Heart of Virginia Council, Scouting America

06/05/2026

👀 As seen in the June 5th Friday 5...

Scout Night with the Tri-City Chili Peppers: Saturday, June 27th

Scout Night with the Tri-City Chili Peppers is BACK! Add some fun to your summertime calendar, and come out to Shepherd's Stadium the evening of June 27th to cheer on our friends the Tri-City Chili Peppers as they take on the Greenbrier Knights! See our Scout Night Lineup at https://hovc.org/2026/05/21/2026-scout-night-events/.

Each Friday, we deliver the best Scouting news to more than 7,000 inboxes! Is yours on the list? Visit https://hovc.org/news/ to subscribe and browse the archives.

06/05/2026

👀 As seen in the June 5th Friday 5...

Unit Planning Calendar for 2026–2027

The 2026–2027 Scouting America Unit Planning Calendar is a fantastic tool to help packs and troops map out a strong, organized program year. It provides a month-by-month layout that includes national Scouting observances, holidays, and helpful planning themes that leaders can use to build engaging meetings and activities. This calendar is especially useful during annual program planning conferences, giving leaders a big-picture view while leaving room to add local council, district, and unit events. When used as a foundation for planning, it helps units stay organized, avoid scheduling conflicts, and deliver a well-balanced, adventure-filled year for Scouts and families.

The link has been updated! Visithttps://onscouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Unit-Planning-Calendar-2026-2027.pdf for your calendar.

06/04/2026

SAFE Guarding Youth Training: Have You Completed the Correct Training?

If you have never taken Safeguarding Youth Training (SYT), if your SYT has been expired for 7 days or more, or if you did not successfully pass the SYT Refresher exam on your first attempt, you must take the full Safeguarding Youth Training.

If you have completed the full Safeguarding Youth Training and it is either currently active or has expired within the last 7 days, you are eligible to take the Refresher Course (approximately 20 minutes). If you do not successfully pass the Refresher exam on the first attempt, you must return to complete the full SYT course.

Complete the correct training ASAP at https://my.scouting.org/.

06/04/2026

🏰 Castle Quest Day Campers! We know you've taken some great photos so far this week, and we would love to see them. Please share your favorites in our 2026 Cub Scout Day Camp photo album.

Tap to view!

06/03/2026

🌞 Summer Camp at Cub Adventure Camp

One of the most rewarding and character-building things a family can do together is go camping. Bring your Scout to a session at Cub Adventure Camp this summer. Adventure Camp offers a 4-day, 3-night experience this summer at the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation in Goochland County.

‼️ Registration is now closed for session 1, and registration for session 2 closes this Friday at noon! Don't miss out.

Session 1 (closed): June 12 - June 15
Session 2: June 17 – June 20
Session 3: July 17 – July 20

https://scoutingevent.com/602-2026CubSummerCamp

06/02/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Heart of Virginia Council Recognition Gala as we honored the outstanding volunteers, community leaders, educators, and Scouters whose dedication helps shape the lives of young people across Central Virginia. From Silver Beaver recipients and distinguished commissioners to community partners and faith leaders, the evening was a powerful reminder that Scouting's greatest strength is its people.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and guests whose support made this special event possible. Your investment in Scouting helps provide life-changing adventures, leadership opportunities, and character development for thousands of youth throughout our Council.

Congratulations once again to all of our award recipients, and thank you for your service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the mission of Scouting. We invite you to view and share photos from this memorable evening in the comments below!



📸 The amazing Sarah Roper! Thank you!

06/02/2026

🐟 Free Fishing Days are back! Join in on the fun this weekend, and don't forget to show us the whoppers you catch in the comments. Tight lines, everybody!

06/01/2026

This weekend, Heart of Virginia Council was proud to participate in the ¿Qué Pasa? Festival, a celebration of Hispanic and Latin American culture, community, and connection. The festival, held at the brand new Carmax Park, brought together families from across the Richmond region to share traditions, enjoy live entertainment, discover local organizations, and celebrate the diversity that makes our community stronger.

Our Scouting booth was buzzing with activity as families learned about Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA, explored Pinewood Derby cars, and tested their skills on our archery range. Volunteers had the opportunity to share how Scouting helps young people build confidence, develop leadership skills, make new friends, and experience adventure in the outdoors.

We were also thrilled to welcome some special visitors throughout the day! Nutsy and Nutasha from the Richmond Flying Squirrels and Blaze from the Tri-City Chili Peppers stopped by to join in the fun and even take aim at our archery targets. If you'd like to see them again, be sure to join us for Scout Night with the Tri-City Chili Peppers on June 27 and Scout Night with the Richmond Flying Squirrels on July 24. https://hovc.org/2026/05/21/2026-scout-night-events/

A huge thank you to the organizers, volunteers, and families who made the festival such a memorable event. ¡Gracias! We loved sharing the adventure of Scouting with our community and look forward to welcoming many new families to the Scouting program.



📸 Pablo Ospina (Thank you!!)

06/01/2026

🏰 Summer is here, and we're excited to kick things off with lots of Castle Quest Day Camp fun! Brave Scouts (and their buddies) will enjoy classics like archery and bbs, sports and crafts, nature and STEM, and lots of fishing at Deep Run Park all week long. 👑

We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the many hands who helped us to set up camp this weekend. Council volunteers are the very best. Wishing everyone a truly adventurous week! Don't forget to tag us when you share photos!



📷 Donnie Gladfelter (thank you!)

06/01/2026

👀 As seen in the June 2026 Courier...

Fall Adult Leadership Training: BALOO & IOLS

You're not seeing double! BALOO and IOLS are offered twice this fall. BALOO (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation) is for Cub Scout leaders and IOLS (Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills) is for Scouts BSA leaders. These hands-on courses prepare you to safely lead overnight adventures and deliver unforgettable outdoor programs. Get trained, get outside, and give your Scouts the adventure they deserve! Registration is open now for these events, scheduled for the weekend of October 10th. Visit https://hovc.org/training/ to register for these and other great training opportunities!

Each Friday at noon, we deliver over 7,000 newsletters to inboxes across the country! Are you on the list? If not, visit https://hovc.org/news/ to subscribe and get caught up on the archives.