Healthy & Safe Scouting Related to Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Scouting Update – Current Updates on Unit Meetings and Operations
Friday, June 5, 2020 – Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our Council has made the health and safety of our Scouts, families, leaders, and staff its number one priority. As local and state restrictions related to COVID-19 begin to ease, we wanted to continue to offer guidance on in-person local unit meetings and activities. At this time, if unit leadership, parents, and charter partners collectively agree that small in-person meetings best meet their needs, they may proceed under the following criteria:
- State guidelines still prohibit any mass gatherings of 10 more people and require social distancing.
- All local and state governments, both where the unit is chartered and where the meeting or activity is to take place, must clearly permit the activity in terms of gathering size and ability to maintain proper social distancing. All local, state and federal guidelines must be followed for all phases of the meeting or activity (such as food, housing/tents, swimming etc.).
- Chartered organizations must approve in-person activities and/or meetings prior to restoring them. As you continue to resume your program, you should also regularly consult with your chartered organization for guidance and to keep them informed.
- Parents should be consulted and a majority of the parents in the Scouting unit should approve restoring in-person activities.
- All meetings and activities are recommended to take place outdoors.
- Look back at your unit calendar and determine if there were any relevant activities or events that had to be cancelled. One example might be an advancement or youth recognition event. Consider recognizing youth in their den or patrol.
- There are a few socially distant activities we’ve made available to your unit for the month of June.
- For Cub Scouts, consider the brand new Cub Adventure Boxes which will help youth complete 3 elective adventures for their current rank. All of the supplies are included along with self-guided videos and instructions.
- For Scouts BSA members, consider completing a few of the merit badges they had planned to get at camp through the Virtual Merit Badge Challenge which offers 19 different merit badges throughout June.
Scout Shop and Scout Achievement Center Front Desk Open to the Public
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 – Beginning today, Tuesday, May 19, 2020, the Dan Beard Council Scout Shop and Scout Achievement Center front desk will re-open. The Scout Achievement Center will be operating from 9am-5pm daily, with no extended hours or weekends. The Scout Shop will be open 9am – 5pm daily, and open 10am – 2pm on Saturdays. No group meetings or events will be held until permitted by government directive.
Summer Camp Updates
Monday, May 18, 2020 – For most Scouts, a summer camp adventure is the highlight of their Scouting year. With that in mind, key volunteers across several Dan Beard Council committees, along with our summer camp and council leadership teams, have put a great deal of time and effort into monitoring updates and guidance from the government, as well as from the BSA and other camping organizations, to determine how and whether we can offer summer camp this year. The goal was to seek a path forward on what safe and responsible activities and adventures that we could offer our Scouts. For the full update on Summer Camp, click here.
Scouting Program Updates
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 – Since our last update, the Ohio state government has put forth a plan for the re-opening of businesses. Following that guidance, the Dan Beard Council has developed a plan that transitions the Scout Achievement Center toward more regular operations.
Unit Meetings
- Council’s Facebook page for daily videos
- Scouting at Home
- Cub Scout Guided Activities for Pack and Den Meetings or Families to do Virtually!
Summer Camp
A Message From Our Scout Executive
Saturday, April 4, 2020 – The Dan Beard Council Scout Executive and CEO, Andy Zahn, shares a message about recent Scout activity.
Dan Beard Council, BSA Scouting Update Related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Friday, April 24, 2020 – As a leadership organization, each of us wants to do our best to assist with any potential spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and keep our community healthy and Scouting activities safe. The Dan Beard Council is actively following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as state departments of health.
This update provides news on these subjects:
- Council Operation
- Online Programs
- Unit Meetings
- Summer Camp
Council Operation
The Scout Achievement Center and Scout Shop will remain closed for the time being. We are reviewing options for re-opening and will announce those as soon as there is news to share.
The Dan Beard Council staff is dedicated to continuing operations and will operate remotely. Our staff is available to help you via email, phone, and video conferences. Please visit our Staff Directory to find a listing of our team members that can help you.
The Scout Achievement Center will be open for drop-off/pick-up on Wednesdays from 10am until Noon. Please note that the Scout Shop remains closed. You can shop for your Scouting apparel by visiting ScoutShop.org.
Our camps will remain closed to all visitors at this time. Much like the Scout Achievement Center, we will share any updates when there is news to share.
Online Programs
The Dan Beard Council continues to produce several strong Scouting at Home programs. To learn about all of them, click here.
As highlights, we do produce two video series that are available via Facebook:
The Dan Beard Council has also partnered with Oasis Senior Advisors for an opportunity where our Scouts can participate in a community service project writing cards to some members of our community who may be more isolated. Click here to find out how to participate.
Additionally, the Dan Beard Council will be hosting a Virtual Camporee during the weekend of May 1. This is going to overlap a national BSA “Camp-in” event allowing our Scouts to participate in some great local and national programing. For more information, click here.
Unit Meetings
Previously, the Dan Beard Council offered the guidance that units should not conduct unit meetings when their local school district was closed. However, with schools being closed for the remainder of the academic year, some new planning is needed.
Following the guidance of the President’s “Guidelines for Opening Up America Again” where there are three phases of re-opening, some youth activities will be permitted with caution during Phase 2 – others are left to Phase 3. The plan is designed to be implemented on state/region level. So, this could impact some parts of our council differently. We are also closely following state and local directives, as there may be some variation on the President’s plan in Ohio and Kentucky.
As we move closer to parts of our region reaching Phase 2 or a similar designation by our state governments, we’ll share some additional guidance about the resumption of in-person activities.
In the meanwhile, all Scouting units should continue to conduct meetings as virtual gatherings units conference calls or online video conferencing. There remain many opportunities to move Scouting forward using technology.
Once we do get a green light in either Phase 2 or Phase 3 of the President’s plan, it will also be important for units to consult their chartered partner organization for additional guidance and permission to resume meetings. There may be instances where chartered partner organizations will want to gradually resume activities in their buildings.
Summer Camp
Our most frequently asked questions relate to summer camp. So, we thought we would share some of them in the FAQ below.
Is Summer Camp going to be held?
We are currently planning on holding summer camp at Cub Word and Camp Friedlander in 2020. We are working to determine the best course of action as new information continues to become available from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the state departments of health.
The safety of our Scouts is our most important concern. Just like you and your unit, we strongly desire that every Scout has an amazing, safe experience at summer camp. We also recognize that many families have been planning for their summer camp trip for the past year. So, we will not make these decisions lightly.
What options are being considered?
The council has formed a special committee focused on the safe operations of our summer camp programs. The group is looking at several different options that include operating our schedule as planned, a delayed start of camp, day-camp options, and adjusted session cycles that enhance social distancing options. The group is also considering safety aspects related to housing, dining, and program activities.
What happens if…?
We know there are currently lots of unknowns currently both in Scouting and in our communities. We are developing robust contingency plans to cover a myriad of possible situations. In all of them, the safety of our staff and participants is vital. We strongly believe that the world needs Scouting and will continue to develop plans and options so our Scouts can continue to have a transformative experience regardless of any temporary obstacles.
How will you communicate changes?
The special committee working on camping options hopes to make a preliminary announcement about our summer camp options in mid-May.
The latest information for both summer camp and other activities at our camps is available at www.danbeard.org/summer-camp-updates/. In addition, if substantial changes are made to summer camp, we will email all registered unit leaders.
If Summer Camp is canceled will I get a full refund?
Yes. We will provide a full refund if we are unable to hold summer camp. See the full updated camp refund policy here.
What if I cannot get a new Part C for my medical form?
The BSA National Safety and Health Team is currently evaluating all options while being mindful of those who have valid exams, new members and adults who may have never completed a Part C exam, and state/local requirements.
For families with financial hardship, are Camperships available?
Yes, we encourage Scouts who need some assistance to apply. Campership forms are available here.
Who can I ask if I have other questions?
Please reach out to your District Executive or to Rachel Ball in our Program Department at Rachel.ball@scouting.org.
Dan Beard Council, BSA Update – Social Distancing Extension Moved to April 30, 2020
Monday, March 30, 2020 – Based on the President’s announcement over the weekend, the Dan Beard Council, Boy Scouts of America would like to remind our Scouters and families to continue the practice of social distancing until April 30, 2020. This is an extension from the original date of April 6, 2020 that we previously shared. Also, earlier today, Monday, March 30, 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that all schools will be closed until May 1, 2020. Due to this extension, no in-person Scout meetings should take place at this time. Many units are meeting virtually, and Scouts are participating in virtual merit badges.
To learn more about these free resources, please visit these sites (see buttons above as well):
Scout Achievement Center Update
Thursday, March 20, 2020 – To ensure the health and safety of our volunteers, staff, and families, the Dan Beard Council has been transitioning our team to work more remotely. Our team is still dedicated to providing the best service for you. With this transition, we’d like to share a few updates related to the hours of the Scout Achievement Center and Dan Beard Scout Shop
• Both the Scout Achievement Center and Scout Shop are open on March 20, 2020 until 5pm. Both will be closed this Saturday, March 21, 2020.
• Starting next week, we will have limited hours where the Scout Achievement Center will be available for people to drop-off and pick-up items they may need. For next week, this will be Wednesday, March 25, 2020 from 10am-noon.
• The Scout Shop will be closed all of next week (March 23-27, 2020).
The best way to reach us is electronically, but we will be checking the mail every other day as well. Here are a few links that provide direct email to our various departments and staff:
However, our district staff and camp directors, who are already working remotely will still be available to support and assist you. Please feel free to reach out to any of those team members.
Dan Beard Council Health & Safety Update on Coronavirus
Thursday, March 12, 2020 – The health and safety of our Scouts, families, parents, and volunteers is the top priority for all of us. Based on the announcements shared today from local and state officials related to coronavirus (COVID-19), please find below some important information and updates related to the planning of local Scouting activities.
- The Dan Beard Council service center and Scout Shop will remain open at the current time, and our staff will remain available to provide service to your Scouting units. However, all facility and room reservations scheduled to take place at the Scout Achievement Center between now and April 6 will need to be rescheduled to a future date.
- Dan Beard Council Camp Properties will be closed starting today until April 6.
- The initial camp deposit deadline for Cub Scout summer camp and free slushies will be extended from March 31 to April 20.
- Campership application due date has been extended to May 1.
- Summer Camp final payment due date has been extended to May 15.
- The end of our Camp Card unit fundraiser has been extended to June 1.
- Merit Badge Challenge at Scott High School in Northern Kentucky will be postponed to a future date.
- District level Pinewood Derby events scheduled to take place prior to April 6 will be postponed to a future date.
- The Scout Impact Project will be postponed until sometime this summer.
- Camp Conservation Day will be postponed to a future date.
However, our district staff and camp directors, who are already working remotely will still be available to support and assist you. Please feel free to reach out to any of those team members.
The Scout Shop will remain open for regular business hours (8:30am-5pm) on Thursday.
RESOURCES
ARCHIVED ANNOUNCEMENTS
Questions? Please contact the Scout Achievement Center at (513) 577-7700.