Muskingum Valley Council

08/31/2026

Need a Safety Moment for Your Next Troop Meeting or Activity?
Scouting America has a library of more than 100 ready-to-use Safety Moments covering everything from camping and hiking to transportation, weather, aquatics, first aid, food safety, equipment, and emergency preparedness.
Safety Moments are designed to be brief—generally two minutes or less—and focused on one topic. They can be used before a troop meeting, campout, hike, service project, or other activity to help Scouts and leaders think about potential hazards before the adventure begins.
You’ll find topics such as:
Campout Safety
Hiking
Campfire Safety
Heat-Related Illness
Dehydration Prevention
Transporting Scouts Safely
Weather-Related Safety
First Aid Kits
Aquatics and Safety Afloat
Hazard Trees
Keeping Your Food Safe
…and many more.
Troop leaders can also encourage Scouts themselves to present appropriate Safety Moments, helping youth practice leadership while building a stronger culture of safety.
Before your next activity, take a look through the library and choose one that fits what your troop is about to do.
https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safety-moments/

08/31/2026

Safety Moment: Keeping Your Food Safe

Camp cooking is part of the Scouts BSA experience—but an unwanted case of food-borne illness can quickly bring an adventure to a halt.

Food-borne illnesses peak during the summer months, making safe food handling especially important on campouts, hikes, and other outdoor activities.

Scouting America recommends remembering the three C’s of food safety:

Keep it COLD
Keep perishable foods below 40°F. Start with foods chilled or frozen and pack them with plenty of ice, frozen gel packs, or frozen juice boxes.

Keep it CLEAN
Wash hands before preparing food, use clean water and clean preparation surfaces, and prevent cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, poultry, and fish away from prepared foods.

COOK it thoroughly
Color alone isn’t a reliable way to determine whether meat or poultry is safely cooked. A digital meat thermometer is a useful addition to the troop chuck box and helps Scouts learn to check food properly.

For troop leaders, this is also an opportunity to teach rather than simply do. Many Scouts are learning to plan meals, handle raw ingredients, and cook for themselves for the first time. Good food-safety habits are another practical skill they can carry well beyond Scouting.

Before your next campout, take a few minutes to review Scouting America’s Keeping Your Food Safe Safety Moment with your Scouts:

https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/safety-moments/food-borne-illness/

08/31/2026

Today, we say farewell and thank you to Jared Smith as he completes his service as Scout Executive of the Muskingum Valley Council.

Since joining our Council in 2023, Jared has dedicated his time and leadership to supporting our Scouts, families, volunteers, and communities. He has been with us through many memorable moments and, most recently, helped guide our Council through a time of significant change.

As one chapter of the Muskingum Valley Council story comes to a close, we are grateful to Jared for his service and for the role he has played in Scouting across our communities.

Jared, thank you for everything you have done for the Muskingum Valley Council and for Scouting. We wish you and your family nothing but the best as you begin your next adventure.

08/30/2026

Don't Let Meetings Become School

If your Scout meeting feels like another classroom, it's time to shake things up.

Scouting is designed around learning by doing.

Instead of talking about first aid, practice it.

Instead of talking about cooking, cook.

Instead of talking about leadership, give Scouts something to lead.

Instead of talking about teamwork, give them a challenge that requires teamwork.

Less lecture. More doing.

That's where the Scouting magic happens.

08/29/2026

William, a Freddie is Arrowhead District’s newest Eagle Scout. He is a member of Troop 350 whose Scoutmaster is Don Divebliss. William plays football for the Freddie’s and works on the family farm. Visit Ackerman nature preserve and see his project.

08/27/2026

NESA MEETING
I apologize for the short notice, but I will not be able to attend the meeting tonight. Therefore, we will need to reschedule it for a later date. I will follow up with you to arrange a new meeting time. Thank you.

08/24/2026

Good information from the Northern New Jersey Council. 

08/19/2026

Popcorn 2026 Finalized information coming soon! Stay tuned for most up to date trainings and information either on Facebook or through email. We are excited to work with all our units in this years sale!

If your unit is excited and wants to BE PREPARED, please check out the resources here: https://skcscouts.org/popcorn/

(Please be advised dates are differenet for MVC vs SKC)

Below you will find important information about the upcoming popcorn sale! SKC Popcorn Facebook Group Training Information Key Dates Unit Resources Training Information Storefront Webinar:Sunday, July 12 at 7:00pmClick here to JoinTraining #1: Tuesday, July 21 at 6:30 PMIn person at 807 Kinnear Rd,....

08/18/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19ShWZC1eL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

We have received reports of an issue preventing advancement to the next screen in the Safeguarding Youth Training.

The issue appears to occur when training videos are viewed in full-screen mode on some computers. In full-screen mode, the Forward button may not be visible when it is time to advance.

To resolve the issue:

1) Exit full-screen mode on the video by pressing the ESC key. Alternatively, move the cursor to the bottom of the video screen, hover over the full-screen icon in the lower-right corner, and click it to exit full-screen mode.

2) Once the video is no longer in full-screen mode, the Forward button should be visible, allowing the training to continue.

You can complete the course using either Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Following these steps should allow the training to progress normally.

Thank you for helping keep our youth safe.

08/18/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GAE3yvjoL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

A Scout should be able to answer, “What are we doing next month?” with excitement.

Great programs don't happen by accident. Build your calendar around adventures Scouts actually want: camping, hiking, climbing, paddling, service, competitions, trips, and challenges.

Don't just fill the calendar. Create anticipation.

What is the one event on your calendar your Scouts are most excited about?

Photo: Scouting America