From Rich Good, Interim Scout Executive
The Mount Baker Council, Scouting America is pleased to announce two new members of staff, Nikki McLendon and Drew Shephard. Nikki will be serving as Council Registrar and has been diligently working with Susan McCaughan to learn the ins-and-outs of the system and the intricacies of registration and advancement. Drew will be joining as the Salish Sea District Executive
Nikki McLendon is the mother of 3 Scouts – 2 Cub Scouts and 1 in Scouts BSA – and has been involved in Scouting for several years. She volunteers at the unit level and knows how important the program is to the youth of our community. Outside of Scouting, Nikki has decades of experience as an administrator and is excited to put this knowledge to use as she gets to know the parents and Scout leaders of the Mount Baker Council. Nikki is looking forward to working with you to answer any questions you may have about registration or our Scholarship Fund.
Drew Shepherd’s involvement in Scouting began at the age of six as a Cub Scout and has continued to be
a defining part of his life. He has earned the Eagle Scout rank and been inducted as a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow. Drew holds a degree in Business and Sustainability from Western Washington University. Outside of Scouting, he enjoys attending local baseball games and organizing board game nights with friends. He is excited to continue to give back to the Scouting community and looks forward to collaborating with everyone.
With Drew’s incorporation into the team we now have three District professionals covering the Council and focusing on unit and Council success. Nick Fortner is the District Executive covering the North Cascades District, Drew will be covering Salish Sea District, and both will report to District Director Andy Manson who will be taking charge of the Pilchuck District.
Welcome Nikki and Drew to the team!
We have heard there is some confusion regarding the closing of the Council Service Center in Everett. Below is the latest information.
Thank you for your patience during this time of transition.
The Mount Baker Council, Scouting America announces the retirement of long-time Council registrar, Susan McCaughan, effective February 28, 2025. Susan has been an invaluable asset to the Council for over 17 years. Best known as the Council Registrar, Susan is the go-to person for registration and unit questions. Susan’s knowledge and willingness to help will be missed.
In addition to her job as registrar, Susan is the mother of two Eagle Scouts and the wife of well-known volunteer Bob McCaughan. Susan can often be seen volunteering outside of her registrar duties, especially at Fire Mountain Scout Camp and with Scouts BSA Troop 288 in Snohomish. Her smile and never-ending energy are Susan’s trademarks, in both her position as registrar and as a volunteer.
Well-wishers are welcome to join us at Fire Mountain on Sunday, February 16th from 12:30pm to 3:00pm for a retirement gathering. You can also stop by the Council office before February 13th to congratulate Susan on her retirement. The Mount Baker Council wishes Susan all the best as she enjoys the retirement lifestyle.
Dear Scouting families and supporters,
As part of the conditions to the National lawsuit, the Mount Baker Council agreed to sell our Council office located in Everett, WA, and use the proceeds to fulfill our settlement commitments.
After careful negotiations, we are announcing that the Everett Service Center has been sold, and we will be relocating our operations. This is an exciting, yet scary, time and we expect there to be many questions. Here is what you can expect:
Council staff will operate virtually, and the Trading Post will remain online-only for an indefinite period as we carefully explore the best options to meet the needs of our volunteers, and Scouting families.
The Council Site Selection Committee has been diligently researching locations and operational needs to ensure a fiscally responsible choice. Our goal is to identify the best long-term solution to serve current and future Scouting families. For now, transitioning to virtual operations and leveraging online resources is the most prudent path forward.
Your patience and support during this transition is appreciated. As always, the Council values your feedback. We understand that changes like this might feel overwhelming and are dedicated to doing our best to make the transition and subsequent “normal operations” as seamless as possible.
This transition is an exciting opportunity for the Council to evaluate our current processes and look into the systems, location, and services that will most benefit the current and future Scouting Community across the Council. Thank you for joining us as we embark on this next phase of an amazing Scouting adventure.
The Mount Baker Council is proud to announce that long-time Council staff member, Brian Lenhart, has accepted a District Director role with the Northern Lights Council, headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, starting January 15th, 2025. We are excited for Brian’s new opportunity to support the Scouts and volunteers around the Minot, North Dakota area and will miss his dedication, Scouting knowledge, and his leadership.
Brian Lenhart is originally from Cleveland Ohio but has also lived in Maryland, New Jersey, Chicago Illinois, Bozeman Montana, and Seattle Washington. Brian achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in August of 1988. Brian is a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow and James E West Fellow.
Brian attended Montana State University – Bozeman, majoring in both History and Secondary Education with a minor in Remedial Reading. Brian moved to the Seattle area and was recruited as an Exploring and Venturing Executive for Chief Seattle Council in January of 2000. At Chief Seattle, Brian served in three different districts from 2000-2007 as Exploring Executive, District Executive, Sr. District Executive, and later as Council Activities Director from 2007- June 2009. In 2010 he joined the Mount Baker Council as District Director, serving all of Snohomish County Washington.
Besides his work as a professional scouter, Brian has served as a Den Leader and then the Committee Chair for Cub Scout pack 121 in Everett WA, with 40 active Cub Scouts, 14 in his sons Den. Later Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 18, and finally Committee Member for Sea Scout Ship 90, Everett, WA. Brian has a son, Christopher, who is also an Eagle Scout.
Please join us in congratulating Brian on his new opportunity and thanking him for his service to the Mount Baker Council and the Scouts we serve. We will miss having his support of Scouting in our communities.
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On behalf of the Mount Baker Council, I would like to congratulate Kevin Nichols on his selection as the new Scout Executive of the Connecticut Yankee Council, headquartered Milford, CT. Kevin has successfully served as our Scout Executive since February 1, 2018. We thank Kevin for his leadership of our staff and the day-to-day operations to help deliver the mission of Scouting in our communities. During his tenure, your Executive Board, dedicated volunteers, and our generous supporters have strengthened our Council, positioned us for future growth, and delivered the mission of Scouting for many outstanding young people. Kevin began his Scouting career in 1988 as a District Executive at the Prairie Council in Galesburg, Illinois. After serving several roles in multiple councils, Kevin was selected in 2006 as Scout Executive for the Voyageurs Area Council in Hermantown, Minnesota. He moved on to the Scout Executive roles in the Yankee Clipper Council in Haverhill, Massachusetts and the Scout Executive of the President Ford Field Service Council in Grand Rapids, Michigan before our Executive Board hired him to help lead the Council staff here. The Connecticut Yankee Council will be Kevin’s fifth Scout Executive position. Kevin is a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow, earned his Wood Badge beads, received the Lamb Award for his service to his church, and is a James West Fellow. Kevin and his wife, Karen, have four children and two grandchildren. Three of their sons are Eagle Scouts. I have personally benefited from Kevin’s leadership and enjoyed his good humor, positive attitude, and dedication to our Council and the youth we serve. I know that his new assignment will present new challenges and that the Connecticut Yankee Council will be in good hands. Please join me in thanking Kevin for his service as our professional team leader. We wish him the best in his new endeavors. Our Council leadership has begun searching for our next Scout Executive and is working with the National Scouting America team on this process. More information will be shared soon. For over a century, the Mount Baker Council and the Scouting America program have been providing youth with a life-changing experience they cannot get anywhere else. It is full of adventure and discovery. Our Council enhances this experience by providing quality program support to our volunteers, inspirational civic service to our local communities, and faithfully guiding our Scouts to become tomorrow’s participating citizens and leaders. Sincerely, |
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Matthew Latimer, Mount Baker Council President |
The new name reflects the continuing efforts to welcome everyone to experience the benefits of Scouting.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 7, 2024 – The Boy Scouts of America today announced that it will be changing its name to Scouting America. This change reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to welcoming every youth in America to experience the benefits of Scouting. The name change will go into effect on February 8, 2025, the organization’s 115th birthday.
This announcement also comes as the organization celebrates the fifth anniversary of welcoming girls into Cub Scouting and Scouts BSA programs. Boy Scouts of America currently serves 176,234 girls and young women across all programs, including more than 6,000 who have earned Eagle Scout status.
For over 100 years, the Mount Baker Council has provided a Scouting experience that enriches the lives of youth. We are proud to offer an inclusive program which provides young people a place to learn, explore, and adventure their way to becoming the community members and leaders of the future.
Scouting America builds on the organization’s 114 years of helping America’s youth. Its ongoing goal is to provide young people with a safe environment where they can learn meaningful life skills and have fun, educational experiences, fostering their growth and future outcomes as leaders, and be prepared for life. At the same time, values instilled by the Scout Oath and Law help prepare young people for lives of purpose and impact.
Serving over 2,900 youth of Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, and San Juan counties, the Mount Baker Council provides year-round opportunities and programs, including Day Camps and community service. Our world-class facility located in Mount Vernon, Fire Mountain Scout Camp, utilizes the beautiful Pacific Northwest to enhance offerings such as Scouts BSA Resident Camp, Camporees, Cub Scout Adventure Day, Haunted Camp, adult training, shooting sports, COPE and climbing, and aquatics programs. In 2023, our Scouts earned more than 4,133 Merit Badges and 100 young men and women earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Over 17,000 hours of local community service were provided in 2023 by Eagle Scout projects.
More than 130 million Americans have been through Scouting programs since its founding in 1910, and currently, more than 1 million youth, including both men and women, are served by 477,000 dedicated adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country. To date, more than 2.75 million youth have earned Scouting’s highest rank of Eagle Scout.
In addition to supporting the nation’s youth, Scouting America will continue to be an important asset to strengthen our communities, having provided more than 7 million hours of volunteer services for community improvement and other projects across the country.
About Scouting America
Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®”
Scouting America welcomes all of America’s youth into its programs. Our goal is to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow with us in a safe environment. More than 130 million Americans have been through our programs since our founding, and currently more than 1 million youth are served by 477,000 dedicated adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country.
To learn more about Scouting America’s mission, visit Scouting.org.
About Boy Scouts of America, Mount Baker Council
Headquartered in Everett, WA, the Mount Baker Council serves a 5-county area sharing the fantastic benefits of Scouting to over 2,900 youth and 2,000 volunteer adults in 2023. The Boy Scouts of America continues to prepare young people for life by providing the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. Learn more about the Mount Baker Council at mountbakerbsa.org.
September 2023
PART-TIME
TRADING POST SALES CLERK
POSITION DESCRIPTION
JOB SUMMARY:
Supervise the daily operation of the Everett trading post by assisting customers in the selection and purchase of merchandise. Assists customers with product information. Maintain inventories, conduct physical inventories, maintain store appearance, stock layout and display and complete day-to-day paperwork. Most of time spent is performing many of the same duties as other nonexempt Sales Associates.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
OTHER RELATED RESPONSIBILITIES:
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:
High school graduate, some college preferred. Three to five years of experience customer service. Strong verbal and presentation communication skills. Ability to relate to a wide variety of personalities. High level of organizational skills is required. A passion to grow the Boy Scouts of America is essential. Have the capability to deal with several working projects at any given time. Set and achieve challenging, aggressive, yet achievable targets for success.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS:
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT USED:
Computer, telephone, cell phone, visual aids and must have valid driver’s license/insurance to operate motor vehicles.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES/MENTAL DEMANDS:
Reaching, Standing, Walking, Lifting, Fingering, Talking, Hearing, Reading, Repetitive Motions, Detailed Work, Record Keeping, Confidentiality, Problem Solving, Language, Stress, Reasoning, Verbal & Written Communication, Public Contact, Multiple Concurrent Tasks, and Constant Interruptions.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
The worker is subject to environmental conditions – inside and outside.
To apply:
Send your resume and cover letter to Gloria Fansler
Wow, summer has really flown by. The last couple of months have been filled with adventure for many Scouts in Mount Baker Council. Not only did we wrap up a successful summer camping season at Fire Mountain Scout Camp, but we had a great troop of young men and women head out to the National Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve. If that wasn’t enough, we even had a handful travel to Korea for the World Scout Jamboree which turned out to be a very memorable experience.
With all of that fun in our recent memories, it’s time to start thinking of rechartering your unit! It’s that time of year when we get the opportunity to share Scouting with our youth for another year.
Luckily the process is largely unchanged from last year. You might have heard of the BSA fee changes that took effect August 1, 2023. Don’t forget to check out the infographic!
The council webpage has all of the info needed to complete this process. https://mountbakerscouting.org/recharter/
It is really important that this process be completed by October 13th. This will help ensure we minimize the impact on our staff and your unit’s program.
The commissioner team is ready to help answer any questions you have. Contact information is available on the website. Please review the instructions and spend a little time preparing to make the experience as easy as can be.
STOP. THINK. CLICK.
Article by: Nick Spencer-Berger
Experts in the fields of child safety, law enforcement, and child psychology have publicly supported the strong awareness, trainings, barriers, and policies the BSA has in place that allow many to consider the organization among the safest places for youth. Dr. Janet Warren—who has spent her career analyzing and profiling sexual offenders and serves as the University of Virginia liaison to the FBI Behavioral Sciences Unit—has professionally evaluated every known record of past abuse in Scouting held by the national organization and publicly reported on the BSA’s records of past abuse. Dr. Warren’s report states plainly and directly that there was simply “no evidence of a cover-up initiated or condoned by BSA National Council.”
The BSA is aware safety is not a static issue and is always looking for ways to improve its youth protection program. Currently, the BSA multi-layered safeguards include the following measures, all of which act as barriers to abuse:
The BSA supports universal measures to keep kids safe and continues to advocate for the creation of a national database to which all youth-serving organizations could contribute and use to screen volunteers.
The BSA also offers a 24/7 Scouts First Helpline (1-844-SCOUTS1) and email contact address ([email protected]) for help reporting suspected abuse or inappropriate behavior. For more information about the BSA’s youth protection policies, please visit Scouting.org/YouthSafety.
