Arrohattoc District - Heart of Virginia Council

06/16/2026

2026 National Annual Meeting Presentations Now Available Online
https://nam.scouting.org/presentations/
If you missed the 2026 Scouting America National Annual Meeting presentations last month, they are now available for viewing. This is a great opportunity to catch up on key updates, insights, and direction shared during the meeting, especially for leaders, volunteers, and anyone invested in the future of Scouting.

Opening General Session Session slides (PDF) Safeguarding Youth Session slides (PDF) Change the Way We Work Together Session slides (PDF) Make Our Program Highly Relevant Session slides (PDF) Broaden Our Appeal and Revitalize Our Brand Session slides 1 (PDF) Session slides 2 (PDF) Strengthen Our Fin...

06/14/2026

This Flag Day we celebrate 245 years of patriotism under the stars and stripes of the United States flag. The Flag Resolution was passed on June 14th, 1777, officially adopting our flag. June 14th was officially established as Flag Day by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. Today, we also celebrate the United States Army's 247th birthday!

Show us your flags in the comments!!

🇺🇸 Flag Day poster: United States Library of Congress

06/10/2026

📣 Important Membership Renewal Update

Scouting America has announced that the current membership lapse period will be phased out and will end on **December 31, 2026**.

🔹 What Is Changing?

The lapse period has allowed members a short grace period after their renewal date before their membership becomes inactive. As Scouting America moves toward a simpler and more consistent renewal system, this lapse period will gradually be reduced and then eliminated.

📅 Key Dates

✅ Members with an **October 2026** renewal date will be the last to receive the full **two-month lapse period**.

✅ Members with a **November 2026** renewal date will receive a **one-month lapse period**.

✅ Members with a **December 2026** renewal date will receive **no lapse period**.

Beginning in September 2026, new and renewing units will use the standard charter fee plus pro rata fees through February 2028.

📅 Beginning January 1, 2027, members must be current in their registration to maintain active status.

Unit leaders, committee members, and families should begin planning ahead to ensure memberships are renewed on time and there is no interruption in participation, advancement, or registration status.

More information will be shared as Scouting America continues implementing its simplified membership and renewal processes.

06/10/2026

🚒🩹 Calling all Scouts and families! Join Chesterfield County Fire and EMS for Scout Safety Day on Thursday, July 30, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center in Chesterfield. Scouts will have the opportunity to learn about first aid, fire safety, and emergency response while meeting firefighters and paramedics and touring a fire engine and ambulance.

This hands-on experience is a fantastic way to build confidence, learn life-saving skills, and explore the important work of our local first responders. Register today at https://bit.ly/4fZqL58! 🚑⚜️

06/09/2026

Please join us in welcoming Steven “Smitty” Smith of the Heart of Virginia Council as the 2026 Summit Bechtel Reserve NAYLE Session 2 Course Director!

Smitty, as he is known by his scouting family since 1986, is an Eagle Scout, Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow, and a Silver Beaver recipient. He currently serves as the District Training Chair, and CST 15 NYLT CDC Coordinator. He has been a Scoutmaster three times and a Unit Committee Chair five times in four different councils and has started 10 scouting units from packs to posts. He has served in various Unit, District, Council, and Territory positions including Council/District/Lodge Webmaster, District Program Chair, Commissioner, NYLT Staff/Course Director/Mentor/Council Coordinator, Wood Badge Staff, and OA Committee Advisor. Having been involved with Scouting since he was 8, he strives to give back to the organization that continues to give to him, his family, and friends. He and his wife have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. He and both of his sons are proud to be Eagle Scouts. Smitty has quite the collection of board games that he loves playing with friends and family. He also enjoys spending time being a “maker” with his laser engravers and 3D printers. Professionally he is a database architect and has consulted on projects with the largest companies in the world including 20% of the Fortune 100. Smitty has recruited a talented and diverse youth staff for NAYLE Session 2, which will take place July 5-11, 2026. The entire staff looks forward to welcoming exceptional youth leaders to the Summit!

National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE) is a co-ed experiential leadership training course open to registered youth members of the BSA who are at least 14 years old, but not yet 21. Scouts must have completed National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT), have earned at least First Class rank, and have completed ILST. Venturers who have completed ILSC and Sea Scouts who have completed ILSS are also eligible. A thirst for adventure and completion of Scouting America’s Annual Health and Medical Record, Parts A/B/C, are required.
Registration for the two 2026 Summit NAYLE courses is open now! Both courses are filling quickly.
https://www.summitbsa.org/nayle
Course Fee:
• $645 per person
• $250 deposit due at registration, balance due 30 days prior to the course.
Course Location:
Summit Bechtel Reserve
2550 Jack Furst Drive
Glen Jean, WV 25846
For more details, check out NAYLE on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/ScoutingUNAYLE

See YOU, at The Summit!

06/09/2026

Events are subject to change. Check the HOVC calendar for confirmed dates
hƩps://hovc.org/council-calendar/

06/09/2026

🗺️ Scouting America's New Trail Map: What It Means for Scouts BSA

At the 2026 National Annual Meeting, Scouting America introduced its new Trail Map—a strategic plan designed to strengthen the movement and grow membership with a destination of serving 2 million youth.

For Scouts BSA, the focus is clear: create a better experience for Scouts, families, and volunteers by removing barriers, improving support systems, and making it easier to deliver a great program at the unit level.

Some of the priorities highlighted include:

✅ Making volunteering easier and more sustainable for busy adults

✅ Redesigning training and onboarding to better equip leaders for success

✅ Strengthening commissioner support to help units thrive

✅ Improving the first-year experience so new Scouts and families feel welcomed, connected, and excited to stay involved

✅ Expanding partnerships with schools and community organizations to introduce more youth to Scouting

✅ Modernizing technology to simplify processes and reduce administrative burdens on volunteers

The Trail Map is a long-term vision, and many of the initiatives announced at the National Annual Meeting—including renewal simplification, technology modernization, and membership growth efforts—are part of that broader strategy.

We encourage Scouts BSA leaders, volunteers, and parents to review the official Trail Map materials and follow future announcements as additional details are released.

🎥 Watch the Trail Map presentation:
https://vimeo.com/1194134142/f51f9e5136?fl=pl&fe=vl

📄 View the official Trail Map:
https://scouting.webdamdb.com/bp/ #/folder/14650031/

What part of the Trail Map do you believe could have the biggest positive impact on your troop and its Scouts?

06/02/2026

https://www.scouting.org/about/research/eagle-scout-2026
Scouting America Releases New Research on Advantages of Being an Eagle Scout
Thousands of adults were surveyed to study how Eagle Scouts compare to people who have not participated in Scouting.

05/29/2026