We are hosting a Join Scouting night on Monday January 28th for all interested in Scouts BSA! Boys and girls are invited to join us at Rapid City Central High School at 6pm on the 28th! Room A117! Scout Me In!
Office Closed 1/14-1/21
The Scout Shop and Office will be closed Monday, January 14th through Monday, January 21st for staff training. We will reopen on Tuesday, the 22nd at 8am.
Attend Klondike!
Klondike registration is now live! Attend Klondike at Medicine Mountain February 1st-3rd! Register here today! Late fess go into effect January 23rd so register soon and save $15 for each Scout and $20 for each adult!
Register for Scouting U!
Are you looking to get trained in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, or other training? Attend Scouting U on January 26th! Register by January 12th to avoid late fees! Click here to register!
Register for the OA Winter Banquet!
Join your follow OA brothers at the 2019 OA Winter Banquet on January 12th at 5pm at Canyon Lake United Methodist Church! Register at this link: https://scoutingevent.com/695-2019OABanquet
New Website Released
The Black Hills Area Council Marketing & Communications Committee is proud to release the new council website to better serve the Scouting community here in the Black Hills. We’ve heard from numerous people and have taken their feedback in the design of this new website. The feedback we received indicated that we need more up-to-date information, an easier layout, and a more aesthetically pleasing website.
This new website has the most updated information and a plan has been developed to ensure it stays that way. Links to national forms and publications are directly linked to national’s website which will ensure we have the most up-to-date publications, instead of hosting them locally.
What’s New?
The layout is more simplified and was inspired by other council websites that are recipients of the BSA’s President’s Marketing Award. This award is for the best of the best in design, content, and branding. We hope this website will be one of those recipients.
The old website was bland and was not aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The new website integrates official BSA colors, imagery, fonts, logos, and more. This produces a more vibrant online presence for current and future Scouts and families to experience.
Are we done with this website? No. Over the course of the next couple of months, we will be adding content and additional features to better serve our Scouting community here in the Black Hills. Your feedback continues to serve as an import tool to ensure this online resource is the best it can be.
The Work Isn’t Done Yet
Have a comment? Looking for a resource that is not yet on here? Having a burning issue or question? Let us know! This new site features a chat feature, where you can reach out to our team, Monday through Friday 8:00AM to 8:00PM. Look for the chat button in the lower right-hand corner of this website during those hours to talk to our team. Alternatively, you can send an email to Bryan Combs at bryan.combs@scouting.org.
Thank you to all those who have helped in releasing this new resource to the Scouting community!
In Scouting,
Marketing & Communications Committee
Black Hills Area Council
The Marketing & Communications committee is looking for volunteers to help us grow and contribute our presence throughout the Black Hills region. If you are interested in joining this committee, please email Council VP of Marketing & Communications Mike Crook at msc.devildog@gmail.com. We’re looking for editors, photographers, videographers, digital marketing professionals, and more!
Scouting for Food is Happening!
The Scouting for Food – Food Drive is on for December! We need Scouting units, church groups, and other organizations to help with this vital Black Hills food drive.
A Growing Need
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church groups, and other organizations must carry on the tradition of service, and plan to give back to our community. The Feeding South Dakota Food Bank estimates that one out of eight people are food insecure. And, the need is growing every day. Through Scouting for Food, we have the opportunity to help alleviate this need.
Last year alone, over 65,000 pounds of food was collected throughout the Black Hills on a single Saturday, making this one of the largest food drives in the region. We need your help this year to collect even more food as the need for food continues to grow every day.
Resources
Check out our dedicated web page with a leader’s guide, key dates, and a map listing all the areas, for Rapid City, that your unit can sign-up for. This year, there is a sign-up form that will need to be filled out online to reserve an area. Areas will be reserved on a first come, first-serve basis.
Communities other than Rapid City, should call the Scout Service Center to register your unit with the Scouting for Food -Food Drive. Our phone number is 605-342-2824. These communities include; Hot Springs, Custer, Hill City, Spearfish, Deadwood/Lead, Sturgis, Summerset, and Piedmont.
Bags for the food drive will be available for pickup after November 21, 2016 at the Scout Service Center. Please contact the Scout Service Center with any questions you may have.
Check out our dedicated Scouting for Food page at http://www.blackhillsbsa.org/2016scoutingforfood/.
Scout Service Center
144 North Street
Rapid City, SD 57701
605-342-2824
THANK YOU for participating in this vital community initiative and service project!!!
Annual Passes are Here
Annual passes have arrived at the Black Hills Area Council! These passes cover council events (see list below) throughout 2017 and make the perfect popcorn prize or present this holiday season. Purchase your Annual Passes at the Scout Service Center now through December 31, 2016.
What are Annual Passes?
Brand new this year, Annual Passes are a way for both youth and adults to pre-purchase council events. By purchasing an Annual Pass, the pass holder will save money in the long run over paying for event fees as council events happen. Approximate savings are listed below for each type of annual pass.
How Does it Work?
Upon purchase at the Scout Service Center, you will receive a business card size pass with your name on the back. In addition to the pass, you will receive a paper with various voucher codes on them. This is the important part of your pass. On this paper will be all the events included on your pass with a voucher code next to it. When it is time to register for an event, you will need to give the event’s voucher code for the pass holder to the person who is registering the unit for the event. If you are registering as an individual, you can enter the voucher code yourself.
Voucher codes will subtract the pass holder’s base registration cost. Each voucher code is specific to the event and specific to the pass holder.
Types of Annual Passes
Boy Scout Youth Annual Pass – $175.00
- Klondike Derby
- Merit Badge Midway
- Spring Camporee
- Summer Days
- Pilgrimage
- Fall Festival
Boy Scout Adult Annual Pass – $90.00
- Scouting University
- Council Awards Luncheon
- Klondike Derby
- Merit Badge Midway
- Spring Camporee
- Pilgrimage
- Fall Festival
Cub Scout Youth Annual Pass – $140.00
- Council Pinewood Derby
- Spring Camporee
- Resident Camp
- Pilgrimage
- Fall Festival
Cub Scout Adult Annual Pass – $60.00
- Scouting University
- Council Awards Luncheon
- Spring Camporee
- Pilgrimage
- Fall Festival
*Pass does not include Cub Scout Resident Camp for 2017. Expect Resident Camp adult fee to be $20 per adult.
Program Policies & Rules
- The sale of an annual pass is final. No refunds will be permitted, for any situation including medical and family emergencies.
- Annual Passes are non-transferable. Passes are only valid and are to be only used by the pass holder. Use by someone other than the pass holder will result in the termination of the annual pass.
- Annual passes are not pro-rated.
- Based upon the type of annual pass, the pass holder will receive admission to certain events. Failure to attend an included event will not result in a refund.
- The 2017 annual pass is good for the events listed.
- Annual pass cards should be carried by the individual during events for verification purposes.
- Annual passes are sold for the following year during the months of September, October, November, and December during normal business hours at our Scout Service Center.
- Voucher codes will expire after the conclusion of the last event that is included in the annual pass.
- The annual pass covers base registration costs. Additional, optional, fees for classes, transportation, food, etc is not covered by the annual pass.
Questions?
Contact us at 605-342-2824 or send Bryan Combs an email at bryan.combs@scouting.org.
Award Nominations Being Accepted
It’s that time of the year where we recognize the outstanding contributions that our volunteers make to the Scouting program here in the Black Hills. The Black Hills Area Council is currently accepting nominations for both the Silver Beaver Award and the District Award of Merit at the Scout Service Center until December 2, 2017, at 5PM mountain time.
Silver Beaver Award
Established in 1931, the Silver Beaver Award is presented for distinguished service to young people within a BSA local council. More than 50,000 recognition’s have been conferred to date. The Silver Beaver Award is the highest council recognition awarded to registered adults for distinguished service to youth, upon nomination by the Local Council to the National Court of Honor of the Boy Scouts of America. The awards are bestowed at appropriate local functions. Silver Beaver Awards are presented on the basis of the number of units in a council.
The award is made for noteworthy service of exceptional character to youth by registered Cub Scout Leaders, Boy Scout Leaders, Venturing Leaders, Varsity Scouters, District Level Scouters and Council Level Scouters within the territory under the jurisdiction of a local council.
To fill out a nomination form for a deserving volunteer, please visit http://www.blackhillsbsa.org/forms/. Find the Silver Beaver nomination form under “Nominations.”
District Award of Merit
The District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts. The award is available to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level. It is the highest award that a District can present.
To fill out a nomination form for a deserving volunteer, please visit http://www.blackhillsbsa.org/forms/. Find the “District Award of Merit nomination form under “Nominations.”
Rush Scout Night – Star Wars!
Scout Night at the Rush!
This year’s Scout Night at the Rush is gearing to be one of the most exciting Scout Nights ever. Why? Star Wars. Scout Night at the Rush will be a Star Wars themed hockey game that promises to excite both the youth and adults. Scouts & their families can obtain bowl tickets for only $13 per person. All Scouts attending will receive an event patch, be able to attend a player meet and greet, and have a chance to win a Star Wars hockey jersey with “Scouts” on the back.
One Scout will Recieve a Jersey!
One lucky Scout or adult will receive an official Star Wars hockey jersey that is signed by all the players. A drawing will take place at the conclusion of the game, and only Scouts and family members that attended that game are eligible for the drawing. By purchasing a ticket to the game, Scouts and family members will be automatically entered to win.
Purchasing Your Tickets
Tickets for Scout Night at the Rush are to be purchased directly from the Rapid City Rush’s ticket office. Call them at 605-716-PUCK to purchase and to gather additional information. All Scouts and their families are eligible for our discount rate of $13 per person.