Newsletter of the Central Region | Boy Scouts of America

November Newsletter 2015

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Lead the

Adventure!

What made you fall in love with the Venturing program? What

skills, memories, and friendships through Venturing are you

thankful for? On Wednesday, November 25, we want to read

your reasons why you are #ThankfulforVenturing. Maybe you

are thankful because you have had the opportunity to travel

around the country or maybe because you have learned life

skills in the program. Whatever your reasons may be, we

want to read about them on social media! So on November

25, use #ThankfulforVenturing and #CRVenturing and let us

know! We will feature some of our favorites in the December

edition of the Central Point. Lead the Adventure!

-Jenny Bullock, CRV Vice President of Communications

#ThankfulforVenturing In this Issue…

#ThankfulforVenturing……… 1

College Crews……….............. 2

Area 5 Update…………………. 3

Seabadge…………….………… 4

Advisor’s Minute……………… 5

Area Pages…………………….. 6

President’s Corner…………… 7

Things are very exciting here at Venturing Crew 365 based out of The University of Evansville in Southern Indiana! We recently had our open house where 80 new people came to get more information on Venturing and how to register. We are now up to about 100 registered members with more on the way!

We enjoy this success due to support from the Student Government Association on campus and connections with other crew and Boy Scout troops in the Region. As a registered organization, we receive benefits of advertising and funding. We receive money to provide trips for all of campus, but also to offset travel costs, advisor fees, and risk management expenses. We also have a space on campus where we can store all of our tents, sleeping bags, and other gear that members and other organizations on campus can rent.

Our first event of the year was a canoeing and kayaking trip to Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area. 50 of our new members spent quality time on the lake, eating delicious food, and playing entertaining games. Our next trip will be to Lincoln State Park and Lincoln’s Boyhood home. We also have a trip planned over Fall Break to go to camp Roy C. Manchester to go sailing, kayaking, and canoeing. If the water levels are right, a mud fight might be in order as well! Both of these trips are part of our 4-year plan. This is our way of providing diversity of trips and experiences for our members over their four year careers at college. It guarantees that students will not go on the same Fall or Spring Break trip. It also helps the officers plan trips! To finish off the semester, we will participate in a campus-wide volunteer day, an extreme hayride, and rock climbing.

We are excited for this year and all of the adventures it holds! If you are interested in starting a Venturing Crew at your university, we would love to help you get things set up and support you through the years.

Happy Venturing!

-Alex Schmitt, Crew President of Venturing Crew 365, Buffalo Trace Council, Area 6

College Crews

College crews can be such a rewarding experience during your college years. Are you

part of a college crew? What tips and tools do you have for other college crews or for

youth wanting to start one on their campus? Email vp-communications@crventuring.org

and be featured in next month’s edition of the Central Point!

Area 5

Update!

Are

a S

po

tligh

t!

Hey Central Region!

The Area 5 Leadership Conference is going to be held on November 20th-22nd

at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas! Keep an eye out for registration, we

hope to be have it open very soon. This conference will include ILSC, Goal

Setting and Time Management, Project Management and more trainings for youth

and adults! It will also include more information about VOAs and their roles at the

Council, Area, and Regional levels.

To keep updated with Venturing throughout Area 5 and Central Region, look out

for posts made by our VP of Communication Matthew Bippes on the Central

Region Area 5 Facebook group and our Council VOA groups. Lastly, our next

Council VOA call is on November 8th, an agenda will be sent out to Council VOA

Officers and Advisers.

Lead the Adventure!

-Russell Seibert, CR Area 5 President

Save the Date!

November 20-22, 2015: Area 5

Leadership Conference

Name that Camp!

Last month’s camp was

Beaumont Scout Reservation.

Can you name this month’s

camp? Find out the answer in

next month’s edition of the

Central Point!

The updated CSVE form has just

been released! Follow this link to

check it out and help your Council

earn the Council Standards of

Venturing Excellence Award!

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsour

ce/Venturing/Awards/Excellence.a

spx

-Nate Steele, CRV VP of

Administration

Seabadge is an advance leadership development experience

for Sea Scout adult leaders (21 years and older) and other

adult Scouters at the Unit, District, Council, Area, Regional, or

National levels who support or are interested in the Sea Scout

program. Seabadge is a participatory experience. There is

intense involvement of participants and faculty in seminars,

workshops, role-playing, discussions, and activities. The

program, Ship operations, leadership development, team

building, and motivation. Additional topics include instructional

techniques, communications, goal setting, planning, and

recruiting both youth and adults.

More than half of the 31 Participants were from Michigan. They

were joined by Participants from WV, OH, IL, WI and MO. Staff

members included representation from MI as well as OH, IN, IL,

WI and MO and included three former Course Directors. This

was truly a Central Region Seabadge. The Participants and

Staff meshed unbelievable well. The atmosphere was electric

during the entire weekend. The Course evaluation was filled

with positive comments. Many indicated that this was the most

fun they ever had at a training course. While most Participants

were Sea Scouts, we were joined by Venturing Leaders,

Council and District representatives, a few Scouters and even a

Cub Scout Leader. This afforded us a great opportunity to

exchange ideas across Programs.

During Seabadge, we conducted a Change of Watch ceremony

(a transfer of authority)

between our outgoing Central Region Commodore Dr. George

H. McNeal and our incoming

CR Commodore John T. Paprocki. Mac was honored by a gift

and citations presented by

National Boatswain Edward Campbell on behalf of National

Sea Scout Director Keith

Christopher and National Sea Scout Commodore Charles

Wurster.

-Jay Montgomery, Course Director SB-22-MI-2015

Updated CSVE

Form!

Advisor’s Minute

One example I would like to highlight is this year’s annual Fall Fun Rally. Of course, many of you

know what a time-honored tradition this event is in St. Louis, MO. But, many might not realize just

how many people it takes to put it on! What was just mind-blowing to see was how many people

come together to make this event just an overwhelming success. With over 1200 people, how

can you not love that?

Our group was invited to participate in the Osage District Dinner on Saturday night. While we

attempted to be the most helpful of Scouts, and the most humblest of guests, District leadership

insisted that we couldn't assist. So, instead we had a chance to observe and talk with many of

the over 175 people in the city of tents that had popped up in one of the fields at the camp.

Besides amazing food, want to know what we saw? Scouters together as a family. Helping and

pitching in. Serving, clearing, and cleaning. Youth helping adults, and adults helping youth. It was

amazing, and is everything that defines Scouting!

I know I have thanked each and everyone one of you in the past, and I will continue to do so. Our

movement is stronger each day because of your efforts.

I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! See you in December!

Kris Zahrobsky Central Region Venturing Advisor

Happy November, Central Region!

As we enter into the 11th month of the year, and the

beginning of the holiday (and shopping) season, we

are called for a bit of introspective investigation.

Certainly, with a holiday like "Thanksgiving", it is

pretty clear that we should be extending our

gratefulness to our creator, family, and friends.

I have had some amazing opportunities to join many

of you in action all across our Region. What really

amazes me the most isn't what activities you plan

and host. (Which are incredible, by the way!) Rather,

it is the sense of family that so many of you have

with each other. I not only get to observe your Crews

in action, but also see the unending bond that is

created between everyone involved! Through trials

and tribulations, each member of the family pulls

their own weight to make sure the entire team

succeeds and has an incredibly fun time doing it.

Area 1

Upcoming Events:

November 13-15, 2015, Area 1 Venturing

Leadership Conference, Menomonie, WI

January 22-24, 2016, Area 1 Fun Event: Ice Age,

Haugen, WI

President: Rachel Cruse

Advisor: Helen Lockwood

Area 2

Upcoming Events:

February 5-7, 2016, Celebrating the Winter Adventure

Woodbade, Jeddo, MI

President: Jacob Hardy

Adivsor: Jeff Geralds

Area 3

Upcoming Events:

January 29-30, 2015, Area 3 Venturing

Leadership Conference, Normal, IL

President: Chris Mausshardt

Advisor: Bob Vogt

Area 4

Upcoming Events:

November 20-22, 2015, Venturing Star Wars Weekend,

Peninsula, OH

April 22-24, 2016, WorldFest 2016, Kinsington, OH

President: Michael Gunther

Advisor: Duane Zobrist

Area 5

Upcoming Events:

November 21, 2015, Area 5 Leadership Conference, Topeka, KS

President: Russell Seibert

Advisor: Julie Dalton

Area 6

Upcoming Events: June 29-July 9, 2016, SeaBase Scuba Adventure, Seabase, Florida

President: Amber Richter

Advisor: Carla Gargas

Area 7

Upcoming Events:

March 5, 2016, Area 7 Venturing Conference, Gurnee, IL

President: Kaia Ball

Advisor: Rachel Zahrobsky

Summer’s Last Bash

August 5-7, 2016

Camp Illinek, Springfield, IL

Events to Look Forward to…

President’s Corner Central Region Venturing President:

Brian Parro

president@crventuring.org

Central Region Venturing Advisor:

Kris Zahrobsky

venturing-chair@crventuring.org

Central Region Vice President of

Communications:

Jennifer Bullock

vp-communications@crventuring.org

Central Region Venturing Associate Advisor

for Communications:

Deb Keyes

communications-coordinator@crventuring.org

Venturing is a Scouting program for male

and female youth ages 13-21 that lets

youth experience new activities, build

leadership skills, earn awards, make new

friends, and of course have fun.

The Central Region is one of the four

regions of the Boy Scouts of America. This

region includes the states of: Minnesota,

Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota,

Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois,

Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and West

Virginia.

About our Organization…

While we’re in this season of thankfulness, let us think

about what we are thankful for in the Venturing program.

The time I have spent a part of this program, and really all

of my time in the Boy Scouts of America, I have had

numerous opportunities and memories made that I don’t

take for granted. I have had the opportunity to travel all

over the country, meeting Venturers and Scouters from all

over. I have had the opportunity to travel to Japan and

meet Scouts from all over the world. This is one of my

favorite parts; meeting and getting to know people who

have the same passion for Scouting as I do. I am incredibly

grateful for the life skills I have learned through Scouting as

well. From knot tying to communicating with others,

Scouting has had an impact on my life.

I want to find out why you are #ThankfulforVenturing. So,

on November 25, share your reasons all over social media.

But don’t stop there. Invite at least 1 non-Scouting friend to

like our Region Facebook page and follow us on all of our

social media, so they can find out why everyone is

#ThankfulforVenturing. I can’t wait to read all about it

Yours in Venturing,

Brian M Parro Central Region Venturing President

Hey Central Region!

I can’t believe it’s already

November! Thanksgiving will

be here before we know it!

Thanksgiving is such a

remarkable time. I love

gathering with my friends

and family and getting to

spend quality time being

grateful and thankful for all I

have in life. All of the food,

parades, and football help

bring everyone together and

kick off the holiday season.