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1 Summit Bechtel Reser ve STAFF ASSOCIATION Volume 1, Issue 1 I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : W E L C O M E MESSAGE FRO M P R E S I D E N T RUSSELL SMART Executive Committee 3-5 History of the SBRSA 6-7 Veterans Weekend 8 Jamboree Justice Scout Camp 9 Summit Operations Center 2,025 campers at the Christensen High Adventure Base 779 campers at the Justice Scout Camp 20,373 camperdays 10 Shooting Sports 11 At the Summit this summer! 576. As I write this message, that s the number of active members in the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association. Outstanding! Early in our organizational process I was asked several times what my expectation for our first year of membership would be. I was hoping for 500 members in our first year and YOU have exceeded my expectations. Those of us who worked to get SBRSA organized are most appreciative for your confidence and support. But now our expectations and aspirations have been raised.so let s agree to grow our membership to over 1000 by next year and to 3000 by the time we begin the 2017 National Jamboree. Together we can do it. As the first President of SBRSA, my promise to you is that I will DO MY BEST to lead from the front and never ask of you anything to which I am not personally engaged and committed. We have elected a great team of regional and seasonal representatives and each of them has agreed to take a critical role in our organization as chairpersons of our several standing committees. More about this and the history of how the SBRSA began can be found elsewhere in this newsletter. Let me use the rest of this article to tell you what we did as an association in supporting our 249 person SBR seasonal staff in Summer This is in direct fulfillment of one of our primary purposes and objectives. And by the way, our enabling Resolution and Charter can be found on the SBRSA website if you have not had a chance to read it ( See Article I for our Purpose and Objectives. Continued on page 2

2 Page 2 Volume 1, Issue 1 P R E S IDENT S MESSAGE, CONTINUED First, we asked our professional leadership staff for ideas about how we could improve the quality of life for our seasonal staff. One suggestion was to provide them with some sustainable source of lighting for their housing area, since we have not yet provided electrical service in this area. Thanks to John Stewart (Director of BSA s Corporate Development Department), we were able to obtain a gift of LUCI brand Inflatable Solar Lights sufficient to provide one to each staff member. If you are not familiar with this product, visit their website and check out this great product. These were very much appreciated by our staff. Second, we conducted a couple of after dinner raffles for our seasonal staff during July and gave away several very nice hydration backpacks and insulated Hydro-flask water bottles plus one much -desired Eagles Nest hammock. These products were sold to us at a discounted price by the on-site BSA Trading Post. Third, we procured $20 gift cards (funded at a slight discount from face value) to the on-site BSA Trading Post and gave one of these to each first year seasonal staff member and two to each second year seasonal staff member who worked through the entire summer season. Using their 25% staff discount, they were able to leverage these cards to purchase whatever BSA or Summit product was of the most interest to them as the summer came to a close. Fourth, we asked and Summit Group Director (and SBRSA Life Member) Dan McCarthy agreed to gift one of the leftover Jamboree duffel bags to each of our second year seasonal staff area managers. This was done in the name of the SBRSA. Thank you Dan for making this special gift possible. Fifth, we conducted three seasonal staff sign-up nights during July and as a result, we added 54 seasonal memberships and 2 new LIFE members to our roster. Each of these new seasonal staff members were given a special gift (SBRSA branded Nalgene water bottle) as a thank you for their support. So what s in store for next year and beyond? Ultimately that s up to our EXCOM to decide but I will be recommending a number of things for their consideration, including: -Continued support of our seasonal staff by funding some enhancements to their living area in Base Camp ECHO -A special reception for SBRSA members who attend the 2016 BSA National Annual Meeting in San Diego next May -A special weekend gathering of SBRSA members at the site in summer 2016 for fun and fellowship -Possible mutual events with the Philmont, Northern Tier and Florida Seabase staff/alumni associations -Offering a variety of SBRSA branded items for sale to our membership -Consideration of starting a scholarship assistance fund to reward our most valued seasonal staff members. -Special recognition for SBRSA members who sign up to work at the 2017 National Jamboree and recruit a new volunteer (or two or three) to join them - And whatever other great ideas that you share with us.. me at smart@splat2017.net Let me close with a special shout-out to Jillian Infusino and her committee for assembling this first e-newsletter and to Phillip Ferrier, Danny Bell, and Matt Cree who so ably represented SBRSA to our seasonal staff this summer. I look forward to seeing us accomplish great things together as part of SBRSA!

3 Staff Association Page 3 Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association Executive Committee Members A very big THANK YOU goes out to all of our members for participating in the first -ever Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association election this past May to elect our four Regional Representatives. The four Regional Representatives will serve a term of 3 years, while the Seasonal Staff Representative will serve a term of 1 year. More information about elections and term limits of the SBRSA Executive Committee can be found in our official charter at WHO ARE WE? President Russell Smart Russell has been a Scouting volunteer in Blue Ridge Council, Greenville SC since Like most volunteers, he has served in many different roles including Scoutmaster, Venturing Advisor, Commissioner, Wood Badge Course Director, and Council President. He was chairman of the task force which developed the national scouting program in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). He currently serves as National Program Chairman for the 2017 National Jamboree at the Summit and he is also the Vice Chairman for Technology on the Summit Bechtel Reserve National Committee. Russell is a Life Member of the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association. He is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and OA Distinguished Service Awards.

4 Page 4 Volume 1, Issue 1 N O R T H E A S T R E G I O N R E P R E S E N TA T I V E P E T E M Y E R S Dr. Pete Myers is an active Scouter dating back to his time as a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Explorer. He is an Eagle Scout and recipient of the District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver Award. Dr. Myers is a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow. He has attended 7 Jamborees in total, the first being in He also serves as a camp commissioner and district program chair. He was also able to share Scouting with his son, who is also an Eagle Scout. Outside of Scouting, he served in the Naval Dental Corps for over 22 years and now assists at the Dental Hygiene School. His key priority in life is to give back to the community and mentor new generations. S O U T H E R N R E G I O N R E P R E S E N TA T I V E M A R K H A R R I S Mark has spent his entire Scouting career, starting at age 12, in the Atlanta Area Council, Atlanta, GA. He is an Eagle Scout and is a Life Member of the National Eagle Scout Association. Like many volunteers, he has served in numerous Scouting roles; he is currently serving as a Troop Committee member, Venturing Crew Committee member, Assistant District Commissioner, District member-at-large, and OA Associate Advisor for both his Chapter and Lodge. Mark is a Vigil Honor OA member and recipient of the Founder s Award. He is also a recipient of the Silver Beaver and District Award of Merit and is both Woodbadge and Powder Horn trained. He has served on staff for 4 National Jamborees and 12 National Order of the Arrow Conferences, along with the ArrowCorps5 and SummitCorps National OA projects. C E N T R A L R E G I O N R E P R E S E N TA T I V E B OB F I S H Bob s passion is training, and he serves the BSA in the Central Region Area 4 as Wilderness and Remote First Aid Area Advocate/Subject Matter Expert, and he is a Dean for The University of Scouting as well as a thesis counselor and instructor for The College of Commissioner Science, where he holds a Doctorate. Bob is one of the moderators for the National Commissioner Facebook Group and is an Assistant Council Commissioner for the Great Trail Council as well as its Philmont Ambassador. Outside of Scouting, he volunteers for the American Red Cross and for his synagogue. Among other honors, Bob was most humbled to be awarded the Shofar Jewish Adult Religious Award, Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award, District Award of Merit, and the Silver Beaver.

5 Page 5 W E S T E R N R E G I O N R E P R E S E N TA T I V E J I L L I A N I N F U S I N O Jillian has been involved in Scouting for over 10 years, including a few years as a Cub Scout Sister before officially joining Venturing 7 years ago. She credits the 2011 World Scout Jamboree in Sweden as being the event that made her fall in love with Scouting and the Jamboree model. Jillian will once again staff the National Scout Jamboree when she serves on the Wheels program team in Jillian has served in numerous positions throughout the Venturing Officers Association and is now an Associate Advisor for her Crew as well as a member of the National Venturing Design & Development Committee. She has earned her Venturing Silver Award and is a recipient of the Council, Area, Region, and National Venturing Leadership Awards. S U M M I T C O M M I T T E E R E P R E S E N TA T I V E G A R Y S C H R O E D E R Gary is a Scouting volunteer in the Chester County Council, West Chester, Pennsylvania. He has served in a variety of Scouting volunteer roles including Tiger Coordinator, Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor, JLT Course Director, Wood Badge Course Director, and Council President. Gary is one of the founders of the NYLT Leadership Academy and currently serves as its National Chair. He serves in the Northeast Region as Vice President of Marketing. He is currently Program Chair on the Summit Bechtel Reserve National Committee and is the Adventure Program Chairman for the 2017 National Jamboree. Gary is a Life Member of the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff association. He is recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, and the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. S E A S O N A L S TA F F R E P R E S E N TA T I V E M A T T H E W C R E E Matthew served his country as a United States Marine with three tours of duty in Iraq. Upon returning home with an Honorable Discharge, he embarked on a journey of hiking the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia as a through -hiker in After completing his trek, he enrolled at West Virginia University and obtained a Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree in While at WVU, he was active on his school s rugby team. He has brought a plethora of outdoor experience in many disciplines to the Summit. Serving as a second -year Manager in the Shooting Sports program,he has taken on the responsibilities as the Rifle, Pistol Manager as well as supervising the first Survival School program. In the future, he looks forward to a career in Scouting.

6 Page 6 H I S TORY OF T HE SBRSA Volume 1, Issue 1 Thanks to your tremendous response and support, the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association (SBRSA) is off to a fabulous start. I think it appropriate in this first newsletter to document how the SBRSA came into existence and to acknowledge and thank those individuals who played a part in that process. Although Jack Furst, Dan McCarthy, and I had been talking about a staff association for SBR since the early days of the project, it was just over one year ago that a small group of us (SBR Group Director Dan McCarthy, BSA legal counsel Steve McGowan, Gary Schroeder, and myself) put together the official documents and an initial proposal for our Association and presented them for consideration to the Executive Board of the BSA. On October 15, 2014, the Executive Board passed a Resolution establishing our Charter to exist as an official part of the Boy Scouts of America, which was signed by Chief Scout Executive Wayne Brock. This charter established SBRSA s accountability to the Summit Committee, a support committee of the BSA National Adventures Committee. On December 4, 2014, the Summit Committee established a set of Operating Guidelines for the SBRSA and also approved a group of volunteers (Kay Trick, Jillian Infusino, Sarah Mittrucker, Andrew Miller, Gary Schroeder, and myself) plus SBR professional staff member Danny Bell to serve as the official organizing committee for the SBRSA. In less than a month during the busy holiday season, this dedicated group approved an official logo, developed detailed membership guidelines, plus established a website and Facebook page and Twitter feed to spread the word about the SBRSA to our BSA membership. (Looking back at my records, there are dozens of s dated either December 30 or 31 as we ironed out the last -minute details before the proposed January 5 th launch date.) At 12:01 PM on January 5, 2015 (following several days of teasers on Facebook and Twitter), we opened an online registration system which was developed in less than 7 days by BSA professionals Lonnah Curry and Marty Teare working with our organizing committee and SBR Controller Amy Grace. At 4:30 PM, Lonnah Curry sent me a recap of the first few hours of activity and we had already processed 121 applications. By late January, that number had grown to well over 300. Our professional staff representative Danny Bell worked long hours checking the applications to make sure that everyone met the approved standards for SBRSA membership and received an acknowledgement of their membership status. On the evening of January 28, Gary Schroeder and I participated in a 90 minute conference call with Philmont Staff Association (PSA) Executive Director Randy Saunders, PSA President John Murphy and former PSA Presidents Jim Lynch and Ed Pease. These amazing guys shared freely with us the good, the bad, and the ugly as well as the outstanding historical accomplishments of the PSA during its long history. Their information and suggestions gave Gary and me guidance and ideas on how to keep SBRSA focused on its mission. As a part of the discussion, the PSA agreed to co-host a reception with the SBRSA at the BSA s 2015 National Annual Meeting in Atlanta. (Photo below)

7 Page 7 In March, SBR professional employee Phillip Ferrier was appointed by Dan McCarthy to be our first official professional staff advisor. Danny Bell continued to assist us with membership approvals while doing his primary job as Marketing Director for SBR BSA Programs. In early April, with over 440 members now registered, we posted an invitation for candidates for the four regional representatives for the SBRSA Executive Committee (EXCOM). After reviewing the applications, the organizing committee selected three candidates from each region and submitted the names to the membership in an online balloting process, which began in early May. Three regions required a run-off election and at the Summit Committee meeting on May 19, 2015, the following persons were certified as the inaugural members of the SBRSA Executive Committee: President Russell Smart (appointed by Summit Committee Chairman Jack Furst) Summit Committee Representative Gary Schroeder Northeast Region Representative Pete Myers Central Region Representative Robert Fish Southern Region Representative Mark Harris Western Region Representative Jillian Infusino SBR Professional Staff Advisor Phillip Ferrier (appointed by Summit Group Director Dan McCarthy) Ex Officio Member Jack Furst, Chairman of the Summit Committee Several days later, the 2015 seasonal staff at SBR elected second -year- staffer Matt Cree to serve as their representative on the SBRSA EXCOM for Also during that meeting, the Summit Committee approved the expenditure of SBRSA funds by the EXCOM to provide an appropriate form of recognition for the 2015 seasonal staff. The details of what was done can be found in the opening article of this newsletter. The regional representative candidates who were not elected were subsequently asked by the President to serve as at-large members of one or more of the SBRSA Standing Committees. A conference call was held on June 2, 2015 among the EXCOM and provisional committee members to begin official operations and make plans for the next year. Here is the current roster of committee chairs and members appointed and approved during that conference call: Membership Chairperson Jillian Infusino, Gary Williams, Matt Cree Service Chairperson Bob Fish, Bob Cunniff, Sherri Moravec, Matt Cree Finance Chairperson Phillip Ferrier, Perry Ives, Jacques Behar Administration Chairperson Gary Schroeder, Bob Cunniff, Sherri Moravec Development Chairpersons Mark Harris & Pete Myers, Perry Ives, Gary Williams, David Ramirez Also approved during the conference call was a proposal to partner with the Scouting Alumni Association (SAA) and offer ALL SBRSA members a free basic level membership in SAA. This was heartily endorsed by SAA and has since been accomplished. At the time of the conference call, the following statistics were reported by Phillip Ferrier: Total membership = 488 (200 life members). Total fund balance = $78,415. Revenues of $81,350 with expenses of $2,935 (primarily credit card processing charges and the first order of member patches). The minutes of future EXCOM meetings and the SBRSA newsletters will document our subsequent history, and now this part of our history has been recorded as well. Thanks to each of you who have been a part of our formation and especially to those mentioned above who played a leadership role in this first year. May our Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association have a long and productive life as we seek to make the Summit an even better National High Adventure Base of the Boy Scouts of America.

8 Page 8 Volume 1, Issue 1 T HE SUMMIT HOSTS VETERANS On July 18th, members of the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Wounded Warrior Project participated in the first -ever Veterans Appreciation Day at the Summit. Members of the Boy Scouts of America as well as the West Virginia National Guard were also in attendance to participate in various activities with the Veterans. The participants (which also included the Veterans families) were able to go fishing, participate in shooting sports, take a ride on the canopy tours, kayak, and ride the ziplines! We hope to see you at the next Veterans Appreciation Day in June 2016!

9 Page 9 LI V E SCOUTING S ADV E NTURE 2017 NAT I O NAL JAMBOREE The 2017 Jamboree adventure staff leadership met in July at the Summit to begin planning and staff recruiting. Gary Schroeder, Adventure Staff Director, advised the leadership that we will be recruiting over 2000 staff for the adventure programs. This is more than double the 800 who worked the 2013 Jamboree. This larger staff will insure all have time off to fully experience the Jamboree. The dedication and sacrifice made by the 2013 staff was a firsthand example of Scout Sprit, and most appreciated. To be sure there will be a better staff experience the staff was increased and buses added for the longer areas. Each team leader was advised to begin recruiting to insure full staffing. This early effort includes the launch of a Facebook Page: "BSA Jamboree Adventure Staff". The page had over 200 likes on just a few days. Videos were shot in January with many of the leaders and Summit Summer Staff so that those joining would have an idea of who they would be working with and what to expect. A new video is posted every few weeks. Serving as staff at a Jamboree is a privilege and a service opportunity at the same time. The jamboree site bsajamboree.org is ready for registrations and a marketing campaign will begin in the early fall to seek staff. The adventure leadership team recommends those who want to serve in a particular area, or want to go as a group, sign up early. J A MES C. JUSTICE SCOUT CAMP OPENS! On June 21 st 2015, the James C. Justice National Scout Camp started its first week of operation. Troop 510 from Bowling Green, Kentucky scheduled an early arrival to get a jump on their week and became the first troop to take advantage of the new National Scout Camp (see them pictured with the Justice Scout Camp staff). The Scout Camp program is intended for registered Venturers or Boy Scouts who have earned the first class rank and have spent two seasons at their council camp. Here at The Summit they can take advantage of adventure activities, relevant training, and advancement opportunities lead by qualified adult instructors. The intent is to support a troop in its year-round program, build a stronger passion for Scouting, and bring back excellent leadership skills. While attendance is still low this first year, there has been no shortage of fun and fellowship. The biggest hits so far have been the Appalachian Celebration, which includes a live bluegrass band and coal-country themed games, and the Summit Center Relay, where 5-6 representatives from a unit race through Summit Center events like BMX, tomahawk throwing, zip-lining, and paddling. Please help us spread the word so that next year we can continue to build a stronger Scouting family and take advantage of YOUR National Scout Camp!

10 Page 10 Volume 1, Issue 1 S U MMIT OPERATIONS CENTER (SOC) The SOC supports The Summit by observing the weather and managing on-site emergencies. When it comes to weather, we are constantly monitoring the heat index, wind speeds, and, most importantly, the lightning strikes. We use an application called WeatherBug to monitor the lightning strikes in the area, showing us all strikes within the last thirty minutes in a given area. As we observe these strikes, we broadcast, via our "Big Voice" and radio, the necessary procedures Summit participants and staff need to follow to ensure their safety. For on-site emergencies, we immediately contact and dispatch EMS if it is necessary. Interacting with local EMTs has taught me and our whole team the importance of radio etiquette, being short and concise while speaking on the radio, and being able to recognize how crucial time is, especially when transporting someone offsite. The SOC is a 24/7 operation, so it is necessary to be on the same page with the EMT's. Outside of the weather and emergency issues we dealt with, the SOC team s major goal was to update its manuals, procedures, and protocols to be more user-friendly. Given the young age of The Summit, these materials were extremely by-the-book and somewhat hard to comprehend when time was of the essence. Wasted time in emergencies is never a good thing, so our team of five SOC members put together a "SOC guide" that encompassed four main aspects: using the radio, using the computer systems, the geography of The Summit and its surrounding areas, and protocols for every potential emergency situation. These protocols were based off of the manual from the National Scout Jamboree, though everything was made more simple and user-friendly without skipping over any steps. This SOC guide will lay a baseline and guideline for future SOC teams, giving them a better idea of the operations and what they would be dealing with starting from day one. Submitted by Ben Paddock (center of photo)

11 Page 11 Shooting Sports The Shooting Sports Program at the Summit Bechtel Reserve is one of the premier programs and facilities in the world. One critical component to the continued success of the program is the dedicated and well-trained staff. The day starts with the range set up and basic equipment check. These tasks are not easy, given the size of the facility. On any given day, there are multiple shooting ranges being run at the same time to provide program for the Scouts. The staff sets up multiple ranges each day and makes sure that each range has the proper equipment necessary. The instruction process begins prior to the arrival of the participants. All instructors must complete a rigorous training regime. Once completed, the candidates will be certified National Rifle Association (NRA) rifle, pistol, and shotgun instructors. Once certified, the real work begins. Each day, multiple participants are run through various shooting programs. Each discipline has various fundamentals taught in order to correctly and, most importantly, safely conduct shooting activities. Shotgun and pistol require a one-to-one ratio of instructor and participant. This ensures that no improper safety violations occur and facilitates a more personal teaching process. Working in shooting sports is very much like walking on a tight rope; one must have complete confidence in their abilities and cannot allow even one accident to occur due to the potential ramifications.

12 SBRSA Social Media S TA FF ADVISOR S M ESSAG E Like our Facebook page: SBR Staff Association Follow us on Follow us on Welcome. everyone, to the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association! This is an exciting time for The Summit and for all of Scouting. My name is Phillip Ferrier and, in addition to being the Director of the James C. Justice National Scout Camp, I have the wonderful opportunity to serve as your Staff Advisor on the SBR Staff Association s Executive Committee. I have been working at a Scout Camp of some kind every summer since I was 13 years old. In 2002, I became a Counselor in Training at Camp Tapico in Kalkaska, Michigan and never looked back. I continued to serve there until 2012, when I became Program Director. I earned my Eagle Rank and Vigil Honor membership in the Order of the Arrow in 2005 while serving as Lodge Chief of Cuwe Lodge in Flint, Michigan. Since then, I have also been the Sailing Commissioner at Florida National High Adventure Sea Base and Climbing Director here at The Summit Bechtel Reserve. I am a passionate outdoor enthusiast and love to spend any spare time rock climbing, sailing, or traveling. I enjoyed working seasonal jobs in various parts of the country including Florida, New York, Wyoming, Michigan, and West Virginia. This February, I traded in my seasonal travels for a full-time job with the National Office of the BSA at The Summit. So far it has been hard work, but a lot of fun. As a long -time camp staff member, I very much look forward to working with the Staff Association. I have seen the benefits such organizations have made for the staff of other BSA facilities. As Staff Advisor, I am the professional representative to the committee and serve as a non-voting secretary/treasurer. As you can imagine, I am quite busy in the summer running our National Scout Camp, but I am available year-round to serve the Staff Association. I can t wait to work with all of you to support this amazing facility and its staff!