Walker Center, Camp Mountain Run
May 21, 2025
The roundtable opened with a safety moment by Unit Commissioner, Jeff Keller, and then a discussion of the ways the Council can support units more effectively was conducted.
Improving Communication: A Shared Concern
One of the first topics to spark discussion was communication—or, more specifically, how to improve it. Several leaders voiced concerns about the timeliness of Council updates, noting that some emails arrived late or not at all. Others mentioned inconsistent email delivery, with some leaders receiving only select messages. It became clear that there were gaps: many leaders were unaware of updates posted to the Council website, and the lack of a consistent newsletter left some units out of the loop.
The group quickly identified several actionable steps. Emails about meetings and events should go out earlier, and email lists—particularly those managed through MailChimp—must be reviewed and updated. The Council will also increase the number of alerts about new website content. A sense of shared enthusiasm greeted the proposal to bring back the quarterly BuckTales newsletter and introduce a monthly summary email featuring events, web updates, and key Council news.
Summer Camp preparations were also discussed. Leaders agreed that publishing the merit badge list, schedule, and prerequisites by March 1 was essential to give Scouts and their leaders enough time to plan effectively.
Council Programs: Building Momentum
As the conversation shifted to programming, leaders expressed excitement about revitalizing events and engaging Scouts through hands-on experiences.
One highlight was the proposal to bring back a Fall/Spring Camporee, inspired by the now-defunct Calumet International Camporee. The suggested site? Camp Mountain Run. The proposed format included a Friday night fundraising auction—featuring items like camping gear, patches, and leftover summer camp merchandise—followed by Saturday team competitions modeled after the Polar Bear and Iron Scout challenges. Program areas would be open for Scouts to explore throughout the day. The event would be low-cost per Scout, with units camping on-site and handling their own meals.
To move things forward, a planning committee was formed under the leadership of Dave Stanko and Rich Brnik, with the first planning meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 21 at 6:30 PM, to be held at Camp Mountain Run. All interested volunteers were warmly encouraged to attend.
Leadership Development and Volunteer Engagement
Attention then turned to leadership training. The group discussed the National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) program and the importance of building a base of NYLT-trained youth who could staff a future course for Bucktail Council. To build an NYLT staff, units were urged to send Scouts to an NYLT course at our neighboring Councils such as French Creek, Susquehanna/Juniata Valley, Laurel Highlands, and PA Dutch. Course fees range from $290 to $375, with most offerings taking place in June and July.
Volunteer involvement at the Council level also emerged as a critical need. Many leaders were eager to help but unaware of where they were needed. To bridge this gap, the group proposed creating a Leadership Talent & Interest Survey using Google Forms. The survey would match leaders’ interests and skills with specific Council committees, complete with role descriptions to help leaders understand where they could contribute most effectively.
Innovating Roundtable Participation
To wrap up the session, a creative idea was introduced to increase roundtable participation during summer camp. Starting this year, roundtables will be held weekly during camp, aligning with the “Coffee Drinkers” merit badge session. While the exact day is still being finalized, the goal is clear: make roundtables more accessible and engaging by bringing them directly to the leaders already on-site.
The roundtable closed with a sense of purpose and renewed commitment. With concrete action items and new ideas in motion, the Council and its leaders are working together to build stronger connections, better programs, and a more vibrant Scouting experience for all.
