Western Region Area 3 Newsletter

July 2018 Table of Contents 1-2. VOA Officers 3-4. VOA Advisors 5. Western Region Orientation 6. MDSC VOA BBQ 7. MDSC Fiesta 8. GEC Scout Expo 9. GEC Shooting Sport event 10-12. VenturingFest Experience 13. Closing Introducing your new Area 3 Officers

Hello, my name is Patrick Jaime, and I am from Crew 317, in the Mount Diablo Silverado Council. I joined Venturing in 2014, because I wanted an additional challenge along with Scouting. I attended National Youth Leadership Training, staffed NYLT, staffed National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience at the , and attended the ’s National Leadership Seminar. Prior to being selected to serve as the Area 3 VOA President, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to serve as Vice President of Program for Mt. Diablo Silverado Council VOA and Area 3 VOA. In the Order of the Arrow, I am a Vigil Honor member of Ut-In Selica Lodge, and I have served as Wek-Wek Apanuc Chapter Chief, Lodge Vice Chief of Administration and Program. Additionally, I am an Eagle Scout with 120 merit badges, 19 Eagle Palms, Venturing recipient, and a Council & Area Venturing Leadership Award Recipient.

Goals for VOA: Some of my goals for the upcoming term include developing strategies to retain and increase Venturing membership within Area 3, maintaining constant communication with the Council VOAs, and working with the Council VOAs to promote Venturing to those outside the program. Eduardo San Miguel is a member of the located in Foster City, California. Eduardo started scouting as a cub scout making it up to Webelos 1 with Pack 355 in Millbrae, California. Eduardo then took a hiatus from Scouting throughout middle school and returned to Scouting freshman year after being introduced to Venturing by some friends. Eduardo had been interested in re-joining Scouting and after attending a Crew meeting, he joined Crew 420 in San Mateo in 2014. However Eduardo didn't completely fall in love with Venturing until he attended Area 3's BLAST in 2015, where he met and interacted with other Venturers. That same year, Eduardo served as his Crew's Vice President of Administration and then the following year, he served as Co- President. As Co-President, Eduardo sought to improve his leadership skills seeking out training by attending Pacific Skyline Council's National Youth Leadership Training 2016 course. Eduardo learned how to work with and guide a team along with the importance of goal setting and having a vision. The following year, Eduardo was invited to return as a staff member, working as a Troop Guide. This year, Eduardo has returned again on staff, serving as ASPL of Service for the 2018 course. Eduardo is currently attending the College of San Mateo majoring in Business Management. Katelynn Fichou lives in Menlo Park California and is currently a senior in high school at Menlo Atherton. She been apart of scouting for as long as she can remember, tagging along with her older brother’s cub scout and boy scout events and meetings and is also a Girl Scout. Over the past 12 years in Girl Scouts, Katelynn has been able to achieve earning both her Bronze and Silver Awards and is currently working towards completing her Gold Award. . Katelynn first joined Venturing right after she finished 8th grade so that she would be able to take part in a trip to Northern Tier. On the trip she had, the greatest time of her life and highly highly recommend it to anyone. She learned so many things on and planning for that trip and she created so many memories with her friends that she will cherish for the rest of her life. For Katelynn, swimming is a huge part of her life like Scouting. She has been an avid swimmer since she first learned to swim at six months old. She currently competes on a team called SOLO and work to perfect her stroke of fly. She plans on continuing to swim as she progresses through college and on to the rest of her life. After her senior year in high school, Katelynn plans on attending a four year college and studying biomedical sciences in order to become a biomedical engineer.

Sheccid Donatt, 18, is a Senior of Early College High School from Fairfield, CA. Sheccid has been involved in Scouting for 3 years. She is currently President of Crew 8100, Fairfield, for 2 years, and Secretary for 6 months before that. She was President of the Mount Diablo Silverado Council Venturing Officers association for 1 ½ years. Sheccid was also Den Chief for Pack 8100 in Fairfield, CA. She has taught the Venturing Leader Specific Training course two years in a row at her Council's Leader Education and Discovery (LEAD or University of Scouting). She is a Council Venturing Leadership Award (VLA) recipient and current holds a Discovery Award. She plans on attending Solano Community College for one year and transferring to UC Davis for a major in Sociology where she wants to be a college professor. Sheccid considers scouting the best thing she has ever joined and plans to continue in Scouting her entire life. She will be your next Western Region, Area 3 VOA Vice President of Communication! Introducing your new Area 3 Advisors Hi my name is Cindy Vander Ploeg and I am the Area 3 Venturing Officers Association Advisor. I am from the Greater Yosemite Council. I have been on this wild venturing ride since 2004 when I joined Crew 515 in Tracy. That was non-stop fun and I have so many memories from the crew. Good times! I was also involved in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts with my sons. I was the Venturing Officers Association (VOA) advisor for Greater Yosemite council and joined the Area VOA 5 years ago. I am on the Venturing training team for the council and have supported NYLT and several Wood Badge courses. Needless to say, once you get the scouting 'bug' you continue scouting even when your sons have aged out. Only an hour a week!! I was not in scouting as a youth so I am making up for it now!! My goal for this term is to support Patrick and his officers with their area goals as best I can. I would also like to work with and support the council VOA advisors. Let's increase the visibility of Venturing and Lead this AWESOME Adventure!! Best TV show ever made? Great question!! Most ask for favorite movie or sitcom. I would have to go with a game show and say Jeopardy. We love watching the show every night. Alex has been hosting this show for a long time!! I look forward to seeing the Adventure that this Area VOA will lead us on!!

My name is Laura Shioli. I’m from the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council. I am the new Area 3 Advisor for Program. My goals for the Area 3 VOA is support our youth as they put together fun, adventurous and meaningful programs for our Venturers in the area, that will support our councils and help grow interest and participation in the Venturing program. This is a challenging time with many changes for BSA and there are opportunities for the Venturing program due to these changes. My experience in Scouting Includes serving as a Troop Leader for my daughter’s Girl Scout troop for 10 years, as well as coordinating training opportunities for my son’s unit, Boy Scout Troop 264, in San Jose from 2012 to 2014. I joined Venturing in 2014 and have served as Associate Advisor and Advisor for Crew 233 in San Jose. I also served 3 terms as theVOA Advisor from 2015 through 2017, and helped plan University of Scouting for SVMBC as the Dean of Venturing for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Best TV Show Ever Made is Avatar: The Last Airbender Thank you for this opportunity to serve the Venturing program. Hello, my name is Marcia Molina. I am the Communications Advisor for the Area 3 Venturing Officers' Association. I have been serving the Area for over three terms now. I am honored to work with amazing youth and adult leaders. My goal every year is to mentor and guide the Communications VP so that he or she can provide up- . to-date and timely information to all Venturers in our Area.

I have been in Scouting for over 10 years. I am also the :�Advisor for Crew 48 in Pittsburg. Crew 48 is about to lembark on their SuperActivity in a few weeks; an Oregon ··1road trip that will take us_ to Crater Lake, Mt. Hood, c, _ ¾-,i�Portland, Tillamook and finally, the Oregon Coast. . \� 1"'0 .• ,.'c'. '!',My favorite show of all time is This is Us. I love the strong fl family bond and the love they have for one another. It is:inspirational the way the Pearson Family, especially the "Big Three", face real-life issues, challenges and heartaches together. I can't wait for the next season to start.

Hello, My name is Jahna Carlson and I will be your Area 3 Administartion Advisor!

I am from the Sacramento area. I look forward to helping the VOA reach their individual goals! Our VP of Communications believes my favorite TV show should be Criminal Minds! Western Region Area 3 Venturing Officers’ Association invites you to our Orientation, July 22, 2018 from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Mt. Diablo Silverado Council Office @ 800 Ellinwood Way. Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.

Open to all Council VOA Presidents & Officers! Learn how Area 3 VOA operates and communicates with the Council VOA’s. We will also have a detailed presentation of the recommended Council VOA’s Standard Operating Procedure and Mode of Operations. This includes: basic Officers’ training, standard Area/Council organizational charts, intro to Journey to Excellence, communication strategies, program planning, membership/logistics analysis, developing your Council VOA Vision & SMART Goals, and much more.

This Orientation will also be in conjunction with the MDSC VOA Barbecue from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm. After the Orientation, participants will be given the opportunity to enjoy some barbecue meat, and other foods.

Note: if you plan on attending the Orientation and the Barbecue, please make sure to bring $10.00 to pay the MDSC VOA for the food. If you or your Officers cannot attend the Orientation, please invite as many of the Venturing Crews from your Council to the barbecue and forward them the info from this email. Also, if you would like to attend the barbecue after the Orientation, please RSVP by emailing the MDSC VOA President Grace Friedmann at: [email protected].

To RSVP for Orientation, please contact: [email protected] Mount Diablo Silverado Council VOA BBQ Mount Diablo Silverado Council Venturing Fiesta

Scout Expo Registration Registration Is Open Remember we are guests of the United States Air Force and their security is pretty tight, so we have to get vital information to them early.

Registration Dates 11

NO firearms are allowed on Beale AFB, even for those who serve in a April 18, 201 8 - Registration Opens law enforcement caJ!acity. No exceJ!tions!

Contact the Scout EXl!O registrar to make a change (add/de lete) to an August 20, 2018 - $5.00 Fee (per person) Increa se existing registration.

September 4, 2018- Registration Closes 11:55 pm Do not register more than one Unit per registration.

How the West is Fun When? Friday, October 19, to Sunday, October 21, 2018

Where? Beale Air Force Base

How Many? 4,000 - 6,000 people Golden Empire Council Shooting Sports Weekend VenturingFest 2018 Experience

We were lucky enough to have our WR Area 3 VOA VP of Communications, Sheccid Donatt, and Area 3 President, Patrick Jamie, attend VenturingFest, at the Bechtel Summit Reserve in West Virginia. Here are their respective experiences. Sheccid's Experience

VenturingFest was an experience of a lifetime. This was the first camp I have ever been to that actually had church services (with an actual priest) for many different religions. The priest for the Catholic service had a beautiful lesson about faith that inspired me to begin attending church again. Then, we headed over to the Opening ceremony. All the people I had only seen on social media and news, like the National President, I actually saw them in person, and, I realized, they are actual people, just like any other Venturer. I suddenly realized that it was possible for any Venturer to accomplish the great things; it made my dreams realistic. There was an extralong conga line that turned every Venturer in that camp from a stranger to family. On Monday, a few of my crew mates and I went over to attempt some Mountain Biking. I have to admit it has been a minute, since I have been on a bike. I was a bit terrified, but that fear was eased when I wiped on a pile of logs and branches. I thought it would hurt, but it was a, not-surprisingly, hard-cushioned fall instead. I had to battle scratches and a huge smile on my face. Then, my sister and I went over to the ropes course. I challenged myself to do everything one handed. I ended up failing at my challenge, but it was still very worth it. The real adventure was Monday night, my first lightning storm! My crew mate and I ended up in a shower house not in our camp. We had a speaker, and we and a few other Venturers, also stuck in the same showerhouse, had a little music jam and jokes session. I have great memories that I will always cherish of Venturers dancing. At this moment, I witnessed the scout spirit and cheerfulness we try to embed in all Venturing youth. On Tuesday, I headed over to rock climbing and decided to take a leap of faith. My favorite part of the experience was when I was struggling to get up a section of rock, and one of the adult volunteers came and guided me to the top. I remember telling him about how I felt like if I let go, I was going to fall, but he reassured me, and told me that my other hand would keep me close to the wall and my legs would hold me up. Little by little, I got up to the top of the wall and felt extremely accomplished! In the evening, we headed over to the dining hall where they held a dance for everyone. It was one of the most liberating feelings ever. I was able to dance with my new friends from Hawaii and Canada. They began Karaoke, and I signed up to sing a Disney song, when I began to sing, scouts took out their Phones and turned on the flashlight on their phone and began swaying back and forth, they sang along with me, and cheered at every high note. I felt so accepted, elated, and just happy. I finished my song, walked down and I was met with a row of “High Fives” and “You were AMAZING”, compliments. A smile was plastered on my face for the rest of the night. My legs were so sore, but I had to keep going. We helped set the dining hall back up, and the staff announced that if we hadn't helped, our 15 minutes of work would’ve been 4 hours of work for them. This moment is when I realized that these scouts were helpful, clean, and friendly. Our crew was also asked to do open and closing flags ceremonies. We were completely happy to help raise flags from our event and those of other countries. On Wednesday, my entire crew hiked up to the “Big Zip” (zipline), and I put on a harness for the third day in a row. When I was released, I put myself into the “cannon ball” position, and I felt like I was FLYING through the wind. The passing wind was whistling, and the view of the trees was breathtaking. In the afternoon, my crew went whitewater rafting. This, by far, was my favorite activity of the entire week! I almost fell out of the raft many times, and every time my heart raced with adventure! It is something I recommend everyone try for themselves, because the rush is difficult to explain. There was a rapid that we were allowed to take on in the water, and only two of us dared to jump in. The water went over our heads and splashed very violently, catching your breath was a game of chance because water kept getting in our noses, but our advisor said, “I wished I could've gotten a video of when your heads popped out of the water because your face was just radiating with joy, and I will never forget the smile you wore.” Then our entire crew was excited to jump and actually swim in the water! The water was completely warm, compared to any body of water on the West Coast. It was the best adventure I have ever had in my entire life. “Lead the Adventure” they said; “It is completely worthwhile,” I said.

At night, one of my best friends and I sat on the dock and watched other Venturers play glow-in-the-dark flag football, from across the lake. The view was this one: glowing colors with sounds of laughter from across the way; they were in between a star-filled sky and a lake that reflected the stars and night colors of the Bechtel Summit Reserve. All this was surrounded by large tree silhouettes that were filled with the little flashes of lighting bugs, which looked like Christmas lights sprinkled on the trees, subtle and beautiful. On Thursday, I woke up for a special breakfast organized for the winners of the “20 Stories for 20 Years” competition. Little did I know I was having breakfast with National Presidents, youth and adults alike, as well as World Scouting representatives, and the Venturing founders; people I am extremely grateful to, for they are the reason I am so happy and content with my life. My crew went around and attended a conservation orientation. There were many stations. We got to see a snake and a treehouse that was 100% environmentally friendly and green. In the evening, I tackled Mountain Biking again, and was able to complete the course without falling. My tire was completely flat. It was a miracle, but the experience was shaking. At night, they had the closing event. There was fantastic music. There was a sad, but grateful, ambiance over the air that VenturingFest was coming to an end. The evening was cut short by a lightning storm and rain, but again we made a great experience out of it. Our crew left in the morning. This was the first time I had ever seen lightning bugs. It was the worst heat and humidity I have ever experienced (a wet bandana around your neck works wonders). There were miles and miles of walking. It was a mile just to get from camp to the dining hall, and that was the closest thing around! However, the experience is one I will never forget. I am definitely going to try to see what other camp I can go to that is outside of my area and gives me the opportunity to meet scouts from all over the world and the country. This was the best week of my life!

Patrick's Experience

On July 1 to July 6, 2018, I embarked on an adventure that, little did I know, would be one of the best High- Adventure experiences in my Scouting and Venturing career! They say, “It’s about the journey, not the destination”. Whilst truer words cannot be said about my experience, I would like to clarify that the destination in this case is actually returning home. For you see, the journey was the VenturingFest Experience at the Summit Bechtel Reserve! The journey started on Sunday, July 1, the day of arrival. When I arrived, I was greeted by an atmosphere that I had greatly underestimated, the hot weather of 95˚F and high humidity. I am from the East Bay Area in where I am used to “balanced” hot and cold weather, with barely any kind of humidity, but this, this was something else. This weather that just so happened to follow everyone the whole week, made travelling around the Summit a great struggle and ordeal for those like me who were not used to this kind of harsh weather. During July 2, 4, and 5, there were moments of hope that came in the form of thunderstorms, gusting winds, and rain. There were also a few air-conditioned buildings, which many people including myself stayed in during the week. Despite the abnormal weather affecting many people, I must admit that it did make this experience much more memorable. Putting the weather aside, this was both my first time at the Summit and VenturingFest. The activities were well-staffed and had many of the materials available courtesy of the Summit’s ample facilities. At the dining hall, for every meal, there was always more than enough food for everyone, with a variety of cold drinks. Of the activities I participated in, my two favorite ones were undoubtedly the “Barrels” and “The Big Zip.” The “Barrels” in summary is a massive shooting range for pistols, rifles, and shotguns. In this range, you don’t shoot a .22 LR for rifles, you shoot a .223 or .308 with a modified scope that can reach targets from extended range. For pistol shooting, you shoot a 9mm handgun and fire at steel targets, not paper ones. Then for shotgun, the clays are thrown via an automated throwing clay system. Now, The Big Zip is another high-adventure activity that deserves all praise and respect. Before you go down the zipline, you must hike a 40 to 45-minute walk up to the designated location. It’s preferred that you go during the morning, when it’s slightly cooler. Once you reach the top, you are greeted by staff, as you wait in line, or not, depending on your luck. The staff then gear you up for the zipline. After receiving your final directions by the instructors, you zip down a ¾ mile long zip line, at speeds of almost 60 mph, whilst experiencing the best outdoor air conditioning all week! Finally, as you zip down all the way to the landing point, you feel the amazing feeling of adrenaline as you have just conquered one of the most exhilarating high- adventure activities at the Summit! Lastly, if there is anything else to take away from this experience, it is having the most fortunate opportunity to share this grand adventure with your fellow Venturers/Scouts. This VenturingFest was especially unique, because Venturers/Scouts from all over the nation came together to celebrate the 20 Years of Venturing! Some notable people that came to celebrate included: – Michael Surbaugh, National Chief of the Order of the Arrow – Anthony Peluso, the six Youth Cabinet Members of the National Venturing Officers’ Association and their Advisors. Having the honor and privilege to meet wonderful people like those mentioned, and the comradery amongst fellow Venturers/Scouts from all over the country made this VenturingFest experience completely worth it!

If you would like to see anything on the newsletter, please email [email protected]

by the 10th of each month. The Newsletter will be posted by the 15th of each month. Feel free to promote your Venturing activities or send your Venturing stories that you would like to share.

Remember:

Lead The Adventure!