Northern Trail News: March 29, 2026
Northern Trail Roundtable Meeting
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.
📍 Roundtable is the 2nd Thursday of every month.
First United Methodist Church Richardson, Rm. 230 @ 7:00 pm
Upcoming Roundtable Topics:
MEET THE TROOPS |
| CALLING ALL CURRENT WEBELOS AND BEARS, BOYS AND GIRLS |
Come Meet the Troops of Northern Trail (Richardson ISD) Get to know the troops in your area as your Cub Scouts consider their options after earning the Arrow of Light. May 14, 2026 · 7:00–8:00 PM FUMCR — 503 N Central Expressway Packs and Troops please RSVP: |
📌 Action Items
- 📝 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. ➡ Need arrows for your crossover? Contact Arapaho chapter advisor Kristine Schowope Kschwope@hotmail.com or 214-734-2281.
- 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 – Make sure new members are in the know - Forward to others in your unit. Sign up here.
📣 Recruitment & Promotion
🎓 Training & Leadership
- Health and Safety – 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 – Mentor new leaders; contact bramfranklin@gmail.com.
🍿 Fundraising & Volunteering
- TBD
📰 Newsletter & Content
- Have Content? – Send items for the newsletter to news@ntrail.org.
📅On the Calendar 
- 📆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 - April 9 at FUMC, room 230 7:00 pm.
Merit Badge Workshop April 11, see Other Important below for details. - 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.
- 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.
- Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS) provides adult leaders with 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: Wood Badge is Scouting America's ultimate leadership training designed to meet the advanced leadership needs of Scouters. August 2-8, 2026
Wood Badge 150 - Trevor Rees-Jones Scout Camp: October 23-25, 2026 and November 7-8, 2026
| 🏕️ 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, April 2 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 |
📚 Upcoming Training
| 🏕️ Outdoor Leader Training – Don’t Miss Out! |
Ready to take your unit’s outdoor program to the next level? These essential trainings give leaders the skills and confidence to deliver safe, fun, and engaging outdoor experiences. Spots are filling quickly! Secure your place now before these courses close. BALOO (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation)- April 18-19 at Camp Wisdom IOLS (Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills)- April 18-19 at Camp Wisdom Whether you're a new leader or looking to sharpen your skills, these courses are key to building confident leadership and delivering the outdoor program Scouts expect. |
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
| Upcoming District and Council Events |
Arapaho Chapter News
The Arapaho Chapter invites you to join us for our April meeting on April 14th at FUMCR, Room 230 at 7:30 PM.
Election season is drawing to a close, and the time for callouts is near. Be sure to attend Camporee, March 27–29 to take part in this important tradition.
If you have an elected candidate who may benefit from a sensory-sensitive callout experience, please contact Advisor Kristine Schwope at 214-734-2281 .
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:
Event Details:
Space is limited, and classes will fill quickly. Early registration is encouraged. 👉 Register here: |
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.
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 — 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 that 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.
Yours in Scouting,
Tammy Pitt
Northern Trail Communications Committee