Greetings Trailblazer District! It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of March and next week is Easter.  Please find below this month’s edition of the Trailblazer Scouting News Flash. As we head out of winter and into summer, there are so many terrific opportunities for you and your Scouts to take full advantage of all that Scouting has to offer. Key reminders for this edition include the District Pinewood Derby (registration closes soon), this year’s Scouting for Food Drive, the nextIOLS Training; all three are quickly approaching! As always, don’t forget to LIKE US on the Trailblazer District Facebook page and Visit the Trailblazer Website at www.trailblazer.danbeard.org and watch for updates. These are the key ways to send and receive district communications and share best practices. Stay mission-minded and let’s impact the lives of kids this month! Please enjoy!

Information included in this Scouting News Flash:

ü  District Vision

ü  Key District Leadership

ü  Roundtable Reminder

ü  Upcoming District & Council Events

ü  Scouting Day @ City BBQ

ü  Spring Recruitment

ü  Scouting for Food

ü  District Pinewood Derby

ü  Webelos Outdoor Weekend

ü  Day/Twilight Camp 2013

ü  “Are you tougher than a Boy Scout?”

ü  HeartChase 2013

ü  Communications Update

District Vision

To Blaze the Trail for all Dan Beard Council districts, achieving at the highest level in its effort to create real impact for all eligible youth and families throughout Northern Kentucky.   

Key District Volunteer Leadership

District Chair: Steve Harper

District Commissioner: Jim Clinkenbeard

District Vice Chair-Program: Jeff Hoppe

District Friends of Scouting Chair: David Shuley

District Communications: April Cremeans  

Roundtable Reminder

The next regular monthly Scout Leader Roundtable will be held Thursday, April 11^th, beginning at 7:00 pm. This Roundtable is for Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing Leaders. Please send at least one representative to gather and share information.

Roundtables are held at Lakeside Christian Church (195 Buttermilk Pike, Lakeside Park, KY  41017)

Upcoming District & Council Events

April 4^th – Scouting Day @ City BBQ

April 5^th-6^th – Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS) Training (click here to register)

April 6^th – District Pinewood Derby @ Thomas More College

April 6^th – 2013 Scouting for Food Drive

April 13^th – Dan Beard Hike (Click here for details!)

April 22^nd-27^th –2013 Spring Wood Badge (click here for details)

April 24^th – Save-the-Date  Dan Beard Council Annual Banquet (see attached)  

April 26-28 – Boy Scout Spring Camporee

May 17^th-19^th – Save-the-Date  Webelos Outdoor Weekend

Scouting Day @ City BBQ

Just like last year, City BBQ in Florence has partnered with the Trailblazer District to host a Scouting Day at their restaurant! The best part about it is all you have to do is eat! That’s right: EAT! Just take the attached certificate to the Florence City BBQ location on April 4^th and take your entire family (includes extended family, cousins you’ve never met, and friends you don’t even know you have). Please be sure to pass along this certificate to anybody and everybody because 25% of all sales with this certificate on April 4^th go back to local Scouting! Spread the word!

Spring Recruitment

Because of the engagement of you and your units, over 1,000 new boys in Northern Kentucky joined the Scouting program this past Fall! As you all know, Scouting provides an avenue for the youth in our community to gain valuable leadership and character building experience, as well as participate in activities that are unique, educational, and especially, fun. 

The annual Spring Recruitment drive is coming up and it provides an opportunity for Cub Scout Packs to focus on providing the K-4^th grade boys the chance to join Cub Scouts before summer the starts. This time is essential for the youngsters, especially since it is the first opportunity that Kindergarten boys can join the Scouting program.

The best way to introduce Cub Scouting is through an in-school talk and a subsequent parent sign-up night at the school. The district membership team has been working diligently to collect the best dates for local elementary schools and confirm them with Pack leadership. Keep your eyes and ears open for a chance to collaborate and provide joining opportunities in the spring.

Troops and Crews are also encouraged to conduct Spring Open Houses for the older eligible youth. Be on the lookout for available resources to help make this a reality for your unit!  

Scouting for Food

As a reminder, Scouting for Food is coming up this year on April 6^th!

Below highlights the remaining opportunities in Northern Kentucky to help cover a shift at Kroger. You’ll find attached the registration form and participation packet for this year that can be completed and returned to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . This is on a first come, first serve basis, so please hurry!

If you have any questions, please let Adam know. Thanks for your continued service to our community through the Scouting for Food Drive!

District Pinewood Derby

2013 Trailblazer District Pinewood Derby

Registration Closes on 3/27/13 (less than one week)

                       NO WALK-INS PERMITTED

When: April 6,2013

Where: Thomas More College Gym

Registration: 9:00am-11:00am

Races: 11:00am-2:00pm

Race Entry Fees: $7.00 per Racer

One registration per unit. No individual registrations.

Each pack may enter: 2 Tigers, 2 Wolves, 2 Bears, 2 Webelos, and 1 entry for the Design Divison.

(The entry for the Design Division may not be a Racer; Cars will be needed in the Design Area for judging.)

REGISTRATION IS ONLINE ONLY – Click Here to register

All entries must be received NO LATER THAN MARCH 27, 2013

For questions or to Volunteer please contact Andy Lester at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please click register below to register your unit. One registration per unit. No individual registrations.

Webelos Outdoor Weekend

Webelos Outdoor Weekend (W.O.W.) is a camping weekend just for Webelos dens! Held May 17^th-19^th, the event will be full of fun and adventure for the novice and experienced camper alike. While the focus is on outdoor fun, the activities will allow Webelos Scouts to have a taste of Boy Scouting while competing in some classic outdoor challenges. Be sure to CLICK HERE or check out the attached promo for more details!

Day/Twilight Camp 2013

The highlight of the year for many Cub Scouts is Day Camps and Twilight Camps and they are just around the corner! Starting in June, Cubs will have 12 opportunities to join us for wild west fun and excitement with our "Wild West Cubs" themed camps. These camps take place all over our Council so there is at least one in your area. Day Camp is the perfect place for Cubs to earn belt loop and rank advancement while getting out of the house for a week with their friends.

This year, each of our 12 camps will offer the same great program over the course of 5-days with the same hours, all at the same price for Day Camps and Twilight Camps. Cub families can choose any camp that best fits their needs and attend any session they like! Check out our full schedule here to find a camp that's right for you!

Your Cubs will participate in daily activities that include BB guns, archery, fishing, crafts, STEM awards (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), water games, Scout skills, field games and sports, and more.

All Camps are run by trained volunteer staff and operated under National BSA Camping Standards to guarantee the safety of your son and the quality of his experience. For additional details, including a full schedule and contacts for each camp, or to register for camp, click "Read More" below. Registration is open now and early registration discounts are available if you register at least 30 days before camp starts.

Don't miss the adventure with your "wild west Cub" at Day Camp and Twilight Camp this summer! CLICK HERE for more details and to get signed up today!

“Are you tougher than a Boy Scout?”

Build Scouting Momentum Locally by Sharing the Excitement of 
“Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?”

The adventure continues this Monday, March 25, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on the National Geographic Channel.

In episode 4, “Where Eagles Fly,” the adults put their pioneering and shooting skills to the test as they go head-to-head with the Scouts!

Spread the word about the program via email, social media, and word of mouth. Build local buzz by posting the trailer on your website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and any other social media channels!

Here is a sample post you may use:

“Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?” Monday, March 25, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on the National Geographic Channel. The series from Original Productions (“Deadliest Catch” and “Ice Road Truckers”) features teams of adults facing off against teams of Scouts in a variety of adventurous Scout-based challenges. Tune in to see Scouting in a new light!

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/are-you-tougher-than-a-boy-scout/ and show trailers at:http://toughscout.com/.

The “Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?” Web page (www.toughscout.com) features show information, and you can also help build local buzz by posting this week’s trailer on your website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and any other social media.There are also downloadable digital and print assets in the Marketing Toolbox (www.scouting.org/marketing).

This show is a great opportunity to showcase the great character and leadership skills that are developed in Scouting.

HeartChase 2013

What is HeartChase?

Think Amazing Race meets Minute to Win It – a community-wide competition to solve clues and complete activities that engage friends and families of all ages in a race to the finish line. By partnering with The American Heart Association and other major companies, we are working toward making healthy living easy for friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and our community.

How Do I Join the Chase?

Visit http://honor.americanheart.org/NewportHC or see the attached PDF.

Communications Update

In the week following our Roundtable meeting we have made great progress on the communications front.  You asked and we listened.  I had a meeting with Jessie Bowen and Council Communications Director Ken Brunner yesterday to review the parameters for the new website.  I am very pleased to say that we will be able to accomplish 99% of what you asked for on your wish list. I am incredibly excited to get started on the construction. This project will be a work in progress and you will be able to watch that progress starting this weekend.  Currently the site is just a shell but you can view it atwww.trailblazer.danbeard.org.  Keep watching as it grows and expands!

In regards to the privacy concerns we discussed we were able to determine that we can assign email addresses with redirects to those on District Committee and on the Unit listing that you requested.  We are working on a opt in/waiver to release contact information to the Communications Committee so we can continue to develop that Unit listing for you.  This is a long running project as well but we will continue working on it at a steady pace.  In the meantime, remember to utilize our Facebook page if you are a member.  You can receive notification of a new post by hovering over the like button and selecting "get notifications".  Now you never miss a post.

BUT WAIT... There's more!  I am also very pleased to let you know that we have resolved one of the major points concern that came from last week's meeting.  As of today ALL of you have access to the Merit Badge Councilor list. Please follow the instructions below to access the list.

• Go to www.danbeard.org/doubleknot to access the Doubleknot login page
• Click the login button
• Enter the username Masters (cap sensitive)
• Enter the password Eagletrail (cap sensitive)
• Select Merit Badge Counselors from the menu on the left
• Select Trailblazer from the drop down box and hit next
• Select the Merit Badge of your choice from the drop down box and select search
• A list of registered merit badge counselors with their contact information will populate as a result of this search
• Logout when done

In Scouting,

Adam Blanchard, District Director, (513) 577-7724

Jessie Bowen, District Executive (513) 577-7734

Kara Hudepohl, District Executive (513) 577-7693

The Dan Beard Council prepares more than 35,000 young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Scouting is funded by Friends of Scouting, the Popcorn Sale and the United Way.

If you would like to be removed from the Trailblazer District email distribution list, please send an email message to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . In the subject line type "Remove from distribution list" then include your name in the message. Your email address will be removed promptly.