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Scouting for Everyone! Summer 2016 Page 1 of 6
39th Cypress Newsletter
SUMMER BREAK!!
We had a great 20152016 scout year. We went on two exciting campouts. For service projects we took part in the international coastal cleanup in September, helped at a nursing home in May, and did countless trail cleanups. While our scouts are having fun they are also becoming very proficient. We had five new Otters earn their Investiture badge, nine Nature badges, seven Activity badges, four Safety badges, two Helper badges, two Camper badges, and completed loads and loads of fun outside too!
We also had our first four Otters graduate to Timberwolves! This fall we should have 2 Chipmunks, 7 Otters, 4 Timberwolves, and a few more interested families.
LAISSEZ LES BON SCOUTS ROULER!
Confetti Kids Parade, January 16 First parade of the year was a blast. Our scouts were really in the spirit to march with bringing an awesome BPSA wagon and sign, and passing out candy and beads. Their enthusiasm made it easy to make new friends along the parade route. Happy
Mardi Gras!
GARDENING OTTERS
Algiers Community Garden, February 21 The Otters went to the Algiers Community Garden to learn about urban nature. Many thanks to Bella for letting us help clean the garden, showing us how to plant seeds, and reading us a story.
SUMMER SCHEDULE
Our meetings are on hold till the fall, but scouting never stops! During the summer break please email whenever your family goes outside so that we can join up (not everyone uses Facebook). Some things to do this summer: Check out the city, state, Woodlands Conservancy, National Wildlife Refuge, and national park websites to see what activities they have.
July Leader Training BTC and parent safety class TBA
August planning meeting TBA August first Scout meeting TBA
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Scouting for Everyone! Summer 2016 Page 2 of 6
PIONEERING AND SAFE SCOUTS Couturie Forest, March 6
The Otters and Chipmunks went back into forest to play Otter Search and Rescue and practice their pioneering skills. One of the Chipmunks was pretty excited to get so many bandaids and not have to get hurt for them. We also got to see an alligator, build a "log cabin" wood stacking (postknot tying), and ended with impromptu fort building on the most
awesome fort EVER!
Committee and Leaders
Thanks to the below for their Service this last year:
Otter Leaders Kyle Radish William Carter Chipmunk Leader Sandra Saavedra Treasurer Mike Schleifstein Secretary William Carter
Parent involvement is essential to the
success of a scouting program. This Fall will be a great time to start!
Roles include joining our Auxiliary Committee such as the chairperson, secretary, treasurer, or an active member.
Leadership roles are in direct contact with our youth Scouts such as Chipmunk Leader, Otter Leader, Timberwolf Leader, or an Assistant Leader.
WE NEED MORE LEADERS!
Our group is growing; yeah! We anticipate one Otter Den and one Timberwolf den/six this fall. We will be unable to have a Timberwolf six if we do not have at least two more parent volunteers.
We will try to keep the young scouts together as much as possible, but some activities will require us to split them apart. Not having enough leaders (two per den is best) means we will have to turn scouts away or have unfun chaos or an even worse unsafe situation. We especially need males to keep our group coed. Please contact Kyle or William when you can help, and attend the July leader Brownsea Training Camp.
This is our Scouting Group. If you ever have any questions or comments, please contact us in person, by email, web site, or via Facebook.
OTTER GARDENING WAS GREAT! Algiers Community Garden, March 20
The scouts finished off their garden tour in Algiers. Ms. Bella showed the scouts how to plant seeds, check on the seedlings that were already growing, and paint some stakes to ID the plants. We then
got to read a book on how plants grow. Thanks Ms. Bella!
[email protected] nolascout.weebly.com facebook.com/nolascouts
Scouting for Everyone! Summer 2016 Page 3 of 6
GREAT TIME SPRING CAMPING! Fontainebleau State Park, April 23
Our camp out was a great way to start the spring. It was cool in the morning but sunny and warm in the afternoon. Perfect for both campfires and playing outside. The scouts had a blast exploring the park and even burying each other in the sand at the beach. We had 21 folks camping our biggest
turnout ever!
WE NEED A FLAG!!
Flags in scouting are important for group spirit and so that we can find each other in a crowded park. We had a makeshift flag our last campout and it worked great. We are looking for a family to help with creating a flag or a plan for the Group to make one. Please call William or Kyle with ideas.
REGIONAL & NATIONAL BPSA NEWS
There are a lot of BPSA camping activities. Look at the BPSA Trailhead discussion board (http://bpsaus.ning.com/) or talk to William. Northeast Rover BTC June 4 Southern Ramble (Rover) June 25 Jamboree 2016. (All) British Columbia,
Canada during July 2016. Woodbeads I (Rover), September 17,
Oregon Eurocamp18. (All) July 28th to August
4th, 2018 in the United Kingdom. In our region, the BPSA does not
have any day or resident camps. Jean Lafitte Park has winter and summer day camps (already full). The US Fish and Wildlife service has a spring and summer day camp. For resident summer camp, consider Camp Fletcher in Alabama.
BEAUTIFUL SCOUTY DAY IN THE FLOWERS
City Park, April 24 The Scouts forwent Jazz Fest and went to look for nature in bloom instead. We saw beautiful flowers, bees, and chased quite a few butterflies. We made
some gorgeous rubbings and sketches of the flowers to practice our observational skills to learn more about how leaves and flowers are different. We ended with playing Kim's Game and Bat &
Moth.
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Scouting for Everyone! Summer 2016 Page 4 of 6
GOOD SCOUTY TIME ON THE TRAILS!
Barataria Preserve, May 14 The Scouts went on a nature hike with Ranger
Stacy of the Jean Lafitte National Park service last weekend. We had a great time hiking, playing nature bingo, and learning how to care for the outdoors. The Barataria trails have never let us down with the number of animals and plants to
observe. Thanks to Ranger Stacy for such a great day!
NECKERS & UNIFORMS
We want every Scout to be a selfreliant and independent individual, but as we play as a team and help one another, uniforms are encouraged (no one will be turned away if they do not wear one though).
Please use this summer to get those new Timberwolf shirts and larger Otter shirts ready! William has spare 39th Cypress and WFIS badges if you need them. Do not wait until the hectic school year starts. The Scouts are proud of the badges they have earned, and all the uniforms make us feel like a team.
We have heard that super glue works better than fabric glue, but still do not be afraid of sewing needles as that works best.
[email protected] nolascout.weebly.com facebook.com/nolascouts
Scouting for Everyone! Summer 2016 Page 5 of 6
ENROLLMENT STEPS
The website has more details: nolascout.weebly.com/signupinstructions.html.
Leaders and children need to sign up annually at the start of the academic year. Any adult volunteer who will have contact with children needs to complete all steps except paying Group dues. Adult leaders also get reimbursed for their background check and necker.
We do have rolling admissions but please come by first to ensure we have space.
TIMBERWOLF PACK
The motto “Do your best” and the Timberwolf program is one hundred years old this year. The Timberwolf program is a lot of fun as it has loads of variety and independence. Timberwolves need to use their manuals often as it tells them how to complete and record their proficiency tasks. It has Star tests to complete first. Once they are started then the Timberwolf can work on any of the twenty proficiency badges.
NURSING HOME VISIT
Carington Nursing Home, May 22 After having so much fun last year we were not let down by our return to the Old Folks’ Home for our service visit. It was impressive how the young
Scouts did not mind the age difference and were happy to meet new people and have fun. The Scouts quickly found new friends and made
craftflowers, played Candy Land, drew pictures, played bingo, shared snack time, and finally sang a song together. Thanks to the residents for letting us
visit, play, help, and gain new friends.
CHIPMUNK SCURRY
Chipmunks are not actually part of the BPSA system. Free play and exploring is a good activity for a preschool Chipmunk, and we welcome any parent to add activities.
ROVER CREW
William is organizing an adult scouting section. Think Mardi Gras social aid and
pleasure club, but outside and without the booze. Brownsea training camp is in July with a twenty mile multiday hike planned the week of June 25th.
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Scouting for Everyone! Summer 2016 Page 6 of 6
WHO ARE WE AND WHAT DO WE DO? We are the 39th Cypress Group of the BadenPowell Service Association which has more than fifty Groups in the United States. Our Group currently has three sections: Otters (57 year olds) and and Rovers (18+). Unofficially we have Chipmunks (preschoolers), and once we gain more leaders we will have Timberwolves (810 years old) and Pathfinders (1118 years old). The 39th represents our city’s longitude and latitude; roughly 30 degrees north and 90 degrees west. We chose the Cypress as our name because of its importance to our vulnerable coastline and our unique home/habitat. We are members of the World Federation of Independent Scouts (WFIS); and as such are not in competition with other American Scouting Associations, we are their brothers and sisters in Scouting. We work closely with the BadenPowell Scouts’ Association of England and the BadenPowell Service Association in British Columbia, Canada.
Scouting Is an Outdoor Movement Scouting is an outdoor movement and that is part of its character. The appeal of true Scouting has always been to that element of the vagabond, pioneer and explorer, which is part of our nature, and most evident in youth. The BPSA focuses on this aspect of the program and encourages our Scouts, parents and volunteers to plan programs that take advantage of being out of doors, whenever and wherever possible.
Scouting as it Was Meant to Be Played Traditional Scouting is not historical reenactment, but for the most part an attempt to present Scouting as the game that was played prior to the 1970s; and following principles and practices laid down by Scouting's founder, Robert BadenPowell. Our aim is to promote good citizenship, discipline, selfreliance, loyalty, and useful skills.
Putting Service before Self Scouting is a communityoriented experience, in that Scouts provide a function of public and community service. Scouting's aims and methods train the youth to put service before self, whether by participating in community service projects with the group, organizing a public service project with their patrol, or even helping out around their school and home. BPSA's program encourages leaders and volunteers to motivate the Scouts, no matter what section, to give back to the wider community in which they live. Service isn't something done as a requirement for a badge; it's something we do because we're Scouts! Scouting for Youth and Adults, Boys and
Girls Scouting is one of the best programs for developing character, improving resourcefulness, and learning responsibility and skills in public service; and BPSA believes this program should be available to everyone, youth and adult, regardless of religious beliefs, gender, or sexual orientation.
Make scouting a tradition for your whole family!
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