Exploring


Officer Scott Whiteford receives Spurgeon Award Scott Whiteford, exemplary Exploring volunteer and community leader received the prestigious 2011 Spurgeon Award at the Northern Star Council’s annual Community Builder Celebration on September 12 during a reception and awards program aboard the Minnesota Centennial Showboat on Harriet Island.


Officer Whiteford is long affiliated with the Plymouth Police Department, first as a dedicated volunteer then as a full-time police officer. Receiving national recognition for his many Exploring leadership roles, Officer Whiteford has posi- tively impacted our communities and the lives of our youth through his tenacious work ethic, his competence and his desire to make a difference.


Currently serving on the Exploring Committee, West Exploring Service Team Chair, Law Enforcement Exploring Academy, and liaison to numerous area schools, Officer Whiteford maintains a high leadership profile within the Coun- cil’s law enforcement field. He also volunteers to mentor new and/or challenged Exploring posts both within and outside of the law enforcement field. In addi- tion, he has immersed himself in a number of important issues all in the name of enhancing the Exploring experience for youth.


Aside from Officer Whiteford’s Explorer activities, he has been an engaged police officer. Early on he volunteered for a School Resource Officer’s position at one of Plymouth’s middle schools.


During this time he


was recognized for his leadership and success by both school and police of- ficials. Through these numerous es- tablished professional relationships he made a positive difference in the lives of many students and families during difficult times. From his knowledge and expertise of emergency planning, he improved the school’s emergency response plan, plus contributed to the school district’s Kids & Cops Program, a collaborative effort among the school district, police, and social service agencies working with underserved children.


Plymouth Police Chief Michael Goldstein recognizing Officer Scott Whiteford.


Scott’s positive motivation and passion for Exploring is contagious. He


thoroughly and deliberately ensures that the volunteers with whom he serves understand their role and commitment to the Explorers and the Exploring Program. This effort takes a great amount of time, perseverance and personal and organizational skill. Scott understands the significance of matching the resources of the business community and public service agencies to the interests of our community’s youth.


Officer Whiteford’s dedication to community service, a personal commitment to excellence, in combination with his strong character and enormous compassion for humanity, indeed made him a worthy recipient of the 2011 Spurgeon Award.


Venturing


Crews 1776 and 370: Simultaneous Treks on Isle Royale by Julie Maher, Crew 370 Advisor


I would like to relay a unique event that happened among the local Venture Crews. I met Venture Crew 1776 Advisor Mike Fix, while attending a Wilderness First Aid Training session in June. We got to talking about High Adventure activities and discovered that not only were both of our crews’ going to Isle Royale this year, but we were both taking the same ferry, on the same date, at the same time. Quite impressive considering how many crews and troops that are out there, yet we are both part of Northern Star Council!


Mike and I exchanged information and said “See’ya then!” As it ended up, both crews spent Sunday night, August 6th, at the Grand Portage Casino and we had a chance to swap information regarding Isle Royale. We then entertained each other on the boat ride over on Monday, August 7th. The photo (below, courtesy of Crew 1776) is of both crews getting ready to depart from the mainland that morning. Unfortunately our paths didn’t cross while on the island, but advisors and crew members all agreed: It was a blast running into another local crew!


November 2011 5 — Law Enforcement Monthly Training


23-25 — Council Service Ctrs. Closed 30 — Exploring Renewals Due


December 2011 3 — Law Enforcement Monthly Training


7 — Million Dollar Day, St. Paul @ Crowne Plaza


8 — Million Dollar Day, Bloomington @ Base Camp


14 — MLEEA Meeting 20 — Exploring Committee Meeting 23-26 — Council Service Ctrs. Closed


January 2012 2 — Council Service Centers Closed 7 — Law Enforcement Monthly Training


16 — Council Service Ctrs. Closed New Exploring Executive:


Tom Lancaster Tom Lancaster is a Minnesota native who grew up in St. Paul’s Macalister- Groveland neighborhood. He spent his high school years at St. Paul Central where he, among other things, played soccer, was in the National Honor Society and played baritone saxophone in the band. He spent 12 years in Indianhead/Northern Star Council receiving Eagle Scout at the age of 17 and achieving Bronze Palm at the age of 18.


After high school Tom went onto Beloit College, a small liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin. Beloit being less than half the size of Central allowed Tom to expand his learning even further.


He continued playing


soccer but added basketball announc- ing, Hands of Faith, and Boys and Girls Club to his schedule. Tom received a Bachelors of Arts in Rhetoric and Discourse and also received a Religious Studies Minor. On August 16th, Tom continued his life-long love of Scouting and became Exploring Executive. He is once again expanding his horizons with the introduction into Exploring


program.


www.explorenow.org November


1 — Council Toys for Tots campaign begins


12-14 — Sea Scout SeaBadge Conference, Camp Manatoc, Penninsula, OH


15 — Venturing Committee meeting, St. Paul service center


December


17 — Council Toys for Tots campaign ends


20 — Venturing Committee meeting, Golden Valley service center


January


17 — Venturing Committee meeting, St. Paul service center


2011 “Toys for Tots” Campaign Background: All packs, troops, crws and posts are encouraged to particiapate in the council “Toys for Tots” campaign — You can have a huge impact on your own community!


The Plan: Toys can be turned into ei- ther of the Northern Star Council ser- vice centers, where the number of toys will be tracked. You may drop-off toys from November 1st to December 17th. We will also need help to transport the donated toys from our service centers to an official “Toys for Tots” site. Gifts for teens are especially in need.


Buck Hill All-Nighter: February 17, 2012


Northern Star Council and Buck Hill Winter Recreation are inviting all Venturing Crews, Sea Scout Ships, Explorer Posts, & Boy Scout Troops to join the excite- ment at the Seventh Annual Buck Hill Lock-In. Come have fun in the snow all night long! Last year, more than 750 attended! Groups may start arriving at 9:30 p.m. Check in at “The Hutch” building.


Skiing — Snowboarding — Movies — Bon Fire — Snow Shoeing — Snow Tubing — Fun!


Registration is $35, and covers lift ticket and ski/board rental. Go to Venturing. NSBSA.org/Activities.aspx for more info and to register.


If you can’t drop toys off at our service centers, locate a drop site at www.toys- fortots.org. Also, Walgreens is partner- ing with us to support the program by making donating as easy as possible. Drop off your toys, then use the form from the Venturing Website: Venturing. nsbsa.org/activities.aspx to let us know the details of your efforts.


Ten Ring Training Schedule The Ten Ring Training Schedule has been posted to the Venturing Website: Venturing.nsbsa.org/training.aspx. Eleven outstanding courses are avail- able from January to May!


‘Delta Force’ Explorers assisting at Webelos Experience.


Exploring District One Hospital By Tom Lancaster


The sounds of laughter reverberated through the thin walls of the basement class- room. The kids were playing ice breaker games and some of the adults discussed the details of the new District One Medical Post. “Oh, she dropped it!” I heard from the next room. “You just need one more, one more!” I couldn’t take it any longer; I had to see what was going on.


As the cool fall air begins to replace the heat of summer, recruitment season begins for the Northern Star Council.


Everyone in the Council is in high gear trying to


start the year off right. Down in Faribault, Melinda Inman and I met with District One Hospital which is now the home to a new Medical Exploring Post. Post 3732’s recruitment open house was on September 21st and we were pleased to be able to meet with the brand new post.


I couldn’t stay away from the sounds of joy for any longer. I exited the classroom and entered the ice breaker room. The kids who just minutes before seemed ner- vous, cautious, and a bit timid, were now cheering on their team and attempting ridiculous games. The Post Advisors planned a “Minute to Win It” style ice breaker, which was ingenious. The finale of the ice breaker was a head to head Operation- off. Two prospective members of the Post faced off in the board game Operation. They each donned surgical gowns and hair nets before testing their steady hand.


These moments are why we love the Scouts and love Exploring. Watching the kids open up right in front of our eyes was a treat. The games allowed the kids to be themselves and connect with one another. Exploring is about vocation based learning but it’s also about team building and relationships. It’s a real joy to give these kids the opportunity to expand their mind and make new friends. Through this opportunity the lives of these kids will forever be changed.


Powder Horn — August 1-5, 2012 What is Powder Horn?


Powder Horn is an Outdoor / High Adventure resource management course designed to motivate and prepare adult and youth leaders to provide their unit with a safe and correct Outdoor / High Adventure activities.


This course will give all participants an opportunity to experience the many different Outdoor / High Adventure activities. It will also provide local resources necessary to successfully participate in these Outdoor / High Adventure activities in several ways, including the following:


• Help adult and youth leaders safely conduct outdoor activities of a FUN and challenging nature.


• Provide an introduction / exposure to the resources necessary to successfully lead a unit through an Outdoor / High Adventure program.


• Familiarize Venturers, Scouts and Scouters with the various Scouting Outdoor / High Adventure programs so that they can help their Scouts successfully meet their requirements (Shooting sports awards, outdoors awards, sailing awards, etc.)


Powder Horn Activities • Cooking • Land Navigation • Communication • First Aid • Leave No Trace • Emergency Preparedness • Wilderness Survival • Outdoor Living History • Ecology • Geocaching • Scuba


• Equestrian • Backpacking • Mountaineering • Shooting Sports • Cycling / Mountain Biking • Sailing • Kayaking • Fishing • Aviation • Robotics • Sea Scouting • Orienteering


Powder Horn 2012 Contact: John Lasswell, Course Director, NSCPowder- horn12@gmail.com or visit us at NSCPowderhorn2012@groups.facebook.com.


To register for Powder Horn 2012 go to the Northern Star Council Venturing site: Venturing.NSBSA.org/training.aspx


Discover Scuba!


Have you ever wanted to try Scuba Diving? Then mark your calendar: Dis- cover Scuba dates with Crew 820 are confirmed with Oxford Pool. Sunday, Dec. 4th — 4:30pm to 6:30pm with check in time at 4pm Saturday Jan. 28th — 7:00pm to 9:00pm with check in time at 6:30pm Saturday Feb. 25th — 7:00pm to 9:00pm with check in time at 6:30pm Saturday Mar. 17th — 7:00pm to 9:00pm with check in time at 6:30pm Sunday Apr. 15th — 4:30pm to 6:30pm with check in time at 4pm For additional information please contact Crew 820 Advisor Dean Soderbeck at deansoderbeck@yahoo.com or 651-483-8596 (evenings).


Venturing.nsbsa.org Venturing Committee Chair: Faith Anderson 651-459-8616, email: faitha@flexmation.com; Council Venturing Commissioner: John Lasswell, 651-430-1937, mnlasswelly2k@msn.com; Council Venturing President: Grace Beck District Director: Mike Evano 763-231-7224, email: mevano@northernstarbsa.org.


Does your crew or someone in your crew deserve a little recognition? Send your story and photos to mevano@northernstarbsa.org It could be featured in an upcoming issue of the Navigator.


Law Enforcement Explorers at Webelos Experience What a great mix…Police Explorers and Webelos Scouts! Over 28 Police Explorers from the combined Exploring posts from Blaine, Coon Rapids, and St. Police Departments participated in this year’s Webelos Experience at Stearns Scout Camp.


4


Nov/Dec 2011


Dubbed ‘Delta Force’ by volunteer event recruiter, Layne Lodmell with the St. Paul Police Department Crime Laboratory, these energetic Explorers assisted with traf- fic control and parking to reuniting a couple of wayward Webelos with their pack. Many thanks to Layne and retired Bayport, MN Police Chief, Veid Muiznieks and member of the National Law Enforcement Exploring Committee for coordinating the Police Explorer activities for the weekend.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20