Support the Confer Classic Golf Tournament

To our friends and families in the Towpath District: Here is the Confer Classic ad that will be appearing in next week's Lockport Union-Sun and Journal. Please support this event by golfing, sponsoring a hole, or donating a raffle prize. Your support will be greatly appreciated -- an investment in Scouting is an investment in America's future.

Karl Snyder obituary

Karl E. Snyder, 59, of Medina, NY, was reunited in heaven to be with his beloved wife, Nancy, on Sunday, May 8, 2016 at Rochester General Hospital.

Born on March 13, 1957, in Medina, NY, he was the son of Alice (Miller) Snyder and the late Harold “Jack” Snyder. In 1975, Karl graduated from Medina High School, attended Ithaca College and in 1982 graduated from Bryant and Stratton of Buffalo. He worked as Project Manager for various companies including Depew Development, Barden Homes and Redman Construction in Brockport.

Karl served as Scout Master for Troop #35, Iroquois Trail Council for over 10 years with over 23 boys receiving the rank of Eagle Scout. He was instrumental in rebuilding the Boy Scout Cabin on District 10 Rd. in Medina, after the arson fire in 2009 and also served as Assistant Tennis Coach for the Medina Mustangs, was a devoted Medina Mustang Band Booster and was a dedicated Board Member on the Town of Shelby Planning Board. Karl’s most important and favorite job was being a loving father to his two sons, Kevin and Kristian.

Karl is survived by his mother, Alice Snyder of Medina, sons, Kevin Snyder of East Hampton, NY and Kristian Snyder of Medina, siblings, Kurt (Ruth) Snyder of Oakfield, NY, Kenneth (Sandra) Snyder of Medina, NY, Karen (John) Croce of Clifton Park, NY, mother-in-law, Barbara Clark, sister-in-law, Susan Squires, both of Medina, brother-in-law, David (Jennifer) Clark of Fredericksburg, Virginia, many nieces and nephews, a dear friend, Sharon Tanzer of Tarrytown, NY and his faithful companion, Koko.

Relatives and friends may call on Saturday, May 14, 2016 from 10 AM -1 PM at Holy Trinity Parish/ St. Mary’s Church, 211 Eagle St. Medina, NY with a Funeral Service at 1:00 PM, the Rev. Erik Olsen officiating. Burial will be in the Boxwood Cemetery. A reception will be held at the St. Mary’s Hall immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kristian Snyder Collage Fund, payable to Kevin Snyder c/o The Law Office of Katherine Bogan, 517 Main Street, Medina NY 14103 or to the Troop #35 Boy Scout Summer Camp Fund, payable to Boy Scout Troop #35, c/o John Dieter, 915 Gwinn Street, Medina NY 14103.

Karl Synder: Rest in Peace

It's with a heavy heart that I report that Medina scoutmaster Karl Snyder passed away on Sunday, May 8th. He gave so much to Scouting, not only in his troop but for the whole Scouting movement (and he was a cornerstone of the Medina community). His scouts all love Scouting and have so much fun because HE loved Scouting and had so much fun...true leadership by example. He will be missed my MANY, but his memories and lessons will carry on in the countless hearts he touched. God bless him, he was one of the really, really good ones.

Variety Show coming to Lockport

This coming Saturday, David Keleher and his team are hosting a variety show at the Kenan Center in Lockport as a fundraiser to help send scouts to camp. Here is the report from the Lockport Union Sun and Journal:

http://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/variety-show-will-help-send-scouts-to-camp/article_72fa5b84-101a-11e6-bff3-c33d46419f8a.html

Geocaching comes to Sam Wood

Camp Sam Wood now has 12 Geocaches for campers to find! Some Geocaches will be easy to find, some tricky, and a few are quite challenging. There are regular caches, multi-caches, mystery/puzzle caches, and even a night cache! For many Geocachers the thrill is in the hunt and the primary goal is to sign the logbook stored in the cache. But many love the caches that contain items for trading, and several of the caches at camp are provisioned with various Scouting patches or tchotchkes, so come prepared with your own items for trading! The camp now boasts 10 private caches that are available only to campers at Sam Wood and are not listed on Geocaching.com, and 2 public caches that were hidden by non-Scouting Geocachers on or near camp and are listed on Geocaching.com. The project to hide the caches was launched by a Scout who recently participated in NYLT and used the project to complete his ticket. A pdf file is available with all the information needed to find all 12 caches. Ask about the Geocaches when confirming your reservations, or inquire with the ranger when you arrive at camp. Don't forget, when you find a cache you are expected to put it back exactly where you found it (or where it belongs). Now go have fun and explore the camp!

Craig Bacon reminisces about Scouting

Craig Bacon is the deputy Niagara County historian. Reflecting on the past is not only his vocation but his avocation. He loves to write about history, including his personal history, which he does through his "Reminiscing" series. His newest installment looks at the memories he had in Scouting. Good stuff!

http://niagaraswatercooler.blogspot.com/2016/04/reminiscing-always-prepared-youre-in.html

Ray Schndeider has passed away

The Iroquois Trail Council has lost a great friend...

Raymond John Schneider of Lockport, NY passed away on March 30, 2016 after a brief illness. Born in Tonawanda, NY on February 25, 1930, the son of Louis and Elizabeth Potel Schneider.

Always active, Ray enjoyed photography and gardening and contributing his talents in whatever ways he could to the many organizations in which he was active.

Predeceased by his beloved wife, Doris (Lander) Schneider. Ray is survived by two sons Carl (Nancy) Schneider of West Union, OH and Keith Schneider of Treasure Island, Fl, and five grandchildren, Jourdan (Kyle) Morgan, Nicholas Schneider and Elisa Schneider of Lockport,NY; Dean Schneider of Daytona, FL and Marci Schneider of West Union, OH and a daughter-in-law, Pattie Schneider of Lockport.

Ray served in the US Army during the Korean War from 1951 to 1953. Ray retired from NYSEG as an engineer and enjoyed staying in contact with fellow retirees. He was also a lifelong member and active parishioner of the First United Church of Middleport.

Ray is remembered for his dedication to the Boy Scouts of America where he earned numerous awards and recognition during his 53 years as a volunteer including: the Silver Beaver and the George Meany Award.

Relatives and friends may call at Rutland-Corwin Funeral Home, Inc. at 2670 Main Street, Newfane on Tuesday, April 5 from 4-8pm where services will be held on April 6 at 10 AM. Interment will be in West Ridgeway Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Iroquois Trail Council – Boy Scouts of America would be appreciated by the family.

BoyPower flier

Bob Rich III: BoyPower keynote speaker

We've secured a great keynote speaker for our May 26th BoyPower Dinner. Bob Rich III is the founder and president of ROAR Logistics, a fast-growing subsidiary of Rich Products that serves the shipping industry with multiple locations across the US. Bob will talk about how the Rich family culture and his many adventures (he was a rock star and he played Robert Redford's son in "the Natural") have defined his management style and philosophies on life. Bob is a fun, engaging, and brilliant man whose presentation promises to be the same.

Bernie Bonczyk has passed away

The Iroquois Trail Council lost a great friend Wednesday. Bernie Bonczyk led a busy and full Scouting life, having been an assistant scoutmaster, unit commissioner and unit committee member. He also volunteered many hours as a part of our beloved Dewalt Crew at Camp Sam Wood. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Here is Bernie's obituary:

http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn03/bernard-j-bernie-bonczyk-20160317

Dwyer renovates veteran's museum

Garrett Dwyer’s Eagle project consisted of completing work to the Veteran’s Room at the Barker high school. The Veteran’s Room is a small-scale museum paying tribute to all of those who have served in the armed forces.

The scope of the project included the securing of donations used to build or purchase new display cases for the many artifacts that have been acquired over the years. Donations to purchase building materials came from family, friends and local businesses and Dwyer and friends logged in more than 118 hours to complete the project.

Provisional camping at Dittmer

Does your Scout want to go to Summer Camp but can't go with his Troop? No Problem!

Summer Camp is an important part of the Boy Scout Program, often accounting for a majority of a Scout's Merit Badges and advancement. Scheduling conflicts with the Troop's week of Summer Camp should never prevent your son from enjoying the Complete Scouting Experience.

Consider Provisional Camping. Camp Dittmer offers Scouts the opportunity to go to camp with a Provisional Troop, or a unit that takes in Scouts from other Troops. Under their adult supervision, your Scout will experience the very best that Camp Dittmer has to offer! Whether it's learning to sail on our private lake, zip-lining off our 35ft COPE tower, or just earning requirements for Tenderfoot, Camp Dittmer has something for everyone.

Camp Dittmer has Two Opportunities to Attend Provisional Camping: Sunday, July 3rd - Saturday, July 9th OR Sunday, July 17th - Saturday, July 23rd

Parents who want the opportunity to send their son to camp, please call (585) 343-0307 to reserve a spot today. For any information on the Provisional Troop Program, please email Camp Director Jess Markel at jesse.markel@scouting.org

Accepting applications for District Executive

Join a team that makes a difference in the community. The Boy Scouts of America offers a dynamic career with independence, achievement, stability, and opportunity for advancement.


The District Executive supports local Scouting programs by achieving specific goals including:

Program development and Scouting unit organization, volunteer recruitment and training, fundraising, membership recruitment, and youth retention.

Organizes Scouting programs within local community-based organizations. Recruits and trains volunteers. Secures adequate financial support for programs.

Provides timely communication to volunteers and families.

Manages regular meetings, training events and activities.


Qualifications:

Strong sales, marketing, fundraising, and program development experience.

Excellent public speaking and people skills, enthusiastic, punctual, responsible and creative.

Self-motivated individual with solid time management skills and strong organizational skills in project management, budgeting, and planning.

Excellent communication skills and ability to explain the program's goals and objectives to the public.

Additional Requirements: Bachelor's degree, driver's license, and reliable transportation required. Ability to work varied hours; evening activities and weekend work is frequently required. Scouting background is helpful but not required. Offers for employment are subject to criminal, reference and motor vehicle background checks.

BSA is an equal opportunity employer.

Starting salary of $36,000-$40,000, plus generous benefits.

To Apply: Send cover letter, resume and salary history to info@itcbsa.org

2016 Spring Camporee

Live the Life of the Mountain Man this Spring!

Traversing the rugged Rocky Mountain Range from 1810 to the 1880s, the Mountain Men opened up the American Frontier for settlement. Without the efforts of these Brave Men, Americans would have experienced tremendous difficulty in creating a country that spanned Sea to Shining Sea.

Experience the Frontier Lifestyle Firsthand

The Spring Camporee this year will give Scouts a glimpse into the lives of the Mountain Men. Experienced Reenactors will be present during the event to portray the Frontier Lifestyle. Scouts will also take part in Mountain Man activities such as Tomahawk Throwing, Spear Tossing, and Blacksmithing, among other things.

The Spring Camporee will be at Darien Lake State Park this year, conveniently located at the center of Council. Friday, May 13th - Sunday, May 15th 10475 Harlow Rd, Darien Center, NY 14040

To Register for this event, please click here for the Registration Packet: http://itcbsa.org/Joomla/images/Forms/2016/2016SpringCamporeeScoutReg.pdf

Complete and submit the form to the Batavia Service Center no later than May 7th, 2016.

For more information about the Spring Camporee, please call Jon Bucknam at (585) 322-2284 or Tim Bucknam at (585) 507-6847.

Ham Radio Committee

The Council will be making an amateur radio committee which will allow us to obtain a ham radio call sign for the Council that we can then use for Jamboree on the Air, camporees or special events at our two camps (and ultimately offer Radio merit badge at camp). The FCC requires that the committee have 4 licensed ham radio operators. I'm one (kc2zzw), so I need 3 more so we can make the application. Later this year, after we've secured the call sign, we can plan some activities. If you are a licensed amateur radio operator and are interested in participating in the committee (if even for the rubber stamp to get the Council call), send an email to Bob Confer at bobconfer@juno.com

Spring camporee

2017 National Jamboree

Reservations are now being accepted for the 2017 National Jamboree -- a once-in-a-lifetime, action-packed event. You must register by March 15th, 2016. This may seem early, but it's not: it's a highly competitive process to get on to the Council's Jamboree troop and we have over a year of training and fundraisers ahead of us.

Our troop roster is already half full!

For Registration information visit www.BSAJamboree.org

When you've completed the online registration process, print your confirmation, and send it - along with a $200 deposit - to the Iroquois Trail Council at our Batavia Service Center.

Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be a waiting list in place, so don't be discouraged if you don't make the initial cut.

WHO CAN ATTEND?

Attendees must be at least First Class Scouts at the start of the Jamboree and registered with a Boy Scout Troop or Venturing Crew

You must be at least 12 years old by the 1st day of the Jamboree or an 11 year-old who has completed 6th grade, but has not reached his 18th birthday prior to the last day of the Jamboree. This age bracket includes many of our current Webelos 1 Scouts.

You must be approved by your local troop or crew leader and the Council

EARN YOUR WAY TO THE JAMBOREE

The total cost for the Jamboree is projected to be $1,750-$1,850, which includes travel to & from and a pre-Jamboree side trip. That might seem like a difficult obstacle. Don't worry! We'll offer you plenty of ways to earn your way to the Jamboree with candy sales, popcorn sales, a bike-a-thon and more!

Our annual report

Troop 6 celebrates a century of service

The Boy Scouts of America turns 106 today. There is a troop in our council that has been in existence for almost that entire time -- Troop 6 of Batavia celebrated ONE HUNDRED YEARS yesterday. Here's the report from the Batavia Daily News:

http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn01/troop-6-celebrates-centennial-20160208

Bob Confer's speech from the annual dinner

This past weekend we had our annual recognition dinner at which Council President Bob Confer gave something comparable to a "state of the council" speech. If you could not attend the meeting, here's the transcript from his speech.... 

There’s an old Greek philosophy that says:

“the only thing that is constant is change.”

We’ve been living that in the Iroquois Trail Council.

If we went back in time to this dinner last year – the Council would look different than it does now.

Chances are, we’ll look different a year from now.

2015 was exciting and 2016 will be more so.

Let’s start with personnel, where there have been many changes…

In the past two months we saw the retirements of two district executives. Since then, we’ve brought on board young Joe Neubecker, who’s our new program manager. We’ll be adding a new DE in the next month or so, while launching an entirely different staffing model.

Last year, Lin retired from the Lockport scout office and our northtowns scouting families are now greeted by MaryLou at the store.

All of our district chairman changed in the past year. Curt Hall, Bill Fava, and Rich Donegan passed the batons to John Maier, Mike Freeman, and Bill Louvain.

We have a new council commissioner in Paul Fleming, taking over for Alice Barret who served us well for many years. 

And, we’ve installed new chairs for various duties in the council, among them is John Beiter, our training chair, who looks to build on the excitement and success of our first University of Scouting in 18 years. We'll be having another one of those events in 2017.


There have been and will be some changes in properties and their uses, too…

Many of you know that the Dittmer dam was the albatross around our neck.

To appease the DEC we conducted an engineering study of the entire dam system, to satisfy safety requirements and ensure a dam collapse wouldn't destroy the community around us. There were worries that we’d be looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs…not so.The study found that we need to have a means of siphoning water from the lake and we need to remove the trees from the north shoreline.

Those are VERY affordable fixes that ensure the economic and structural vibrancy of Camp for years to come.

Then add to the mix Zion’s Camp, which is coming to Dittmer this year…for the first of many years.

For one week this summer 300 Mormon scouts and 150 Mormon scouters will come to Dittmer to enjoy our facilities and celebrate their faith at the nearby Hill Cummorah pageant.

Think about that…

Over a normal summer, we have 250 to 300 scouts at our camp. This year, we get that many in one week alone.

The excitement is palpable….we already have Zion’s camp booked for 2017 and we already have people signing up for 2018.

For my whole Scouting life – going back to the mid-1980s – there’s always been this rumor, this belief, that Dittmer will be sold.

Throw that away.

Because of Zion’s Camp – and your continued and renewed support – that’s a discussion, a rumor, that can’t be had anymore.

Camp Dittmer is alive….and it’s exciting.

Most councils can’t say that about their camps. Look across New York. Cederlands, which is in the Adirondacks, closed 2 years ago. I visited the camp last fall. It was like a Scouting graveyard. Depressing. Likewise Camp Russell closed last year. You might be familiar with that camp as you enter the Adirondacks on your way to Old Forge. 

Our future at Camp looks good.

Once again, that’s because of change. Good change.

We need to capitalize on that. We need our troops to show their love…to realize there are good reasons that scouts from across the entire country are coming to our camp.

You can see much renewed love and attention at Camp.

Jim Tyx’s troop built a lean-to…the first of many that will grace our sites.

We are adding 50 new platforms and tents to the camp this year

….and Dave Hofer and Keith Oliver are creating a detailed plan to coordinate the construction and repair efforts of those who want to adopt our camp and make it better.

So, throw Jess in there as our new camp director and it’s a new era at Camp. An era of change.


It doesn’t end there. There have been countless more changes in the Council…

Jim Tyx will be our cub scout camp manager at Sam Wood.

We had an Eagle alumni get together last year, and we hope to launch that organization in earnest this year, with an Eagle alumni campout.

The endowment campaign run by Dr. Madejski has taken off.

And, we got a new home. Our central office has moved from Liberty Street in Batavia, to the corner of Main and Bank in the city.

It’s an awesome office – centrally located, accessible, attention-grabbing.

And, it’s one shared with Go Art, with whom we will be entering into great partnerships with.

Our ultimate vision is to have a gallery event showcasing nothing but the works of our scouts.

Despite all that change…one thing remains constant…and that’s the love for our boys.

All of you in this room have given of yourselves to help change the lives of 2,500 young men in our communities.

You’ve given them hope.

You’ve given them an education.

You’ve given them memories.

You’ve given them the ideals and character they need to change the worlds of others.

You can see that in what they’ve done in the past year. Over 50 Eagle projects. Impressive food drives.

Our scouts helped out with the Vietnam Wall that paid a visit to Lockport last year. Whether on the radio, in the newspapers, or people who came up to me in Niagara County…the community raved about the scouts’ amazing respect for those who gave all.

Scouts cleared out the fire hydrants in Livonia last winter…and we remember how brutal that winter was. They made lives and property safer.

Our scouts do amazing things.

They do amazing things because you do amazing things for them….you are changing them for the better.

There’s change underway in our council…there’s change underway in our boys. Change is a good thing.

As I close…

This past week, National issued their final rankings for Journey to Excellence for 2015 and we are a silver council. We were so close to being gold! Such a high ranking is a testament to the hard work of our staff, executives, and countless volunteers.

Of the 10 councils in Northeast region 3, we were 3rd in market share, 2nd in retention, and #1 in Cub Scout advancement.

Overall, our Journey to Excellence score is the second highest in the region.

Truly awesome.

Thank you, everyone, for delivering such a high quality program to all of our scouts. You really make me proud….our humble, little rural Council is hanging with the big dogs.

It's great to know we have so many people contributing -- and contributing well -- to the betterment of local youth and America's future!

I can’t say enough about how important you are.

Thank you for all you do.