Alamo Area BSA

 
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Want To Camp At Sea?!

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The Alamo Area Council’s High Adventure program for this Summer will be camping at sea at national’s unique Scouting facility, Sea Base, which offers aquatics programs found nowhere else. This Summer, registrants will be participating in the Coral Reef Sailing Adventure in Islamorada, Florida for 7days and 6 nights! Your home for a week will be on a large sailing vessel over 40 feet long. During the adventure, you will be sailing the Florida Keys and part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Participants will set sail in the most diverse ecosystem in North America. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is home to thousands of underwater species including dolphins, sea turtles, fish and the Florida Reef. Participants will snorkel some of the most beautiful reefs in the Keys, fish and sail turquoise waters and explore. Setting sail from beautiful Islamorada, Florida crews will embark on the adventure of a lifetime. You will also have the opportunity to study astronomy, navigation, fish identification, and coral reef ecology.

This will be an experience of a lifetime and we want you there! The Coral Reef Sailing Crew Size will be 8 individuals. This number includes both youth and adult participants.  Due to US Coast Guard Regulations crews may not exceed the maximum number allowed. Please visit the registration page for cost and payment options. The payment options listed can be modified to assist.

So come and camp out at sea this Summer at Sea Base!

Register Here
2021 Participant Guide- Coral Reef Sailing

Elevate Your Adventure with COPE!

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Come join us for COPE Adventures at the McGimsey Scout Park. Not sure what COPE is but heard that it was great? COPE stands for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience and will stretch your group to do their best. Come see for yourself what COPE will do for you and your troop, crew, post, or committee.

COPE consists of group initiative games, trust events, and high and low ropes courses. Some activities involve a group challenge, while others develop individual skills and agility. Participants climb, swing, balance, jump, rappel, and devise solutions to a variety of problems. COPE is not just games. Processing (guided discussion) of the experience of each element, what was learned, what could be done better, and what goals were achieved are perhaps more important than the activity. Activities are designed to help improve communication, planning, teamwork, trust, leadership, decision making, problem solving, and self-esteem.

 

When is it?
October 23 with two sessions available:
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
12:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Where is it?
McGimsey Scout Park
Park by the OA building and walk to the climbing tower.

Who can participate?
Troops, Crews, and adult Scouters.
Participants must be 13 or older.

What should I bring?
Comfortable but durable clothes, hat, water bottle, closed toed shoes, and BSA Health Form.

Register today!
Morning Session
Afternoon Session

An Updated Plan for Unit Success – A Must Read for Unit Leaders

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Baden Powell Unit Recognition – 2021

Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council’s performance recognition program for units is named after Scouting’s founder, Robert Baden-Powell. Baden-Powell’s spirit is alive and well in our local community. The heart of this Baden Powell recognition is to make better units. Ultimately, better units mean better programs for our youth. This recognition will continue to work to serve your unit!

As national continues to serve the local council, we want to make sure that we continue to recognize our units and the hard work they put in each year. The Journey to Excellence (JTE) has been a great resource to encourage excellence and continuous improvement in providing a quality program at all levels of the BSA. As a council, we have made the decision to discontinue our use of the JTE program. Your unit can continue using the JTE Scorecard to measure your unit quality, but it will be for unit utilization only and will not be submitted to the council.

Our team has brought the Journey to Excellence scorecard and the Baden Powell Unit Recognition 10 achievements together in one concise and clear scorecard called the Baden Powell Unit Excellence Award. It will focus on the three main areas which are Service, Adventure, and Fundraiser. You will go through each line item to discover which tier you are in to know the points to award. Add the points to see if you reached the 500 points needed to achieve the Baden Powell Award. Once it is completed, turn into the Scout Service Center or Outdoor Department. All submissions need to be turned in by or before January 31st to be eligible.

This is our first year pioneering this NEW Baden Powell Unit Excellence Award. We will continue to update as needed and will keep you informed. Keep on Scouting and having Great Adventures!

Download the Scorecard HERE

2020 Recognition and BP Status Benefits

Baden Powell units will receive the following recognition and benefits:

  • Adventure Guide magazine announcement
  • Council website and newsletter shout out
  • FREE Baden Powell unit recognition streamer
  • Facility Rental Voucher for FREE Unit Weekend Campout in 2022 (SUBJECT TO COVID19 RESTRICTIONS) at an Alamo Area Council Property*
  • 5% Discounted pricing to all Alamo Area Council camping events

Submission for 2021 can be online or in-person, and you can email it to Adventure@alamoareabsa.org
*FREE Rental for unit weekend camping coordinated through the Outdoor Adventures Team based on facility availability at Bear Creek Scout Reservation, McGimsey Scout Park, and Mays Family Scout Ranch. Email Rentals@AlamoAreaBSA.org or visit www.AlamoAreaBSA.org/BadenPowell for more information. Includes campsite rental only.

Resources to Aid Unit Success

As a 2021 Baden Powell unit, we use these methods of Scouting as shown by:

 

BSA MEMBERSHIP FEE INCREASE DETAILS AND FAQ

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As per the membership plan established in 2019, the National office will be updating its fee structure for the 2021-2022 program year. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) continues to keep the membership fee as low as possible. The increase, less than a dollar per month, covers the rising operating costs necessary to properly maintain the program.

To fulfill the promise of Scouting, the updated national membership fee is:

  • $72 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts participants
  • $45 for Exploring participants
  • $30 for council-paid memberships
  • $45 for all adult volunteers (includes cost of background check)
  • $75 for a unit charter fee

The membership fees will take effect August 1, 2021, for the 2021-2022 program year.

The one-time $25 joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts is still required; however, there is no joining fee for Exploring participants, participants previously registered in any BSA program, those transferring from one program to another, council-paid memberships, or adult volunteers.

See an infographic explaining these updates. 

The national membership fee helps pay for the cost of essential services, including program resources, liability insurance for those participating in approved Scouting activities, youth protection, and various National resources made available for councils. National BSA will also continue to develop and improve resources that support our volunteers and youth members through online registration, Scoutbook, and national initiatives that bring us all together. Across the country and in each of our communities, we know that Scouting remains one of the most valuable investments we can make in young men and women today so they can become the leaders we will turn to tomorrow. Our dedicated volunteers, staff, and Scouting families make this possible. Thank you for continuing to support one of the most valuable opportunities available to young people today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:        How much of the National Fee stays with the Alamo Area Council?

A:         None of it – 100% of the money your unit turns in for new members and recharter goes directly to the National office. In fact, though the National office allows it, the Alamo Area Council has never chosen to add on its own fees in addition to the National ones. Our staff and outstanding teams of volunteers raise necessary funds through the generous contributions of our community via donations, grants, and fundraising all year long. It is their efforts and yours – through selling Popocorn, campcards, and your unit’s participation in Give The Adventure campaigns – that make Scouting the most affordable youth activity in our area.

Q:        Why are the fees increasing?

A:         The national annual membership fee is increasing by $6, about 50 cents per month because the costs associated with Scouting, including the cost of liability insurance, continue to increase and the organization is not able to subsidize the increased costs as it had in the past.

Q:        When will this increase take effect?

A:         The updated membership fees will take effect August 1, 2021, for new members in the 2021-2022 program year.

Q:        Is Scouting still a good value?

A:         Absolutely! While most extracurricular activities are seasonal, Scouting is a year-round program that remains one of the most valuable investments we can make to support young men and women today so they can become the leaders we will turn to tomorrow. For most of our participants, the new national membership fee amounts to $6.00 a month, which is an enormous value when you consider that many seasonal extracurricular activities often start at $100 for programs that last a few weeks.

Q:        Does the fee increase apply to the council-paid memberships of the Scoutreach program?

A:        Council-paid memberships will not change for youth members of Scoutreach, the in-school and after-school programs designed for low-income communities.

 

 

Excerpts are taken from an article published June 4, 2021 by Scoutingwire.org.

Summer of Service 2021

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Thank you, Brian On Scouting, for breaking down the Summer of Service National Campaign for the summer of 2021:

Scouts help other people at all times, and after a year of staying home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of them are excited to start serving their communities like they did pre-pandemic.

If your Scout has read May’s issue of Scout Life magazine, he or she would’ve seen senior editor Aaron Derr’s story on BSA’s Summer of Service campaign. It’s pretty simple to be part of it. Do a project or Good Turn and let the BSA know. That’s all there is to it.

It’s a time to remind our country of the good Scouts do on a daily basis. We all can participate in service, whether it’s completing an extensive Eagle Scout project or an impromptu helping of a neighbor with yard work. Make sure projects adhere to BSA standards and guidelines, along with COVID-19 guidelines for your area.

The campaign runs through October. Share your Scout’s or unit’s service here and on social media by using the hashtag #SummerOfService.

Some ideas

If you follow BSA guidelines, any service project can qualify to be part of Summer of Service. It must benefit others, rather than Scouting. But a Scouting event can spur service ideas, like cleaning up a park during a campout.

If you need help brainstorming ideas, here are a few:

  • Repair bicycles and teach bike safety to neighborhood children  
  • Wearing appropriate gear, disinfect playground equipment in your neighborhood park 
  • Make and donate face coverings to schools and churches in your area 
  • Take a trash bag and gloves with you on your next run or family walk and pick up any trash you see 
  • Beautify the school grounds or community public areas 
  • Commit to using fewer plastic bags 
  • Perform an energy audit of your home 
  • Set up a recycling system where there isn’t one 
  • Do a chore for someone who cannot easily do it themselves:  mow a lawn, rake leaves, fix a mailbox, etc. 
  • Following COVID guidelines in your area, check in on an elderly neighbor 
  • Collect school supplies and backpacks and donate them to your local school 
  • Collect supplies to donate to domestic violence shelters in your area 
  • Donate a portion of your weekly allowance to a homeless shelter 
  • Foster a shelter animal or offer dog walking services 
  • Return carts for people at the store for an afternoon during a rainy day 
  • Write “thank you” notes to men & women in the military, first responders, healthcare workers 
  • Take treats to a local fire station 
  • Assist a community library with their annual book drive

For more project ideas, check out these resources via Scout Life:

Or see others along with these FAQs on the Summer of Service page.

Recognition

After participating in the Summer of Service, you can order a patch to hang over your front right pocket or a ring to sew around the World Crest. You can also print out a certificate for your Scouts.

Don’t forget to tag the Alamo Area Council in your Social Media posts. Email Jenn Arntson, Council Publicist, at Jennifer.Arntson@Scouting.org to share what your unit accomplished!

See the original article from Brian On Scouting HERE

Scout Youth Honored at Virtual Brunch

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact:
Angel Martinez, PR Director
(210) 394-9915
Angel.Martinez@Scouting.org

SCOUT YOUTH HONORED AT VIRTUAL BRUNCH

Alamo Area Council’s Annual Fundraiser Recognize Youth

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (March 16, 2021) Community leaders and Scout supporters will gather virtually on Thursday, March 18, 2021, to hear youth and adult members of the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council share their stories, including a keynote from Eagle Scout Jim Syring, President of Property and Casualty at USAA. Young men and women will be honored for their outstanding achievements, lifesaving efforts and resilient through the hurdles of 2020.

The Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council will host the event on Zoom, YouTube and Facebook streaming services @AlamoAreaBSA. Media is invited to attend the event beginning at 10:15 a.m. and concluding at 10:45 a.m., pre-show begins at 10:00 a.m.

“The goal of the Scouting Movement is to teach our youth to have good judgement and a good head on their shoulders by experiencing positive outdoor adventures. So please ‘Give’ to help fund the tradition of adventure and character development for all boys and girls,” said Michael de los Santos, Scout Executive, Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council.

Tyler Syring with Scouts BSA Troop 18 will emcee the brunch; announcing many special honorees. Eagle Scout Harry “Quint” Bowers of Troop 119 will be honored with the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award for his ‘Mighty Mitts’ in support of children diagnosed with cancer.

Lane Mokry of Pack 22, Christopher Bowling of Troop 381, and Therren Beetner of Troop 119 will be honored for their significant acts of service that demonstrate unusual heroism and skill in saving or attempting to save another’s life.

Scouts BSA youth Michelle Bourland of Troop 496, Angel Gonzales of Troop 2222G, Medwyn Guajardo of Troop 361, and Gayle Hende of Troop 346G will be highlighted as the nation’s first female Eagle Scouts – a prestigious achievement attained by some of the country’s most noteworthy figures.

The annual event helps support Scouting programs and camps council wide. The counties served by the Alamo Area BSA include Bexar, Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, La Salle, McMullen, Medina, and Wilson.

To learn more or attend the Virtual Brunch visit www.AlamoAreaBSA.org/VirtualBrunch. To support local Scouting, donate online at www.GiveTheAdventure.org or text GIVEADVENTURE to 41444.

To join Scouting visit www.AlamoAreaBSA.org/Join or contact membership team by phone at 210-341-8611.

About the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council

The Alamo Area Council, BSA headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, serves a 13-county area imparting the Scouting program to over 14,000 youth and 3,500 volunteer adults in South Texas. The Boy Scouts of America continue to prepare young people for life by providing the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, utilizing outdoor activity, citizenship, and fitness. The Council manages over 1,280 acres of outdoor adventure for boys and girls from 5-20 years of age at three premier camps – Bear Creek Scout Reservation, Mays Family Scout Ranch, and McGimsey Scout Park. Learn more at www.AlamoAreaBSA.org.

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Scouting Adventures