Monthly Archives: March 2024
Physically Strong is not only part of the Scout Oath, but one of our Council Programs!
Join us on Saturday, April 13th for our annual 5K Run/Walk. Check-In will begin at 9am. The event will take place at Oak Ridge Park, which is a USATF certified 5K course in Clark, NJ.
Another benefit is that registration fees can be credited to your Scouting units Friends of Scouting campaign.
Don’t feel like running? That’s ok! Feel free to sign up the family for a nice Saturday stroll in the park. Registration is open!
RUN for FUN! and Raise FUNDS for SCOUTING!
(Funds raised can be credited to your pack / troop / crew’s FOS goals.)
Register here: https://www.raceforum.com/patriot
If you do not want to participate but still want to help out, sign up as a day of volunteer here: https://247scouting.com/forms/?OrgKey=BSA358&id=3942
April 13, 2024
Check-In at 9am
Race / Walk starts at 10am
Oak Ridge Park
136 Oak Ridge Road, Clark NJ, 07066
Participation donation:
Runner/Walker registration: $35 ($40 After March 31st)
If you would like to sponsor a runner/walker or just make a donation, please go to Registration and select Donation/Sponsor
Important Update Regarding the New Annual Membership Fee Announcement
Effective April 1, 2024, the BSA will eliminate the $25 one-time joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouting. Additionally, the BSA will implement the following national membership fees, which were approved by the National Executive Committee.”
Effective MAY 1, 2024, the new BSA registration fee structure will take effect instead of April 1, 2024:
- $85 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts participants ($5 increase)
- $65 for all adult volunteers ($5 increase)
- $25 for Merit Badge Counselors who are not already registered volunteers (no change)
- $100 for a unit charter/affiliation fee (no change)
- $15 for Scout Life magazine (no change)
Additionally, PPC is excited to bring back the online discount code program effective immediately until the end of April! Any new scout that registers online will be eligible for a $5 discount to their registration fees at check out! Check out the flyer here!
This is the PERFECT time to register your Scouts in the month of April! They no longer need to pay the one-time $25 fee, they get to pay the $80 fee rather than the $85 fee that gets implemented in May, AND they get a $5 discount if they register online!!
PPC continues to strive to provide every opportunity to families to join the Scouting program, regardless of financial situations. With that, we are proud to continue our Family Assistance Program. Any family that needs assistance may apply here: https://ppcbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/Family-Assistance-Request-Fillable.pdf
Register Today to Beat the NYLT Early Bird Registration Pricing Deadline of April 30!
Are you ready for an adventure that will shape your leadership journey? We certainly are! You’re invited to join us for the 2024 Patriots’ Path Council National Youth Leadership Training course (NYLT), where we’re gearing up for an unforgettable experience!
NYLT is not just another leadership course; it’s a transformative journey designed to unlock your potential and equip you with the skills to lead your Scouting unit with confidence, integrity, and empathy. Whether you are a seasoned leader or just starting to explore your leadership capabilities, NYLT will empower you to make a positive impact in your community and beyond.
Course Event Dates:
June 23–29
August 4-10
November 8-10 and 15-17 (must attend both weekends for November course)
Location: Winnebago Scout Reservation
Earlybird Pricing Deadline: April 30- get your registration in now to save money!
Spaces for NYLT are filling fast, and with earlybird pricing ending soon, now is the perfect time to secure your spot! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with fellow aspiring leaders.
But that’s not all! Get ready to be inspired by our high-performing staff, who are dedicated to guiding you through an immersive and enriching experience. Their expertise, passion, and commitment will ensure that your NYLT journey is nothing short of extraordinary.
Join us as we embark on this exciting adventure together. Reserve your spot today and take the first step towards becoming the leader in your unit you were meant to be!
To register or learn more, visit https://scoutingevent.com/358-NYLT# or contact us at [email protected].
We can’t wait to see you at NYLT!
Popcorn Meeting – 2023 Wrap-Up / 2024 Look Ahead
Join us to review how 2023 popcorn season went and learn what is coming for 2024.
Food will be provided. Please register so we have a head count.
2 Locations to choose from:
April 9th – Bridgewater Manor in Bridgewater
April 10th – Patriots’ Path Council Service Center
Agenda:
6:00 pm Gather
6:45 pm Program Start
7:55 pm Meeting Wrap-Up
Spring Holiday Closing
In observance of the Spring holidays the following will be closed on Saturday, March 30th.
- Both the Kurland Family Scout Shop in Cedar Knolls and the Mountainside Scout Shop in Mountainside.
- All Camps – Mount Allamuchy and Winnebago
The Marksman Experience
Are You Interested in 4 Jam Packed Days of Shooting Sports? We have a great event planned for July 2025 at the BSA’s National High Adventure Base in West Virginia, The Summit Bechtel Reserve.
At the Barrels we will experience 5-Stand Shotgun, sporting clays, USPSA Steel Challenge and practical shooting stages, and a full Precision Rifle course on the 1000-yard rifle range!
Then we head over to the Bows for Archery, including Static (10m), Olympic Range (90m), 3D targets, Sporting Arrows (Laporte) and Crossbow!
On Friday while at the Summit, the contingent will enjoy ½ day of white water rafting in the New River Gorge and a trip down the ¾ mile Zipline!
To view the flyer and to submit your interest today, check out our high adventure website: https://ppcbsa.org/programs/adventure
PPC Adventures Update
March has been a very busy month for PPC adventures.
- The Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Morristown – we had 10 units registered with almost 150 scouts and family participating in the parade. Attendance was somewhat reduced by the weather, but everyone had a great time.
- Maple Sugar Program – every Saturday in March we have had the Maple Sugar Program scheduled at the Kent Center. Frank Wallace and company did a great job introducing Cub Scouts and their families to how maple syrup is made and also gave everyone an opportunity to eat their fill of pancakes. We had over 120 Cubs and 100 family members participating from many packs.
- Camp Programs – thanks to better than normal March weather we had a variety of outdoor programs including Ziplining (at WSR), rifle, archery, and other fun adventures at both of our camps.
- Chess program at the Service Center on March 9th. Under the supervision of Tom Andrea and Dave Setzer, 41 scouts participated from across the council.
- Other merit badges – during the month we had scouts participating in a number of merit badges including Emergency Preparedness, Forestry, Family Life, Personal Fitness and Personal Management.
Upcoming events –
- ‘Baloo the Builder’ and ‘Build It’ is a new program for Bears and Webelos scouts. Saturday April 13th at Winnebago Scout Reservation. Cost $15.00/scout. Two sessions 10:00 and 12:00.
- Rocket building programs will be offered on 4/06 & 5/04. Two sessions each date @ 10:00 & 12:00 at Watchung Reservation or Camp Somers. $15.00/cub scout.
- Merit badges continue to be scheduled, check our webpage for current offerings.
- Camp Programs – as the weather gets better contact us for Climbing, COPE, Zipline, shooting sports, ATVs and more.
- Contact Mike Loughman at 973-714-7308 or michael,[email protected] for more information.
2024 Speciality Camps
In 2024 we are excited to be offering 4 Specialty Camps at our Scouts BSA Resident Camps.
Specialty Camps will provide unique opportunities for Scouts to focus on a certain type of activity for the entire week.
At Camp Somers we have Fishing week starting on July 21st and we have Film & Art Camp starting on July 28th.
Over at Camp Winnebago we have Patrol Cooking Week starting July 21st and Skills & Trades Week starting July 28th.
Scouts sign up for these provisionally or with their unit if their unit is attending the week of the Specialty Camp.
Membership March Blitz
The Membership Committee led by Jim Agar is excited to launch the next monthly theme – “Membership March Blitz” designed to incentive peer to peer recruiting every month while shining a light to our social media platforms.
This month, we are focusing on new Scouts sharing their experience through “Share Your Story” on our website! We are encouraging units to share their story with us for a chance to win a Aspen Cedar Ridge Hydration Pack, and to recruit more youth!
