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Great Plains District

Serving the Northwest North Dakota counties of Burke, Mountrail, McKenzie, Williams and Divide.  Also serving the Northeast Montana counties of Sheridan, Daniels and a portion of Roosevelt.

District 14 Leadership

District Chairman Tim Horab (701) 774-3156
District Commissioner Kevin Hammer (701) 572-6416
District Executive Carleton Borden (701) 566-0231
Asst. Director of Field Service Rob Gilkerson (701) 223-7204

News and Current Events

Upcoming Roundtable Themes:

November 12: To be held at Faith United Methodist Church, 219 1st Ave W, Williston

  • Youth Protection Certification Renewal
  • Safe Swim Defense Training/Renewals
  • Meet our Scout Executive - Rich McCartney

December 19: To be held at Faith United Methodist Church, 219 1st Ave W, Williston

  • Blue & Gold Dinner Planning
  • Pinewood Derby Scheduling
  • FOS Calendar Planning
  • Spring Planning

Klondike 2020

To Register: https://scoutingevent.com/429-30432 

The Great Plains Premier Outdoor Winter Scout Skill Event. To be held in Plentywood, Montana on Saturday, February 1 to Sunday, February 2, 2020.

Hosted by Troop 283 Plentywood and Troop 298 Scobey at Wildwood Park, Plentywood, MT

Troops, Crews, Ships and Posts are invited for the entire weekend.

  • Cub Scout Webelos/Arrow of Light Dens may come for the day on Saturday, February 1.
  • Per The Guide to Safe Scouting Cub Scouts/Webelos are not allowed to stay/camp overnight at the Klondike.

Troops that wish to come to Plentywood the night before must let Troop 283 know in advanced. Your meals Friday Night and Saturday Morning are on you and not provided by the Klondike.

  • Meals during Klondike will be provided by the host troops. If there are scouts who wish to cook for themselves (for a merit badge for instance) please bring what you need.
  • Warm up drinks and snacks will be provided.

The location has a heated building with rest rooms, but scouts will be expected to set up weather appropriate camp sites. Heaters will not be allowed in tents as per BSA guidelines.

Each patrol will need to bring a derby sled loaded with the required items (appendix A). Plans for sleds are available online, or through the district.

Event schedule (all times Mountain Time):

Saturday, February 1

0900 – 1000 Check In

1000 – 1100 Camp Set Up

1100 – 1115 Flag

1115 – 1200 Lunch

1200 – 1600 Events

  • Fire Building - Scouts will be challenged to build a fire with wood and paper. The fire must get hot enough to burn through a twine suspended above the fire. Fastest time wins. 
  • Knot Tying - Scouts will be individually tested on the following knots/hitches: Square Knot, Sheet Bend, Taught Line Hitch, Bowline, & Clove Hitch. Each youth member of the patrol must know all the knots - individuals will be called forward and asked to tie one knot. When he or she is successful, the next scout will come forward until all knots have been tied. Speed and accuracy are judged.
  • Ice Rescue - Scouts will use the rope from their sled and any other materials found at the site to rescue a victim who has fallen through the ice (simulated). Scouts must not cross a predetermined line and once the rescue is completed, they must demonstrate knowledge of first aid for a cold casualty. Judging is based on skill, speed, and knowledge.
  • First Aid - Scouts will be asked to provide first aid to a casualty who is suffering a broken leg, puncture wound, frost bite, and hypothermia. They will be tested on their ability to assess and treat the casualty, and to provide transport.

1600 – 1730 Sled Race / Equipment Check

  • Sled Race - Patrols will race by pulling/pushing their sleds over a course to be determined. One member must be in the sled for the duration of the race, with one scheduled rider change during the race. All equipment must remain in the sled for the entire duration of the race.

1730 – 1830 Supper

1900 – 2000 Camp Fire

2000 – 2200 Games / Cocoa

2200 Lights Out

Sunday, February 2

0800 – 0930 Breakfast

0930 – 1000 Closing Ceremony / Awards

1030 Chapel Service (Troop Chaplain Aides will be asked to help)

1030 Break Camp / Site Cleanup / Travel

Youth Protection Training

The Great Plains District Northern Lights Council will come out to conduct Youth Protection Training to units that do not have reliable internet service in their community. Having an unexpired Youth Protection Training certificate is required for all registered leaders before they will be able to renew their BSA membership. Youth Protection Training is good for two years.

Great Plains Water Carnival 2020

Register here: https://scoutingevent.com/429-30679

Saturday, January 1 at the ARC

Join us for the Annual Cub Scout Water Carnival.  Lions through Arrow of Light are all able to complete an adventure.

  • Cost is $15 in advance or pay at the door is $20.  Fees are for youth only. Adults are invited and needed to participate with their Scouts in the pool.
  • Non Cub Scout Siblings can attend for $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Siblings will not get any advancement pins/belt loops and are not guaranteed to get a patch.

Schedule:

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM 

  • Registration - Williston ARC Community Room

9:30 AM - 12:30 AM 

  • Lions have fun
  • Tigers (earn Floats & Boats),
  • Wolves (earn Spirit of the Water), 
  • Bears (earn Salmon Run)
  • Webelos (earn Aquanaut)

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

  • Fun Swim Time

Update your BeAScout pin today, so future Scouting families can find your Units

BeAScout.Org is a powerful tool to help parents find your unit. But, it only works if they are able to get the right information about your Unit.  First impressions are everything, so it is important to keep your BeAScout pin up-to date. Find out how to update your BeAScout pin here.

Local Uniform Supply 

Want to buy your new uniform/uniform parts and want to support local?  

Our Northern Lights Council has a National Supply Division Scout Shop at the Fargo Scout Center, and the Northern Lights Council operates a smaller Scout Store at the Bismarck Scout Center. These are both great local places to get your uniform and uniform parts. If you are not going to Fargo or Bismarck anytime soon but want to see and feel the uniform before you purchase our district has a local Scout Distributor in Williston. For those who do not know in the Great Plains District “All Seasons Sport About” in Williston is our Local Scout Supply Distributor.

Western Spring Camporee 

Scouts from Scouts BSA Troop for Boys 1316 & 1368 Williston

The Western Spring Camporee at Heart Butte Scout Reservation 2020 will be a ton of fun. If you want to help with Spring's Camporee talk to our Activities Chair Tim Bishop. Patch design contest is going on now.

Scout Leaders Additional Online Resources

TroopLeader.org provides useful information and practical ideas to help make it easier for youth and adult troop leaders to present Scout meetings that are fun with positive outcomes. Included on the webpage are links to: Program Features / Planning / Training / Outings / General Troop Information / Recruiting New Members

ProgramResources.org Program Resources are designed to serve as a planning tool for troop leaders. Its aim is to provide resources that contribute to making parts of the meeting more meaningful, engaging, and fun. Included on this webpage are links to: Scout Meeting Activities / Ceremonies / Leaders Minutes

Cub Scout Summer Twilight/Day Camp 2020

Cub Scouts at D 14 Cub Day Camp 2019

We are looking at changing up Cub Camp in the Summer of 2020. Please let us know your ideas.

Most Up To Date News? 

Do you want to be in the Know? Friend the Great Plains District on Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/nlcbsagreatplains/ 

District Award Nominations - Were Due October 8, 2019

Silver Beaver Application: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/92-103.pdf

District Award of Merit: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33720.pdf

All other Awards for Scouts & Scouters: https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/

District Calendar
2019 Membership Growth Incentive

Our goal, as always, is to increase the number of young men and young women that we serve through our life-changing program.  We do transform our communities and have a powerful positive impact on the future!

To encourage unit leadership to pursue membership growth in all packs and troops this fall we are offering the following incentive:

  1. Existing Packs and Troops that achieve growth of + 5 or more youth members over their December 31, 2018, registered members will be given a voucher for one Pinewood Derby car (Packs) or 1 Merit Badge Pamphlet (Troops) for each registered youth member as of the deadline date of November 15, 2019. 
  2. New Packs or new Troops chartered after February 1, 2019, that achieve 10 or more youth members will be given a voucher for one Pinewood Derby car (Packs) or 1 Merit Badge Pamphlet (Troops) for each registered youth member as of the deadline date of November 15, 2019.
  3. All membership must be turned in, processed, and paid for no later than November 15, 2019, to count towards the incentive. 

For more details and to determine your membership goal speak with your District Executive.

Posted: 2019-07-01
Amazon Smile Gives Back to Northern Lights Council

Support the Northern Lights Council When You Shop on Amazon

Smile.amazon.com is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.

Designate the Northern Lights Council as your charity, and your purchase will help the council with no cost to you!

Posted: 2019-03-18

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Fargo, ND 58103
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