Unable to start

The following failed to load:

Please refresh to try again

Northern Trail News: March 8, 2026

March 8, 2026

Northern Trail Roundtable Meeting 

Image

Come meet other Unit leaders, ask questions, network and learn from the topic of the month. We welcome all Adult volunteers. How do you know if you do not ask? Whether a new volunteer or lots of years in the saddle, it will be of value to you, to your unit and to our youth – it’s fun to network. 

πŸ“ Roundtable is the 2nd Thursday of every month.
First United Methodist Church Richardson, Rm. 230 @ 7:00 pm 

Upcoming Roundtable Topics: 

DateTopic
March 12, 2026
  • Aquatics Events - This Week!- What training, support, and materials are needed for Cubs and Troops to participate in aquatics activities such as swimming, canoes, etc. 
April 9
  • Shooting sports rules for Cubs and Troops.
  • Where can they go?
  • What do they need to do it?
May 14
  • Meet the Troops.
  • All troops attend to market their groups to Bears and Webelos from the District.
  • All Bears and Webelos should attend to learn what Troops are available to them.
Image

πŸ“Œ Action Items

  • πŸ“ Cub Scout Crossover Reminder: Please ensure all Cub Scout advancement is recorded before a youth is registered with a troop. Many Scouts crossing over have already paid their national dues at the end of 2025; those dues should not be collected again by the troop.
  • ➑ Need arrows for your crossover? Contact Arapaho chapter advisor Kristine Schowope Kschwope@hotmail.com or 214-734-2281. 

    πŸ“£ Recruitment & Promotion

  • Northern Trail District Committee meetings - Have a Voice in Your District! 
  • Northern Trail Roundtable - Are you making it to your district roundtable meetings? 
  • Post photos on the District and Council Facebook pages.
  • Share this newsletter β€“ Make sure new members are in the know - Forward to others in your unit. Sign up here.

πŸŽ“ Training & Leadership

  • Health and Safety β€“ Safety is a value that must be taught and reinforced at every opportunity.
  • Check out all the new training classes added to On the Calendar!
  • Share Your Skills β€“ Mentor new leaders; contact bramfranklin@gmail.com.

🍿 Fundraising & Volunteering

  • TBD

πŸ“° Newsletter & Content

πŸ“…On the Calendar Image

    πŸ“†District Calendar
  • Northern Trail District Commissioner Meeting April 2 at 6:00pm, FUMC Richardson, Room 226B.

    Northern Trail District Committee Meeting Come join us April 2 at 7:00pm, FUMC Richardson, Room 230.

  • Northern Trail Roundtable - March 12 at FUMC, room 230 7:00 pm.

  • Ship 1899 Garage Sale-March 14–15, 2026 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM. More Information in Local News and Notes.

    2026 TRJ Camporee #1- Hosted by Northern Trail March 27-29, 2026 at Trevor Rees-Jones Scout Camp. 


    • Join East Trinity Trails, Elm Fork, Northern Trail, Post Oak, and Rising Sun Districts for a weekend of Scouting fun! This year’s theme is Texas Frontier Days. This event is open to all districts! Registration open until March 21 at 11pm Leader's guide can be found here.


      Anyone (adult /or youth who would like to staff, please contact Guy Bradley(gbradleybsa@gmail.com). There's opportunities for both adult and youth, along with staffing Shooting Sports.

    Merit Badge Workshop April 11, see Other Important below for details. 


    2026 BALOO Training #3- Hosted by Northern Trail - April 18 - 19, 2026 at Camp Wisdom. 


    • This training is an overnight training event that introduces parents and leaders to the skills needed to plan and conduct Pack outdoor activities, particularly Pack camping. The training includes campsite selection, outdoor event planning, parent involvement, health & safety, equipment, cooking, and an introduction to camping skills.
    2026 Wilderness First Aid Course - April 17-19, 2026 at Camp James Ray. 


    • The Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Training is a 16-hour, hands-on course to give adult leaders the experience needed to handle illness and injury when medical care is more than an hour away.Most of the BSA high-adventure bases (HAB) require at least one person per trek to be current in WFA.
    2026 IOLS Training #3- Hosted by Northern Trail - April 18 - 19, 2026 at Camp Wisdom 


    • Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS) provides adult leaders the practical outdoor skills they need to lead Scouts in the outdoors.All Troops are required to have IOLS trained leaders and all SM/ASMs are required to have it to be fully trained.

    Wood Badge 149 - Philmont Scout Ranch: August 2-8, 2026

    Wood Badge 150 - Trevor Rees-Jones Scout Camp: October 23-25, 2026 and November 7-8, 2026

πŸ•οΈ Have a Voice in Your District

Northern Trail Scouters, are you satisfied with the district activities? Do you want a voice in deciding future events? 

If so, you are encouraged to attend our next District Committee Meeting on Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 PM in room 230 at the First United Methodist Church of Richardson

All Scouters are welcome, and your unit’s Charter Organization Representative is especially encouraged to attend as a full member of the district committee. 

Local News and Notes 
βš“ Ship 1899 Garage Sale βš“ 
Drop Anchor for Great Deals 
Friday & Saturday β€’ March 14–15, 2026
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Both Days 

πŸ“ Location
9444 Loma Vista Dr
Dallas, TX 75243 


πŸ› What You'll Find

  • Furniture
  • Clothes
  • Household Items
  • Toys
  • And Much More!

Support Sea Scouts!
Every purchase helps our crew get one step closer to our summer sailing adventure to Catalina Island. Ship 1899 is a local Sea Scout ship building skills in sailing, leadership, and teamwork while preparing for the voyage of a lifetime. 

β€œWe can't control the wind, but we can adjust our sails.” 

πŸ’΅ Cash β€’ Zelle β€’ Venmo Accepted 

Questions?
ship1899info@gmail.com


Image

πŸ“š Upcoming Training

Online Training

A huge amount of training is available online, including position training. Access your account at my.scouting.org. If you don’t have an account, it’s easy to set one up. You can view your training records and complete a full training program. 

Questions? Contact: NT.Training@att.net


S.A.F.E. guarding Youth


The course reinforces a culture of active supervision, situational awareness, and safety. S.A.F.E. guarding Youth is 90 minutes the first time you take it, then only 15-minute annual refreshers.

Take Course

Upcoming District and Council Events 
Image

Arapaho Chapter News

The Order of the Arrow is an honor camper service organization. Each district has a chapter and members are chosen by their peers.

Contact arapaho@miki.org with questions.

It's not too late to renew your OA membership go to: miki.org/event-registration/ and pay your dues.

Other Important Information 

Merit Badge Workshop – April 11 

The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation is offering Scouts the opportunity to earn merit badges this spring at a special workshop held at the Interurban Museum. 

Featured Merit Badges:

  • Archaeology Merit Badge β€“ Explore the science of discovering and interpreting evidence from the past, including excavation techniques, artifact preservation, and protection of historical sites. 
  • Citizenship in the World Merit Badge β€“ Gain a broader understanding of global issues, international organizations, and the responsibilities of citizenship in today’s interconnected world. 

Event Details:

  • Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
  • Time: 1:00–5:00 PM (Check-in opens at 12:30 PM)
  • Location: Interurban Museum, 901 E 15th Street, Plano, TX 75074
  • Cost: $20 per Scout
  • Registration Closes: March 30 at 8:00 PM
  • Class Size: Limited to 15 Scouts per class
  • Note: Scouts may register for only one class

Space is limited and classes will fill quickly. Early registration is encouraged. 

πŸ‘‰ Register here:
https://planoconservancy.org/merit-badges 


Merit Badge Counselor Positions

To apply for a MBC position, please send the merit badge form along with a multiple application and a copy of your ypt/sy to Josh.Ohmstede@scouting.org. MBC is a council position and the applications are handled by the council.


Cub Scout Camping

Cub Scout Camping is fun and only allowed at approved camps. Make your reservations in advance for your whole pack to enjoy the outdoors. Click on Circle Ten Camps for information on the 4 Circle 10 camps and all the other approved Cub Scout Camping locations at the bottom of the page for your Cub Scout Pack to have an adventure.

Image

Commissioners

Northern Trail has an active commissioner staff with deep scouting knowledge. Get to know your commissioner. Your commissioner can help you and your unit resolve problems and pass along some ideas to make your program even better. Our District Commissioner is Bram Franklin, who may be reached at: bramfranklin@gmail.com.

If you are having trouble reaching your commissioner, contact Bram and he will assist you.

Looking for a way to give back to scouting? New unit leaders need mentors who can help them navigate the trail. As you know it can be a little overwhelming. Training is available! Contact our district commissioner Bram Franklin bramfranklin@gmail.com for more information.


Help Shape Scouting β€” Become a Unit Commissioner 

Many of us have Scouts who have aged out but still want to contribute to the values and ethics Scouting instills in our youth. We are looking for two new commissioners for Northern Trail. If you have Scouting experience and want to help beyond your Pack, Troop, Crew, Ship, or Post, please consider becoming a unit commissioner. 

If you have questions or would like to suggest someone for this role, please contact: 

Bram Franklin
214-609-9089
BramFranklin@gmail.com

Website and Newsletter

Our newsletter and website reach a very large audience in Northern Trail. If there is something scouting related which needs to be on the website or the newsletter, please do not keep it to yourself, let us know. news@ntrail.org

If we need to fix a broken link or have incorrect information, please take a moment, and let us know. news@ntrail.org

Do not keep the newsletter to yourself! Everyone in your unit should be receiving the newsletter and be aware of the website. sign up is easy, just send them to: Newsletter sign up . Do not forget to sign up on Circle Ten to receive updates from the council.

Looking for something in a recent newsletter? Several years of past newsletters may be found here.

Image

Find us on Facebook.

Yours in Scouting,

Tammy Pitt 
Northern Trail Communications Committee