Program and activity dates for the 2009-2010 program year have been added to the council's online calendar. Unit leaders are encouraged to share these dates with youth leaders when planning the unit's program calendar.

Anyone who subscribes to the Nashua Valley Council online calendar through Google Calendar should be aware that the calendar address for the calendar has changed. Subscription will need to be updated. To subscribe, add calendar belonging to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to your list of calendars, or use the iCal address:

http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/webmaster%40nashuavalleybsa.org/public/basic.ics

The calendar may be viewed on the council Web site or here.

A limited number of printed calendars will be available shortly through the council office. Please consider the environment before printing this calendar.

In the Fall of 2008 the Boy Scouts America released a new medical form titled "Annual Health and Medical Record." This form is intended to replace the older Class 1, 2, and 3 forms and to standardize the medical records across all activities.

For many years Nashua Valley Council has used a modified version of the BSA Class 3 medical form for our camping programs. The modifications were necessary to ensure that our medical records complied with state regulations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The new form has been reviewed by the Council Health and Safety committee. They have determined that this form does not contain sufficient information to comply with the state regulations. Therefore the modified Class 3 form will remain the required form for all camping programs for the 2009 summer camp season. This form is available for download from the camp Web site. The new BSA forms will not be accepted by the camp health officers.

Modifications to the new BSA form are being reviewed by the Council Health and Safety and Camping committees. It is likely that a modified version of the new form will be adopted for the 2010 summer camp season.

Parents or unit leaders may contact the Council Service center with any additional questions, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

At the end of February, members of the Council Executive Board met with representatives of the Northeast Region, BSA for the annual review of the Council's charter. That review highlighted the strengths of our council, the hard work of our staff and the dedication of our volunteers.

The 2009 Friends of Scouting campaign is now under way. Unit leaders are encouraged to contact your District Executive to schedule a district representitive to visit your troop, pack or crew meeting to discuss Friends of Scouting with your parents.

Friends of Scouting, is the annual fund raising campaign, through which, the Nashua Valley Council raises much of the money necessary to help troops, packs and crews deliver the Scouting program throughout the year. This campaign makes possible many of the services that are offered through our council. It pays for the year-round maintenance and upkeep of our two summer camp facilities and the Council service center in Lancaster. It pays for training programs for our volunteers to make sure that every leader is trained and able to offer a safe, fun program for the boys. It helps defer the costs of some of the fantastic programs like Webelos Woods and Merit Badge College, and helps fund camperships to defer the cost of summer camp.

If you have already scheduled or held your presentation, then we thank you very much for supporting this campaign. If you have an opportunity to schedule a presentation, please contact your District Executive. Our volunteer presenters will be brief, and not take up too much of your time.