Quarterly Unit Planning Meetings

New for 2021! In an effort to gain higher attendance and get more information out to leaders and parents, the council is going forward with a replacement for Roundtables. Every month, we will have a Scouting Monthly Info & Question Webinar for all leaders and parents in the council the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM.

Every quarter starting in February 2021, we will be hosting Unit Planning Meetings at the Wanzek Center for Scouting (and possibly other locations) for all leaders and parents to attend! These meetings would give Scoutmasters, Cubmasters, Den Leaders, and other some more ideas on helping operate a unit in 2021. The 2021 schedule for these is below:

• Saturday, August 21st from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Topics: Popcorn / Fall Recruitment)
• Saturday, October 30th from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Topics: Rechartering / Program Planning)

Merit Badge Counselor Registration

For information about registering to teach a merit badge or to renew as a Merit Badge Counselor, visit the Advancement web page.

2021 Eastern Spring Camporee

“Back to the Civil War”

May 14-16

Butler Wilderness Outpost – Camp Wilderness, MN

Camp Contact: Thomas D. Huether (406) 780-0690

• Early Registration: $10.00 Youth, $5.00 adult
• Registration Fee: $15.00 Youth, $5.00 adult

The Adventure:

“Scouts depart for their annual Spring Camporee, but as their travels begin, a large storm overtakes the scouts and their leaders. Upon clearing the storm, the scouts and their leaders soon realize that they are no longer in the present as cell service has stopped, vehicles are gone, and the once paved roads have turned to gravel and dirt. As they continue down the road, a fort appears garrisoned by soldiers in blue who appear to have come straight from the American Civil War. To navigate the new world these scouts find themselves in, they must learn what it takes to be a Union soldier in 1862.”

Scouts will be split into squads (patrols) and different squads will be formed to form a company (troop) of the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. Each squad (Patrol) will rotate through various aspects of what life was like during an average day of a Civil War soldier.

Scouts will get to experience the following:

• Civil War Infantry Drill including Marching, Loading in 9 times, and more
• Guard Duty to protect camp and the garrison
• Artillery Drill on a period howitzer
• Food of the period
• Medicine and Surgery
• And more!

Scouts will get to learn about the weapons and how they were operated but WILL NOT be able to fire any muskets, nor the cannon.

Following the completion of the main portion of the event, Scouts will be able to participate in a period baseball game. Did you know that baseball first began during the American Civil War?

To close out the event, a period cooking contest will be held. Each Patrol/Troop will be encouraged to make a recipe from the 1860s with enough food to feed the entire garrison. Members of the 5th Minnesota will serve as judges along with any other representative invited. A series of recipes will be on the District Website.