VOYAGEUR VISION, September 2005
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GREETINGS! Please copy and share this e-newsletter with members in your group! The e-newsletter will update you on the latest news about Scouts Canada. It is sent to all registered members, mid-month, using e-mail addresses from the Membership Management System.
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IN THIS ISSUE

From the Desk of the Council Commissioner

Honours and Awards
What's New

Membership Management System
Membership Services and Program Delivery

Volunteer Development and Training

Upcoming Events

OPE Update

Scout Shop
Canada Aviation Museum

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FROM THE DESK OF THE COUNCIL COMMISSIONER

Welcome everyone to a new Scouting Year. I would also like to welcome Stan Lasenby as the new Area Commissioner for Valley Highlands. I look forward to working with Stan on the Management Team.

The Ontario Government has passed a new law regarding the transportation of children. This new law which takes effect September 1, 2005 will have impact on those leaders and parents who wish to transport Beaver-aged youth and 1st year Cubs.  Booster seats are required for children under the age of eight, weighing more than 18 kg but less than 36 kg (40-80 lbs) and who stands less than 145 cm (4 feet 9 inches) tall. Visit www.mto.gov.on.ca for details.

Training has been a very hot topic over the past number of years and it continues to be. Last year the Management Committee passed a number of motions to help improve training. A group of trainers got together to evaluate and make recommendations on improving the system. One of those motions is to have all new first year leaders take training. This is also in conjunction with their membership form that states members will take training in the first year. There are a number of courses on the web site; just sign up for one. Meet other new leaders, get some new and different program ideas and strategies. Meet other Scouters and Trainers in the Council as well. Training improves organizational and outdoor skills and helps develop personal skills useful in working with other adults (Leaders) and youth.  Many of these skills are also beneficial to the youth for their personal life. We are their Coaches and Mentors. Have a fun and enjoyable Scouting year.

Sincerely Yours in Scouting,

John Boyce, Council Commissioner, commissioner@voyageur.scouts.ca

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HONOURS AND AWARDS

"The best thing to do behind a person's back is to pat it " - Franklin P. Jones

Anyone can nominate an individual for an award. Look around you at your fellow leaders. Who do you see that are deserving? Now is the time to take that moment and pat those Scouters/Youth on the back.  Nominate them for a deserving award.

Forms can be downloaded off the Council Web site - Honours & Awards.  Fill in all the information you or a fellow leader may have on that individual (history, event, training, etc.; the more information, the better) and forward it to your Area Honours and Awards Chair.  The Area Honours and Awards Chair will check it over and then forward it to the Council Honours & Awards Committee who will then make a final decision.

Next month, we will have a complete list of who the Area Representatives are.  We are looking forward to receiving your submissions.

Michelle Niefer, Honours and Awards Chair, awards@voyageur.scouts.ca
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WHATS NEW

MEDVENT IS RECRUITING!
The Ottawa Medical Venturer Company (Medvent) is currently looking for new members interested in joining an exciting, educational, and experiential team. Medvent is a vocational venturer company that operates as a partnership between Scouts Canada Voyageur Council, and the Ottawa Paramedic Service. The program is oriented towards youth aged 14-20 years who are interested in a career in emergency services, or volunteering in the community in a first aid capacity. The program offers first aid training for members, as well as the opportunity to put the skills you have learned to work through being part of a first aid team at many local Scouting events, and community events in the city. Some of the events the team has participated in recently are the Grey Cup, Canada Day on the Hill, and the Central Canada Jamboree recently held at Camp Tamaracouta. The Medvent program is a great place to have fun while learning and working as a team. For more information regarding the Medvent program or how to get involved, please check out our website at www.geocities.com/ottawamedvent or email us, at ottawamedvent@hotmail.com and we will reply as soon as possible. Recruiting flyers will be available on the website for printing and distribution to your groups. Please spread the word!

Mike Hayward, Medvent Youth President

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2006 SCOUTS CANADA VOYAGEUR COUNCIL GOLF TOURNAMENT AND AUCTION

A tentative date of June 7th has been set.  We are looking for a Major Sponsor that can assist us in securing golfers for the tournament & auction. Approximately 40 more golfers than last year are needed to be successful.  Please enquire a.s.a.p. if your company or any of your youths parents' companies/employers would be interested in having a fundraising Golf Tournament & Auction next year with Scouts Canada being the beneficiary.  For more information please click on the 'events' link on the Voyageur Council web page. If you have any questions please contact Tournament Coordinator Darrell Bartraw at 298-9119 (c) or 825-8886 (h).

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YEAR OF THE VETERAN - Scouters, please take a look at the following link regarding the Year of the Veteran and Scouts Canada:

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=collections/poster/poster2005_thank

If you and your group wish to do something to commemorate the Year of the Veteran by Remembrance Day, click on the following link for the Jump Start programs on the Scouts Canada website. It's all laid out for you. http://www.scouts.ca/inside.asp?cmPageID=578

The Year of the Veteran cards and crests are available at the Council office. 

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MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Welcome to the 2005-2006 Scouting Year. As many of you may know MMS has been rolled over to reflect the new scouting year and we are off to a good start. Adult Volunteers that registered in the Early Registration Packages are being checked and entered into MMS. All youth have been sent to the processing center for checking and entering.

I have received several inquires regarding registration and the new payment fields in MMS. When registering a member for the 2005-2006 year you will be

prompted to enter mandatory information into the 'Registration Details'. First the 'Payment Type' - this field has a drop down box and choices include:cash, cheques etc. The next field is fee related. The 'actual fee' and 'amount paid' represents the amount sent to the Council Office, $110. Registration fee should be entered in both these fields once payment is received by the group. Next simply click on the 'confirm registration' button and your member is now registered for 2005-2006. Once you have completed entering your group information in MMS simply collect all the signed registration forms and submit a group summary form along with section summary forms listing all members in the package. Attach a registration cheque representing the number of members in the package and all is ready for forwarding to my attention in the Council Office. The registration cheque should reflect the number of members being registered in the existing package.

Please note: only those members listed in MMS as 'active' are now covered by Scouts Canada insurance. The members listed as 'active not renewed' are no longer covered. Insurance coverage for the 2004-2005 Scouting year ended on August 31, 2005.

Any questions or concerns can be forwarded to my attention.

Lynn Levitan, Council Registrar, llevitan@scouts.ca, ext 502
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MEMBERSHIP SERVICES & PROGRAM DELIVERY 

"Sharing Sharing Sharing" - As most of you know, this is the Beaver Motto and something we should practice in program. Beaver sharing sessions, Old Wolf Clubs, Scouters Clubs, Venturer Advisor Forum, are just some of the ways to share good programming ideas. Why do some program ideas work extremely well and are very successful while others fail. We need to share those successes and failures, so we can go down the right road together. 

Bring a friend night, or bring a friend outing - which works better? Is there an activity that is more suited for that event? Share that new song, skit, or neat activity to earn a new star or award. We are a brotherhood and sisterhood. Let us not have secrets to a successful program. Share your Program successes so that others can learn and do, to making scouting the activity of choice! 

Host a "SHARING" session in your area, meet new leaders, see old friends and get new program ideas to share with the youth. Get involved and share that idea with the Venturer Advisors Forum, or the Smart Groups Discussion Group at www.smartgroups.com/groups/voyageur ("section name" i.e. beavers, cubs, scouts, ventures, rovers, groups).

Bob Hickson-DCC Membership Services & Program Delivery, dcc-program@voyageur.scouts.ca 

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VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING

From the tent of the DCC Volunteer Development and Training

ADVANCED TRAINING CHANGE IN DATES - Please be advised that in making the course a better experience for the participants, it was necessary to change the format and the dates. The ADVANCED PROGRAM PLANNING and DELIVERY course still has lots of room and is offered now only for the Colony, Pack and Troop Sections. This course will give you the best start in achieving your Woodbadge 2 recognition this year. PLEASE register right away so that we can count you in !!

HERE IS THE CHANGE : The FIRST weekend of September 30/October 1 and 2, will be moved to AFTER the Opemikon (OPE) weekend, to JANUARY 20/21/22, 2006!

The weekend of October 28/29/30, 2005 is STILL happening at Camp OPE, and will be the first weekend now.

Anyone attending the course should attend the organizational meeting on Saturday morning, October 15, 2005 at Scouts Canada Headquarters. If you can not attend the meeting, please call me at 819 459-2130 or send an email to dcc-training@voyageur.scouts.ca.

NOTES TO COURSE LEADERS - All Course Leaders and Trainers who are involved with Basic Program Planning and Delivery, please note that this course is intended as a BASIC course. This means we show the new Leaders "How to do the daily job" in the section, and should not cover anything more. When a course is done at the Basic level, only 15 hours is needed to cover the "How To" of leading scouting youth, including the Outdoor component. Please refrain from covering topics that are included in Advanced Training, and that includes the Advanced Outdoors. If you are not sure, please give me a call or send an email so that we can discuss your intentions for any content.

I would like to remind all course leaders, that there are conditions on the planning, scheduling and listing courses on the Training Calendar. In brief these are the points to follow, usually done by the DAC Volunteer Development and Training :

1. Course Name, with Dates, Times and Location in place;

2. Course Leader has been advised to DCC, and the Area has received the approval to go ahead;

3. The Trainers used in the course have been advised to the DCC, and approval has been received in return; and

4. The Course Agenda and Content of the training has been submitted to the DCC.

Please feel free to contact me by phone, if you are unsure of how to proceed or require assistance. My function is to help you to be successful in Volunteer Development, so early contact is appreciated.

Have a great start in Scouting this Year, and bring back the FUN for the Youth, they will love you for it!

Congratulations to the following individuals for successfully completing training qualifications:

Woodbadge Basic Pack - Cameron Betts, 2nd Gananoque; Robert MacCallum, 2nd Gananoque;

Woodbadge Basic Troop - Robert Rose, 1st Verona;

For Those Who Help Others Basic - Gail Beausoleil, 1st Bayridge; John Dougherty, Odawa Area;

Trainer II Accreditations - Scott Barrett (renewal), Loyalist; Adrian Camfield, Heritage; Grace Jones, Rideau; James Purser, Loyalist; Carol Raoult, Heritage; Nick Wise, Heritage; Susan Rosove, Heritage; and

Trainer III Accreditations - Marilyn Johnson (renewal), Voyageur Council.

Tony van Muyden, DCC Volunteer Development and Training, dcc-training@voyageur.scouts.ca
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UPCOMING EVENTS

VOLUNTEER OTTAWA TRAINING - NOVEMBER 5TH

This training day for volunteers in the general Ottawa area would be of interest to anyone in a leadership position in Scouting. This is the 15th annual Volunteer Connections - Connexions Bénévoles conference. On Saturday, November 5th at Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, this all-day conference is designed for grassroots volunteers, people who manage volunteers (whether paid or unpaid), and Boards of Directors (or executives). Following the plenary session, registrants can choose 2 workshops from 18 offered. Lunch is included in the fee of $30 (earlybird) with a discount offered for 2 or more from the same organization. The program is onlined at www.volunteerottawa.ca .

Gwenne Goodlet, Chair, Volunteer Connections -Connexions Bénévoles

Director, Volunteer Services

Royal Ottawa Hospital

1145 Carling Avenue

Ottawa, ON K1Z 7Y4

613-722-6521 Ext. 6590

Please read the Calendar of Events and Training Calendar e-newsletter or visit the Voyageur Council web site at www.voyageur.scouts.ca for upcoming events details.

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OPE UPDATE

Thanks to: Dick Cowan for his generous donation towards repairs for the lawn tractor and the purchase of new hand mowers.

NEW:  Facilities Rental and Catering Fees:  The fees for building rentals at camp have been stable since 2000.  Catering costs were actually reduced from the $30.00 fee charged in 1996 to the $25.00 fee in an effort to encourage use of this option.  Unfortunately, over these past five years, operational costs have been on the rise.  While we strive to keep our fees as reasonable as possible, an increase is in effect as of 1 September.  Groups who have already booked for this year will be grand-fathered under the old rates as a thank you for your early reservations.

The catering fee is going back to $30.00 per person.  This is to cover increase food and fuel costs.  You will note a two-tiered cost for the use of the heated lodges.  One is for those who take advantage of our catering option, and the slightly higher rate is for those Groups who choose the self-contained option.  These rates now take into consideration the extra costs related in part to preparing your own food in a separate building other than the dining hall.  These include hydro, water treatment, garbage disposal and maintenance of extra equipment now provided in the lodges such as stoves, tables, chairs and counters.  Please see the new OPE Reservation Form on the camp website for the new rates.  Queries may be directed to the Camp Director at mjohnson@scouts.ca.  We thank you for your tremendous support of all our Council camps and hope to be of service to you in the future.

Group Crests:  We are building a collection of crests representing those groups which use the camp. The plan is to display this collection in the Dining Hall.  If you haven’t already done so in the past year or so, please bring a group crest when you come to camp and leave it with the Camp Warden.

New Programme Activities: We now offer a tree identification hike for your group – perfect for the Naturalist badge. We also offer three orienteering courses – beginner, intermediate and advanced. Further, we have new trail maps for three hikes of different lengths. Just ask the Warden for the appropriate information when you arrive at camp.

Summer Camp Lost and Found: Selected articles in Buffam Room, Scout Headquarters. Unclaimed items will be sent to a charity on September 23^rd. 

Website address:  You can reach us at www.opemikon.ca. 

Camp Bookings: through Pamela at the Council office ext 503 or by e-mail at pbazinet@scouts.ca.

Camp Operations: contact Marilyn Johnson at ext 506 or mjohnson@scouts.ca.

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SCOUT SHOP
Store Hours: Monday to Thursday 9-6pm / Friday 9-7pm / Saturday 9-5pm /Sunday 11-4pm.
Thank you for your past, present, and future support.
scoutshop@scouts.ca Tel: 613-224-0139 Fax: 613-224-3571
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
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**CANADA AVIATION MUSEUM - NIGHT FLIGHT SLEEPOVER PROGRAM
How about a night of total fun at the Canada Aviation Museum! All you need is a sleeping bag, pillow, toothbrush, and a taste for extraordinary fun. We supply the adventure. An evening program is also available. For more information: 613 993-4264 or www.aviation.technomuses.ca
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SCOUTS CANADA, EASTERN ONTARIO ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE
1345 Baseline Road, Suite 200
Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 0A7
tel. (613) 225-2770 / 1-888-SCOUTS NOW (726-8876) / fax (613) 225-2802
e-mail: easternontario@scouts.ca
web site: http://www.voyageur.scouts.ca
OFFICE HOURS: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

OFFICE CLOSED: October 10th.
Questions? Comments or concerns about this e-newsletter? We welcome constructive feedback! Please e-mail us at easternontario@scouts.ca. Thank you.
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**Denotes a paid advertisement. Note: Advertisements of a product or service do not indicate approval by Scouts Canada, Voyageur Council. Voyageur Council assumes no responsibility by warranty or otherwise with respect to products advertised.
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Deadline for October issue, October 07, 2005.

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