Did you know that if your pack holds 3 summertime events you can earn an award!  Thats right your pack can earn the National Summertime Pack Award if it conducts an activity in June, July, and August.  The best part about the requirement is that summer camp counts as one of those activities so you would only need to hold two more activites during the summer to recieve this award.  The York Revolution and Harrisburg Senators sleep over nights can even count as an activity. 

This award is also a great way to introduce the packs new members from spring recruitment to the world of Cub Scouting.  This serves as a way to also keep all of your curerrent members active and excited about the great program that is being offered to them.  For more information and to see the requriements for this award please click here.

Do you have some boys in your Troop that are looking for a high adventure activity to participate in? If the answer is yes then why not encourage them to sign up for the 2012 Jamboree Summit Shakedown being held July 13-17.  The shakedown is open to 36 youth and 4 adults within our council and it is a great way to see the new Bechtel Summit High Adventure Base.  The cost to attend the shakedown is $400 per scout and this includes transportation to and from the Summit and all of the activities for the week.  For more information on this event please click here.

This years Council Recognition Dinner will be held on Monday, May 7 at Liberty Forge in Mechanicsburg.  The cost to attend this years dinner is $29.50 per person and dinner will be catered by the Altland House.   

The highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the Silver Beaver Award.  The Silver Beaver is the highest award that can be given to a council volunteer.  The district strongly encourages you to come out and support this years Silver Beaver recipients.  The registration form and more details on the event can be found here. 

As a leader are you looking for some extra training?  If yes then why not attend the 2012 University of Scouting.  This years Univerrsity of Scouting will be held on Saturday, March 31 at Trinity High School in Camp Hill.  The cost to register for the University of Scouting is $20 per person until March 11 and then the registration cost will increase to $30 a person.  The registration fee does include lunch and a patch.  Shirts can also be preordered if you would like to have one from this years event.  The link to the registation site and course schedule  can be found here.  Please contact John Blasius (717) 827-4571 or john.blasius@scouting.org if you have any questions regarding this years University of Scouting.

Mark your calendars now to make sure that you can attend the 10th annual Blue & Grey District Dinner.  This years district dinner will be held on Thursday, May 24 at the New Oxford Social Club Pavilion.  The cost to attend this years dinner is $10 per person until Monday, May 14 and then the cost to attend will be increased to $15 per person.  The district hopes to see every unit in attendance at this years dinner.  Registration forms can be found here and dont forget to send in any nominations you might have for the District Award of Merit , Dr. Joseph H. Riley award, and the Dean W. Tilberg Award ass well.

Mark your calendars now so your unit can attend the 2012 Spring Camporee.  This years Spring Camporee will be held April 27-29 at Christ Church in Littlestown.  The camporee is open to all packs, troops, and crews.  This years theme is “Skills For A Lifetime” and all of the stations will be based on general scout skills.  The cost to attend this years camporee is $6.00 per person unti April 7 and then the cost to attend will be increased to $8.00 per person.  Registration forms are available here. The district is looking forward to seeing all of the units there!

Do you have a volunteer in your unit who is an outstanding Scouter?  If you answered yes then why not nominate them for the District Award of Merit for the Blue & Grey District.

The District Award of Merit is the highest award a volunteer can recieve at the district level.  The requirements and the nomination forms can be found here.  Please make sure to send in all nominations the the York Service Center by March 31.  The address for the York Service Center is 2139 White Street, York, PA 17404.

There are also two other awards that the District awards as well and these are the Dr. Joeseph H. Riley Award and the Dean W. Tillberg award.  The Dr. Joseph H. Riley Award is given to an outstanding Troop or Crew within the Blue & Grey District.  Nomination forms for this award can be found here. 

The Dean W. Tillberg award is given to an outstanding pack with the Blue & Grey District.  Nomination forms for this district can be found here.  Nomination forms for this award are also due to the York Service Center by March, 31. 

The three awards mentioned above will be awarded at the annual district dinner.  This years district dinner will be held on Thursday, May 24.  More information and registration forms for the district dinner will be released soon.

The district would like to take this time to recognize the units that acheived a level in the 2011 Journey to Excellence program.  The 2012 Journey to Excellence Score cards for the packs, troops, and crews can be found here.

2011 Gold Level Units

Packs- 70, 75, 76, 105, 107, 108, 110, 118, 501, 1863 

Troops- 71, 103, 107, 1863

Crews- 42, 76

2011 Silver Level Units

Packs- 79, 88, 89, 103, 112, 120, 125, 162

Troops- 70, 76, 84, 88, 102, 105, 110, 111, 118, 120, 125

Does your unit have what it takes to brave the cold and show off their Scout Skills.  If your answer is yes then why not register your unit for the Blue & Grey and First Capital District Klondike Derby.  This years theme is Mount Everest Challenge.  The Klondike Derby will be held February 17-19 at Camp Tuckahoe.  For a registration form please click on the following link 2012 Klondike Derby Registration Form.  Registration forms are due January 20th.  We have a great program lined up this year and look forward to seeing all of you there!

Looking for a way to help the community? Yes then why not have your unit participate in the annual Good Turn for America blood drives.  The Red Cross is always looking for blood and as a service project scouts can go out and recruit blood donors for this years blood drives.  The blood drives this year will be held during the month of January and will be located in various areas around the council.  To see a listing of this years blood drive sites ples click here. 

For this years blood drive we are asking each donor to please register for a blood drive online at the following site www.redcrossblood.org.  Donors can also register for a blood drive by calling 1-800-733-2767.  Please have the donor mention the unit number when registering for the blood drive so the Red Cross can keep track of the number of patches that will be needed for each unit.  Donor cards are available and are to be passed out to possible donors.  The donor cards can be found here.  If a unit has any questions concerning the blood drive portion of the Good Turn for America program please contact Linda Rodgers lindanbob1@comcast.net or John Blasius (717) 827-4571 or john.blasius@scouting.org.