Most Scouting avtivities suspended during NYS mandate

Due to the New York State mandate that all non-essential businesses close their facilities, we regret to inform you that our retail locations, service centers, and camps will be closed until the mandate is lifted. The New York State regulations also mean the suspension of all in-person meetings until the mandate is lifted.

The New York State Department of Health website provides daily updates: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home

We're still allowed to have some of our personnel work from home, so if you have questions about anything Scouting related please do not hesitate to email Jesse.Markel@scouting.org; Alvaro.Ferreira@scouting.org; or Jim.McMullen@scouting.org

We wish you well in these strange times and hope for the very best in physical, emotional, and financial health for you and your family.

We encourage units, dens, and patrols to continue to meet virtually during this hiatus using video or phone conferencing wherever possible. This is also a great time for Cub Scouts to work on electives and for Scouts BSA to work on individual merit badge requirements. The Council will continue to identify resources and content to help you with your virtual meetings and will share them with you as they become available. If you have virtual programs you develop and are willing to share, please send them to us and we will make them available to others.

Status of Council Events 

We are consulting with Niagara Chocolates and the Virginia Nut company to determine a plan for what will almost certainly be a delayed distribution of products. We will directly update the leaders of units that have sold candy & nuts as soon as we have useful details to share.

And, please remember this: While the government might not consider Scouting to be "essential", we all know that it is....it's VERY essential. It's the very best youth program on the planet and it has been instrumental in helping to instill character, leadership, life skills, and preparedness. During the event, and whatever it looks like on the other side, you will find that what you learned as a youth in Scouting will benefit you, your family, your employer, and your community immensely.

So, when we get out of this, let's keep doing what we have been doing for years as volunteers and staff -- in our units, offices, and summer camps -- to make sure today's youth are given those same tools to succeed in good times and bad.

Our message on COVID-19

Dear Scouting Families,

 

As always, your safety and the safety of all our members, volunteers, and employees is our top priority. We know there are questions and concerns about how COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, will affect local Scouting programs in the Iroquois Trail Council. Please know that we are monitoring developments regarding COVID-19 with our local health departments and county governments and through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .

The following information regarding events and prevention measures is based on the latest available guidance. As this is an evolving situation, this information is subject to change. We will continue to update you on relevant developments, and we appreciate your understanding of any necessary adjustments in the interest of health and safety.

 

In the past two days each of our local counties has declared a state of emergency and made the decision to temporarily close schools and limit the size of public gatherings in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. For many Scouting units the closure of schools will take the decision of whether to meet out of your hands. For all others, our recommendation is that you follow the lead of your local school district and charter organization and temporarily postpone or cancel upcoming group meetings and activities. 

We encourage units, dens, and patrols to continue to meet virtually during this hiatus using video or phone conferencing wherever possible. This is also a great time for Cub Scouts to work on electives and for Scouts BSA to work on individual merit badge requirements. The Council is working to identify resources and content to help you with your virtual meetings and will share them with you as they become available. If you have virtual programs you develop and are willing to share, please send them to us and we will make them available to others.

Status of Council Events  

At the present time our Council Service Centers in Oakfield and Lockport will be open regular hours. The following events have been cancelled or postponed:

• March 19 Towpath District Roundtable has been cancelled.
• March 21 Merit Badge College in Geneseo has been postponed. Registrants will be notified when new details are available.
• April 4 Towpath District Pinewood Derby is still under consideration with a decision to be made later this week.
• We will advise you as to the status of events scheduled in April as more information becomes available.

You may monitor event updates here: www.itcbsa.org  

Should you have any questions or concerns about a specific upcoming event or activity, please reach out to Scout Executive Jim McMullen or your district executive. We will do everything we can to answer your questions using the information available to us.

BSA Polices to Prevent the Spread of Illness

The Boy Scouts of America continues to have policies and procedures in place that help protect participants from contracting an illness at large Scouting events. These include the Annual Health and Medical Recor d and the Pre-Event Medical Screening Checklist .

 

Everyday Preventive Measures

Even with those important policies in place, it is critical that we all take these everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases:

• Stay home when you feel sick.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and wash your hands before and after doing so. 
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve/elbow, not your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. 
• Do not share personal items such as cups, water bottles, eating utensils, etc.
• Avoid shaking hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• If you have a fever, cough, or other symptoms associated with COVID-19, or if you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, you should isolate and not attend any Scouting events. People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
• If you test positive for the virus, please share that information with your local unit leadership.

When is Scout Sunday?

Now accepting applications for summer camp

Download the application here:

http://www.itcbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/2018-Camp-Staff-Application.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2BtWrOF72pb75qsq-p2S2BIkqIFpX0Jaq4yYoqW88-iqDWZ6DC61biwnw