Pacific Crest District is proud to congratulate

Dawn Perfect

2007 Silver Beaver Award recipient

Silver Beaver is the highest award given
by a Council to a volunteer.

Flag Collection:
June 14 - July 4th
Dawn Perfect, Activities/Civic Service
It is almost time again for Pacific Crest District’s flag collection service activity. It has been our tradition for several years to collect used American flags in need of
dignified retirement. Notification will be placed in the Ramona Sentinel and other local publications offering the collection service to any Ramona resident that desires collection & retirement of tattered American flags.
Once we receive requests for collection, units will be contacted. Boy Scouts are instructed to collect flags with a buddy. Scout uniform is to be worn and appropriate adult supervision is required. The scouts should fold the flag if possible and thank the donor for their participation. Flag retirement ceremonies will be conducted throughout the year by the individual scout units. Boy Scout Troops that would like to participate should contact Dawn Perfect at 788.1983 or dperfect@sciti.com.

*New* District Executive Letter
Jeff Young, Pacific Crest District Executive
Hello Pacific Crest District. My name is Jeff Young. I am the new District Executive of Pacific Crest as of the end of February. I am coming from the Heartland district, where I was on my second assignment as their DE. This change of position has me serving in Pacific Crest, plus a number of council level responsibilities. I have been with the Council since 1995. Since then, I have served in the Sweetwater, Black Mountain, Pacific Coast districts and twice in Heartland.
My wife, Jennifer and I live in El Cajon with our 4 year old son, Ryan.
Prior to coming to work for the Boys Scouts I spent 8 years in the United States Marine Corps reserve, including service in Desert Shield/ Storm as a tank gunner. I graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. Until last year, I was a Reserve Deputy for the San Diego Sheriff’s Department Technical Rescue Unit.
My office number is 619-298-6121 x266 (toll free 866-437-2272) and my email address is jeyoung@bsamail.org . Please contact me with your scouting questions, or just to say "Hi". I look forward to working with you.

MERIT BADGE NIGHT
Sponsored and conducted by the Pacific Crest District - SDIC

PLACE: LDS Church located at 527 9th Street in Ramona

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Forms must be received by 6:00 pm Monday, May 12, 2008. Registration will be closed when all available classes have been filled. Please visit the website to determine availability.

COST: This event is offered at no charge

Merit Badges Offered and their prerequisites are:

Electricity - do requirements 2, 5, 8, 9a
Fire Safety - do requirements 5, 6a
Genealogy - do requirements 2, 3, 4b, 6
Personal Management - do requirements 1, 2, 8
Truck Transportation - do requirements 2c, 3, 5a, 5b, 7

Registration is by mail-in ONLY.
There will be NO on-site enrollment,
so mail in your registration form today!

May 9th District Dinner,
Dawn Perfect, District Activities/Civic Service
Our annual district dinner will be held Friday, May 9^th at 6:30pm at the LDS Church on 9^th Street. This event is to honor all of the leaders that make our local units great! Unit committees are encouraged to nominate a leader to receive each of the following awards: Pathfinder Award – To recognize a leader that has recently been of considerable value to the unit. Redtail Hawk Award – More of a long-term achievement award to recognize lengthy quality service to the unit.
This event is a potluck dinner. Each unit participating need to RSVP by Monday, April 28th to Dawn Perfect with their award recipients’ names, a count of how many people will attend from the unit, as well as a single check from the unit for a total of $25 to cover the cost of the event. Be sure to come to the dinner to honor the award recipients! The more the merrier! If you have any question, contact Dawn Perfect at 788-1983 or dperfect@sciti.com

D.E. Farewell
Joe Ungaro, Imperial Valley Sr. Dist..Executive
Good Bye Scouters of the Pacific Crest District:
Well as you may have noticed by the title I have moved into my new assignment as the Sr. District Executive in the Imperial Valley. It is a new challenge that should be very interesting, I have really enjoyed my time in Pacific Crest. The approach to Scouting in our district was fresh and I enjoyed the ride. Pacific Crest is a dynamic place that delivers the Scouting program to the youth. It was a pleasure to be your D.E.
I was happy to be a part of the growth in the district that saw us return to a Quality District, now called a Centennial District. Your efforts will once again return the district to that status for 2008.
In closing, I wish to thank all the volunteers that I have met in my time in the district. We accomplished what is the central theme of all Scouting, that is to provide a wonderful program for the youth of the district.
Your new District Executive, Jeff Young , is a veteran of many years of Professional service in Scouting, He will bring a bold and new approach to Scouting and I know you will enjoy working with him in the coming years.
My best to you all.

Lights; Camera; Action! Cub Day Camp
Roark Galloway, Cub Scout Day Camp Director
The Ramona Rodeo Grounds (421 Aqua Lane) will be the location for "Lights, Camera, Action!" during the week of June 23-27, 2008. Day camp leadership this year is planning a movie and film set based experience for cub scouts throughout the Pacific Crest district. Key leadership include Roark Galloway [Camp Director], Beth Johnson [Program Director], Sharon Galloway [Camp Administration], Janine Stemper, Victoria McKenzie [Tiger Camp Program], Dawn Perfect and Ron Underwood. We also are fortunate to have Jeff Young, new Pacific Crest DE- as he has a wealth of experience with day camp programs while working in Heartland District and is National Camp School [NCS] certified for Cub Day Camp. Our goal is also to include many Boy Scout assistants to be Den Chiefs and program station helpers during this day camp session. This year’s camp will include a sibling care group for children of staff members "on-location" during the week.
The program details are presently being planned and developed. All Packs will be notified soon and provided registration forms. There will be plenty of opportunities for adult volunteer staffing during this "production" which is one of the most important cub scouting events in our district. This will provide an exciting opportunity for some to have their very first experience with cub scouting. Boys who will have just finished kindergarten will be eligible to register as TIGER CUBS and attend this day camp event. Day Camp also introduces experienced Cub Scouts to their next RANK since they attend camp after the school year ends and they have officially moved up to the next level in the Cub Scout program.
Remember- if your Cub Unit has boys in kindergarten that are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to get started with the adventure of Cub Scouts THIS IS IT! Please encourage them to invite their friends- we just need to be sure they are registered as scouts with BSA [ an additional $8.00 and a completed BSA Youth Membership Form (#28-406A) and BSA Class 1 medical history form (#34414B) are needed in addition to the camp registration fee.]
All Day Camp forms and instructions can be found at our District Website http://pacificcrest.sdicbsa.org/ and applications are in this Post.
Every Cub Scout Unit should have its own Day Camp Coordinator to collect registration forms, secure the appropriate adult leadership requirement, day camp fees and coordinate with Sharon Galloway, Day Camp Administrator [skg918@cox.net] who will help ensure the registration process is completed properly. If adults and Boy Scouts are ready to volunteer now; or if you have additional questions, please contact Roark Galloway, Director [frgalloway120@cox.net]. We are going to schedule visits to all units to provide more details on the program plan through April so be ready for – Lights, Camera, Action!

I Love a Clean San Diego: April 26th
Dawn Perfect, District Activities/Civic Service Chairman
Ramona will again participate in the I Love a Clean San Diego event this year and scouts are encouraged to work with the ILACSD folks that day to clean up our Ramona creek bed from the Community Park (where the ball fields are) to down past Maple Street at the other end of town. Can we top the 16 tons and 11.2 tons of trash that were cleared the last two years? Come help out & find out! The date is set for April 26^th.
Ramona volunteers need to get on the ILACSD website and sign up individually in order to have their efforts included in the San Diego area totals. Any questions? Contact Ingrid Tighe for information at mulemamma@cox.net. Ingrid is one of the Ramona Captains for this community service activity.

Advancement News
Bob Chisholm, District Advancements Chairman
Originally, the Scouting merit badge program was designed to introduced Scouts to the life skills of contacting an adult they hadn't met before, arranging a meeting and then demonstrating their skills, similar to a job or college interview. Increasingly, though, the merit badge program helps a Scout learn about different fields of knowledge, examine subjects to determine if they would like to further pursue them as a career or avocation, or develop a keen appreciation of the risks and precautions of some sports and activities to help ensure that future activity be conducted in a safe manner and (hopefully) fully understand and appreciate the limits of his own ability and experience. Nowadays, we have summer camps where ‘young adults’ fill the role of the ‘adult’ for some of the merit badges Scouts can earn. But the greatest opportunity for earning merit badges should be the local community.
Somewhere here in this edition of The Post, there is a notice for a upcoming Merit Badge Night happening here in Ramona. Some of our local counselors come together to help our sons. These counselors are local people - like you and me - who make this event possible. This Merit Badge Night is a kind of pilot program and if it gets good reviews, we will put on another one in the fall, maybe even bigger than this one. But the size and offering will heavily depend on Counselor availability.
Why not consider being a merit badge counselor yourself? Your District is much in need of them. Sadly, many merit badges – including Eagle required ones – we don’t have counselors for in District. If you have a profession, skills, or hobbies that may be of interest to our local youth please take a moment to look at our slate of merit badges to see if there’s one you could be a counselor for at: www.meritbadge.org . With approximately 130 merit badges, there has to be something there for you, and you can be a counselor for up to 7 merit badges.
Your Scouts – our sons - really appreciate these opportunities for advancement that come from their own community.

Commissioner’s Corner
Russ Christensen, District Commissioner
Quality Program and Active Volunteers
There are many aspects that contribute to the health of a Pack, Troop, Team or Crew, but today I want to talk about two of the key components for creating and sustaining a high quality organization. A rich, interesting Program holds the Scout's interest, and active Volunteers make the program go.
As parents we can quickly tell when a particular meeting is successful. The Scouts are busy interacting, learning, competing, laughing. There is a plan in place for the meeting, an agenda that guides the meeting activities and not only defines the specific events of the meeting but also sets the tone for the meeting - fun opening, focused learning activity, boisterous physical activity, introspective closing. Similarly, when the Scouts are restless, punching each other (more than usual), and being disruptive, most often it is because the meeting is missing some of these key components. It takes a bit of preparation to set up a meeting for success, and it takes additional planning and forethought to create a solid program for the year. A unit should have an Annual Plan, with monthly themes and major events defined well in advance to be able to prepare for them. Each month should be broken down to weekly plans as the month draws near so that materials will be available and delegation can happen. For Dens, these monthly/weekly plans could be from Program Helps, available at Roundtable, and Den Leaders should assign some part of the meeting to other parents or a Den Chief so that they don't have to handle the entire program all the time. For Troops, the Scouts are the leaders and they create weekly/monthly plans in their Patrol Leaders Council meetings. They delegate responsibilities to each patrol, and adult leaders oversee the program and provide assistance where needed. Perhaps the most important message here is to create and use a plan, and to delegate in order to spread the load and to offer the best Program possible.
If you are reading this newsletter, you are probably already an active volunteer - Thank You! To create a solid program for your unit, you need the help of several interested parents. There are many volunteer roles to play in Scouting, ones that may last a year or many years, and some that may last for only an hour. Some of us have agreed to be Den Leader, Committee Chair, Scoutmaster, or Crew Advisor. There are many more parents who would volunteer if they knew how they could help. So ask them! Have a den parent bring refreshments or some of the required supplies for the next meeting. Have a troop parent help coordinate transportation for the next outing. Every parent has an interest or hobby, a skill or profession that can apply to Scouting in some way. Find a parent interested in art to lead a Den activity, or a banker to come talk to a troop about Personal Finances. Some parents drive, most have phones, many can cook, all have skills that will help build a solid Scouting program for our boys. If you are one of those parents waiting to be asked, this is your lucky day! No need to jump in with both feet, just offer to contribute to some part of an upcoming meeting or event. It's painless, and you get the same salary we all do in Scouting - heartfelt gratitude and the smile of a young man.
If you want help in developing or extending your program, work with your Unit Commissioner or call me directly and we will be sure you have what you need.

Pack 692 Happenings
Victoria McKenzie, Pack 692
As we come to the beginning of a season of sun and outdoor activity, Pack 692 is proud to report that we continue to grow and we have seen many successful ventures unfold.
Our Blue and Gold Pack meeting in February was beautifully mastered by our Wolf Den Leaders, Darren and Meredith Hardesty and all of the boys were able to truly experience the importance of over 90 years of Scouting.
Our entire Pack participated in the annual Scouting for Food drive and we are happy to report that we collected 823 items totaling 972.5 pounds of food! The local Ramona Food and Clothes Closet was thrilled to receive three truckloads of food resulting from our boys’ dedicated service.
Finally, as we move forward in our scouting year we are happy to report that four of our boys will be receiving their Arrow of Light as they bridge over to Boy Scout Troops in Ramona. Chandler MacKenzie, Nick Stemper, Dylon Hitt and Donald Scott have been together since their very first year as Tiger Scouts and it has been a fun, exciting and rewarding journey for the boys, their adult leaders and their parents.
A big thank you goes out from all of Pack 692 to our Cubmaster Don Scott as he serves his last days in office. He took over with many obstacles to overcome and has grown our Pack into the wonderful, large group of dedicated Scouts it is today! Thank you Don Scott for your many years of service and we pass the torch to our newest Cubmaster Jim Stemper!

Scouting for Food
Dawn Perfect, District Activities/Civic Service
Scouting for Food was again a great success for the town of Ramona! About six units participated. Hundreds of pounds of food have been donated to our local food bank, the Ramona Food & Clothes Closet! Donations are still coming in at the time of publication. Every scout & scouter participating should be proud for making the effort to do this Good Turn!

Cub Roundtable News
Debra Worthen, Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner
A BIG THANKS to Bryant Gold for stepping in at the last minute and leading the Cub Scout session in March. Our District Committee appreciates your commitment to the Scouting program and helping us whenever you can. I have an e-mail flyer for those wanting some information regarding the theme for April, ABRACADABRA! Drop me a line at debraworthen@yahoo.com and I'll forward you the e-mail.
Congratulations to Pack 679 for receiving the Cub Scout Roundtable Attendance Award for February and March! We have a new group of dedicated leaders attending Roundtable and we're excited to see you grow!
Here's what we have planned for the upcoming Roundtables...
April's Roundtable will feature May's theme, "Leaf It to Cubs". It's all about trees! The core value highlighted: Perseverance. To quote the Roundtable Helps," Just as a tree starts small and grows mighty, boys will appreciate that they must work each day to grow into the best citizens they can be."
The Webelos Activity Badges for May: Outdoorsman and Artist.
In May we will "Go for the Gold" while learning about exercise, sports, about good sportsmanship and understanding the rules.
Webelos will be working on the Handyman and Traveler Activity Badges. Just in time for spring cleaning and family vacations!
Our District Committee takes the month of July off for family vacations so in June we will combine the July and August themes: "H2Ohhh!" and "S'More Summer Fun". The Cubbies will enjoy water activities, learning about water creatures and water conservation. Water fun and other outdoor activities will be practiced promoting being fit, healthy and safe.
The Webelos have several Activity Badges that they can work on for the summer months. The suggested Activity Badges from the Roundtable Helps are the Aquanaut, Geologist, Naturalist, and Forester.
Baden Powell was interviewed by the "Listener" Magazine in 1937. In the interview titled, "Be Prepared", he said the following about teaching Scouting skills to the young soldiers in his regiment..."I wanted to make them feel that they were a match for any enemy, able to find their way by the stars or map, accustomed to notice all tracks and signs and to read their meaning, and able to fend for themselves away from regimental cooks and barracks. I wanted them to have courage, from confidence in themselves and from a sense of duty; I wanted them to have knowledge of how to cook their own grub; in short, I wanted each man to be an efficient, all-round, reliable individual".
Our Cub Scouts are learning to be the "efficient, all-round, reliable individual". Thank you for dedicating your time and talents instilling these qualities in our boys.

Online Information
Scouting Magazine
All training levels of Adult Leader Fast Start, Adult Leader Youth Protection Guidelines, Safety Afloat, and Safe Swim Defense, and NEW Troop Committee Challenge, among others can all be completed online at the Online Learning Center http://www.olc.scouting.org/.
BSA also has a new online resource regarding questions of health, safety, and risk management. The information can be found on the BSA’s website at www.scouting.org
By clicking on the "Scouting Safely" tab along the top of the home page, volunteers can access The Guide to Safe Scouting, as well as health and safety alerts and other health- and safety-related publications, will be available. A frequently asked questions (FAQ) section will be updated periodically with new information.

NESA Eagle Scout Search
NESA - National Eagle Scout Association
The Eagle Scout court of honor is undoubtedly the proudest moment of a young Scout’s life. Years of learning, teaching, and hard work
culminate in this special honor that only the most determined Boy Scouts obtain. That is why the National Eagle Scout Association has launched a national Eagle Scout Search program.
"We want to find and contact every living Eagle Scout and register his achievements, past and present," said NESA Director Bill Steele. "This effort will culminate in Roll Call: The National Eagle Scout Registry - a publication that will capture the tradition, history, and honor of our nation’s Eagle Scouts and will be available only to bona fide Eagles." Steele added that only Eagle Scouts who agree to be listed and who are adults will be included in the directory.
If you know an Eagle Scout, please alert him about this important project. If an Eagle Scout does not receive correspondence from Harris Connect, Inc. there will be an online form at http://www.nesa.org/misc/essearch.html beginning on May, to be used to update an Eagle Scout’s contact information. The online form will be available during the months of May and June.

OPEN TO ALL STAR AND LIFE SCOUTS, their parents, and their unit leaders and/or
unit advancement chairpersons

Scout Fair "Emergency Preparedness"
The San Diego – Imperial Council Scout Fair is coming Saturday, April 19 at Qualcomm Stadium with the theme "Emergency Preparedness"! This annual community wide event showcases our first-class programs in a fun and exciting way. Cubs, Boy Scouts, Varsity team members, Venturers and Explorers from across our Council join together for a day of good-old Scouting fun!
Scout Fair offers something for everyone … Scouts, siblings, adult leaders, family and friends. There are plenty of opportunities to participate, including:
· Sponsoring and running a Scout Fair booth
· Racing in the world famous San Diego 500 Pinewood Derby
· Belt Loop Alley where Cub Scouts may earn belt loops
· Earning badges at the Merit Badge Midway
· Cooking and Dutch Oven contests
· Selling Scout Fair tickets and earning money for your unit
· and meet our nation’s finest at our law enforcement, fire fighting and military displays.
Contact your unit Scout Fair Ticket Chairman or our District Ticket Chair Kim Newcomer at knewcomer@nethere.com for tickets.
Invite your buddies and come be a part of the biggest Scout show in San Diego!

Borrego’s Pack 696
Elaine Tulving, Pack 696
Webelos Woods in January was a fantastic opportunity for our scouts to learn how much fun it will be when they become Boy Scouts. Thank you to all the troops who made this weekend informative and fun.
Our Webelos Den took advantage of a school holiday in February and went up to Big Bear. The boys earned their snow and ski belt loop and pin. The day was the reward for selling popcorn this year!
Religious Emblems were presented to Webelos Scouts Chris Jouskey and Erik Tulving in March by Rev. Robb Fuesler of the Community United Methodist Church in Borrego Springs. Chucky Story also earned his religious emblem using the God and Family study and will be presented his emblem at his church in April.
Scouting for Food service was a success in Borrego Springs. Our Pack collected 240 lbs of food and delivered it to the local church food pantry.