuba certification. Participants will not learn how to run a rock climbing, caving or shoot course, but they will experience all of the fun of these activities and will learn where to go to find those who can teach these skills to Boy Scouts and Venturers.
 Opportunity is quickly approaching and filling up - the Central Florida Council Spring Powder Horn Course is the only scheduled course in the state of Florida this year.  Pre-registration is required – registration form is available at http://www.venturing.cfcbsa.org/Powder%20Horn%202010%20Flyer.pdf You can also follow the 2010 Powder Course on FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=app_2344061033&gid=284587841192#/group.php?v=info&gid=284587841192.  Interested – return the registration form or contact Brad Valdyke at  bvaldyke@earthlink.net or 321-231-3316

Cubmasters, Scoutmasters, Troop Leaders, and Committee members,Please share this information with Scouts and families in your packs and troops.  Also feel free to share it with leaders of your faith communities who may not know about these opportunities.  THANKS!

 A SCOUT IS REVERENT - DUTY TO GOD - SERVE GOD As Scouts, we acknowlege our "duty to God" and our call to "serve God" in the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing Oaths and the Girl Scout Promise.  The many and varied faith traditions that we represent offer us opportunities to live out this commitment through Religious Emblems Programs.  Information on all the religious emblems programs can be found at www.praypub.org  Most of these programs are designed for scouts to work directly with their families and a representative of their faith community (pastor, rabbi, youth worker, religious educator).  Once completed, a beautiful medal can be awarded to the scout within the context of the faith community; Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts who have completed a program are then eligible to wear the distinctive purple and silver knot on their scout uniforms. 

Catholic Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts who would like to work on a religious emblem program are required to register with the Catholic Committee on Scouting of the Palm Beach Diocese by December 1st (a registration/commitment form is attached).  Their programs are completed with the assistance of a Coordinator (for younger scouts who work primarily with their families) or a Counselor (who works directly with older scouts).  The deadline to complete the project book is April 1st.  Boards of Review are held during the month of April and medals are presented by the Bishop at a special Scout Mass in early June.  Training for Coordinators and Counselors will be offered during the month of October.  A session here in Martin County will be held October 24th from 10 AM - 12 N at
I would be happy to give a non-denominational presentation to your Cub Scout or Boy Scout Unit or to your Girl Scout Troop.  The P.R.A.Y. organization has a patch program for scouts and adults who participate in an information session and commit themselves to honor their "duty to God" or their promise to "serve God." 
For further information or to schedule a presentation, please contact me at the numbers or the e-mail address below (e-mail is best!).  Thank you! Dr. Carroll A. Brennan (H) 772-283-2111 (C) 772-485-2005 docmom4@aol.com St. Martin de Porres in Jensen Beach.  Please contact me to register. 

NEW TROOP START-UP:   As new Troops start out, they are usually very low on supplies.  Our District is actively adding new Troops!  As Scouts are returning from summer camp, once you've checked with your Troop Librarian, you may find you have extra copies of some merit badge books.  (There may be outgrown scout uniforms available too!)  Please keep in mind these newer Troops who could use our help.   If you have donations, please contact Kristina Rosen-Hester, Unit Commissioner, 772-621-0749 Cell.

Roundtable:  March 11

THE single most important function of the District"

If you go to no other meetings, this is the one not to miss. Roundtable is for ALL unit leaders, Packs and Troops.
7:00 - 8:30 PM
Second Thursday of the Month (except where noted on the District Calendar). LDS Church, Palm City.