Let's talkt-shirts!
1 … 20 21 22 23 24 … 33

4-H Week In Review – October 29th, 2010
October 29, 2010

Howdy, 4-H’ers! There were a lot of awards and honors given out over the last week in 4-H gatherings all over the country. I wish we could mention all of you individually but there simply isn’t enough time in the day.

But we do want to send out our thanks and congratulations to each and every one of you. Your efforts in 4-H and in the community are making a difference in the lives of people, and that’s the end goal for all of us.

Keep up the great work!


4-H Weekly News for October 29th:

  • Agricultural literacy, otherwise known as the knowledge of the agricultural industry, is lacking in children all across America.

    That’s why Evan Hall and Daniel New, 4-H ambassadors in Illinois, have started a statewide effort to bring agriculture literacy to the children of Illinois.

    This week, Evan and Daniel helped launch the statewide effort by presenting two children’s books to a Decatur library. These books will be given to libraries and elementary schools all across Illinois.

    Way to go, guys! We know this will produce some great long-term results and maybe even gain national consideration. 4-H ambassadors use books to spread ag literacy


  • Of all things, Indiana counties are now using live worms to teach kids entrepreneurship.

    But it’s not as gross as it sounds. You see, Indiana is introducing a pilot program that will allow the kids to use worm farms to learn about both entrepreneurship and composting. OK, maybe it is as gross as it sounds.

    Either way, they should have enough “castings” to begin selling by the beginning of 2011. Read more here – Worm farmers seek to grow business


  • In Kansas this week, a 20-year 4-H Leader stepped down after two decades of amazing work.

    Denise King decided to step down and let someone else take over the reigns of the 4-H Club that she loves so much. But don’t worry kids, she’s not going anywhere. She just wanted someone else to have the chance to learn all she learned from 4-H.

    Said King, “This club truly made me a better parent and I got far more out of my time with them than I put in.”

    Congratulations on a career well done – King steps down from Pioneer reign after 20 years


  • Here’s a fund raising event that kills THREE birds with one stone.

    In Liberty, NY, the Sullivan County 4-H Program is holding a fundraiser that will raise money for their program, help the environment and help people in the community save money.

    They will be collecting what they call, “E-scrap,” which are things like batteries, computer monitors and cell phones – which are harmful to the environment when disposed of improperly.

    They are charging nominal fees for people discarding their E-scrap to raise money for their program and for community education, but much less than it would cost to discard at any other professional facility.

    Way to go 4-H’ers, keep up the great work! Another Chance to Recycle Electronics for 4-H Fundraiser


That’s it for this week, everybody. We know there are some stories we missed, so if you have a story or news event you’d like to share, just leave it in a comment below.

Now It’s Your Turn! Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

Have a great Halloween weekend and we’ll see you next week!

Scouting Week In Review – October 29th
October 29, 2010

Hello Scouts! It’s finally here – Halloween weekend!

Before you head out for the fun, trick-or-treating or visiting your friendly neighborhood haunted house, check out this Halloween Safety Guide and make sure to get a good dose of these Halloween Safety Tips. We want you to have a great time, but we want you to be safe while you’re at it.

And while you’re out there, remember to look for opportunities to help improve your community or help others in need.

On to the news for the week!



  • Groundbreaking for the brand new The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve commenced this week in West Virginia. The Summit will be host to the next Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree. The official dates of the Jamboree were also announced this week, which are July 15-24, 2013.

    Over $100 million has been donated so far this year for construction of the new facilities. It has also given jobs to over 150 people in the local area.

    Here’s a great story about all the happenings and how excited West Virginians are to host the event – New Major Donors and Jamboree Dates Announced


  • Do you know who the first Eagle Scout on a U.S. postage stamp was? How about what the first, the millionth and the two millionth Eagle scouts had in common? Know what the cub scout sign (the index and middle fingers extended in a V shape) symbolizes?

    Now you can learn these facts along with 97 more by visiting the website below. See if you can stump your Scouting buddies at your next meeting.

    This is definitely an article you can’t stop reading until the end – 100 Things You Didn’t Know About Scouting (Compiled by the Boy Scouts of America)


  • Our “hero story” of the week comes out of the great state of Hawaii. Eagle Scout Avery Horton of Troop 135 was hiking at the Manoa Falls trail helping his brother’s Cub Scout Pack, when suddenly one of the older hikers stumbled and began slipping down the side of a steep cliff.

    Quick thinking led Avery straight to a tree limb. He hung over the side of the cliff and used the limb to help rescue the fallen hiker. The rescuee, by the way, was on his honeymoon!

    Super job Avery. Way to save the day! Avery was awarded the Honor Medal from the BSA.


  • Could this be the best muzzle loading shooting sports team in the country? Well, if you think your team is better, you’ll need to leave us a comment below because these guys sure couldn’t be topped in Colorado last week.

    They placed first in state in the open class competition, and grabbed second in traditional class. The rest of their team placed in sporter, hunt and even archery!

    Awesome job guys. Read about it here – Delta County Shooters Excel at State Fair


  • In last week’s Week In Review, we brought you the story of a Wisconsin farmer who created a B.S.A. 100th Anniversary corn maze. Well, we found another one, and it’s just as impressive.

    Designed to reflect the rich heritage of the B.S.A., the maze is located in Lehi, Utah. They’re also hosting a geocaching challenge, scouting movies and more. Discounts are available for Scouts too!

    Get all the details here – Cornbelly’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest

That’s it for this week. As usual, we encourage everyone to leave a comment below with your thoughts and comments. Or, if there is a story we missed, you can let us know too.

Tell your friends about us and have an awesome Halloween!

Now it’s your turn
Leave a comment below with your Scouting news and stories…

Tips To Keeping Your Volunteer Group Organized
October 25, 2010

We all know that a little organization can go a really long way. It saves time, energy and a lot of stress. How do you get your group organized when faced with a daunting project? It’s really not as tough as you might think.

Here are a few simple tips to get you on the right path.

The first thing you should do is get everyone together, face to face, and get all of your goals down on paper. Having them on paper is much safer than trying to keep everything and everyone organized in your mind. Once you have your goals squared away, you’ll need to formulate a plan to achieve them, documenting the steps necessary to get there.

Here’s where these particular organization tips come into play. Once you have your plans finalized, there are three things that you absolutely must utilize if you want to maintain order within your group:

To Do Lists – This is very important. First, create a master To Do List containing all the steps you documented above. Then divide the items (steps) on the list to all the members of your group. Give each group member a copy of the master list and a list of their own personal To Do items so they can see where their efforts will fit into the overall plan. Don’t be afraid to delegate!

Here’s an example of what a master To Do list would look like for a group who are going to start a community garden project…



Group Calendar – As you created the master and individual To Do Lists, you should have also given each item on the list a date which it needs to be completed. Being able to see all member tasks and completion dates will give the group members the motivation to complete their assigned tasks thoroughly and on time.

For even more organization, you can set up an online calendar of events using a free online tool such as Google Calendar. This will allow group members to have online access to the current tasks and due dates from any computer that has Internet access.



Create a Regular Schedule and Stick To It – As a group leader, sticking to a schedule will make you predictable to the other members in your group. They will know when, where and how to find you if they have an issue that cannot wait to be addressed at a later time.

Communication is key when it comes to keeping everyone in your group organized. This means that as the group leader, you will have to be reachable, usually by cell phone. Let everyone know that you are there if they need you and that all they have to do is call you. It is fine to let them know not to call before or after a certain time of day.

Keeping a set schedule also means setting up regular meeting times and places for your group to get together and discuss the progress toward your goals and possible re-prioritization of the items in your plan.


If you keep good records following the basic steps above, you will find yourself not only meeting your goals, but meeting them on time and with much less stress and complication.

These are basic steps for organizing a group. We want to know what you have done to help better organize your group. Just leave a comment in the comments field below and let us know what you do to help keep things organized.

4-H Grants and Scholarships – October 25th
October 25, 2010

Howdy 4-H’ers! Have you thought about applying for a grant or scholarship to help you further your education or help your community? Well, there are tons of grants all over the country that you can apply for right now! Just hop onto your favorite search engine and see what you can find.

We found a few this week that we thought you would be interested in below. If you know of a grant or scholarship that we haven’t featured, let us know about it in the comments section below!

Get those applications submitted and good luck to everyone!

 

2010 Youth Garden Grant Program

Sponsored by Home Depot, the 2010 Youth Garden Grant Program is aimed at schools and community organizations with child-centered garden programs. Applicants must plan to garden in 2011 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18 years. What a great way to get started on a new community garden! But you have to hurry, applications must be postmarked by November 1st, 2010. Youth Garden Grants Program Information

 

2010 National 4-H Shooting Sports Grants

The NRA has been funding grants for shooting sports since its inception, and this year is no exception! State Fund Grants are awarded to eligible applicants for qualifying projects or activities that promote firearms and hunting safety; enhance the marksmanship skills of those participating in the shooting sports; educate the general public about firearms in their historic, technological, and artistic context; or contribute to the general well-being of the public at large. To find out which grants are available for your state, or who to contact for more information, click here – NRA State Fund Grants

 

Ohio 4-H Awards and Scholarships

Ohio has been offering scholarships to their 4-H youth since 1976 in an effort to help Ohio youth be, “self-directing, productive and contributing members of society,” and, of course, to help them further their education. There are currently 24 statewide scholarships available to apply for and many more on the local, county level. Here is a link to the page explaining the statewide scholarships – Ohio 4-H Awards and Scholarships. And here is a link to find out about scholarships in your local Ohio county – Locate Your Local Office

 

Texas 4-H and Youth Development Opportunity Scholarship

This one is exclusive to our Texan friends out there. The Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program Opportunity Scholarships are just about ready to be applied for. This scholarship is based on a student’s 4-H experience, academic record and financial need, so if you are planning to attend a Texas college, need some assistance, and you’re currently a Texas student, give it a shot! Make sure to visit their website to get a jump start on your application! Texas 4-H and Youth Development

Courageous Heart Scholarships

Another Scholarship for Texan 4-H’ers, the Courageous Heart Scholarships are awarded to applicants who have maintained an active 4-H career despite unforeseen obstacles related to their medical/health, family, and/or educational situation. If you fit this description or know of someone who does, make sure to get an application in before February. Apply via your local County Extension Agent.

 

That’s it for this week everybody. Again, make sure to check back next week for another list of exciting and educational grant and scholarship opportunities. If you know of an opportunity that we haven’t featured here, please tell us about it in the comment field below!

4-H Week In Review – October 22nd, 2010
October 22, 2010

Hey there 4-H’ers! As usual, we’re impressed with all the different ways you come up with to help out your communities.

A lot of you are gathering donations of food, toys or clothing and donating them to those who are less fortunate. Still more of you are helping to beautify and improve your local community utilizing donations from others and your own donations of time and energy.

If you are planning a fund raising or community benefit project for the holidays, let us know about it in the comments below.


4-H Weekly News for October 22nd:.

  • 4-H Teen Leaders in Leesville, Louisiana are making a big difference in the lives of children in their local community.

    Concerned that millions of children in America are at risk of hunger, the Vernon Parish 4-H club is organizing a food drive for local children. Dubbed the “backpack project” their goal is to fill the backpacks of children in their local schools with non-perishable items to take home for the holiday season.

    “By sending these students home with a backpack filled with nutritious, non-perishable foods and snacks, (we’re ensuring) the students are getting some of their dietary needs met when school is out for the holidays,” said a 4-H spokesperson.

    Great job, and a great example for other 4-H clubs around the country! Vernon Parish Backpack Project providing nutrition for needy kids


  • This year, the Nebraska 4-H Foundation held a raffle as a big part of their yearly fundraising. The grand prize? A 2010 Ford F-150. This is the second year they have held the truck fundraiser and have raised over $45,000 each year with proceeds going to 4-H clubs all over the state.

    But here’s the really cool part about the story. The winner this year was Eric Woita, a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who is a former 11 year member of 4-H. “I was excited to win the truck,” Woita said, “4-H is a great program and any money they get, they appreciate a lot.”

    Way to go Eric! You can read the whole story here – Eric Woita Wins Nebraska 4-H Foundation Truck


  • Congratulations to Ashe County 4-H who applied for and received a 21st Century Community Learning Center Afterschool Grant from the Department of Public Instruction.

    They will use the money to fund their new Afterschool program called 4-H LINK, which stands for Learning, Inspiring, Nurturing, Konnections.

    They will receive a total of $1,360,000 over the next four years to fund the program.

    Read all about it here – Jefferson Post – 4 H Afterschool receives grants in excess $1.3 million


  • The Salem Ohio 4-H Group is helping their community by volunteering for good old community service!

    When they learned that their local library was having funding problems, they jumped into action and were able to get donations of gardening materials and beautify the outside of the library.

    According to the library staff, if 4-H didn’t do it, it wouldn’t have been done.

    Way to go 4-H’ers, keep up the great work! 4-H’ers Perform Community Service


That’s it for this week, folks. We know there are some stories we missed, so if you have a story or news event you’d like to share, just leave it in a comment below.

Now It’s Your Turn! Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

Have a great weekend and we’ll see you next week!

Scouting Week In Review – October 22, 2010
October 22, 2010

Hey there Scouts! Another October weekend is upon us, bringing us one week closer to Halloween!

If you’re looking for a way to raise funds for your troop, a haunted house or haunted trail is a great idea. You could also offer free admission to guests bringing a donation of food, candy or a costume – and then donate it all to families in need so that they can enjoy the holiday fun as well.

You may also want to think about the children in your local hospitals. They are often forgotten during the holidays! Although they probably cannot accept candy, you could easily volunteer to visit the hospital and decorate it for Halloween, and maybe even donate some masks or costumes to the kids.

OK, on to the weekly review!



  • Ever wonder when all that first aid you learn in the Boy Scouts will pay off? Well for Taylor Reed, a brave young Scout in Northwest Montana, it happened this week. He had just read about dog bites in his Manual when the unthinkable happened. His mother was attacked by a Pit Bull. But Taylor didn’t panic. Instead, he jumped into action.

    Awesome job, Taylor! Keep up the great work.

    Read the amazing story here – Boy Scout Training Paid Off in Local Pit Bull Attack


  • Here’s an interesting story out of Naples, Florida. It seems that on October 1st, a pirate went missing. That is, a life-size, 170-pound pirate statue. A week later, the boys in Troop 165 were enjoying a day of tubing and water skiing off the coast of Florida when they spotted the lifelike statue. After turning it in, they received part of a $1000 reward!

    “We didn’t return it because of the reward,” Sandy Ahlquist said. “We returned it because it was the right thing.”

    Way to go guys! Read the whole story here – Boy Scouts Rewarded
    with Treasure for Finding Stolen Pirate Statue


  • If you’re a Scout in Texas, you probably know all about the Sam Houston Area Council Jam. For those who don’t, this is the largest event ever held by the Boy Scouts in the state of Texas, and second only to the National Jamboree which was held earlier this year in North Carolina.

    And what was the coolest part of the Jam this year? By far it was the world record setting model rocket launch. On Saturday, 3,130 model rockets were simultaneously launched, beating the old record by over 2,000!

    There was a LOT more to do there as well. Read all about it here – Jammin’ Big Time with Boy Scouts


  • A local corn field owner in Dunn County, Wisconsin is commemorating Halloween and the B.S.A. all at once this weekend. They’ve created a very cool haunted maze! The most impressive feature is the design of the maze itself. Click on the picture to the right for a larger view.

    A large portion of the maze will remain un-haunted, while the level of fear in the haunted section increases every couple of hours. Show up at 3:30pm for a family-friendly maze, 5pm for a “faint-of-heart” maze and 7-10pm for particularly petrifying panic!

    Get all the details here – Govin’s Haunted Corn Maze Celebrates Boy Scouts, Helps MTG

Well, that’s it for this week. As usual, we encourage everyone to leave a comment below with your thoughts and comments. Or, if there is a story we missed, you can let us know too.

Tell your friends about us. Have an awesome week!

Now it’s your turn
Leave a comment below with your Scouting news and stories…

Congratulations To Our 4-H Grant Winners!
October 20, 2010

Congratulations to the winners of the ClassB 4-H Community Service Grant Contest!


The McGuire Blue Falcons of Burlington, NJ

The 4-H SET Club of Green Bay, WI


We want to extend our appreciation to all of the groups who applied and sent us their project ideas. Hats off to each and every one of you! We hope that you will continue with your projects and help make your communities safer, healthier and happier places to live.

Below is a summary of each of the winning projects. Make sure to check back over the coming weeks and months as we will be giving updates on their progress and showcasing their projects upon completion.

McGuire Blue Falcons Project

Project Name: Cultivating Community Connections

Project Summary: The McGuire Blue Falcons 4-H Cloverbud club members are all 6-9 years of age. With the guidance and help of adult leaders and another club of older members, the “Nature Nuts” club, the Blue Falcons will plan and carry out a hands-on project developing a nature park at the McGuire AFB Youth Center. The park will include a stage area, physical fun activity area, quiet/reflection space, and a raised bed garden. As a group they have invested in a common goal of creating this nature park where they can play, learn, and work together. 4-H SET Club Project

Project Name: 4-H Fox River Trail 911 Community Service Learning Project

Project Summary: To install markers on the Fox River Trail and acquire waypoints using GPS. These waypoints will be mapped using GIS technology and downloaded into the Brown County 911 system. The ultimate goal is to have markers placed every 100 feet which will allow first responders to easily and quickly find people on the trail that have an emergency. Since the trail is not currently marked, other than for a few interpretive signs, there have been delays in finding people that need help. This project will benefit users of the trail by making it safer, especially for those who have an accident or medical emergency and may even save lives.

We can’t wait to see the finished projects and the benefits they will have on your communities.


Again, congratulations to the winners and kudos to all of the other groups who submitted their projects. We understand the importance of the 4-H program in the lives of youth in the community and we are confident that communities all over the country will benefit from the projects that were submitted.

Please leave a comment below with your thoughts!

4-H Grants and Scholarships – Week of October 18th
October 18, 2010

Another week has gone by and it’s time for another round of new 4-H grants that you can all apply for. Remember that there are hundreds of grants in your local and/or regional areas that we are not listing here. Since our audience is on a national level, we try and feature only national level grants – although sometimes we will announce regional grants as well.

But there are tons of grants all over the country that you can apply for right now! Just hop onto your favorite search engine and see what you can find.

Get those applications submitted and good luck to everyone!

 

2010 4-H National Mentoring Program

It’s almost time to apply for the 4-H National Mentoring Program Grants. The Request for Application should be posted on the 4-H Grants Portal by the first week of November. If you and your group want to help out at-risk or high-risk children in your community, then this is definitely the way to do it. Your efforts will not only help the kids now, but your collected data will help at-risk children for many years to come! This is a very significant program for those who are fully dedicated to helping the youth in their community. Don’t wait on this one. Get all the details right here – 4-H National Mentoring Program

 

UnitedHealth HEROES Service Learning Grants

Youth Service America (YSA) and United Health Group are sponsoring grants for groups to plan and implement a service-learning project to help fight childhood obesity in your local community. We’re sorry for the short notice – but you really need to act fast on this one. The deadline for submitting your application is Midnight this Friday, October 22nd, 2010. The grants encourage semester-long projects that launch on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (January 17, 2011) and culminate on Global Youth Service Day (April 15-17, 2011). Go to this website, take the quick quiz and get started ASAP – United Health HEROES Grant Questionnaire.

 

JCPenney Afterschool Mini Grants

Yep, it’s JCPenney in our grants list again. Way to go JCP! This time, they are offering 500 grants totaling $250,000 to county-based 4-H programs looking to help out with afterschool programs in their community. A lot of kids sadly just don’t have access to afterschool programs and some that do, will soon be forced to stop attending them due to lack of funding. This grant is aimed at putting a stop to that. For more information, visit the official 4-H page here – JCPenney Minigrants – and get involved today!

 

That’s it for now guys and gals. Again, make sure to check back next week for another list of exciting and educational grant opportunities. If you know of a grant opportunity that we haven’t featured here, please tell us about it in the comment field below!

4-H Week In Review – October 15th, 2010
October 15, 2010

Another week is done and we’re 7 days closer to Halloween…scary. But what isn’t scary is how you guys and gals continue to do tons of great things in your groups and communities.

We know you’re all busy keeping up with your 4-H activities and doing your best at school, so here’s a recap of some of the news you may have missed this week. And if you have a story we missed, let us know in the comments below!


  • Ben Young started out raising alpacas in his high school 4-H club. After that, he turned his attention to raising chickens – and hasn’t looked back since.

    Every week, he brings several dozens fresh eggs, that his 200 chickens laid, to his local farmer’s market where they sell out within a matter of an hour or two. Not bad!

    But Ben doesn’t want to stop here, he plans on expanding the business and taking it to the next level soon. And from what we can see, he shouldn’t have any problems! This is a great example of the amazing head-start that 4-H gives kids, allowing them to reach their potential and to emerge as leaders.

    Local Farmer’s Eggs Fly Off The Shelves


  • They’ve taken creativity – and hay – to a whole new level all over Phillips County in northeast Colorado. Commemorating their 100th anniversary, 4-H clubs across the county were given the challenge of taking a single hay bale and turning it into a work of art.

    I, for one, am completely impressed by some of the creations these clubs produced. Bugs, cakes, hats, pigs – out of a bale of hay! There are some very creative thinkers in Phillips County Colorado. Great job Everybody!

    Click on the link to see some photos of some of their decorated hay bales – 4-H Gets Creative with Hay Bale Decorations.


  • And here’s a nice story out of Lancaster, Ohio. Justin Bachman and Taylor Justice met a few years ago in 4-H and have become close friends since then. In fact, they’re now roommates at Ohio State both studying animal sciences.

    What’s really cool is that this year they individually raised the grand champion steer and the reserve grand champion. Awesome job guys! But what is even more awesome is the fact that they are both using their auction money to help fund their college education.

    Kudos to both of you for being such great examples to kids everywhere.
    Click here to read the whole story, and find out who bought the grand champion – Friends Use Livestock Auction for College Cash.


  • As we said above, Halloween is getting closer, and you can use it to your 4-H Group’s advantage if you act fast. Organizing and creating a “haunted trail” or a “haunted house” is a great way to raise funds for your group and/or a charity of your choice. You can even sell baked goods, candy and other things at the entrance (or at the exit if you don’t scare your guests too badly).

    Not only can you raise money, but you and your Group will have a great time planning and preparing the event as well.

    Take a look at what the 4-H club in East Brunswick, NJ has planned – 4-H Teens Host “Haunted House” Fundraiser in East Brunswick.


That’s it for this week, folks. We know there are some stories we missed, so if you have a story or news event you’d like to share, just leave it in a comment below.

Now It’s Your Turn! Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

Have a great weekend and we’ll see you next week!

This Week in Scouting – October 15th, 2010
October 15, 2010

Hi Scouts! The Boy Scouts of America released a brand new merit badge pamphlet and circular badge this week and they should be in Scout shops by December. It’s all about Geocaching, and if you haven’t tried this new techno-version of “hide and seek” then you really need to give it a shot.

This is the perfect way to bring technology, adventure and the outdoors together as one. You use a handheld GPS device to help find the cache, and your Scouting skills to do it safely and efficiently. It is a truly fun and exciting hobby.

Take a look at the stories below. If you didn’t want to try it before, you’re going to want to now!



  • One of the goals of incorporating geocaching to the Scouting community was to get involved and engaged with thousands upon thousands of geocachers across the country. This gets existing Scouts more enthused and introduces potential new recruits to Scouting.

    In fact, if you’re looking for a way to recruit more Scouts, consider organizing a local geocaching event. It’s a great way to get your local youth community involved in a Scouting-type event and get them interested in joining. Just make sure you always keep safety in mind at all times!

    Here’s a great recruiting event game we found at geoscouting.com – Sample Geoscouting Game.


  • Another great benefit of geocaching is how you can use it to promote, showcase or introduce an event or happening in your organization or local community.

    The folks over at the Lone Star District, part of the Circle 10 Council in North Texas, have put together an outstanding example of exactly how to do it.

    They’ve put together an extended geocaching event which will showcase the contributions of their local Eagle Scouts.

    Great job – and great idea! Lone Star Cache To Eagle Series (click on the FAQ link for all the details)


  • Geocaching is so big in certain places around the country that they dedicate full weekends and organize entire Camporees around it.

    Here’s a cool blog post from “RedHedMary”, wife of an avid geocacher and Scout. She describes the last several days helping set up, and then attending and participating in a local Grand Rapids Area Boy Scout Geocaching Camporee.

    Sounds like you had a lot of fun, Mary. If you happen to read this blog, or if anyone else out there is experienced with setting up this type of event, let us know if there are any more tips you can share to coordinate and organize a
    geocaching Camporee. Just leave a comment below.

    It’s a super-fun way to get more boys and girls involved with Scouting and Venturing – Geocaching Camporee.


  • Our Volunteer of the Week this week is none other than Dr. Mary Stevens. Dr. Stevens has been involved in Scouting since 1986. Over the years, she has volunteered her time and energy as a Tiger Cub, Den and Webelos Leader. She is a currently a Scoutmaster and Venturing Crew Leader.

    Those credentials alone would put Dr. Stevens into the running for our Volunteer of the Week. But this is geocaching week – and this is where Mary Stevens excels!

    An avid geocacher for many years, Mary put her geocaching and Scouting experience together and coined the term GeoScouting (GeoScouting.com), which is the use of geocaching to supplement or promote Scouting. She also proposed and created the geocaching event at the 2005 BSA Jamboree and the 2007 World Scout Jamboree. In addition to that, she authored an informal geocaching book called Geocaching for the Boy Scout Program.

    And she did all of this on her own time, as a volunteer.

    This is a very special week for Dr. Stevens as she also created the requirements for, and wrote the official BSA Geocaching Merit Badge. Congratulations to Dr. Mary Stevens. Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and bringing geocaching to the BSA!

Well, that’s it for this week. As usual, we encourage everyone to leave a comment below with your thoughts and comments. Or, if there is a story we missed, you can let us know too.

Have an awesome week!

Now it’s your turn
Leave a comment below with your Scouting news and stories…

1 … 20 21 22 23 24 … 33
# 325858Member # 148971# 270538 SECURETM ClassB® ®

Get Exclusive Discounts and deals

When you join our e-mail savings list.