The Silver Beaver Award is the Council level distinguished service award. It is awarded to volunteers who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication and many years of service to both Scouting and their community. The National Council, Boy Scouts of America, presents the Silver Beaver Award upon the nomination of an individual by the Hawk Mountain Council. It is a privilege to honor these Scouters and add their names to the list of men and women who have given dedicated service to the youth of our Council.

The Hawk Moutain Council, BSA Silver Beaver Selection Committee is requesting that Silver Beaver Nomination forms be submitted by November 30, 2019, to the Council Service Center for any worthy candidate.  If you have submitted a nomination form in the past, you are welcome to submit an updated form to be considered again.  You can mail them to Hawk Mountain Council, Attention: Silver Beaver Selection Committee, 5027 Pottsville Pike, Reading, PA 19608.  Or you can email them to Hawk.Mountain@scouting.org or fax them to 610-926-4865.

Please download the form here – Silver Beaver Nomination Form

Q: Why are the fees increasing now?

A: While costs increase every year, the Boy Scouts of America has worked to keep the annual membership fee as low as possible to make Scouting available to as many young people as possible by subsidizing core costs, including liability insurance we must carry to cover all official Scouting activities. As the organization’s financial situation has shifted over the past several months, it is no longer possible to subsidize at the level we have in the past, especially as the cost of insurance has increased dramatically.

Q: Does this apply to youth members and volunteers?

A: Yes, the new fees apply for youth and adult members. Effective January 1, 2020, the new fees are:

-$60 for youth members in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts,
-$36 for youth members in Exploring, and
-$36 for adult members (includes cost of background check and Scouting Magazine)
-$60 for unit charter fees

Q: Is Scouting still a good value?

A: Absolutely! While most extracurricular activities are seasonal, Scouting is a year-round program that remains one of the most valuable investments we can make to support young men and women today so they can become the leaders we will turn to tomorrow. For most of our youth members, the new registration fee amounts to $5 a month, which is an enormous value when you consider that many seasonal extracurricular activities often start at $100 for programs that last a few weeks.

Q: What will the money be used for?

A: Every dollar of membership fees will go to cover the cost of essential services, including liability insurance for members participating in approved Scouting activities, background checks for adult leaders, program development and training resources, continuously updated youth protection and youth safety training, improved IT/digital experiences and services to our councils nationwide.

Q: Is this increase being implemented to cover the cost of the additional background checks?

A: No, the cost of background checks is not the prompting the fee increase.

Q: Why is this being announced now?

A: We recognize the timing of this fee increase creates challenges as units have already begun collecting fees for their 2020 registration renewal process, and we would not make this difficult decision if it were not necessary. Unfortunately, the cost of liability insurance we must carry to cover all Scouting activities has increased dramatically over the past several months, and the organization is no longer able to offset the cost of insurance. We are committed to supporting you through this process and are making necessary adjustments to the online rechartering system to ensure units can carry out the recharter process.

Q: Does this increase cover financial challenges the organization is facing?

A: The increase was prompted because the cost of liability insurance we must carry to cover all Scouting activities has increased dramatically over the past several months, and the organization is no longer able to offset the cost of insurance. The national membership fee also enables us program development and training resources, continuously updated youth protection and youth safety training, improved IT/digital experiences and services to our councils nationwide.

Q: When will this increase take effect?

A: The new membership fees will take effect starting January 1, 2020 for the 2020-21 program year.

Q: Is financial assistance available?

A: We are committed to ensuring that all youth can experience the character-building benefits of Scouting regardless of their financial situation. The Hawk Mountain Council will continue to provide scholarships for youth who cannot afford the membership fee as well as camping cost at HMSR. Additional information will be provided to units during the re-chartering cycle for 2020. In addition to our existing council and unit membership assistance, the BSA has established a national Growing Future Leaders Fund, which is funded entirely through donations, to provide additional financial support to those who need it.

Q: My council charges an insurance fee. Does this change mean that fee is no longer necessary?

A: No, the liability insurance that we need to carry for all Scouting activities at the national level is different from local fees that are collected to address local needs, which can include such as local property and accident insurance, as well as unique local programming costs.

Q: What measures has the national organization taken to offset the financial challenges?

A: In addition to ongoing efforts to streamline and simplify the organization, the national organization has taken a number of steps in addressing its financial challenges, including the recent elimination of more than 35 positions at the National Service Center and ongoing consolidation of departments for the most effective utilization of resources in support of Scouting.

Q: Will the national membership fee continue to increase?

A: Although no decision about future increases have been made, the cost of operating our organization and services increases every year. Should it be necessary to increase fees in the future, the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America has agreed to evaluate the needs and make such decisions, whenever possible, at the National Annual Meeting in May or early in the summer so that they can be announced with as much lead time as possible to allow for councils and units to be able to plan accordingly.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is committed first and foremost to keeping youth safe. Part of that commitment includes continually updating our youth protection policies to help ensure we are always at the forefront of youth safety.

As you know, one of the BSA’s many barriers to abuse is a mandatory criminal background check during the adult volunteer application process. The BSA will now also perform periodic rechecks of criminal backgrounds to support the continued safety of youth in our programs.  Please see these Frequently Asked Questions about the Criminal Background Checks

Please complete the process listed below at your earliest availability to help us continue to provide the safest environment possible for our Scouts and leaders. Please note that these steps must be completed before your 2020 annual registration can be processed.

1. Review the separate disclosure document linked below that is being provided to you separately for your review. It is titled “Background Check Disclosure” and be downloaded here  Background Check Disclosure Revised

2. Once you have reviewed that, print the separate document titled “Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization.” Review the additional disclosures on that form, then complete and sign the Authorization using an ink/wet signature.  Download form here Disclosures & Background Check Authorization Revised

Note: A print signature is required for this document. Electronic signatures will not be accepted unless through a third-party vendor.

3. Turn in the signed “Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization” form promptly to your unit leader or local council service center.  You can email to Hawk.Mountain@scouting.org, fax to 610-926-4965 or mail to 5027 Pottsville Pike, Reading PA 19605.

If you choose to decline the background check, or if you do not complete the Additional Disclosures & Background Check Authorization form and return it to your unit leader or local council service center, your 2020 annual registration will not be processed.

We are truly grateful for your continued commitment to keeping youth safe and for helping them learn, grow, and thrive through Scouting programs.