The Scouting @ Home Committee has been hard at work creating fun activities and ideas to help our Scouts “Scout On”.  The Mount Baker Council website has many resources to help your unit be successful. 

Check out the Monthly Scouting @ Home Themes for recommended monthly themes.  From monthly meeting resources to awards and merit badges, there are many ideas and opportunities for scouts of all ages.  Visit Scouting@Home Themes to spice up your calendar.

We also have information on Virtual Merit Badges, Virtual Meeting activities, Virtual Games and Advancement Resources for every rank from Lion through Eagle. Be sure to check out the Mount Baker Council Scouting at Home Resources.

Beginning in December, we will be having weekly instructional webinars called “Scout Bytes”.  Each webinar will be on Wednesdays at 5:00pm and will be approximately 15 minutes long.  Most of these webinars will be recorded and uploaded to the Mount Baker Council website for viewing at a later time if you aren’t able to make the scheduled call.  We hope you are able to attend these informative webinars to help our youth Scout @ Home.  Here is a schedule for the next 5 webinars (registration for each webinar will be sent out via email):

• Dec. 2^nd:              Brainstorming Spectacular and Zany Zoom Antics (look for information from this session to be posted on the website)
• Dec. 9^th:               Virtual Merit Badge Classes How-To, a lesson in technology
• Dec. 16^th:            Volunteering in a Socially-Distanced World
• Dec. 30^th:            How to run a Virtual Pinewood Derby
• Jan. 6^th:                Summer Camp Staff

Many Scouts attended the Tougher Scout Challenge on Nov. 6^th and 7^th, and it was a great success.  We had many Scouts throughout the Council putting their skills to good use, and the finished products that were shared were nothing less than spectacular! 

I would like to share a story with you about a couple of Scouts that were involved with this event – one that attended the event, and one that helped run the event.  Kai Schley, a Star Scout, is the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader for Troop 4007 in North Cascades District.  Kai was responsible for running all the Kahoot Challenges for the event.  One of the challenges was a First Aid challenge.  Andrew Stauffer, a Scout in Troop 4026 in North Cascades District, took the Kahoot challenge, and loved it.  He learned many things from the challenge, which he shared with his family.  A few days later, while his parents were at work, Andrew choked on some food and was unable to speak or breathe.  The information he shared with his family a few days before was instrumental in what happened next:  His older brother saw what was happening, yelled to his other siblings that Andrew was choking, and his sister was able to perform the Heimlich maneuver on him, clearing his airway, and allowing him to breathe once again.  The quick thinking of each and every one of them saved his life. 

If you ever wonder if what we do makes a difference, this is proof that we do.  This is leadership and life skills at its finest.  I am so proud to be part of this amazing organization that teaches our youth invaluable lessons and help prepare them for a lifetime of success.