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

Cub Scout Summer Camps Videos

Upcoming Events Council May 23: Thunderbird Program Comm 23: Training Comm 25-27: Read & Clear Lake Closed 27: Memorial Day 28: OA Executive Committee 29: Public Speaking Merit Badge 31-6/2: Eager Beaver Weekend 31-6/2: Cub Family Camping Weekend June 2: Firematic Exploring / Venture Day 5: Eagle Scout Recognition Dinner 7-9: Trail to Eagle Session #2 of 3 7-9: Cub Family Camping Weekend 7-9: Eager Beaver Weekend 9: JCOS Committee 9: BALOO Training 14: Sporting Clay Shoot 15: Monster Jam 17: Executive Board at Durland 22: Edge Training 22: Computers Pin & Belt Loop 23: Nature Merit Badge 23-29: Staff Week at Read 24: Council Commissioners 27-7/3: Cub Day Camp at Durland 30-7/6: Boy Scout Summer Camp July 4: Independence Day Holiday 7-13: Summer Camp Week 2 at Read 8-12: Boy Scout Day Camp at Durland 8-12: Cub Day Camp at Iona Prep and Durland 13: Cinematography Merit Badge 14-20: Summer Camp Week 3 at Read 15-19: Boy Scout Day Camp at Durland 15-24: National BSA Jamboree 15-19: Cub Day Camp at Iona Prep and Durland 21-27: Summer Camp Week 4 at Read Manitoga District May 28: District Cmsrs June 4: Court of Honor 18: District Committee See Council Calendar for further events

Units on the Web Packs 6 Briarcliff 28 Croton-on-Hudson 36 Montrose 45 Van Cortlandtville 49 Ossining 83 Ossining 118 Furnace Woods 127 Peekskill 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 267 Yorktown 284 Peekskill 353 Putnam Valley 437 Philipstown 911 Yorktown Add a Unit

District Event Photos Camporees: Muscoot & Manitoga Districts, May 5, 2012

Farewell to Tom Holl
TO: Westchester-Putnam Council Scouters
FROM: Marc T. Andreo, Scout Executive
SUBJECT: Tom Holl
DATE: May 6, 2013

With mixed emotions I must announce that Tom Holl will be leaving the Westchester-Putnam Council effective May 31, 2013 in order to pursue other educational and employment opportunities.

Tom joined the Westchester-Putnam Council on September 7, 2010 as a District Executive serving Manitoga District. Tom made a nice impact as a District Executive serving as the Camp Director for Camp Waubeeka and as the staff advisor to the Thunderbird Games.

Tom, who received his B.A. in English from the Catholic University of America is an Eagle Scout from Maplewood New Jersey and has served on our camp staff for the past eleven summers rising through the ranks in a variety of key roles.

While we will certainly miss Tom, please join me wishing him all the best!

Yorktown Scouts Shave Heads To Fight Childhood Cancer
YORKTOWN, N.Y. – A group of Yorktown Heights Boy Scouts didn’t let a snowstorm stop them from raising money for childhood cancer research Monday night at Grace Lutheran Church.

Read Article in Yorktown Daily Voice

Klondike Derby
Congratulations to the Troop 173 Yorktown “Fighting Irish” Patrol for their victory in January 26’s Manitoga Klondike Derby, and to all the patrols and boys that participated.

Michael Roman Eagle Scout
Michael Roman received a certificate from The Town of Putnam Valley as a result of his project to earn the top rank in the Boy Scouts of America by installing an electronic scoreboard that was purchased by the parents of Steven Espinosa, the Putnam Valley little-leaguer who passed away at the age of nine.

Roman said he was inspired to do the project as he had been in little league at the same time Espinosa was and he wanted to do something to make a contribution to the community.

Roman’s father, Bill, said his son was awarded his Eagle Scout rank at an age younger than most. “He’s one of the youngest Eagle Scouts to come out of Westchester and Putnam Counties,” his father said of attaining the rank on May 24, 2012 while still a freshman in high school and only 14 years old at the time. “He had a goal of becoming an Eagle Scout while he still was active in his troop.”

Roman, who is a sophomore at Putnam Valley High School and plays the position of second baseman on the school’s junior varsity baseball team, is the senior patrol leader for Putnam Valley’s Boy Scout Troop 41.
Roman said many people, including his fellow scouts, chipped in to help complete the scoreboard installation.

Manitoga District Award of Merit Recipients
 

Manitoga District Award of Merit Recipients

Roundtables, District Commissioners, and District Committee Meetings
Our Roundtable now meets at Copper Beech Middle School on Route 132 (Old Yorktown Road) in Yorktown (south of Shrub Oak).
From East/West: US Route 6 to Route 132 (Barger St.). South on Barger St. 2/10 mile. Slight left continuing on Route 132 (now Old Yorktown Rd). 7/10 mile to school on right.
From North: Taconic State Parkway to Route 6 Peekskill/Mahopac exit. Right turn to next intersection. Left onto Barger St. (Route 132) 2/10 mile. Slight left continuing on Route 132 (now Old Yorktown Rd). 7/10 mile to school on right.
From South: Taconic State Parkway to Route 132/Shrub Oak exit. Right turn at exit. ½ mile to school on right.

Look for BSA signage for directions to the Library.

The District Commissioners meetings are held on the fourth 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 District Commissioner Pete Gardner pwg-bsahotmail.com, (914) 282-8903.

The District Committee meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm at the Unitarian Church, 1698 Strawberry Road, Mohegan Lake, NY. For more information or questions regarding the Committee meeting contact District Chairman Josh Davies, joshdaviesoptonline.net, (914) 479-9062.

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

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