Welcome to the Boy Scout Roundtable Resource Site of the Raritan Valley District of Patriots Path Council (358) at http://rvd.scoutlander.com

Click on the above link to access the Roundtable Resource Website.

Our goal will be to provide information and resources to Scout leaders, both youth and adult, that will help them to run an instructive and fun program for their Scouts.  We shall seek to provide information, resources, and suggestions on how to use them to teach and inform others.  We are nominally calling ourselves “Troop 1” because we hope that we can become a primary source of help for your Troop.  Suggestions on how to improve our service are always welcome through the “Contact Our Troop” link above.

A general introduction to our Roundtable process may be found by clicking on the folder “September 2017,” in the left margin.

Our September 2017 Roundtable will be 7:30-9:00 PM, Wednesday, September 6, at the Somerville Middle School, 51 West Cliff Street, Somerville, NJ.  After that meeting, Roundtable dates will shift to the third Wednesday evening each month, unless noted otherwise.

Journey To Excellence Information

2017 Microsoft Events Flyer

Register for:

Movie Making Merit Badge – September 23, 2017

Movie Making Merit Badge – October 7, 2017

Photography Merit Badge – October 14, 2017

Robotics Merit Badge – October 21, 2017

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO REGISTER FOR ALL TRAININGS

DEN CHIEF TRAININGS:

AUGUST 27  – Berkeley Heights CLICK ON DATE TO REGISTER

SEPTEMBER 23 – Somerville CLICK ON DATE TO REGISTER

BALOO TRAINING – SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 @ CAMP WINNEBAGO

IMPORTANT:  BSA RECENTLY ANNOUNCED MODIFICATIONS TO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL CUB SCOUT RANKS.  These modifications are designed to ensure that Adventure requirements are achievable by Cub Scout Dens within a program year.  The changes are effective as of November 30, the date they were announced.  The information can be found in a 56-page document at this link:

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/cubscouts/pdf/CubScout_Advancement_Modifications.pdf

• Most of the changes involve reducing the number of requirements that must be done to complete each of the Adventures
• With the modifications, Dens should now be able to complete one Adventure in approximately two Den Meetings.
• Adventures that have already been completed are not affected; however, leaders can now use the revised requirements as they work with their Dens on new Adventures

It’s very important that all Den Leaders realize there has been a significant reduction in the requirements for every rank….and it is very important to note to the Cub Scouts and their families, that these changes have come directly from the National BSA organization, and may be implemented IMMEDIATELY.

In addition to the requirement reductions in all Ranks, Bear has had a change in Required Adventures:

• “Baloo the Builder” is now a “Required” Adventure instead of an”Elective” Adventure (page 26 of the revisions)
• “Grin and Bear It” is now an “Elective” Adventure instead of a “Required” Adventure (page 28)

The Webelos & Arrow of Light Advancement Modifications begin on page 36.

• For Webelos, there are still 5 “Required” Adventures; however, the number of requirements in each Adventure has been reduced.  In addition to the 5 required Adventures, earning the Webelos Badge now requires completion of just one (1) “Elective” Adventure.  Previously, two (2) “Elective” Adventures were required.  The “Elective” Adventures have also been modified to reduce the number of requirements.  The total Adventures needed  to earn the Webelos Badge is now six (6) instead of seven (7)
• For AOL the changes are similar.  There are still 4 “Required” Adventures, but with reduced requirements, and now one (1) “Elective” Adventure instead of 3, for a total of 5 Adventures needed to earn the Arrow of Light, instead of the previous 7 Adventures.

The following is a listing of requested Eagle Projects

Contact: Audrey Hertzberg, CTRS, Life Enrichment Director, ABINGDON CARE & REHABILITATION CENTER

303 Rock Avenue, Green Brook, NJ 08812  732-968-5500 Ext. 45216

1. A  4 x 6 foot table that is wheelchair height (36”) so that we could build a slot car race track on it.  I have a Hobby Shop near me and identified the track that I want, but I need an appropriate space to build it on.
2. Recreate a gardening area on our back patio.  In addition to disassembling the current raised garden beds, where the wood is rotting, I want to have it raked out and have wheelchair height garden boxes built along the patio area, which would be more functional.

Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage, 71 Somerset Street, Somerville, NJ 08876  908-725-1015

Contact: Hillary Murtha, Ph.D   e-mail:  [email protected]

Project:

The curator, who recently left, designed a Colonial garden space behind the 1751 Old Dutch Parsonage historic site; unfortunately, it was a very ambitious project that never reached its potential. The space is now seriously overgrown with weeds, and a handful of saplings are springing up, too. Would need to have someone dig out the saplings before they mature further. Eventually the entire space needs to be cleared, but I think this would require repeated efforts. I’d love to hear if there is a scout troop, or more than one scout troop, interested in taking the project on (that is, just clearing the space, not actually planting or maintaining the garden). Besides the garden area, there is a very small graveyard on the site (only about 6′ square, at a guess) that also needs clearing. I can provide an educational element to any scout project by explaining the features of colonial gardens, and why this one is designed to look the way it does (minus wild undergrowth!)

Please contact our RV WebMaster to remove listing as needed

Raritan Valley District Recognition Breakfast Photos – May 13, 2017

September, 2017

The council’s new structure will increase the number of professional staff, and significantly change the organization and roles of our professional Scouters.  It will also change who our volunteers go to for support, depending on the function.

The team of professionals serving the districts will include a professional executive who will be the subject matter expert in a specific area – development, membership, program, and unit service.  The role of the membership executive is to be responsible for the effective organization and operation of all youth recruiting related functions, such as; boy talks, recruiting drives, for all the districts in the service area.

It’s a pleasure to introduce the two membership executives for Patriots’ Path Council:

Serving the districts of Black River, Fishawack, and Sussex will be Al Thomas.

• Al joined our professional staff as a district executive in 2006.  He grew up in Brooklyn, where he was a Boy Scout for only 3 months when the troop disbanded.  Al returned to Scouting as soon as his son Tristan was old enough to join Cub Scouts.  He served as an assistant den leader in Pack 6 and later as an assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 8.  He was one of the advisors on a Philmont trek in 2011.  As a professional, Al was Sussex District executive from 2007-2010 and has been Fishawack District executive since then.  He has been the staff advisor to the Advancement Committee, Friends of Scouting Committee and Community Service Committee.

Serving the districts of Munsee, Raritan Valley, and Watchung Mountain will be Javier Juarez.

• Javier has been a Scout all his life. He is the youngest of 4. He is an Eagle Scout from Troop 42 in San Juan, and is a member of the Order of the Arrow. He’s been a volunteer in the Puerto Rico council serving as a unit commissioner, district training committee member, and assistant Scoutmaster. He also served on the Wood Badge staff in two courses. Javier has a master’s and a bachelor’s degree in graphic design.

There will be questions, concerns and bumps along the way as we work to implement and refine this significant change.  As we proceed on this journey to excellence in our Scouting program, we welcome your input and appreciate your patience.

Additional details regarding this change will be communicated to you in the coming months through the council’s “Sign’s Up” e-newsletter, monthly round-tables and the website https://ppcbsa.org/districts/district-structure-2017/.  If you have any questions, please email Mark Spaldo at [email protected].

commissioners, and nominations, publicity and health and safety committee chairmen.