Thank you for all you do for Scouting. Without volunteers like yourself we would not be able to make today’s youth into tomorrow’s leaders with the Scouting program.  The last 5 years have been very challenging for Scouting. While we have had great accomplishments including the number of Eagle Scouts, the completion on the new Yammine Lodge at Camp Berry, and the start of construction on Cooper Lodge with Hubbard Dining Hall at Camp Lakota, we have many challenges in front of us as a council.

In the past 10 years as a council our budget has not grown in terms of income and expenses, but the cost of operations continues to climb.  Emerging from the pandemic our annual popcorn sales have not returned to pre-Covid levels and Friends of Scouting has remained flat.  While our council has made the conscious decision to invest in and maintain our 2 unique and outstanding camps, Lakota and Berry, they require considerable council resources.

As an effort to update our council unit volunteer leadership, 13 fireside chats, one in each of our counties, are being scheduled.  4 of them were already held in December.  Direct emails invitation from our Scout Executive Marc Kogan marc.kogan@Scouting.org were sent to all registered leaders inviting you to attend the fireside chat in your county. If you would like to attend an upcoming fireside chat, please RSVP to mandy.meadows@scouting.org. Please note that if no RSVPs are received at least 5 days in advance the coffee conversations will not be held.  Below is the schedule for the upcoming conversations.  After the initial 13 fireside chats are held, there will be an effort to schedule a few additional evening sessions.