Troop 168 will host its 20th Annual Merit Badge College on March 11 and April 1, 2023.  Past colleges have been well received, with Scouts attending from eight councils covering five states.    Registration will open on December 17, 2022, at 9 AM, and classes fill up quickly. Before registering, please read all the event details at https://bsatroop168.com/2023-mbc and...

As part of the April 7, 2022 council-wide virtual roundtable and the June 1, 2022 in-person Program Launch at Camp Tuckahoe, Council President Matt Haar and I shared information about discussions the Council was having with the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy about preserving “buffer acreage” at Camp Tuckahoe – parts of the property that we don’t...

The Mechanicsburg Scout Shop has an immediate opening for its full-time Store Manager position. Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, and paid time off.  Excellent work-life balance – no nights and no holidays. Additionally, both the Mechanicsburg and York Scout Shops have immediate openings for part-time sales associate positions.  Flexible work hours. For more information, please...

The Silver Beaver Award was introduced in 1931 and is a council‐level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is the highest award that a local council can present to one of its volunteers. It is given for distinguished service to youth through Scouting, as well as an individual’s contributions to their...

One of my favorite quotations about the need for change in life is this – “There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” Those of us involved in Scouting in...

Creating the safest possible environment for our youth members is a top priority for the New Birth of Freedom Council.  Background checks of registered adult volunteers are essential tools in that effort.  In addition to the criminal background check conducted by the national office of the BSA for any adult seeking to register with the...

Scouts try their best to live by the 12 points of the Scout Law seven days a week, 365 days a year. But each February, around the time of the BSA’s birthday, we ask our Scouts to pause and pay extra attention to the Scout law’s finishing touch: reverent. Through the celebrations known as Scout Sunday,...

The New Birth of Freedom Council is constantly on the alert for opportunities to make improvements in all aspects of council operations. As part of the annual rechartering process, we noticed more than a few adult leader applications that new leaders filled out months before being submitted with the unit’s charter renewal materials. At our...

    On this day in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered a 2-minute, 272-word speech at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetary in Gettysburg. His remarks that day became known as the Gettysburg Address – one of the most famous speeches in American history.   We drew inspiration from President Lincoln’s words in choosing...

Through the generosity of the Adams County Community Foundation’s Shirley Smith Youth Service Fund, prospective Eagle Scouts now have a new potential source of funding for their Eagle Scout Service Projects. Eagle Scout candidates from anywhere in the New Birth of Freedom Council can apply for up to 75% of the cost to do their...