As an effort to update our council unit volunteer leadership our council has a plan of 13 fireside chats, one in each of our counties. In addition, as per the request of our volunteers we are adding 3 evening sessions. As of January 25, the council has planned or conducted 10 morning fireside chats. There are 3 in the morning that remaining:
The three-evening session will be on the following dates and locations:
The Council Key 3 will be at the evening sessions. Matt Black, Council President, Tom Masterson, Council Commissioner and Marc Kogan, Scout Executive.
The last 5 years have been very challenging for Scouting. While we have had great accomplishments including the number of Eagle Scouts, the completion on the new Yammine Lodge at Camp Berry, and the start of construction on Cooper Lodge with Hubbard Dining Hall at Camp Lakota, we have many challenges in front of us as a council.
In the past 10 years as a council our budget has not grown in terms of income and expenses, but the cost of operations continues to climb. Emerging from the pandemic our annual popcorn sales have not returned to pre-Covid levels and Friends of Scouting has remained flat. While our council has made the conscious decision to invest in and maintain our 2 unique and outstanding camps, Lakota and Berry, they require considerable council resources.
If you would like to attend an upcoming morning fireside chat, please RSVP to mandy.meadows@scouting.org. Please note that if no RSVPs are received at least 5 days in advance the morning coffee conversations will not be held.