Scouting America, Mountaineer Area Council

09/05/2026

⭐️ Ready for the Wild, Wild West?! Early bird ends on Friday!

🔗 https://scoutingevent.com/615-26MDFallCub

09/04/2026

Due to a power outage, the Wheeling Scout Shop and Office will be closed today, Friday, September 4th. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

🌟The Fairmont Shop and Office are open and operating under normal hours!🌟

09/03/2026

Congratulations to our units that have achieved 80% or higher in trained leaders for their units!

Visit 🔗 my.scouting.org to see which training your leaders still need.

If all of your leaders have completed:

✅ SYT (Safeguarding Youth Training)
🌦️ Hazardous Weather Training
🎓 Leadership Position-Specific Training
..you’re well on your way to joining the 100% Club! 🏆

Remember if your unit is 100% trained on September 30th by 11:59pm, your unit receives a free weekend of camping at Camp Mountaineer or Sandscrest.

09/02/2026

📆 👇😳

Build a Calendar Scouts Want to Attend

A great annual program calendar can be one of your strongest retention tools.

Mix in:

🏕️ Monthly outdoor adventures
🎯 Skill-building
🧭 Advancement
🤝 Service
🔥 Big adventures
🎉 Fun social activities
🏆 Challenges and competitions

And publish the calendar so families know what is coming.

When families can see the adventure ahead, they're much more likely to stay engaged.

09/02/2026

Are your Scouts new to their positions or need a refresher in understanding how they can get the most out of their role and be successful?

Register today for Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops training on Saturday, September 19 at Camp Mountaineer! 😁

Don’t forget you need ILST if you plan on participating in National Youth Leadership Training.

https://scoutingevent.com/615-108344

09/01/2026

“I Wish Someone Had Told Me…”

Some of the best lessons in Scouting aren’t found in a handbook. They’re learned in the rain. Around a campfire. After the meal burns, the gear gets soaked, the plan falls apart…and somehow the Scouts still have the best weekend ever.

At our September BASECAMP Gathering, we’re bringing together veteran Scouters to share the hard-earned outdoor wisdom they wish someone had passed along when they were getting started.

Stories. Mistakes. Gear they won’t leave home without. Lessons learned the hard way. And a few reminders about what actually matters when we take Scouts outdoors.

Three Scouters. Three perspectives. One question:
“I Wish Someone Had Told Me…”

Thursday, September 24.

This one should be fun. See you at BASECAMP.

09/01/2026

Council Connections: September 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/mountaineerscouting/council-connections-sept2026

08/31/2026

👀 👀 👀 👇👇👇 Reach out to those families who come to your sign up nights! Shoot them a quick text— build a relationship and ensure they come to the next meeting!

Question:

"Recruitment season is underway, and last year we had a great turnout at our sign-up night, but almost half those families never came back after the first meeting. How do we make sure new families actually stick around this time?"

Answer:

This is one of the most common patterns units run into, and it usually comes down to what happens between sign-up night and that first real meeting, not the sign-up event itself.

A big turnout means little if you do not contact new families again quickly.

Reaching out within a few days, before the excitement fades, makes a real difference. This does not need to be complicated. A short phone call or text welcoming them personally, letting them know what to expect at the first meeting, and mentioning a specific person who will be looking for them when they arrive can turn a one-time visitor into a committed family.

It also helps to make sure that the first meeting includes something hands-on and fun right away, rather than paperwork or a long introduction, since kids and parents alike are deciding in that first hour whether this is a place they want to keep coming back to. Read this paragraph again.

Sign-up night gets people in the door. What happens in the two weeks after is what determines whether they stay.

Now we want to hear from you. What has your unit done differently to turn sign-up night visitors into long-term members?

Share your thoughts, advice, and experiences in the comments below.

-- Mike

(Every Friday, we feature a question from one of our volunteers and invite fellow volunteers to share their thoughts, advice, and experiences.)

08/30/2026

📍 Reminder 📍

Sunday and Monday are the final sessions to join us for a Coffee & Conversation session with Council leadership.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the first two held in the Ohio River Valley District area and shared ideas, questions, and perspectives. We had some great conversations, and we appreciate everyone who took the time to be part of them.

Please join us over the next two days to sit down with Council leadership, hear about where we’re headed, ask questions, share your thoughts, and help shape the future of Scouting in our Council.

Sunday, August 30
1-2 PM
Camp Mountaineer, Morgantown

Monday, August 31
5:30–6:30 PM
Simpson Creek Baptist Church - Youth Activities Building, Bridgeport (WV)

We hope to see you there. As always, the best conversations happen when we’re all around the same table.

Yours in Scouting,

Jesse Krueger
Mountaineer Area Council Commissioner