Serving Edwards, Gibson, Knox, Lawrence, Richland, and Wabash Counties
District Chairperson: Vacant

District Commissioner: Chad Hawkins, chawkins@cinergymetro.net

District Associate: Christopher Felton, 812-423-5246 ext. 216,  Christopher.Felton@scouting.org 

District Training Chair:  Christopher Patterson Christopher.Patterson@champlabs.com

District Advancement Chair: Sarah Will    sarah.will@us.schott.com

District Eagle Chairperson:  Bill Marsh, bilmarsh@sbcglobal.net

DID YOU KNOW?

• Your unit can have a Friends of Scouting presentation in November or December? Then, if you reach your goals you can benefit from it for an entire year!

• If your Pack/Troop/Crew raises:

  • an average of $34/active Scout you will receive FREE rank badges from the Council for the rest of the year​

  • an average of $50/active Scout you will recieve FREE rank badges AND advancements

• All Friends of Scouting donations stay right here in Buffalo Trace Council to help local Scouts/families​

• Friends of Scouting donations provide:

  • Financial assistance for families with need-registration, uniform, and camp scholarships​

  • Training and resources to leaders

  • Support and upkeep of Eykamp Scout Center and Old Ben Scout Reservation

  • Accident and sickness insurance for all registered Scouting members.

  • Affordable activities for youth-Cub Scout Day Camp, Camporees, Merit Badge Universities, etc.

  • Outreach programs for youth in poverty and youth with special needs

  • Recruitment materials to support existing units-flyers, yards signs, stickers, New Parent Guidebook, etc. ​

​​

To schedule your unit presentation contact Chris Felton (219) 477-7455

Service Hours Reporting

A Scout does a good turn daily and helps other people at all times.  The Scouts in our district are prime examples of these practices.  Please take some time and log your service hours and show just what all our Scouts did for their community this year!  Log service hours throug Internet Advancement 2.0 on Scoutbook.

Register For Upcoming Events:

William Marsh, Algonkian Advancement Chair, Buffalo Trace Council, BSA 

I am sending this letter to inform you of the new necessary steps we will be taking for Project and Eagle Board of Reviews for the foreseeable future. The timing duration is unknown but is effective immediately as of the date on the letterhead. 

Please pass this on to your Life Scouts that are working to complete their Eagle Rank. This letter is effective immediately. 

All Eagle Board of Reviews (EBOR) will be virtual and in person reviews are cancelled until further notice. 

For this to happen, a number of new steps will need to be taken by each SCOUT in order to move forward with his or her reviews. 

1. Each SCOUT must email one PDF, WORD, or digital copy of the complete project workbook to myself at bilmarsh@sbcglobal.net, two weeks prior to the review meeting. This will allow me to forward copies to the other reviewers prior to the review date. 

This applies to both the initial project review and the Eagle Board of Review. 

2. Each SCOUT must continue to deliver the Eagle Application packet(for an EBOR) to the Scout Office as is the current method, two-three weeks prior to the EBOR date. This may require the use of mail, email, or other arrangement as the Council Office is closed at this time. The Council Office will continue to review the EBOR information and dates prior to the review prior to an EBOR. 

3. The SCOUT must confirm to the Advancement Chair that he/she will participate in the review on the next scheduled date, two-three weeks prior to the EBOR date. This applies to both the initial Project Review and the EAGLE BOARD OF REVIEW. 

4. The SCOUT must provide an email and a phone number that can be used for an online video or telephone conference call for the review. Please confirm if the phone number is an iPhone or an Android phone. 

5. Each SCOUT must provide a parent phone number and an email, as well. All reviews will have to include a parent or guardian in the communications, per BSA rules. 

6. The Eagle Board of Review will be held via a video conference call. All Eagle Board of Reviews must have a face to face interface. The type of video call may vary depending on who is managing the call but ZOOM or similar will need to be used. 

7. A Project Review may happen with a telephone conference call only. Again, this will be left to the manager of the call. 

8. The District Chair will be in contact with the scout to inform him/her of the time of the Eagle Board of Review or Project Review and how the interview will be held via online video/audio or audio only using a telephone conference call. 

9. The District Chair will also inform the scout who will be contacting him or her about the Eagle Board of Review or Project Review call. 

10. Each SCOUT will get a set time for the interview and should expect to get the call from an interviewer at the appropriate time. 

11. Each SCOUT will have to have a parent or guardian in all conference calls or interviews and will have to inform the guardians of that requirement and make sure they are present for the call. 

12. The contact with the SCOUT will be via email and/or phone prior to the Eagle Board of Review or Project Review. 

13. At this time, an Eagle scout project can be planned but should not be implemented or active unless it can comply with local, state, and federal health safety orders and guidelines. All projects must follow the National, State, and Local guidelines and rules for group gatherings. With the Stay at Home and Self Quarantine rules presently in effect because of the coronavirus, groups gatherings are not allowed. 

14. This would be a great time for a SCOUT to be creative on project planning and implementation. 

15. At this time, the District can review and approve projects and perform the Eagle Board of Review through teleconferencing. This will remain in effect until further notice. 

16. At this time, the District can complete an Eagle Board of Review for any SCOUT that has already completed his project and has completed all the other requirements. 

17. For SCOUTS who are approaching the 18 age limit rules on both the project deadline and the Eagle Board of Review deadline, that scout must file for an extension per the BSA rules. 

a. The SCOUT must send a letter, documentation, and form 512-077 to John Harding, Buffalo Trace Council Scout Executive requesting an extension and why. Be detailed. 

b. The letter must include a statement of the number of additional months that will be needed by the scout to complete the project. Current BSA National policy limits extensions for this reason until September 30, 2020. 

Since dates and timing are unknown, be conservative. 

The information packet will need to include the names, phone number, and email addresses of the parents/guardian and Unit Leader. 

c. The form 512-077 is available on the BSA advancement website. https://www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/advancement-and-awards/resources/ 

d. The request sent by the SCOUT will be reviewed by the Buffalo Trace Council Advancement Committee and if approved, the scout will be notified in writing. 

e. The Council Committee review may require follow up communications prior to a decision being made. 

f. The notification of the approved extension must accompany the final Eagle Scout Application submitted to National Office for the Eagle Scout Rank. 

18. If there are further questions, please do not hesitate to ask me. 

19. There is additional information available on the buffalo Trace Council/Advancement section labeled “COVID-19 Advancement Q&A”. 

Sincerely, 

William Marsh 

Algonkian District Advancement Chair, Buffalo Trace Council, BSA 

812-899-0199 

bilmarsh@sbcglobal.net