After 15 years of use by many hundreds of Units around the country as well as this District and several others, the SOAR Website system and servers crashed on March 29 ... no eBlasts, all sites went "dark".  In late May and early June the sites came back and most functions are restored.  We've also cleaned out the Rosters -- so if you have any Unit "Helpers" or "Engaged Parents" who are not listed in your Unit's page, email the webmaster with names and emails addresses if you want them in this weekly eBlast loop.

Yes, at the BSA National Annual Meeting last week, the BSA announced some fee increases (some stayed the same) and some new fees (Merit Badge Counselors not otherwise registered as a Unit Adult Volunteer).  Not all details are known, but most of the news is here as of this posting (including some questions and commentary).

How About Some Simple Scouting?  Say What?  Cub Scouting as ... Simple?  But there's got to be requirements ranks adventure plans agendas attendance fundraising assignments themes rules complications training modules more more more.  Right?

No. Keep It Simple.  Take a step back.  Take a deep breath.  Take a chance on just fun, families and friends.   That what Cub Scouting boils down to: Fun, Families and Friends! 

How do to Fun, Families and Friends Activities?  Simple.  Easy.  Just do some fun things.  

• Like the Council Summer Family Adventures (Council organized group events at specific times and places)
• Or for your local Den or Pack or Troop activities, one or more of these Fun, Simple and Easy Activities that you can do in your neighborhoods at a time that works for you.  
• Find some you like.
• Like new places to go and things to do.  Like on The Great Big List of Places to Go and Things to Do.
• All Scouting is Local ... have you been to these Local Park Destinations? 

Why do Fun, Families and Friends Activities?  If you're a leader, do these because you've earned an easy activity.  If you're a parent, because you want to have more fun for your Scout and his friends. 

• Today's leaders and parents will also want to have more families join and be a part of your Den and Pack.
• Just invite them to your Fun with Families and Friends events.
• Maybe picnics and cookouts, bike rides and hiking, fishing and boats, kites and rockets, games and fun, fun and games, s'mores and more.
• What do your families like to do?

Bonus for Today's Leaders:  use the time to get to know the parents in your den.

• Get to know who they are, what they do, what they like, what they used to do.
• If they are still with your den and pack, they must like something about Cub Scouting.
• As you get to know them better, you should be able to find some way that they can help.
• Help for you, sure.
• Help for their Scout, of course.
• Help for the den and pack, and Building Stronger Families Through Scouting.

Some news recently on the Youth Protection front:

A new policy for the Atlanta Area Council was approved by the Council Board of Directors in May, 2023. See the attached, and here's the proposal approved:

• Every registered adult, regardless of position in Scouting, must have valid Youth Protection Training for the duration of their registration in order to be a registered member of the Atlanta Area Council. Youth Protection Training will be validated at the time of initial registration and subsequent renewals. 

The "Charter Renewal" meaning of this is: you won't be able to recharter Registered Adult Leaders at the end of 2023 if their YPT expires in 2024.  Because the Council doesn't want any risk of having to drop Adult Leaders for lapsed YPT.  If everyone on the Charter submitted at the end of 2023 has YPT that is valid into 2024, risk of having to drop Adult Leaders for lapsed YPT in 2024.

The "Real World / Bottom Line Meaning" of this proposal is: every registered adult leader needs to take Youth Protection Training every year so that there is no possible chance that their YPT can expire in the following year.   Or, if you last took Youth Protection Training in 2022 or earlier, take it again this summer.  (Lather, rinse, repeat every year.)

See the very recently updated Recruiting Resources on the Atlanta Area Council Website, including an updated Guide to Cub Scout Family Recruiting.  Other Recruiting Resource pages track key steps to successful and sustainable recruiting like: 

• Step One: Make a Calendar of Fun Activities, 
• Step Two: Promote your Unit! (and BeAScout / Online Apps), 
• Step Three: Recruiting Leaders, 
• Step Four: School and Community Presence, 
• Step Five: Sign-Up Events (School Sign Up Night and your Fun Pack Events) (followed by Parent Orientation)

After Sign Up Events, the key is more activities, like getting parents leading Cub Scout Adventures together and just plain Fun*Simple*Easy activities. 

For Troops, have more than "meetings" -- see these Troop Program Resources so you have a solid plan for your Scouts BSA Troop Recruiting.

See this Website Guide to see what is on this site.  Email webmaster@southfultonscouting.com if you need a reminder about the login.  FYI, this Website is an "off the shelf" website product used by Scout Troops and Packs.