Scouts BSA Summer Camp + UseLetter 6 - Merit Badge & Activity Enrollment

We hope that you and yours are safe and healthy and remain so throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

We remain committed to planning and executing a dynamic and fun summer camp adventure for your Scouts and families. If this pandemic is teaching us anything, it is reminding us that we are clairvoyant and will need to remain flexible. The purpose of this email is to share with you how our council and camp operations have been impacted by the governor’s stay-at-home order and our plan to continue to serve you, and prepare for camp, while keeping everyone safe.

NC Governor Cooper’s Stay-at-Home Order and Impact on Old North State Council and Cherokee Scout Reservation Operations

• On Friday, March 27, 2020, in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, NC Governor Cooper issued an executive order requiring people statewide to stay-at-home and all nonessential businesses/non-profits to close through April 30.
• The Old North State Council and Cherokee Scout Reservation are non-essential entities; therefore, we are closed through April 30.
• Field staff and office staff are working from home and are available via email.
• See the message posted on the Old North State Council homepage for more information.
• Because no one is at the council service center to collect the mail, we have placed a temporary hold on all mail delivery. Our mail is currently held at the Greensboro Post Office and will be delivered when the stay-at-home order allows.
• The council service center is locked. People cannot enter the building to access the drop-box.
• We remain committed to planning and executing a fun and dynamic summer camp experience for your Scouts and families.
• Should we be required to cancel summer camp because of CORVID-19 or a Scout is unable to attend summer camp due to a CORVID-19 related issue, we will issue full refunds.

Update on Early Bird Payments & Collection

• Thank you for supporting 1114 Scouts to submit an early bird payment.
  • FYI, this number tracks with our three-year history of early bird payments.
  • We see this as a sign that we are all looking forward to summer camp 2020 and committed to participating!
• All early bird payments (online credit card, mail, and over-the-counter) have been processed and applied to your unit’s account (the tracking sheet we keep in the office). Kristina Edmondson, with the help of the office support staff, was able to complete this task.
• We have not applied the early bird discount to your unit’s account in Summer Camp Systems.
• We will reconcile those once the council service center reopens.
• If you need a receipt, we can respond to that request once the stay-at-home order has been lifted.

Payment 1

• Payment 1 was due on Thursday, March 26
• Payments that we collected before Thursday, March 26 have been applied to your unit’s account (the tracking sheet we keep in the office)
• If you mailed a payment, which I directed many of you to do, and it did not arrive at the office by Friday, March 27, your mail is currently being held at the Greensboro Post Office and will be delivered to us once the stay-at-home order is lifted
• If you need to submit your Payment 1, you can do so two ways:
  • Submit a credit card payment online via Summer Camp Systems
  • Call me and I will take your credit card payment over the phone using Square
• Parents/guardians are able to submit online payments via Summer Camp Systems
• If you need a receipt, we can respond to that request once the stay-at-home order has been lifted.
• Credit card payments online and Square generate an immediate receipt.

Payment 2

• Payment 2 is due on Thursday, April 23
• You can submit your Payment 2 in two ways:
  • Submit a credit card payment online via Summer Camp Systems
  • Call me and I will take your credit card payment over the phone using Square
• If your unit prefers to submit a check, you can mail a check payable to Old North State Council, 1405 Westover Terrace, Greensboro, NC 27408
• The check will not be delivered until after the stay-at-home order if lifted.
• We will process and apply to your account at that time.
• If you need a receipt, we can respond to that request once the stay-at-home order has been lifted.
• Credit card payments online and Square generate an immediate receipt.

Camperships

• Campership requests are still due on Thursday, April 23.
• https://www.csr.camp/uploads/1/1/4/7/114705433/2020_campership_application.pdf
• Instead of submitting campership applications to the council office, please scan and email them to office@csr.camp.
• In-council and out-of-council units may apply for camperships.
• This will allow me to receive them, process, share with the committee, and make a decision on the campership in early May.
• If you need to submit the $20 payment that goes along with a campership you can submit it two ways:
  • Submit a credit card payment online via Summer Camp Systems
  • Call me and I will take your credit card payment over the phone using Square
• For campership requests that were submitted to the council service center, prior to the stay-at-home order, we have no access to them.
  • If you kept a copy, please scan and email to me at office@csr.camp.
  • If you are unable to share with me again via email, we will act on the requests once the stay-at-home order is lifted.
• Please work with your families to ensure that the campership applications are complete upon submission.
• Incomplete submissions slow the process down…significantly.
• We anticipate that more families may need support as we move through the COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown.
• Should you discover that a family needs financial support after the deadline, please submit a campership request. We will do our best to support these families.

Leader Guide

• Updated – page 2 summarizes a list of edits made
• Most edits focus on prerequisites for Scoutcraft merit badges

Scout & Family Guide

• Updated – page 2 summarizes a list of edits made
• Most edits focus on prerequisites for Scoutcraft merit badges

Merit Badge & Activity Enrollment via Summer Camp Systems

• Merit badge & activity enrollment begin this upcoming weekend.
• We use Summer Camp Systems as our online merit badge & activity tool
  • http://www.summercampsystems.com/onsc/login.aspx
  • You should already have an account. If not set it up now.
• For units attending camp Weeks 1 (June 21-27), 2 (June 28-July 4), and 3(July 5-11), we will open merit badge enrollment at 8:00 pm on Friday, April 3.
• For units attending camp Weeks 4 (July 12-18), 5 (July 19 – 25), and 6 (July 26 – August 1), we will open merit badge enrollment at 8:00 pm on Saturday, April 4.
• Since we are unable to access our mail or the payments submitted via the drop-box on Friday, March 27, we have no way of knowing which units have and have not made a payment that equals 60% of their campsite.
• In fairness to everyone, all units will have access to Summer Camp Systems for merit badge enrollment starting this weekend.
• Some best practices
  • Be sure all of your Scouts have been added to Summer Camp Systems prior to Friday, April 3.
  • This will save you valuable time once merit badge & activity enrollment begin.
  • More than one adult leader from your unit can create a unit-user account. Both of you can enroll Scouts in merit badges & activities simultaneously.
  • Use the Unit Merit Badge & Activity Form to collect the information you need from Scouts to enroll them in merit badges & activities
  • If this is your first time doing this, WATCH the help videos and READ the directions.
    • Running The Course Restriction Report  Download Video
  • Running the Course Totals Report  Download Video
  • Registering For Classes  Download Video
  • Running The Unit Schedule Report  Download Video
  • Texting or Emailing Schedules  Download Video
  • If this is your first time doing this, or if you need a refresher, and you want to talk with someone about the process, I am happy to help you over the phone.
    • Don’t wait to Friday, April 3 to reach out for support.
  • Think about the things that are only offered once, have small class-sizes, enroll Scouts in them first.
  • If a Scout does not get the desired merit badge & activity schedule and needs a merit badge that is full, us the MY REQUEST function, to add the Scout to the waiting list.
    • Send a My Request  Download Video
    • MY REQUESTS are not acted on until June.
    • I do my best to help Scouts get the merit badge & activity schedule they want and need.
    • You will receive an email once I have taken action on the MY REQUEST.

Memorabilia Pre-orders

• Memorabilia pre-orders are due Thursday, May 14
• We accept pre-orders from the unit not individuals.
• Pre-orders should be submitted using the camp online store
• http://store.csr.camp
• Pre-orders are delivered at the 12-day-out meeting
• Use the Individual Memorabilia Pre-Order Form to collect pre-orders from your unit

If we can support you further in your preparations for summer camp, especially as we respond and prepare for these uncertain times, please do not hesitate to contact us.
 

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