As sent by Charity Drabik, Field Director, Atlanta Area Council, September 13, 2023:

NOTICE OF DISTRICT ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

Date:      September 13, 2023

To:          Scouters of the Southern Crescent District

RE:          Annual District Business Meeting October 26, 2023

Elections for Officers and Members at Large for 2023-2024

Elections will be held at the Southern Crescent District Annual Business Meeting to be held on October 26, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. This event will be held at The Russell Center, located at 504 Fair St SW, Atlanta, GA 30313 . Your participation in this election is important to the continuing health of the Southern Crescent District.

Eligible Voters – Currently Registered Scouters holding the following positions:

• Chartered Organization Representatives of BSA Units within the District
• 2022-2023 District Members at Large
• 2022-2023 Atlanta Area Council Members at Large and Council Committee residing within the bounds of the district.

Slates to be Presented:

• District Members at Large
• District Chair
• District Vice Chairs
• District Commissioner (recommendation)

Recommendation of Candidates:

• All currently registered Scouters of the Southern Crescent District are eligible to recommend candidates for District Office and Members at Large for 2023 - 2024 to the Nominating Committee.
• Recommendations must be submitted to the committee in writing no later than September 26, 2023.
• Please submit your recommendations to Kenieth Winfrey, Nominating Chair by electronic mail at keniethclarkk12@gmail.com

Notes:

• The District Chair, Vice Chairs, and Members at Large assume their respective roles immediately upon election.
• The nominee for District Commissioner is recommended to the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Area Council and does not assume that post until the Atlanta Area Council Board’s approval.

Yours in Scouting, 

Kenieth Clark, Nominating Chair, Southern Crescent District | keniethclarkk12@gmail.com

We hope that your Scouts BSA Troop programs are off to a great start this school year, and we want to be sure you are aware of resources to help you and your Scouts have a fun, exciting and rewarding program in the months to come.  Here are some key Scouts BSA Resources from the Atlanta Area Council and the National BSA to keep you on that trail:

National Troop Program Resources.  Did you know?  There are very good pages of resources for Scouts BSA Troops and Leaders – not just for Adult Leaders (advisors) but their Senior Patrol Leaders, Patrol Leaders and other officers who want to have a dynamic program - not the "same old, same old".

• See troopresources.scouting.org and troopleader.scouting.org, where you will find elements like, at troopresources.scouting.org, Activities for Troop Outings and Meetings, including an Activities Page with subpages for Scout Skill Challenges, including six Compass Skill challenges, seven First Aid, Sixteen Camping/Outdoor Skill challenges (not including knots and lashings), twenty four Knot Tying challenges, and fourteen Lashing challenges.  Also: Team Building, with eighteen activities, Patrol Games, sixteen for large areas and twenty one for small spaces, Troop Games, twenty five for large areas, twelve for small spaces, plus eighteen games for gathering before a meeting.  And Campcraft Skill Videos so that if you want to know "how to", you should see this page, with General Campcraft Skills, like Basic Knots, Whipping Rope, Woods Tools, Fire Building, Tarps and Dining Flies and Navigation and Measurements, plus Pioneering Skills, like Lashings, Pioneering Knots, and General Pioneering Skills.  And Ceremonies, for meetings, Courts of Honor, campfires, crossovers and other events, all at this page. Last … Leader's Minute ideas here.
• But wait, there's more ... at troopleader.scouting.org you will find elements like 48 themed modules … well, go to troopleader.scouting.org and see (or see one of our Districts -- our District -- who put together a summary of Troop program resources).  

Atlanta Area Council Resources.  Includes the following:

• Camping Resources.  Check out www.atlantabsa.org/scoutsbsacamping, not just for the three Atlanta Area Council camps and the different opportunities available at each, but also as a destination for caving, climbing, COPE, shooting sports and more, and a portal to information about National High Adventure Bases, NYLT, and more.   
• Other Activity Resources.  See also the Activities dropdown at www.atlantabsa.org for Council events, Merit Badge Days,  Duty to God activities, and International Scouting opportunities and more. 
• Scouts BSA Advancement Resources.  At www.atlantabsa.org/Advancement, your Troop can find a variety of resources for rank advancement, recognition and other awards.  Also useful for leaders is the BSA Guide to Advancement and other BSA Advancement Resources. 
• Scout Days and Nights.  For just fun outings, see www.atlantabsa.org/scoutdays for upcoming opportunities.
• More Program Ideas.  See www.atlantabsa.org/program-planning and www.atlantabsa.org/PPG for some solid resources, especially – for Scouts BSA leaders – the Scouts BSA Plan your Best Year Ever! video with ideas about many places you can go and activities you can do with your Troop. 
• Training Opportunities.  Scouts need leaders.  Trained leaders.  See www.atlantabsa.org/training for more.

A Scout is Helpful.  The fuller explanation of this Scout Law is: "Volunteer to help others without expecting a reward".  To help Packs, Dens, Troops, Crews, Scouts and their families, we can share ideas about ways to help.  Our service project page is a compendium of ideas about what Scouts can do, from large "service projects" that can be organized by Scouts and/or Units, to existing service opportunities that you can join in, as well as small ways that a Scout can help others (for younger Scouts, with help from the family).  More here.

Highlights of the most recent District News were these (click links for information):  District Banquet September 30 -- Registration is Open. Also Nominations. ...  Helping Units in Your District ... Youth Protection Reminder ... and from the week before: The Great Big List of Places to Go and Things to Do Around Atlanta ... What Does it Mean when We See "Sign Up Night" Calendar Entries for our Pack Number??? ... Opt In, Opt Out ... Email webmaster@southfultonscouting.com if you need a reminder about the login.

The 2023 Southern Crescent District Banquet will be held September 30, 2023 starting at 6:30 at First Baptist Church of Hapeville, 612 College St, Hapeville, Ga 30353.  Registration is open at this page.  Email webmaster@southfultonscouting.com if you need a reminder about the login.

Theme:  History of Scouting. 

Please wear your scouting uniform and bring your Cub Scout & Troop & Crew Leaders.

Cost: $10.00 per adult, $5.00 per scout. Pay at the door.

• If you are in a Cub Pack and attending please bring dessert
• If you are in a Troop please bring a vegetable or side dish
• If you are in a Crew or Post, please bring rolls.
• If you are in more than one type of unit, bring whatever you want.

Nominations for awards are due by September 17, 2023.  See this page for details about awards for 2022-2023.

Please submit them to Micah Womack at wrmicah48@gmail.com or district_awards@southfultonscouting.com

District?  Council?  What are the Possible Committee and Commissioner Roles Supporting Units, Leaders and Youth:  Scouts, Scouters and Scouting Units are part of a worldwide brotherhood of Scouting, and we gather together at National, Territory and Council events, Multi District events, District Events, and events just between Units that connect to do things together. The Atlanta Area Council organizes units in Clayton County and South Fulton County as a District called “Southern Crescent”.  Districts are responsible for carrying out four standard functions: program, unit service, membership and finance.

• The program functions concentrate on helping Scouting units through training adult volunteers, youth advancement support, camping promotion, community service promotion, multi-unit activities (such as camp o rees, cub twilight camp, scout fairs, pinewood derbies, shooting sports events), and recognition of youth and adults, all of which activities are “unit support” to help units do more.
• The unit service function of “commissioners” provides coaching and consultation by volunteers for unit adults to help ensure the success of every Scouting unit -- so commissioners stay abreast of and/or are involved in nearly all district unit support functions, and have a communication function to ensure units know of good program support opportunities -- all designed to support Membership growth and retention.
• The membership function strives for growth through new members and leaders joining existing units and (where needed) growth through the organization of new Scouting units – this must work closely with unit service and program areas (like training, activities and commissioner service) to help units be successful.
• The finance function supports units in fundraising and can help with financial practices, and sees that the district provides its share of funds to the total council operating budget.

Paid professionals, including District Executives and District Directors, support these functions.

In our "Ways to Volunteer in the District to Help Units" page are some ways that volunteers can help "beyond" just one Unit through these functions.  Want to Help?  Contact the District Chair or District Executive or take this Point and Click Survey, as nearly every role could use more help, assistants, potential successors.  Also, teams can form based on interests, plus new services, events and programs may arise if someone has the passion for it ... contact information for current district leaders and committee and commissioners are found in the "Adult Leader" section of the Roster.  email the webmaster if you need Login information.