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Winter 2015

Central Region Venturing, Area 2

Everything new in Area Two!

Area 2 is comprised of the lower peninsula of

Michigan, also known as the Michigan

Crossroads Council. It serves the four Field

Service Councils: President Gerald R. Ford,

Water and Woods,

Great Lakes, and Southern Shores.

Spring/Summer 2015

Area 2 Newsletter

Meet the President! 1

Philmont Training

Center 2

National Annual

Meeting 3

Powder Horn! 4

Duke of Edinburgh

Award 5

Message from the Area

2 Venturing Advisor 6

A Note from the Editor 7

Scouting One-Liner 8

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Meet the President: Jacob Hardy Hello Fellow Venturers!

My name is Jacob Hardy. I am from the Great Lakes Field Service Council

in Detroit, but will be starting my freshman year at Central Michigan

University in Mount Pleasant, where I intend to study Secondary

Education in English. I am a career Boy Scout who started as a Tiger Cub

back in the first grade, and eventually crossed over into Boy Scouting,

where I attained the rank of Eagle Scout. During my time in Scouting, I

have undergone National Youth Leadership Training, and went so far as

to go back to staff it both as a team guide, and then as an assistant course

director. Also, my troop elected me into Scouting’s national honor

society, the Order of the Arrow, in which I am a Vigil member. Within the

Order of the Arrow, I have served in the capacity of Chippewa Chapter

Chief, and more recently as Noquet Lodge’s Vice Chief of Activities.

I have a real passion for Scouting’s excitement, and have witnessed

firsthand many of its benefits. Venturing has a lot to offer, and I am really

excited to bring my training and experience to the

table! This year, alongside the other officers, I hope

to bring about a thrilling and productive term. My

goals this year include laying groundwork for

communication between crews, strengthening local

Venturing Officers’ Associations, and building area

wide events that are accessible and exciting for

everyone. I hope to meet many of you at events

over the coming term!

Yours In Venturing,

Jacob Hardy- Central Region Area 2 Venturing

President 2015-2016

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Winter 2015

Central Region Venturing, Area 2

Interested in having the time of your life and gaining invaluable

leadership experience? Get involved in Area 2! E-mail us at

crventuringarea2@gmail.com.

“Training, training, training!” – Dr. James E. West, Chief Scout Executive, BSA, when

asked to define the three things Scouting needed most.

The need for well-trained and well-prepared leaders remains true over one hundred

years later. With the significant changes to Venturing’s recognition model and

adjustments to its methods, this is a great opportunity to re-launch your

understanding of Venturing and join your Central Region colleagues at Philmont

Scout Training Center this summer.

The new Venturing A-L-P-S program model builds on success from the past and

provides a framework for a dynamic program of adventure, leadership, personal

growth and service, grounded in a flexible program of continuous, youth-led

adventure with the new recognition system providing Venturers with benchmarks of

progress. If you are involved in Venturing at a unit, district, or council level, come and

learn firsthand how you can take on the challenge and fun of the new program.

Special guests from the national cabinets and region VOAs, including authors and

designers for the new program materials will bring this adventure to life.

In addition to advisors, the conference also welcomes older

Venturers as full participants. Make this conference your first

step in supporting a great Venturing program for years to

come.

Conference dates: July 7-13, July 19-25, August 2-8, and August

9-15. The conference scheduled from August 9-15 will be led

by advisors and region Venturing officers from the Central

Region. Please consider joining us at Philmont.

To register, visit www.philmonttrainingcenter.org

Philmont Training Center

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Winter 2015

Central Region Venturing, Area 2

National Annual Meeting

Each May, Scouts, Scouters, and Professionals from all across the country gather together for the

National Annual Meeting of the Boy Scouts of America. This year, the meeting happened May 20-22

in Atlanta, Georgia.

What exactly goes on at these meetings, you might

wonder? There is an exhibit hall with close to 100

vendors promoting different programs and

opportunities for Scouts. One of these booths was

the Venturing booth, where we had the opportunity

to promote our amazing program to all attendees.

During the day, there are also tons of sessions to

attend, which include various different committee

meetings and spark sessions on different topics.

Finally, there are several different receptions,

including ones for the Order of the Arrow,

Venturing, and Sea Scouting.

This year, the Venturing and Sea Scouting Reception was brought back! During this reception, it

was also announced that the Venturing Leadership Award will be available to both youth and

adults again! In addition to this announcement, this year’s class of National Venturing Leadership

Awards was presented and the Change of Watch ceremony for the Sea Scouts was conducted.

Additionally, Venturing was represented at each of the four Region Luncheons and Region

Business Meetings.

Overall, Venturing was readily present at the National Annual Meeting through the exhibit hall

booth, reception, luncheons, and business meetings, which was an excellent opportunity to

promote our wonderful program!

Yours In Venturing,

Emily Mausshardt

Central Region Venturing President 2014-2015

Above: Venturers representing our

program at the National Annual Meeting.

Right: The Sea Scouting Change of Watch

Ceremony.

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Winter 2015

Central Region Venturing, Area 2

President Ford Field Service Council is hosting Powder Horn!

This August 2015, the President Ford FSC will be a hosting a two weekend long Powder Horn

course. Powder Horn is a resource course for adults and youth over the age of 16 who are

registered with the Boy Scouts of America. After having taken this course, participants will have

the knowledge and resources needed to plan an effective, high adventure program. This

interactive course is jam-packed with hands-on fun and experiences that show the participants

what an awesome, high-adventure Scouting/Venturing program could look like. All segments

are lead by local experts in their fields in order to provide examples for what to do and who to

call for future adventures. This course is probably the most fun you could ever have in a

weekend, and will include backpacking, cave exploring, conservation, cooking, cycling/

mountain biking, emergency preparedness, equestrian, first aid, fishing, hunting, life saver,

mountaineering, physical fitness, plants and wildlife, project COPE, scuba, shooting sports,

watercraft, wilderness survival, winter sports, and much more!

This course will be held at Gerber Scout Reservation in Twin Lake, MI, August 21st-23rd, and

28th-30th. Before August 1st, the cost to attend is $285; after August 1st, the cost will go up, so be

sure to register now! Powder Horn is a resource course, not a training program; it is intended to

introduce youth and adult leaders to various activities, not to train them to lead such activities.

For more information check out the

flyer at http://www.crventuring.org/

document.php?ID=1097&NUM=1

We Want Your Events!

We are interested in what your crew and field

service council are doing! If your event is

open to other crews, councils, or even areas,

please add it to our Central Region Calendar

via http://www.crventuring.org/

event_submission.php

This calendar is a great resource if your crew

is looking for something fun to do. Check out

all events on the calendar here: http://

crventuring.org/Activities/Events_Calendar/

President Ford Field Service

Council Powder Horn

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Winter 2015

Central Region Venturing, Area 2

Many Scouts and Venturing youth may be looking for a new challenge after earning their Ea-

gle Scout, Silver Award, or Quartermaster. The Michigan Crossroads Council has been approved

as an award chapter of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award for any youth aged 14 to 25.

This award was founded in 1956 and named for the United Kingdom’s His Royal Highness The

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since the award’s inception, it has grown to an international

award, and has spread to over 140 countries across the globe. Over 8 million young people have

earned the Duke of Edinburgh award.

In 2006, the award program was expanded to the United States, and recently the award has

been highlighted in the new Venturing Awards and Requirement handbook under the section of

International Scouting Awards. The award emphasizes four areas of development: community ser-

vice, special skills, physical recreation, and adventurous journey. The Duke of Edinburgh award

has three awards levels—Bronze, Silver and Gold—which differ mainly in length of time committed

to each of the four. We are excited to have, for the first time, the opportunity for any Scout or Ven-

turing youth to earn a Duke of Edinburgh’s International

Award of their own from the Michigan Crossroads Council

or any of its Fields Service Councils.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International

Award USA

Find out more about the awards on www.dofeusa.org or on Facebook

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Duke-of-Edinburghs-Award-USA

For more information or learning about how to start earning your award

please contact the MCC Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Committee!

Matthew Bursley mpbursley@gmail.com

Jeff Geralds jwgeralds@gmail.com

Ann Mellen 1annmellen@gmail.com

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Winter 2015

Central Region Venturing, Area 2

Events Looking Ahead

June 20-23, 2015 Area 2 Venturing White Water Rafting, Fayetteville, WV

August 7-9, 2015 Venturing Zombie Apocalypse Weekend, Pioneer, Ohio (Area 6)

August 9-15, 2015 Venturing Training, Philmont Training Center, Cimarron, NM

August 21-23 and 28-30, 2015 Powder Horn, Gerber Scout Reservation

October 2-4, 2015 Sea Badge, Claire, MI

July/August, 2015 World Jamboree, Yamaguchi, Japan

June 25-July 3, 2016 High Adventure in Southwest US, from Detroit, MI to CO and UT

July 25-31, 2016 Michigan International Camporee, West Branch, MI

2017 National Jamboree, Bechtel Summit Reserve, WV

A Message from the Area 2 Venturing

Advisor

Venturers!

It has been a real pleasure traveling around the state to visit with Michigan Crossroads Council leaders and members

of the Venturing community. The Area 2 officers and advisors attended the MCC Board Leadership Summit in

February. We attended the MCC Program Impact meeting in Lansing on March 14, and the MCC Board Retreat in

April. The purposes of the meetings were to share best practices regarding the elements of Venturing in the BSA's

Program Impact arena, and the development of better calendars. The support and well wishes we received from the

MCC and Field Service Council leadership was very encouraging.

Venturing was featured in twenty program planning meetings hosted by the FSC Program Impact Teams around the

state during the end of May. The audiences included unit leaders, commissioners, and other council/district

volunteers. Venturing activities, meetings and events have been added to the new 18-month program planning

calendars that were recently published. The calendars include all sorts of great information. Many thanks for their

completion are due to the FSC VOA's, FSC professional staff, FSC Committee Chairs, and their teams.

The Area 2 Advisors enjoyed working with Joe, Erin, Dan and Chuck during the past year,

and we wish them well in the future. They were an exceptional officer team! Now we're

looking forward to good things from the 2015-16 team of Jacob, Erin, Jessica and Nick .

Have fun this summer, and post your activities on our Venturing Facebook pages!

Jeff Geralds

Area 2 Venturing Advisor

Michigan Crossroads Council Venturing Chairman

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Winter 2015

Central Region Venturing, Area 2

A Note from the Editor

Fellow Venturers,

It has been a very eventful year! Although I came into this position part way through the

term, I have still thoroughly enjoyed serving on the Area 2 VOA. This time of year always

tends to make me reflect on life and think about where it is taking me and the people

around me. As I look back this year, I see how much I personally have grown through

Venturing as well as how it has impacted others that I know. It saddens me that my time as

a youth member of this organization is ending, but I can not help but to be excited for what

will come next! I look forward to what this next year will bring as the new Area 2 officers

transition into their positions. I know that they will do great things!

I would like to use this opportunity to thank two people in particular for helping me during

my term as VP of communications. First, Lizzie Wisman, who was my predecessor and who

has served as my advisor. Without her urging and help, I never would have come to hold

this position. Her willingness to lend a hand, even when she herself is swamped with things

to do, is extraordinary. Second, Mr. Jeff Geralds. Not only has he served as the Area 2

Venturing Advisor for the past several years, but the amount of work that he does for

Scouting as a whole is awe inspiring. I hope to someday be as great a servant as Mr.

Geralds.

Lastly, I want to thank the rest of the Area 2 officers for all of the work they have put in over

the past year. Joey, Chuck, and Erin have all been great people to work with! Once again,

it has been a fantastic year, and I can only imagine what will

come next for this exciting game that we call Venturing! I wish

you all a very happy and safe summer!

Yours In Venturing,

Daniel Ruland

Central Region, Area 2 Vice President of Communications 2014

-2015

ruland2@gmail.com

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Winter 2015

Central Region Venturing, Area 2

Have a Scouting comic or one-liner? Send it in to be in our next newsletter!

CRVenturingArea2@gmail.com

Area 2: http://www.facebook.com/

groups/CRV.Area2/?fref=ts

Water and Woods: http://

www.facebook.com/

groups/44602549603/?fref=ts

President Ford: http://

www.facebook.com/

groups/58006254760/?fref=ts

Southern Shores: http://

www.facebook.com/

groups/45491999635/?fref=ts

Great Lakes:

https://www.facebook.com/

groups/81835021000/

Sea Scouting

https://www.facebook.com/crss2

Also follow Area 2 on Pinterest!

http://www.pinterest.com/

venturingarea2/

Area 2:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/

CRV.Area2/?fref=ts

Water and Woods:

http://www.facebook.com/

groups/44602549603/?fref=ts

President Ford:

http://www.facebook.com/

groups/58006254760/?fref=ts

Southern Shores:

http://www.facebook.com/

groups/45491999635/?fref=ts

Great Lakes:

https://www.facebook.com/

groups/81835021000/

Sea Scouting:

https://www.facebook.com/crss2

Also follow Area 2 on Pinterest!

http://www.pinterest.com/

venturingarea2/

Like Area 2’s Page on

Facebook!

Scouting One-Liner and More