NS Northern Sky District - Northern Lights Council

Serving youth through community organizations in Cass, Clay, Traill, Becker, Mahnomen and Norman counties in North Dakota and Minnesota.

District 5 Leadership

District Chairman	Todd Medd	(701) 446-7697
District Commissioner	Jefri Jones	(701) 373-1420
Sr. District Director	Kevin Mehrer	(701) 499-0645	C (701) 833-9919
District Executive	Brett Drevlow	(701) 499-0659	C (218) 688-0972
District Executive	Shaun Grover	(701) 293-5011	C (701) 367-7965

JUNE 1ST DAY CAMP (CASSELTON)

BB Guns, Slingshots, Archery, Scoutcraft, and more! Join us on Saturday, June 1 at the Casselton Reservoir for our annual Spring Day Camp! The camp format will be a free forum, where you can show up anytime between 9 am and 2 pm and partake in any selection of activities in any order, as many times as you'd like! Our 2019 "Passport to Adventure" themed-shirt and patch are included will be given to each scout in attendance! Register today!

INTERNET ADVANCEMENT CHANGES!

The BSA is in the process of changing the existing advancement system to "Internet Advancement 2.0," also known as Scoutbook. This exciting upgraded tool will be available to unit key three members (Cubmaster/Scoutmaster, Committee Chairs, and Charter Representatives) via my.Scouting.org. Internet Advancement 1.0 will be accessible for approximately two weeks after 2.0 is available.

Internet Advancement 2.0 will offer more user friendly features and will have a mobile interface. Existing Scoutbook users will not be affected. If your unit has someone managing advancements that is not a "Key 3," no worries! The unit key 3 can grant access to other adult leaders in the unit.

For more information, visit National BSA's Internet Advancement 2.0 FAQs.

For assistance, please use the Scoutbook help tool. Please note that the council office or District Executives will not have the ability to help you with Scoutbook as they have no internal access.

Don't know how to begin setting up your unit for Scoutbook / Internet Advancement 2.0? Check out Scoutbook's "Getting Started" Videos!

PROGRAM PLANNING

If we fail to plan, we plan to fail. Sports and extracurricular activities are already beginning to publish calendars for 2019-2020, so let’s set our dates too! Youth begin contacting the scout office early in the summer about joining scouts and it’s great to give them your calendar, so they can plan for scouting before school begins!

If your unit anticipates needing help, please reach out to your commissioner or talk with Brett or Kevin. Pack calendars are due 5/31. (Troops are encouraged to update their meeting time and meet day of the week with Brett or Kevin). What we’re looking for is meeting dates and major outings. Specifics are not required (would be welcomed!).

Need resources? Check out our website's program planning page!

BIG CHANGES IN THE POPCORN SALE

New to 2019 - Popcorn sales play an important role in supporting the budgets of all packs, troops, and crews! This annual sale allows units to create and provide many great opportunities for the unit and your scouts. Due to the requests of many, key details in our sale have changed to allow for higher commissions for units, and longer sale periods.

How can we earn a higher commission?

Earn an extra 2% commission by participating in one of the briefings in June. To qualify for the 2% extra commission at least two (2) leaders from the unit must attend - 1 - the Unit Popcorn Kernel (coordinator) and - 2 - either the Committee Chair, Cubmaster or Scoutmaster. Register to attend the meeting on Wednesday, June 5th at the Center for Scouting in Fargo from 7-8:15pm. â€‹If this date does not work, consider another location on a different date found here.
Earn an extra 2% commission by participating in the district kickoff/sellers academy in August. Toqualify, your unit must have 30% of registered Scouts attend to receive +2% commission. Note: These are not the trainings that have been held in August in the past - those will be the Key Leader Briefings in June.

SCOUT DAY WITH THE REDHAWKS

Packs and Troops: Join us for Scout Night with the FM RedHawks as they take on the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Saturday, August 3 at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo! Included in the package is a baseball clinic, led by RedHawks team players helping you with Pitching, Fielding, and Batting. Bring your glove! Sorry dads, scouts and siblings only! View the different packages and register today! Questions? Contact Shaun Grover.

SUMMERTIME PACK AWARD

Has your pack figured out how to stay active in the summer? With lake country nearby, planning regular summer activities seem impossible! No worries - enter the summertime pack award! Here's what the award asks you to do: 3 activities throughout the summer (one activity in each June, July and August) with great than 50% pack attendance for the pack to earn the overall award, or greater than 50% attendance by your den to earn the den award. The great part is that the district is here to help you get there! Here's the key:

June: Attend Day Camp on June 1 in Casselton.
July: Go to Cub Scout Resident Camp OR plan a pack picnic/campout (pack campouts require at least one leader to have BALOO training, as per Boy Scouts of America standards).
August: Attend Scout Day with the Redhawks.

Following completion, fill out the form and send it to Brett or Kevin!

SCOUTER OF THE MONTH

Scott Wolf is the Assistant Cubmaster and Former Cubmaster of Pack 262 in West Fargo, chartered by Living Waters Lutheran Church. Prior to the leadership transition, Scott Wolf Served as the Cubmaster of Pack 262 since its' inception in 2016. Prior to that Scott served as the Cubmaster of Pack 246 where he identified that with a pack of over 80 scouts, a split was necessary. After the split, Scott worked with both packs to maintain highly entertaining and engaging events that encouraged full scout participation. Under his leadership, both packs were active in service projects, camping, and scout experience. Scott was awarded the "Unit Leader Award of Merit" Award in November of 2018 and was elected as the Mary Scouter of the month in 2019.

Nominated by Josh Wells.

SCOUT IN THE NEWS

Jeremy Murray, a Life Scout in Troop 637 (Moorhead, Trinity Lutheran Church) was recently recognized by Moorhead Chief of Police Shannon Monroe for extraordinary honesty. Jeremy was walking to school in early February when he found a bank bag belonging to Jay’s Smokin’ BBQ, stuffed with over $500 in cash.Jeremy then worked with his mother to get the bag to Moorhead Police, where the bag was then returned to the owner of the restaurant. Read the full article here!

Credits, Ethan Mickelson, Northern Sky District Public Relations Chair

PUTTING THE “OUTING” IN SCOUTING

The snow might still be on the ground – but that doesn’t mean you can’t plan for your summer camping trips!

Scouts BSA – Opportunities all over the place! Visit the Ripley Rendezvous at Camp Ripley in May or Merit Badge Weekend/Resident Camp opportunities at Camp Wilderness! Get the 2019 Fall Camporee on your calendar (September 27-29), and hop in on a large outing with the whole district! For more information or assistance with Camp Wilderness, contact Tom at 701-293-5011.

Cub Scouts – Visit our June 1st Day Camp in Casselton, ND! Don’t forget about Scout Day with the Fargo RedHawks on August 3rd. Check out Cub Scout resident camp at Camp Wilderness!

ORDER OF THE ARROW

Are your scouts looking for the next thing in their scouting path? Order of the Arrow is a great way to get more involved in scouting and community service. Further, greater leadership opportunities exist, creating more opportunities for growth and travel! For more information, contact Seth Murray.

NORTHERN SKY DISTRICT IS ON FACEBOOK

Get updates faster! The Northern Sky District is on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/NorthernSkyDistrict. Send your information to us on things that your Troop is doing in the community to let everyone know how much fun your boys are having in Scouting. We will also work to keep current on district events, reminders, pictures and more!