Members of the Neuse River District Committee are cordially invited to attend the Annual Business Meeting of the new district to be formed to serve the Northern Service Area of Occoneechee Council. The primary purpose of this meeting is to elect a slate of members at large to constitute the District Committee for the Northern Service Area.
In accordance with the Charter and Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America and Occoneechee Council, the eligible electors are the current members of each of the existing district committees – Impeesa, Neuse River, and the portion of Awahili encompassed by Wake, Franklin and Warren counties – that will make up the new district, and the Chartered Organization Representative (or Executive Officer) of each chartering partner located in the geographic area to be served by the new district.
The meeting will be held via Zoom. We’ve announced a 7:00 PM meeting time so you can mark your calendar, but we expect that time to be adjusted. Re-designs are underway for roundtable, and we cannot have the Annual Business Meeting overlap with roundtable. More information concerning the exact start time will be sent directly to invitees as it becomes available.
For awareness, the members of the nominating committee are provided below:
Ed Miller (Chair)
Bev Cash
Ralph Embrey
Pam Miller
Jen Larson
Rocky Quiller
Bethie Taylor
Barbara Shepherd
Gene Zack
Community members
Battle Whitley
Jack Nichols
Seth Asbill
Professional advisors
Monica Switzer-Lea
Gwangi Shipp
Dear Occoneechee Council Scouting Family,
First and foremost, I hope you are doing well and staying safe during this time of uncertainty. Our primary focus is to do our part to protect our youth members, staff, board, adult volunteers and community.
We are doing our best to limit the spread of COVID-19. To that end, effective Monday, March 23rd, be aware that within the Occoneechee Council the following policy is in effect until June 1, 2020 [updated May 5]:
- No face to face meetings in the Occoneechee Council through June 1st.
- All in-person Scouting activities are canceled effective immediately through June 1st. This includes unit meetings (Troop, Pack, Crew, Patrol and Den meetings), campouts, activities, trips, Pinewood Derbies, Blue and Gold Dinners, in-person fundraisers, service projects, Court of Honors (including for Eagle Scouts), etc. There are no exceptions to this rule. Please continue to work with your Scouts via digital and electronic methods.
- All in-person council-level and district-level events and meetings are canceled through June 1st. This includes Roundtables, district board and commissioner staff meeting, activities and training events, etc. There are no exceptions to this rule. Please continue to work with your Scouts via digital and electronic methods.
- The Council Service Center and both the Raleigh and Fayetteville Scout Shops are closed through June 1st. Our staff will be working remotely and responding to all calls, emails and postal mail.
- All Council Camps are closed through June 1st.
Below are some resources from ‘Bryan on Scouting’ to help you continue Scouting at home:
Bryan on Scouting: Scouting Remotely
Scouting Magazine’s Bryan on Scouting blog explores how some units across the country are using technology to meet and offers a few merit badges to consider working on.
Bryan on Scouting: Conducting Virtual Boards of Review
Even though units can’t meet in person now, that doesn’t mean advancement has to stop. Here are tips on conducting a Board of Review using teleconference online.
Thank you for your understanding. We will continue to keep you updated as the situation develops. We appreciate your partnership in helping us keep our youth, volunteers, staff and community safe.
Staying active is a key component of Scouting and during this time, is even more important. So we encourage you to participate in our Virtual 5K.
Run, walk, skip or jump to cross a finish line at your house, neighborhood, on your treadmill or anywhere you can be active and still practice social distancing.
Once registered you will be emailed a bib with your assigned number. Print the bib and do your race.
Run your race anytime in May and post a picture of your race to the Occoneechee Council – Program Facebook page or email to campdurant@gmail.com. A patch will be mailed to you at a later date.
You do not have to be a Scout to participate in this event!
Register at www.ocscouts.org.
RESCHEDULED! Two separate sessions for you to choose from! April 25, 2020 and May 2, 2020, 9:00AM to 11:30AM both.
Click to RSVP so that you receive the Zoom invitation and materials!
Critical training for Scouts and their parents who are Life rank or even a Star Scout close to becoming a Life Scout!
Even if a Scout has started their project, they should strongly consider attending the training to that they understand the process and the critical areas for completing all of their required paperwork
2020’s Neuse River District Pinewood Derby was held on Saturday, March 7 in Knightdale with over 50 Lion, Tiger, Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts and Webelos participating. A bevy of creative, colorful and amazing cars were submitted for the Originality and Craftsmanship competitions in each division. Judging was done after check-in the night before, and the judges had to stay late to duke it out — there were many close calls! There was even a 3-way ties in one categories, so additional judges had to be brought in to determine the final winners.
The Speed competition started at 10:15 AM and went along smoothly with emcee Jen Scoggins from Pack 500 keeping everything moving and all the Cubs/Webelos excited. As Round 1 proceeded, it was clear that the speed races were
going to be close and the winners would be separated by only a fraction of a second. The fastest cars from each Division (Lions/Tigers, Wolf/Bear, Webelos) were advanced to the Grand Finals, their cumulative times reset to zero, and a nail-biting three more race heats took place to determine the Fastest Overall.
Thanks to all the Pack leaders, parents and Cub Scouts that participated, and especially the many volunteers that gave of their time to make the event possible, including (but not limited to):
- Michael Harrelson, PWD Committee Chair
- Jenny Goguen, Emcee
- David Harris, PWD Committee/Race Official
- Scott Schnegelberger, PWD Committee/Race Official
- …and many others
Originality
Lions/Tigers
1st Emily Ecevedo, Pack 365
2nd Bryce Thompson, Pack 365
3rd Simon Lieb, Pack 347
Wolf/Bear
1st Allen Harrell, Pack 365
2nd Aarya Narayanan, Pack 3
3rd John Louis Savoy, Pack 500
Webelos
1st Andrew Horner, Pack 500
2nd Joshua Yoneoka, Pack 347
3rd Aiden Wisnieski, Pack 5
Craftsmanship
Lions/Tigers
1st Ella Ochsenhirt, Pack 347
2nd Abraham Wilmoth, Pack 365
3rd Gage Meyer, Pack 236
Wolf/Bear
1st Zoey Phillips, Pack 236
2nd Eli Swan, Pack 347
3rd Bryson Tasiaco, Pack 365
Webelos
1st Kait Savoy, Pack 500
2nd Isaac Northington, Pack 3
3rd Gabriel Brinkley, Pack 347
Speed
Lions/Tigers
1st Mya Santiago, 2.7395 sec., Pack 236
2nd William Prescott, 2.7698 sec., Pack 347
3rd Gabriel Yoneoka, 2.7707 sec., Pack 347
Wolf/Bear
1st Zachary Kaufmann, 2.7448 sec., Pack 500
2nd Brayden Rochester, 2.7818 sec., Pack 3
3rd Christian Johnston, 2.7995 sec., Pack 365
Webelos
1st Kaleb Santiago, 2.7013 sec., Pack 236
2nd Eli Dudley, 2.7158 sec., Pack 5
3rd 2.7514, 2.7514 sec., Pack 365
Speed Grand Finals
Fastest Overall (3 racers — fastest from each division; 3 heats)
Kaleb Santiago, 2.6847 seconds, Pack 236
For those whose participation certificates got printed accidentally with the wrong year on it, grab this PDF and reprint as needed.
Neuse River District Annual Business Meeting
Neuse River District’s Annual Business Meeting will be held at 7:00 PM, Thursday, February 6, 2020 at Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (7506 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh, NC) during the first 10 minutes of First Thursday. All Charter Organization Representatives and district members-at-large are encouraged to attend and vote on District matters.
2019 District Pinewood Derby Results
The 2019 Neuse River District Pinewood Derby was held on Saturday, March 2 in Knightdale with nearly 80 Lion, Tiger, Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts and Webelos participating.
All manner of interesting, colorful and amazing cars were submitted for the Originality and Craftsmanship competitions in each division. Judging was done after check-in the night before, and it was very difficult to choose! There were multiple 3-way ties in several groups/categories, so additional judges had to be brought in to determine the final winners.
The Speed competition started mostly on schedule, and went along nicely with emcee Jen Scoggins from Pack 500 keeping everything moving and all the Cubs/Webelos excited. Her knock-knock jokes got lots of crowd response — some of which earned a deserved groan. (Just one example: Q: What is the loneliest cheese? A: Provolone.)
As Round 1 proceeded, it was evident that all the speed races were going to be close and the winners would be separated by only a fraction of a second. The fastest car from each Division (Lions/Tigers, Wolf/Bear, Webelos) was advanced to the Grand Finals, their cumulative times reset to zero, and a nail-biting three more race heats took place to determine the Fastest Overall.
Thanks to all the Pack leaders, parents and Cub Scouts that participated, and especially the many volunteers that gave of their time to make the event possible, including (but not limited to):
- Michael Harrelson, PWD Committee Chair
- David Harris, PWD Committee/Race Official
- Scott Schnegelberger, PWD Committee/Race Official
- Bethie Taylor, PWD Committee/Race Official
- Jenn Scoggins, Emcee
Congratulations to all of our 2019 winners listed below.! Each of these Cub Scouts/Webelos received a trophy for their achievement.
Originality
Lions/Tigers
1st Edward Piazza, Pack 236
2nd Noah Zalenski, Pack 347
3rd Zac Gordon, Pack 347
Wolf/Bear
1st Cameron Gordon, Pack 374
2nd Gibson Scoggins, Pack 500
3rd Hobson Stuckey, Pack 236
Webelos
1st Aiden Wisnieski, Pack 5
2nd David Zielinski, Pack 365
3rd Landon Bruner, Pack 3
Craftsmanship
Lions/Tigers
1st Liam Potts, Pack 374
2nd Benjamin Beatty, Pack 500
3rd Brayden Rochester, Pack 3
Wolf/Bear
1st Gavyn Leathers, Pack 369
2nd Payce Brown, Pack 374
3rd Ezra Phillips, Pack 236
Webelos
1st Heath Ochsenhirt, Pack 347
2nd Miller Scoggins, Pack 500
3rd Alex Mousty, Pack 365
Speed (+cumulative times)
Lions/Tigers
1st Kenneth VanHouten, 16.652 sec., Pack 3
2nd Carter Staup, 16.899 sec., Pack 236
3rd Josh Brinkley, 16.960 sec., Pack 347
Wolf/Bear
1st Kaleb Santiago, 16.198 sec., Pack 236
2nd Christopher Pilotte, 16.472 sec., Pack 2365
3rd Eli Dudley, 16.496 sec., Pack 5
Webelos
1st Sawyer Powell, 16.248 sec., Pack 236
2nd Gavin Fontana, 16.475 sec., Pack 347
3rd Asher Dart, 16.511 sec., Pack 301
Speed Grand Finals
Fastest Overall (3 racers — fastest from each division; 3 heats)
Kaleb Santiago, 8.112 seconds, Pack 236
Save the date! The next Neuse River District Pinewood Derby will be held on March 7, 2020 at Knightdale United Methodist Church, 7071 Forestville Road, Knightdale, 27545. An updated copy of the District Pinewood Derby rules has been posted, and online registration for Unit winners will be open by January 22, 12:00am ET. Please note that Unit leaders must register their winners, and those winners must bring their cars to the KUMC church in Knightdale the night before (Friday, March 6, 2020 from 6pm to 8:30pm) for inspection and weigh-in, along with a shoe box to hold their car overnight.
Some of the District Derby rules for 2020 have changed and additional information/clarity has been added. Please see the Pinewood Derby page for more details, official rules, useful links and contact information.