Scouts Enjoy Raritan Valley Rocket Launch
On June 27 at North Branch Park in Bridgewater, Raritan Valley District held its annual rocket launch. Both parents and Scouts had a great time, and with over 42 rockets successfully built and launched, this year’s rocket launch was a resounding success.
PPC Honors Adult Volunteers and Youth Leaders
Over 100 people came out to Winnebago Scout Reservation on June 19 for the Patriots’ Path Council Awards Celebration. The council presented the 2021 Silver Beaver Awards (recipients pictured at left), Trailblazer Awards, Youth Leadership Awards, Medal of Merit Awards, Woods Service Award, Silver Buffalo Award, PPC Alumnus of the Year Award, and Sea Scouting
Raritan Valley Cub Scouts Enjoy Pinewood Derby
Raritan Valley District held it annual district Pinewood Derby on June 19. It was a fun event for all the attendees, particularly for those Scouts that went home with a trophy. We hope to see you at next year’s district Pinewood Derby!
Guidelines Help Provide a Safe Environment for Scouts
This year as we celebrate the National Safety Council’s 25th anniversary of National Safety Month, the Patriots’ Path Risk Management Committee encourages all Scouts and Scouters to review some of the important guidelines and procedures available to help you provide a safe environment for all involved in the Scouting program. We are spotlighting the following
Online Registration Transfers Available
Updates from Mike Wellech, PPC registration manager: Online Transfers Unit to Unit or Council to Council Moving out of the area? You can process your transfer to another council using your My.Scouting account. Just like transferring Scouts or adults to another unit within Patriots’ Path Council, you can now transfer yourself or your child, or
Workshops to Introduce Scouts to Merit Badges
The 2021 Merit Badge Introduction Workshop will be held on three separate dates – November 6, November 13 and December 11. Virtual classes will be available via Zoom on all three dates, and some in-person classes will be offered on November 6 and 13 at Camp Winnebago and Flanders Park in Mount Olive. Online registration
Raritan Valley Cub Scouts Have Fun at Camp
From June 4 to 6, Raritan Valley District held its spring Cub Scout family camporee event at Winnebago Scout Reservation. Over 250 Scouts, siblings and parents enjoyed a weekend of shooting sports, fishing, a petting zoo, and pony rides. Over the weekend, several Cub Scouts earned their Bobcat rank, created cards for kids in the
New Eagle Scouts Recognized at Brunch
The Patriots’ Path Council held its 2021 Eagle Scout Recognition and Reunion Brunch on Sunday, June 6, at Camp Winnebago. Over 300 guests were excited to be out and recognize the new Eagle Scouts and 2021 Hall of Fame Inductees. This 17th annual recognition included the class of Eagles from January 1, 2020, to February
Virtual 5K Run Raises $4,800
A big thank you to the 100 participants, 23 donors and the top five sponsors who came together in May and raised over $4,800 during Patriots’ Path Council’s virtual 5K run/walk. The four key sponsors for the fourth annual event were:
Munsee Scouts Enjoy Weekend at Camp Somers
Munsee District conducted a joint Scout BSA and Cub Scout family camping overnight weekend at Camp Somers June 5 and 6. There were 142 youth and adults who participated. The main program was shooting sports, fishing and hiking. It was a great opportunity for families to get out and enjoy camping since the COVID-19 pandemic
Ford Units Show Their Support on Memorial Day
Cub Scout packs 26 and 53, along with Scouts BSA troops 26 and 53, sponsored by the Fords Fire Company in Fords, New Jersey, had a great turnout on Memorial Day to show their support for the Fords VFW, and to show their respect for those who served and sacrificed their lives to keep our
Arrowmen Complete Induction into Vigil Honor
On May 15, Woapalanne Lodge celebrated 12 outstanding Arrowmen who completed their induction into the Vigil Honor. The Vigil Honor, as described by the Order of the Arrow, is the highest honor that the Order of the Arrow can bestow upon its members for service to lodge, council and Scouting. Membership cannot be won by
Simple Fix for Restoring Access to Record Advancement
A note from Mike Wellech, council registrar: I’m still getting a lot of emails and phone calls about why a volunteer has lost his or her access to record advancement. It’s a simple fix, but it can only be assigned by a member of your Key 3 (charter organization rep, committee chair, unit leader). This
Black River District Holds Fun Festivals
This past weekend, the Black River District hosted two Cub Scout fun festivals to recruit new youth into local packs, and to showcase the fun Scouting has to offer. Twenty four new interested Scouts and their families attended. On May 21 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, packs and troops from Roxbury and Mount Olive townships set
Pack Camping Returns at Spring Camporee
Pack camping returned to Patriots’ Path Council on May 22-23 as packs from the Sussex and Fishawack districts held a spring camporee at Winnebago Scout Reservation. Activities included BB, archery, rowboats, obstacle course, Cubmobiles, fishing and bouldering wall. One hundred twenty-one Cub Scouts attended, and the total attendance with parents and siblings was 276.
Watchung Mountain Cub Scouts Enjoy Camporee
The Watchung Mountain District Spring Cub Camporee was held the weekend of May 14-16, 2021, at Winnebago Scout Reservation. There were 332 attendees from 13 Cub Scout packs. In addition to a variety of activities, the day featured a Scout earning a free week at camp for catching a 15-inch Largemouth Bass. Special thanks to
Raritan Valley District Holds Recognition Breakfast
On Saturday, May 22, 80 members of the Raritan Valley District joined together to celebrate the hard work in 2019 and 2020 of their adult volunteers. There were 34 Hero certificates awarded, and 25 awards presented including seven District Awards of Merit. Mike O’Shea received his 50-year service pin, and Tony Sarao received his 75-year
PPC Chess Club Continues to Grow
Patriots’ Path Council has been hosting online chess tournaments for Scouts monthly since the onset of the pandemic, and more than 1,700 games have been completed. Chess, already a popular pursuit among Scouts (the second most popular merit badge not required for Eagle), has seen a real boost this year. Players of all skill levels
Update Email Addresses in ScoutBook
If you’ve noticed in ScoutBook that your email address has changed to [email protected], it generally means that when your account was synced to ScoutBook from ScoutNet, there was another ScoutBook account already utilizing your email address. This very likely happened because when your son or daughter was registered, they were using your email address. Then
Member Transfers Can Be Done Through My.Scouting Portal
A reminder from Mike Wellech, council registrar: Last November, National updated the My.Scouting.org portal to allow units to transfer members without submitting applications. Transfers cannot not be done using www.BeAScout.org, or ScoutBook. This will usually create a duplicate profile and is a headache to resolve down the line, plus data and records are sometimes lost
Black River Cub Scouts Enjoy Fun Day at Camp Somers
On Saturday, May 1, the Black River District held its spring Cub Scout Family Camporee Fun Day event at Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation, Camp Somers. Over 400 Scouts, siblings and parents enjoyed a day of shooting sports, fishing, disability awareness, knot tying skill development and nature hikes around Frenchie Pond. The weather was spectacular, and
Arrowmen Hold Day of Service at Winnebago
The Woapalanne Lodge of the Order of the Arrow had a day of service at Winnebago Scout Reservation on April 17. Thirty-three Arrowmen zip-lined across Durham Pond to create a trail from the zip line to the start of the eight-platform challenge course and then zip-lined back. Several took on the challenge of the all-new
Sussex Cub Scouts Have Fun at Winnebago
On Saturday, April 17, about 90 Cub Scouts, siblings and parents participated in the Sussex District Cub Scout Adventure Day at Winnebago Scout Reservation. Program areas included Duty to God, Scouts in the Wild, Scouting Necessities, and Duty To Country. Rounding out the day, everyone got to try their hand at BB guns and archery.
Flintlocks Ready to Help This Summer
The Flintlocks, Boy Scouts of America, Inc., met for its annual meeting on April 15, 2021. The group elected the new slate of officers for the coming year, updated its bylaws and mission statement, reviewed the accomplishments of the previous year, and discussed projects Patriots’ Path Council needs to have done to prepare for summer
Packs Participate in Munsee District Webelos Klondike
The Munsee District Webelos Klondike was held on April 17, 2021, at the Scout Area of Watchung Reservation. Eight packs and 46 youth participated. The winning dens: 1st Place – The Bolt Cats – Pack 53B – Fords 2nd Place – The Red Tail Hawks – Pack 26G – Fords 3rd Place – The Tiger
Munsee Scouts Enjoy the Outdoors at Klondike Challenge
This year’s Munsee District Klondike Challenge was held on April 17, 2021, at the Loop Area of Watchung Reservation. COVID-19 forced the district to split the event into a morning and afternoon session, each competing in the same four skill towns. Nine troops and 97 Scouts participated with 16 sleds. Top finishers for the morning:
Fishawack Cub Scouts Earn Ranks at Adventure Day
On April 24, Fishawack District had 107 Cub Scouts gather at Lewis Morris Park to earn some of the electives for their rank. There were 12 stations at the Cubs Adventure Day offering electives from Lions doing Gizmos & Gadgets to Webelos building birdhouses and taking home saplings for planting. Everyone had a great time in
Non-Registered Adults Removed From ScoutBook
As of April 12, all adults who are not registered as a member in the BSA will have been removed from your unit’s Scoutbook adult leader roster. This does not affect parent connections to their Scouts. Parents will still receive unit messages and have access to their Scouts as they do today. If you notice
Deb Reidmiller Honored with National Award
Each year, the BSA presents the national Woods Services Award to an adult in Scouting who has demonstrated exceptional service and leadership in the field of Scouting for disabled people. Given by the Woods Services in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, the Woods Services Award is the highest recognition awarded by the BSA in this area of service.
Raritan Valley Klondike Attended by More Than 350
A total of 33 units with over 370 Scouts, adult leaders and support staff participated in the Raritan Valley District Klondike on Saturday, March 20, at Winnebago Scout Reservation. From older Scouts teaching Webelos and Scouts BSA troops competing against themselves to a troop getting restarted, the Raritan Valley Klondike was a success. The district
Only Complete Adult Applications will be Accepted
A Reminder from Council Registrar Mike Wellech: We’re no longer accepting adult applications that are incomplete. If an adult application is handed to a district executive, Scout shop associate or any other employee, and is incomplete, they have been instructed to hand it back to the person to have it completed and then bring it
New Elective Adventure Offered for Bear, Webelos and AOLs
The Modular Design Preview Adventure is sponsored by Snap Ships. This new adventure is for Bear, Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts as they learn the benefits of modular designing and building within the fun and exciting world of Snap Ships. Snap Ships has provided great video resources that can be used for virtual or
Fishawack District Holds Klondike at Camp Somers
On March 20, the Fishawack District Klondike was attended by 180 Scouts BSA and 40 adults at Camp Somers. To reduce any chance of COVID-19 transmission, everyone wore masks, sleds were omitted, and Scouts remained in pods. Teams of between four and six Scouts visited eight stations spread out at two adjoining campsites. Sixteen junior
Be Sure to Print Membership Cards, Charter Certificate
Reminders from Council Registrar Mike Wellech: PRINTING MEMBERSHIP CARDS AND CHARTER CERTIFICATES: Now that your charter is posted, you’ll want to print your membership cards and your charter certificate. Here are two PDF’s showing you how to do that: Printing Membership Cards Printing Charter Certificate UNIT ADVANCEMENT CHAIR: This is your annual reminder to assign
Be Sure to Report Community Service Hours
All community service hours should be reported on Scoutbook (for your unit’s records) and through the PPC app or website. Hours can be reported at any time during the year, but must be reported by December 31. Below are hours that should be reported: Scouts: Hours that are part of a unit project, Eagle Project
Recruiting Tools Available for the Spring
A variety of recruiting tools are available for the spring. These resources include a Cub Scout recruiting materials form, “Den Meeting in a Bag,” and the BSA Brand Center. For more information, click here.
Adventure Awaits at Summer Camp
As the seasons begin to change and the temperature begins to rise, it’s a great time to start thinking about summer camp! Patriots’ Path Council has an exciting summer camp season planned for Cub Scouts, non-Scouts, Scouts BSA, and summer camp staff! Join in the fun this summer by clicking here. To apply to be
PPC Partners with Old World Meats for Fundraiser
Are you looking for a way to help fund your summer adventure? If so, Patriots’ Path Council has an opportunity for you. PPC has partnered with Old World Meats to provide Meat Sticks as a fundraising opportunity. Old World Meats sticks come in 12 flavors and are priced to move at $1 per stick. Forty-nine
2020 Merit Badge Ranking List Rewritten by the Pandemic
The pandemic didn’t stop Scouts from earning merit badges in 2020, but it did cause a dramatic shift in which merit badges Scouts earned most. Ever since 2012, when the merit badge rankings where first published, the top of the list has been dominated by merit badges that are both on the list of Eagle-required
Community Service Efforts Recognized
Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Community Service Patch. Winners are chosen from each district, and these honored units have the most hours for the year and/or the most hours per Scout. Each winning unit will receive a patch and a flag ribbon. The 2020 honorees are: Black River: Pack 53, Troop 555 Fishawack:
Eagle Scouts Hiking Appalachian Trail
Ryan Arndt, Garrett Arndt and Tyler Bishop, all Eagle Scouts from Troop 436 in Long Valley, recently embarked on hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. The three Eagle Scouts, along with a friend, Eli Shepard, decided to take a gap year and hike the Appalachian Trail. Starting at the trailhead in Hiawassee, Ga.,
Stay Safe and Stay Healthy
An updated COVID-19 pre-event medical screening checklist (Revised December 2020) is available to help you determine whether to stay home or not during the pandemic. It shares symptoms to look for as well as defines “close contact.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, “close contact” means: You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19
Black River Klondike Draws More Than 300
On January 30, the Black River District Klondike Derby was held at Winnebago Scout Reservation. Over 300 Scouts and their leaders enjoyed a beautiful, Artic-cold sunny day with enough snow on the ground to pull sleds and add to the feeling of a traditional Klondike. Although the Scouts were confined to their sites during the
Sussex Scouts Get Outside for Klondike Fun
The Sussex District Klondike was held at Camp Somers at Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation on January 30. Thirteen troops with over 200 Scouts, Webelos and adult leaders participated in the event. Scout troops were assigned to campsites and the “mayors” rotated to the sites to maintain cohort integrity under current COVID-19 restrictions. Rather than focus
FOS Campaign Offers Unit Recognition
The 2021 Friends of Scouting (FOS) campaign recently announced its Progressive Recognition Program for Units. Support of the campaign through a unit’s campaign will add benefits to the unit in 2021. Three levels of recognition are offered: Friend of Scouting Patron of Scouting Benefactors of Scouting For additional information, click here.
Scoutbook’s Leader Invite Process to Change
Effective March 1, 2021, Scoutbook’s leader invite process will perform a check for a BSA issued Member ID and active BSA registration when being invited to connect with the unit roster. Prior to March 1, unit leaders should check their rosters in Member Manager at https://my.scouting.org to ensure all adult leaders listed in Scoutbook are
Eagle Scout Rescues Trapped SUV Crash Victim
On January 7, two Paramus police officers rescued a trapped driver whose SUV crashed on Route 17. One of the police officers was Nicholas Perna, Eagle Scout Class of 2007, Troop 186, Raritan Valley District. The driver’s vehicle ended up on overpass stairs and caught fire. Perna, pictured left and below, and his fellow officer
Order Online for Scout Shop Pick-Up
Are you ready to get your unit’s advancement order? Let us help! Please use this link below to fill out an online order form. When you submit, it will come directly to us, we’ll get your order together and let you know when it’s ready. We can either take payment over the phone and ship
Proposed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Merit Badge Delayed
The introduction of the proposed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion merit badge is being delayed to allow for the careful consideration and evaluation of feedback received from a wide variety of commenters on the draft requirements. Until further notice, all Scouts working on the Eagle Scout rank should continue to use current rank requirements. Once the
Limited Extensions Available to Earn Eagle Rank
Effective January 1, 2021, local councils will have the authority to grant limited extensions of time to complete Eagle, Quartermaster or Summit requirements. These extensions are available only to youth members who qualify under the three tests listed on BSA Form No. 512-077, available by clicking here. Council advancement committees are advised that after Dec.
