Welcome to the Northern Lights Web Site! Click here for a map of all Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops and Venture Units in the district Click here for Unit contact information Looking for a Boy Scout Troop or a Cub Scout Pack to Join? Try the  Adventure is Calling web site Upcoming Events (Click Here for a Full Calendar) Click Here for Upcoming Eagle Courts of Honor   Northern Lights Recognizes the most recent  Eagle Scouts.  Click here for a full list Unit Name Troop 579 Gregory Bednar Troop 52 Michael Johnson Troop 268 Vincent Taffe Troop 405 Daniel Bernard Troop 405 Ross Haugberg Troop 405 Andrew Pierson Troop 211 Nicholas Volkenant Troop 531 Christopher Lindsay Troop 141 Tylor Dobey Troop 211 Andrew Boursier Crew 378 Logan Smith Online Poll I am taking a poll to see if I can change the document we provide on this web site to only be in PDF format.  Most documents are in PDF and Word format.  However, PDF is becoming a generic method for delivering documents.  If you have an opinion, please contact me at NorthernLightsBSA@comcast.net.  Unless there are reasons to continue the dual delivery method, I will switch over to all PDF format on April 1st.   Doug Farmer     Roundtable Hang Files Electronic Hang Files (think Pendaflex folders) contain flyers and information handed out at Roundtable or made available via the Web Site. There are two places to look: Our district maintains flyers specifically for Northern Lights District. Click here for Northern Lights District handouts and flyers Also, the Northern Star Council maintains a set of folders for Council wide events and information. Click here for Northern Star Council handouts and flyers Got a flyer you want distributed - Send it to the Web master -  NorthernLightsBSA@comcast.net New Content!!   03-14-2010 March District Meeting Notes 03-11-2010 Spring Recruitment Incentives 03-06-2010 CYCLE registration now open 03-06-2010 Final District Pinewood Derby Information 03-06-2010 Troop 268 Pancake Breakfast - March 20th 03-06-2010 Help us make the Centennial book a Reader's Choice 02-28-2010 Canoe Trip Workshop - March 27th 02-28-2010 OA Chapter Dinner - March 14th 02-22-2010 Webelos Crossover Ceremony scheduled for Mar 20th 02-22-2010 Cub Leader Training beings in April 02-07-2010 Congratulations to our new Silver Beavers 02-07-2010 Religious Emblems 02-07-2010 Scouting for Food - April 24th 02-07-2010 Cub Resident Camp Orientation - April Roundtable 01-30-2010 Minnesota Conservation Corps Summer Youth Program 01-30-2010 Scout Night with the Timberwolves 85kb 01-13-2010 Star Camp Video 01-13-2010 Looking for a few good scouters for the Commissioner Corps 11-02-2009 Camping opportunities for next summer 10-11-2009 100th Anniversary Star Event 10-11-2009 Updated Camping list 257kb PDF version, 57kb Excel. 10-11-2009 Plan now for High Adventure Trips - Look at camps close to the Twin Cities 31kb PDF 30kb Word. 10-11-2009 Scouting opportunities with Local Sports Teams 08-27-2009 Merit Badge Counselor List 05-21-2009 Sign up now for the eNavigator   Latest News from the Northern Star Council   Spring Recruitment Incentives Attention Leaders!!  Sign on to the Youth Recruitment Planner and enter a date for a spring recruitment, with-in a week you will receive a code to purchase up to 40 tickets for $19.00 each for the Twins home opener April 17th in the new stadium. Last day for the incentive is April 2 or until tickets run out. https://www.northernstarbsa.org/planner/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fplanner%2fDefault.aspx  The TOP recruiting Pack with apps in the Office by May 28th: Will get to throw out the 1st pitch at the June 12th game and get 20 FREE tickets to that game!  Next top 2 recruiting packs: Get 20 free tickets to the June 12th game  Last year the top 3 packs brought in 13, 13, and 10 youth!!  And finally all new youth registered by June 30 get a limited edition Scouting 100th Anniversary spring recruitment patch!  Star Camp will be a great 1st event to get new scouts to attend!  Good Luck!!  Andrea Pengra Northern Lights District Director Northern Star Council, BSA Direct: 763-231-7226 Fax: 763-231-7202           StarCamp May 21-23, 2010 The Council is celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the BSA by having a super event for all Scouts of all ages, called Star Camp. We are planning for 20,000 Scouts and adults to attend this once in your lifetime celebration. Think of a combined Ripley Rendezvous and Webelos Experience at the same place and time.   It will be held at Stearns Scout Camp. We will have age appropriate events for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venture Scouts and even the adults. Cubs will have a day event on May 22; older Scouts will come for the entire weekend.   To make this a reality, we will need hundreds of volunteers from around the Council. Several (but not enough) leaders have already volunteered. If you can help with any of the following duties, please sign up. Unit check-in at arrival time Dining hall service for our District’s units Unit check-out on Sunday Program & Activities staffing Please consider helping our sub-camp make this a smooth event for your Scouts. To volunteer and for more info on StarCamp see: www.nsbsa.org/ActivitiesCivicService/Local/StarCamp.aspx   Registration is now open! Click here to register   Get your news via E Mail Join The Northern Lights District Email List Enter your Email address and press:   Click here for our E mail Policy Click here to see more about Rum River   Troop 268 Pancake Breakfast Boy Scout Troop 268 invites you to join them for their annual pancake breakfast and silent auction on Saturday, March 20 from 7:30 to noon. Troop 268 has been a ministry of Valley of Peace for more than 40 years and will hold the breakfast in the Fellowship Hall of the church (4735 Basset Creek Drive, Golden Valley). Tickets are $5 and children age 4 and under eat free. Tickets will be available at the door. Silent auction items have been donated by many local businesses. This is their biggest fundraiser of the year. Click here for a flyer CYCLE Registration is now open Make sure your and your fellow Scouts, Scouters, and Venturers are part of CYCLE 2010!!  Please visit the Northern Star Council page for University of Scouting/CYCLE (http://training.nsbsa.org/info/UniversityOfScouting.aspx) to register for the first annual "Council Youth Camping & Leadership Experience".  This event is for ALL Scouts and Venturers.  We encourage Troops to plan on this event as a Troop campout.  Youth Venturers are encouraged to sign up for one of our two Venture-specific class offerings.  Adults can attend, too, and take part in a special program all their own!  You don't want to miss this!  Boy Scout Troops: Click the link for Boy Scout TROOP Registration (Group Registration) to register your Troop for this event.  Note: The site will ask you for a preliminary count of youth and adult attendees to process payment.  Your confirmation e-mail (sent after the online registration is completed) will request an "Attendee Roster" with detailed info for youth and adults attending.  Your registration is NOT complete until this attendee roster is filled out and returned to the Council via e-mail.  This roster info will then be used to assign youth and adult attendees to the appropriate training "tier" according to rank and experience level.  (We are not at this time accepting individual Boy Scout registrations.  Scouts whose Troops are not going to be attending should work with their Scoutmaster to find out if another area Troop is attending, and should register along with them.  Further questions regarding individual registrations can be directed to Joyce Zeman at jzeman@nsbsa.org.)  Venturers: This event is for YOU TOO!  Click Venture Participant Registration (Individual Registration) to register as an INDIVIDUAL Venture attendee.  Venture CYCLE Registration is separate because Venture classes are handled differently from the Boy Scout CYCLE Training activities.  Venturers are given a choice of two different class options.  Want to be on Staff for CYCLE?  Go to the CYCLE STAFF Registration (Individual Registration) link to sign up for Staff.  Like Venture participants, Staff candidates should register INDIVIDUALLY.  Scouts, Venturers, and adults applying for staff should have some prior leadership training experience, and preferably experience in Grey Wolf Staff, Order of the Arrow leadership, etc.  Other information requested for staffing is outlined on the online page.  Know someone who needs a PAPER registration?  A printer-ready registration form for all three of the above options is available on the council online Roundtable Hangfile for March, and is available through your District Executive by request.  It is also posted online at http://training.nsbsa.org/info/UniversityOfScouting.aspx.   Thanks, and we look forward to seeing everyone at CYCLE!!   Centennial History Book a Reader's Choice Dear Scouter: As you may remember from a previous Miscellaneous Matters email, our own centennial history book Honor Bright has been named as a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award. We also have an opportunity to win the Reader's Choice Award (see the link below).  If you have enjoyed the book, please Click Here , and consider casting your vote for Northern Star's centennial history book! As you will see from the webpage, readers are encouraged to review the list of books as described, and vote for one on that basis - whether they have read the books or not.  (But you can only vote once.) Thanks! John Andrews Scout Executive/CEO Cub Resident Camp Orientation - April Roundtable   Join us for the April Roundtable for an orientation on Cub Resident Camp.  If you have never been to Cub Camp, or if you just want information to pick up for parents in your pack, this is the time for you.   Northern Star council offers many Cub Camping opportunities and encourages all Cub Scouts to attend Cub Resident camp.   Some of the topics we will cover include: How to prepare for camp Paperwork needed for camp Communication with your group prior to camp Special requests (diets, CPAP machines...) Swim checks Questions specific to each camp See you there!   Thursday, April 1st at around 7:30 p.m. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 4700 Edinbrook Terrace Brooklyn Park, MN 55443 763-425-7223 Click here for a map! Congratulations to Ron Murphy and Frank Noonan, Our newest Silver Beaver Recipients Congratulations to Ron Murphy, Boy Scout Roundtable Chair and Frank Noonan, our latest recipients of the Silver Beaver Award. This is the highest council level recognition for a volunteer.  Ron and Frank, along with other recipients of the Silver Beaver Award, will be recognized at the Council Court of Recognition Dinner on March 27. Mark your calendar and plan to attend as we honor Ron Murphy, Frank Noonan and all the 2009 Silver Beaver Recipients. Go to the council website for details on the dinner       Looking for a few good Scouters for the Commissioner Service Corps   District Commissioner Chris Sandberg is looking for volunteers interested in providing service to the Packs, Troops, Crews, Ships, and Teams in Northern Lights. He is recruiting for two important jobs helping our youth:   Unit Commissioners - to serve as the direct support for up to three units, working with their leadership to ensure great program and results for their youth; and,   Roundtable Commissioners for our Scouting/Venturing Roundtable - to provide fun and useful monthly program for leaders of Troops and Crews.   For more information, contact Chris at 763-417-0887 or cksandberg.scouting@comcast.net. Camping opportunities abound! 2010 Cub Scout Resident Camp Registration Opens January 4, 2010 Reservations are now open for all Cub Scout resident camp sessions for the 2010 summer season. Brochures were mailed in November to all Cub Scout Youth, Den Leaders and CubMasters. Boy Scout High Adventure Opportunities Space is still available on several of the ’10 council High Adventure Contingents including Sea Base and Philmont. Information is on the National Scouting page of the Activities section of the website. National Jamboree 2010 Interested in attending the 100th anniversary Jamboree and the last National Jamboree to be held at Fort A.P. Hill? It is not too to late join us! Sign up today to take part in a once in a lifetime opportunity to help Scouts and Scouters from all around the country celebrate 100 years of Scouting in the USA and kickoff our next 100 years in style! The Northern Star Council will be taking 10 troops, or just about 400 people to the Jamboree and registration is being done online at www.bsajamboree.org. Cost will be $2,250 per person. Youth and Adult leader Training! Wood Badge Courses The Northern Star Council is planning to offer 3 Wood Badge courses in the winter, spring and fall of 2010. The spring course, a week-long format, will be held at Fred C. Andersen from June 21-26. Fall course dates will be September 10-12 and October 1-3. Grey Wolf National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) There will be 5 sessions of Grey Wolf training at Fred C. Andersen Scout Camp in the summer of 2010. With National Jamboree scheduled in late summer, Grey Wolf Course #3 and Course #4 will run during the week preceding and following Independence Day, rather than taking a break that week. In this way, all NYLT courses will be completed prior to Jamboree start. Nomination forms will be mailed early January. Nominations for participation will be due no later than April 15, 2010. *Again this year* Nominations MUST have names included. 100th Year of Scouting The 100th Anniversary / Birthday celebration officially begins September 1. Called the “Year of Celebration”, go to the council website, www.northernstarbsa.org  for more information. Announcing the Centennial Patch program. The patch can be purchased for scouts and leaders. Up to 5 ribbons can be earned that can be attached to the patch. For complete details and requirement s go to www.northernstarbsa.org/News.aspx?articleID=423   OA Monthly Chapter Meetings OA youth members are invited to monthly chapter meetings for Order of the Arrow. It’s your chance to have an impact on and to plan activities for our chapter. Meetings are the same date, time and place as the monthly roundtable. Please be sure your youth arrow members know of this opportunity and since you are coming to roundtable anyway, invite the youth members to come along. Merit Badge Counselor List   If you would like a current PDF version of the district Merit Badge Counselor list, please send an E mail to NorthernLightsBSA@comcast.net with your name and troop number.  I will forward you a copy that is current as of 8/27/2009. Looking for something to do with your scouts? Click here for non District or Council Activity Ideas Minnesota Conservation Corps Summer Youth Program. Applications are now being accepted for 90 positions with the Minnesota Conservation Corps Summer Youth Program. The application period is open through April 23. Youth ages 15-18 will live at St. Croix State Park for eight weeks. They'll travel in crews led by staff members to various state and federal lands to camp out and work on conservation projects. Eric Antonson, MCC youth programs manager, says the projects will include trail construction, erosion control, bridge and boardwalk building, and invasive exotic plant removal. Weekend activities include canoe trips, wilderness hikes and high-adventure challenges. The program runs June 20-Aug. 14. Participants earn a stipend of $175 per week, with room and board provided. For more information please contact the Minnesota Conservation Corps: http://www.conservationcorps.org/syp/youth.htm Training, Training, Training Trained leaders produce a quality youth program.  Click here for upcoming training events Some events are Boy Scout Leader Training, Cub Scout Leader Training, Cub Scout Pow Wow, University of Scouting.  Take advantage of the Free or low cost training sessions. Cub Scout Leader Training is offered 3 times this year.  The next training session begins October 1st 2009.  Click here for a flyer 83kb PDF 45kb Word Does your pack have a pack trainer? Click here for more information or click here for a Pack Trainer Flyer 248KB PDF Now available for the first time, on line sign up for Cub Leader Training.  Click here to signup for Cub Leader Training Can't make one of our training events?  Click here for information on all training throughout the council. Youth Protection Training This 30 minute course will help you know and understand the Boy Scouts of America policies on youth protection. This does not cover the protection of the youth, but you as an adult in a youth organization. This course is offered at no charge and can be taken online or in person.  Click here for information about the course. Roundtables Roundtables are for all adult leaders in Cub Scout Packs and Boy Scout Troops. They are held the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 4700 Edinbrook Terrace Brooklyn Park, MN 55443 763-425-7223 Click here for a map! Roundtables are a training session for leaders to help them each month in working with the boys.  Every pack and troop should have at least one representative come to these meetings to get ideas and share ideas with other leaders, as well as get information on events that are happening on a district level.

Useful Links! Map of all Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops and Venture Units in the district Unit contact information Northern Star Council Web Site - Contact Information, Office Locations, Scout Shop Information District Website/Pictures/Articles If you have any pictures of District activities or great articles that you would like to share with other Scouters, please e-mail them with a description to our Webmaster, Doug Farmer at NorthernLightsBSA@comcast.net New Leaders - Northern Lights extends a warm welcome to all new adults and existing adults that have changed positions. Training is available through the council office, call Andrea Pengra  763-231-7226 District Director for any questions that you may have. We also encourage you to take advantage of your monthly Roundtables at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 4700 Edinbrook Terrace Brooklyn Park, MN 55443 These are held on the first Thursday of the month. Click here for Directions to Roundtable location. From the Web Master: This site is always being worked on.  Any items in the menu at the left that are prefixed with an "*" are complete.   Please E mail me if there are any changes in those items, if you have any content you would like to see on any of the pages listed, or any new pages you would like to see added. I hope this site becomes a resource for all scouts and scouters.  To accomplish that, I need help from everyone in the district.  District leaders, Unit leaders and scouts themselves. Any item you wish to see on this site, please forward to me.  Also, send me Unit information, leader information, Unit web sites to link to, any photos, with events, captions etc.  Send the information to NorthernLightsBSA@comcast.net. Thanks Doug