Serving: Briarcliff Manor, Buchanan, Chappaqua, Cold Spring, Continental Village, Cortlandt, Crompond, Croton, Crugers, Furnace Woods, Garrison, Jefferson Valley, Kitchawan, Millwood, Mohegan Lake, Montrose, North Highland, Nelsonville, Ossining, Peekskill, Phillipstown,  Putnam Valley, Scarborough, Shrub Oak, Toddville, Van Cortlandtville, Verplanck, Yorktown, and Yorktown Heights

Units on the Web Packs 28 Croton-on-Hudson 36 Montrose 45 Van Cortlandtville 49 Ossining 83 Ossining 118 Furnace Woods 134 Mohegan Lake 164 Yorktown Heights 165 Yorktown Heights 206 Chappaqua 251 Yorktown Heights Troops 1 Chappaqua 18 Briarcliff 28 Croton 38 Shrub Oak 41 Putnam Valley 45 Van Cortlandtville 49 Ossining 164 Yorktown 165 Yorktown Heights 173 Yorktown Heights 174 Yorktown 284 Peekskill 353 Putnam Valley 911 Yorktown Crews 1005 Yorktown Add a Unit

Manitoga District Dinner
Thank you to everyone that was able to attend the 2010 Manitoga District Dinner on June 15th . With an attendance of over 50 Scouters, we had an evening full of fun and fellowship. Several awards were given out to scouters for years of service and different individual accomplishments. The pinnacle of the night was our 3 District Award of Merit recipients:

1. Lauren Conciatori
2. Frederick Compton
3. Alfred Pucci

Our recipients were nominated for this prestigious award by their peers for their outstanding service and dedication to the Scouting program on the District level. We would like to also thank Colonial Terrace who served as our host and Lauren Conciatori who served as the District Dinner Committee Chair and Master of Ceremony.

Good Turn Project
The Manitoga District would like to thank all of the Scouts and Scout parents that participated in this past weekend’s “Good Turn” project at FDR State Park. The park clean-up was represented by Scouts and family members from
Troop 45 Van Cortlandtville
Troop 164 Yorktown Heights
Troop 173 Yorktown Heights
Troop 174 Yorktown Heights
Troop 238 Shrub Oak
We had over 50 people helping out with needed maintenance and performed services that would have taken the park weeks to complete. Below is a message sent from FDR State Park Manager, Brian Strasavich:

Wow!!!

I can’t thank you all enough for setting up this wonderful work day in the Park. A tremendous amount of work was accomplished in a short amount of time. It would have taken our staff weeks to accomplish this much, and there’s no way we could have done it all with the other priorities we have on our plate.

Though soaked and tired, the Scouts and leaders continued to work hard and in effect finished cleaning the remainder of the park that was available for work. This will allow our staff to chip the brush in a very efficiently.

Thank you all for helping to set up FDR Park for a successful summer operation. Without the tireless efforts of the scouts and leaders, this could not have been accomplished in such a timely manner.

I’m truly amazed!

Yours in parks,
Brian

Scout Good Turn Project
Completed in 1808 for the States Dyckman family, Boscobel House is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Federal architecture in the country. In addition to the House, this public property in Garrison NY features a 29 acre, one mile-long Woodland Trail.

In an effort to complete much needed trail work by June 1st Boscobel House and Gardens has reached out to the Westchester-Putnam Council Boy Scouts of America for help. Their Maintenance staff consists of only four paid workers and they need to complete 450 feet of Trail work.

The Woodland Trail looks out on to Constitution Marsh, the Hudson River, West Point, and has several other scenic views. The trail currently needs to have Check Dams, Steps and Banisters installed as well as leaves removed and Wood Chips put down.

As Scouts it is our job to do a Good Turn Daily. Please consider donating a few hours of your time individually, as a Troop, or even as an Eagle Scout service Project. To make arrangements to restore this beautiful Trail, please contact:

Rick Soedler
Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds
(845) 248-4938 x119
rsoedlerboscobel.org

Scout Good Turn Project

Manitoga holds Pinewood Derby Run-off
On March 21st , 51 boys participated in the annual Manitoga District Pinewood Derby Run-offs.
Congratulations all to of Scout, especially our top 3 winners:

First Place: Chris K.
Second Place: Daniel M
Third Place: Philip D.

Special thanks go to:
Croton Auto Park our very generous new sponsor, Pack 83 Ossining who hosted the race and provide food and beverages.

A fun afternoon was had by all who attended!

Pinewood Derby Standings

Roundtable celebrated Boy Scout Centennial
The February Manitoga District Cub Scout Roundtable celebrated the Boy Scout Centennial with a Blue and Gold potluck supper complete with a special cake ceremoniously cut and individually presented by our District Executive, Ian Yearwood.

Our Roundtable program featured adult recognition award presentations, including the very first Westchester-Putnam Council Pack Trainer Award to
Heidi Bornemann of Pack 251, Yorktown. Heidi is presented her award by Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner Charlie Deierlein.

Boy Scout Klondike
Congratulations to the :

Sled Race 1st - T 173 Yorktown - Fighting Irish
2nd - T 267 Yorktown - Ninja Pandas
3rd - T 353 Putnam Valley – Red Hawks

All Around 1st - T 173 Yorktown - Fighting Irish
2nd - T 173 Yorktown - Flaming Arrows
3rd - T 36 Montrose – Bats

Webelos Klondike
Congratulations to all of the Cub Scouts that participated in the 2010 Webelos Klondike. Special Congratulations to our sled race winners:
1st Pack 235 Yorktown
2nd Pack 83 Ossining
3rd Pack 6 Briarcliff

Cub Scout Leader Basic Training
Cub Scout Leader Basic Training has been changed significantly for 2010 and beyond. The new basic training for Cub Scout Leaders now consists of five short courses: three are available online and two classroom sessions.

The three online courses can be accessed through My Scouting at: https://myscouting.scouting.org/_layouts/MyScouting/login.aspx. Follow the instructions to establish an account and begin your training with these three online courses:
• Fast Start for your position
• Youth Protection
• This is Scouting (this course is the revised New Leader Essentials course)

The following two classroom courses are required as part of the Basic Training process:
• Part 1 consists of two 45 minutes sessions: Introduction to Cub Scouting and How We have Fun
• Part 2 consists of one 90 minute session on Cub Scout Leader Position Specifics - Training relevant to your position (Tiger Cub Den Leader, Wolf or Bear Den Leader or Assistant, Webelos Den Leader or Assistant, Cubmaster or Assistant, Committee Chairman/Member of Committee, Pack Trainer)

IF YOU ARE ALREADY TRAINED BUT HAVE ACCEPTED ANOTHER POSITION:
You need to be trained for the position designated by the patch on your uniform. If you have taken the above training or previous Cub Scout Leader Basic Training courses, you only need to attend the Cub Scout Leader Position Specifics course for you new position.

Manitoga District Award of Merit Recipients
 

Manitoga District Award of Merit Recipients

Roundtables, District Commissioners, and District Committee Meetings
Manitoga Roundtable meets on the first Tuesday of each month that school is in session at Van Cortlandtville Elementary School in Mohegan Lake. The school driveway is called Constitution Drive and it is opposite the middle entrance to the Cortlandt Town Center shopping center on Route 6 between Peekskill and "downtown" Mohegan Lake. (There are 3 entrances to the shopping center, each controlled by a traffic light. For map orientation, the westerly entrance is opposite Westbrook Drive.) The school sits on the north side of Route 6, on a hill with its long side facing the road. As you face the front (Route 6 side) of the building, you enter the property at the westerly end of the building. Drive east through the main parking area, and park up the hill near the easterly side of the building. We start at 7:30pm and must finish before 10pm. We meet in a room near the middle of the right (easterly) side of the building. Cub Scout and Boy Scout Roundtables meet in adjacent rooms.

The District Commissioners meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the Holy Name of Mary Church at 110 Grand street Croton, NY. For more information or questions regarding the Commissioners meeting contact Al Pucci.

The District Committee meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm at the Van Cortlandtville Elementary School, Route 6 in Mohegan Lake, NY. For more information or questions regarding the Committee meeting contact Bob Tendy, bobtendygmail.com, (845) 526 2121.

Conservation Resource Guide
Conservation is a basic part of the BSA mission. Scouting embraces Leave No Trace, requires conservation-related activities for rank advancement, and encourages conservation service projects to the community. The new Conservation Resource Guide identifies Westchester-Putnam agencies engaged in nature and conservation activities. Organized by District, the Guide is intended to enable ‘one-stop’ access for any Westchester-Putnam Scouts and Scouters seeking sites for troop conservation projects, nature-related advancements, or outdoor activities (including William Hornaday Award, Leave No Trace Award, Boy Scout Rank Advancement Nature Requirements, and Eagle Service Projects).

Manitoga District Unit Service
Have you ever wondered who to call with Unit operation questions, or where to get resources? In addition to the professional staff of the Council, the District has a group of uniformed commissioned volunteers who are commissioned and dedicated to serve the needs of the Units that they are assigned. Ideally there is one Unit Commissioner for every 2-3 Packs, Troops, or Venturing Crews.

The Manitoga District Commissioner, Alfred Pucci, has recruited several volunteers to be Unit Commissioners. These people are to be friends and counselors of Unit Leaders. They are effective communicators, providing the resources of the District and Council to the Units they serve. Another description of Unit Commissioners is that they are Scoutings bridge to the Unit and the Chartering Organization. Specifically, the Unit Commissioners are to:
• Maintain a close liaison with the Chartering Organization of the Unit.
• Work to assure effective and active Unit Committees.
• Facilitate the on time annual charter renewal.
• Help the Unit Committee with the selection and recruitment of Unit Leaders as needed (although the actual appointment is approved by the Chartering Organization.)
• See that Unit leadership gets adequate training.
• Cultivate and maintain the best possible ongoing relationship with the Unit Leader.

The Commissioner Concept
In 1911 the local Council Commissioner, called the "Scout Commissioner," was "the ranking scout master of the local council and preside[d] at all scout masters' meetings as well as at all scout field meets. It [was] also the duty of the scout commissioner to report to and advise with the Chief Scout concerning the scouts in the district." [From The Official Handbook for Boys, Boy Scouts of America, page 11 (1911)]

Not much has changed in 90+ years. Today, the Commissioner is the liaison between the local Council and the Scouting Units. The Commissioner's mission is to help Unit leaders to keep Units operating at maximum efficiency. The Commissioner is successful when Units effectively deliver the ideals of Scouting.
Unit Commissioners are assigned to one or more Units, but they are not alone. They work hand-in-hand with the District Commissioner, Assistant District Commissioners and the Roundtable Commissioners to help Units provide the best possible Scouting program, which ultimately helps assure that individual Scouts have the best opportunity of developing good character traits, participating citizenship skills, and personal fitness.

From its inception, the Commissioner Staff has been dedicated to Unit service as a friend and partner in Scouting, with a single objective - the welfare of the Troop, Pack or Crew.

We have made good progress in expanding the Commissioner Service in our District, but there are still many opportunities available for service to Scouting. Working with our Units "where the rubber meets the road" is a great way for adult volunteers to play a key role in "delivering the promise" of Scouting to the youth of our community.

The Commissioners meet the second Tuesday of the month at Holy Name of Mary Church at110 Grand Street at 8 p.m. (please use the rear entrance.
If you would like to be a part of the Commissioner Service, or know of any prospects who might like to serve, please pass along contact information to Alfred Pucci, Manitoga District Commissioner.

Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat Training Online
Online Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat Training - Each segment of training is done separately and will take 10-15 minutes. At the end of the training you will be asked to input your name, unit number, and BSA council. After a few minutes the screen will show a completed "training card" for you to print -- keep a copy for your records, and send one copy to your unit and a copy to the council office in order to update your training files.

For over three quarters of a century, the Boy Scouts of America has worked to develop the character, citizenship, and personal fitness of America's youth - and to do it safely! As a major youth serving organization, the Boy Scouts of America has a unique opportunity to help protect the youth of our nation while participating in aquatic activities.

Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat Training is required to be updated every two years.

NOTE: This course uses Flash Player version 6 or better. When you begin the course the program should check your system to ensure it has the proper Flash Player installed and provide directions if it is not. However, you may wish to go ahead and download and install the latest update prior to starting the course.

www.scouting.org/pubs/aquatics

Scouts Need your Help
Manitoga District has opportunities on the following committees

• Activities & Civic Service Committee
• Advancement & Recognition Committee
• Camp Promotion & Outdoor Committee
• Finance Committee
• Leadership Training Committee
• Membership Committee

Cub Advancement Reminder
The first rank a boy earns in Cub Scouting, if he joins as a first grader, is the Tiger rank. He then must earn the Bobcat badge before starting the Wolf book. If a boy joins in the second, third, fourth, or fifth grade, he must earn the Bobcat badge before starting the appropriate book for his grade level. Bobcat is considered a rank advancement. Therefore remember to report it on your Pack advancement report, when the badges are purchased at the Scout Shop. Please remember, every second, third, fourth, or fifth grader who joins a Pack should earn their Bobcat within the first month of joining the Pack.

New BSA Troop Open-House Plan 
Many Boy Scout Leaders have expressed that they are worried about the dwindling number of boys in their Troop. We have some new materials to support the Troop Open-House plan to recruit Boy Scouts. We all know that it can be difficult to recruit older boys, but it is not impossible. There are many ways to present Scouting to this age group, and if we work together, we can make sure to continue to offer the promise to all youth who are interested, as well as preserve the life of our Troops. 

Great Program
One of the ways to make sure your Scouts receive a good program is to become trained. The Westchester-Putnam Council offers several training opportunities. Information is available at the Council Office and Roundtables or here. 

Every boy deserves trained leaders. All leaders should be trained for the position they currently hold. 

• Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO)
• Cub Scout Leader Basic Training
• Cub Leader Supplemental Training
• Cub Scout Leader Roundtable
• Cub Scout Leader PowWow
• Den Chief Conference
• Fast Start Training
• Leadership Development Conference
• Scouter Wood Badge
• Webelos Leader Outdoor Training

Manitoga District Units