Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, in-person district and council meetings, activities, and events are canceled through June 14th; council camps are closed through June 30th. The council office and Scouts Shops are opened with limited staff and social distancing protocols. Learn More.

Digital Safety and Scouting at Home

Many units and families are discovering creative ways to have fun Scouting at home. When using digital and online resources, there are some important guidelines from the National Council about youth protection, safeguarding personal information and recording online meetings.

Across the nation, Scouters are finding ways to help keep their youth members engaged and Scouting. These out-of-the-box, in-home activities are centered around providing advancement-related content to help keep kids safe, engaged and to help them make the best of home time.

Digital Safety       Scouting at Home       COVID-19 Updates       Advancement Update

Orion District Roundtable

June 4, 2020   |   7:00 pm  |  Virtual

Stay Informed, Attend Roundtable graphicOrion District serves Scouting units within the boundaries of Tomball ISD and Magnolia ISD. Roundtable is a district monthly meeting typically held the first Thursday of the month at Church of Good Shepherd (715 Carrell St, Tomball, TX 77375) at 7:00 pm to help unit leaders plan and carry out their own program. Roundtable is a form of supplemental training for volunteers. The objective of roundtable is to give leaders program ideas; information on policy, events, and training opportunities; and an opportunity to share experiences and enjoy fun and fellowship with other Scouting leaders. As a result of the roundtable experience, unit leaders will be inspired, motivated, informed, and able to provide a stronger program for their Scouts. Follow the district Facebook page at www.facebook.com/orionbsa.

Help Us Help You

The Sam Houston Area Council is conducting a survey of parents and leaders of Scouts BSA to help our volunteers determine what additional activities and events are needed to help Scouts earn their rank, keep their Scouting skills sharp, and have fun learning at home.

Cub Scout Survey          Scouts BSA Survey         Volunteer to Help           

Scouting at Home Activities

Communication #8 for COVID-19 Response

Dear Scouting Family of the Sam Houston Area Council,

The leadership of the Sam Houston Area Council would like to present this, our eighth update, on our response to the COVID-19 outbreak and protocols for Scouting operations going forward. We appreciate your patience as we navigate this situation as best we can.

Since our last update, Harris County has expanded the “stay at home” order for non-essential business through May 20th. Therefore, the following modifications will be made to our plan that was released in update #7.

  • The Cockrell Scout Center will be open for drop off only beginning on Monday, May 4th with hours of 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
    • Any interaction needed with staff members must be conducted through phone and email. If you need assistance determining the appropriate person to contact, please refer to our updated “who to call directory,” or contact the receptionist at (713) 659-8111 during our office hours to be directed to the appropriate person.
    • Field-based staff (District Executives) will be working remotely during this time and are available by phone and email.
  • The 5 Scout Shop locations will reopen on Monday, May 11th. These locations will be opened to limited retail traffic and curbside pickup. As part of the social distancing protocol, only credit card payments will be accepted at Scout Shop locations. Please visit here for more store information.

As a reminder, the following updates from update #7 are still applicable.

  • Our in-person Cub Scout District Day Camps for 2020 are cancelled and will be replaced with an alternative program to be rolled out in detail later in May. This program will include two elements:
    • An online “do at home” program for families (www.shac.org/virtual-day-camp)
    • A one-day program at Bovay Scout Ranch and Camp Brosig for Cub Scouts that will offer BB Gun and Archery Ranges and other camp activities. This one-day program will be offered in multiple sessions in July/August, assuming that they are permitted under current governmental guidance. Social distancing practices will be strictly enforced and communicated during the program rollout. (www.shac.org/outdoor-sports-day)
  • Our Cub Scout Resident Camps at Bovay Scout Ranch for 2020 are cancelled. Participants are encouraged to participate in the one-day program at our camps that will be conducted in July/August.
  • Scouts BSA Summer Camp 2020 at Tsuru Scout Camp at Camp Strake is cancelled. Each troop signed up for 2020 Summer Camp will be contacted to determine if they would like to move their reservation to 2021 Summer Camp at Tsuru Scout Camp at Camp Strake.
  • Our camping team is currently developing an alternate plan for a condensed Scouts BSA camp program at Camp Strake in July that incorporates current governmental guidance and social distancing. While the full program information will be available later in May, this program will include the following components:
    • Strict social distancing protocols, including separate tents required for all non-sibling Scouts and a highly-structured program schedule over 2-3 days.
    • Food service provided by the unit within the campsite to avoid large gatherings of participants.
    • Utilization of the most high-demand program elements for summer camp and provide the corresponding merit badge programs.
  • All council camping facilities will be closed through June 30th. This closure will include all activities, trainings, and reservations for Camp Brosig, Bovay Scout Ranch, and Camp Strake. In addition to the aforementioned cancellations, this will affect the following additional events:
    • Cub Scout Adventure Camp (May 15-17)
    • OA Spring Fellowship (May 15-17)
    • National Youth Leadership Training (June 7-13 and June 14-20)
  • All district and council meetings, activities, and events through June 14th are cancelled or postponed unless conducted over teleconference or online.
  • The Scout Fair Coupon Book Sale for 2020 is now closed. For information on closing out your unit, please contact your District Scout Fair Chair or District Executive. Commission checks will begin being processed for units that have closed out their sale when the Cockrell Scout Center reopens.
  • The online popcorn sale is open. The online popcorn sale is a great opportunity to raise funds for your unit’s Scouting program virtually – all while keeping social distancing intact. For more information on how to participate, please contact Mary Welch (mary.welch@scouting.org).
  • Units should continue to consult with their chartered organizations to determine the best path forward for their Scouting programs. We strongly encourage units to comply with all current recommendations of the CDC, the White House, and local jurisdictions. There are a number of great resources available regarding Scouting program during this period of social distancing:

For all of the cancellations listed, full refunds will be applied and will begin to be processed when the Cockrell Scout Center reopens on May 4th.

This situation continues to be dynamic and changing daily. Our Enterprise Risk Management Team is working regularly and diligently to determine our plans going forward. If you have any questions regarding the COVID-19 response for the Sam Houston Area Council, please contact Thomas Franklin, Deputy Scout Executive, at thomas.franklin@scouting.org. The council remains committed to keeping our constituents updated regularly with new information as we have it. We will continue to communicate through three main mechanisms – Facebook, Email, and Council Website. Please consult these regularly for updates.

Learn More

Scout Shop Hours

The Scout Shop locations are opened with modified hours, limited retail traffic and curbside pickup. As part of the social distancing protocol, only credit card payments will be accepted at Scout Shop locations. This is subject to change as the situation evolves. Please monitor council communications for any updates.

  • The Houston Scout Shop is open Monday - Friday from 10 am - 6 pm. and closed Saturday.
  • The Clear Lake store is open Monday - Friday from 10:00 am - 5:00 and closed Saturday.
  • The Stafford store is open Monday - Friday from 9 am - 5 pm. and closed Saturday
  • The Strake store is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 am - 5 pm, Saturday from 10 am - 3 pm and closed Tuesday.
  • The Champions store is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am - 5 pm, Saturday from 10 am - 3 pm and closed Thursday.

 Store locations and contacts

The Scouting Trail

The Scouting Trail is a monthly handout provided to units at roundtable describing upcoming council events for the next quarter. This is a great resource for Scouters and parents.

The Scouting Trail: May 2020

Rank Advancement Update

Cub Scouting / Scouts BSA / Venturing / Sea Scouting Rank Advancement and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Questions regarding advancement have arisen as we deal with closures, cancellations, or other issues caused by the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Although there are difficulties and constraints, advancement can continue. Youth, parents, and leaders should work together to implement creative, common sense ways to facilitate advancement while adhering to the Guide to Safe Scouting and following the rules of youth protection.

Learn More (link update frequently)

National Scout Jamboree

July 21-30, 2021 (plus travel days)

Scouting’s flagship event is one-of-a-kind. It’s a gathering of approximately 40,000 Scouts, leaders, and staff that showcases everything that is great about the BSA and its members. Over the course of 10 summer days, once every four years, the Boy Scouts of America comes together. The result is the national Scout jamboree. Scouts and Scouters will explore all kinds of adventures—stadium shows, pioneer village, Garden Ground hikes, adventure sports, patch trading, and more—in the heart of one of nature’s greatest playgrounds. With 10,000 acres at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia to explore, there’s no shortage of opportunities to build Scouting memories. The jamboree is the best of Scouting rolled into 10 days of fun, friends, and adventure. You won’t want to miss out on this incredible Scouting experience. Qualified adult leaders are needed to serve as jamboree troop Scoutmasters, assistant Scoutmasters and crew Advisors. Qualified youth can attend the jamboree with the council contingent. 

Learn More and Register

New Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training

As the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) welcomes girls into Cub Scouts and older girls into the Scouts BSA program starting on February 1, it is important that families understand the program or organization they are joining.

There have been some instances where our volunteers may have inadvertently used the name or trademarks of the Girl Scout of the USA (GSUSA) brand in spreading the word that girls are or will soon be part of all BSA programs. GSUSA recently have filed a lawsuit asserting that these instances have caused confusion. While we don’t believe there has been any such confusion, we respect and support the GSUSA and their rights to their brand.

To ensure that we promote our programs in a clear and Scout-like manner, we have developed resources to make sure our leaders are aware of the do’s and don’ts in promoting BSA programs.

The Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training is one of the efforts underway to be sure Scouters have a clear understanding of what they can do. This builds on the infographic, and the guidance provided to councils in April.

Scouts BSA Brand Guidance Training     Infographic 

This training should be shared with all volunteers to bring this understanding to all parts of our community. While our goal is to encourage youth to join our program, we must always be clear in our communications about the program they are joining.

  • We are The Boy Scouts of America.
  • The Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA are different organizations.
  • We support all other youth organizations and do not disparage them.
  • We encourage parents to enroll all youth in a character development program that meets their needs – and the BSA is certainly ready to welcome them.

To aid you in this effort, councils and volunteers are encouraged to use these intro talking points as you host info sessions and launch efforts for Scouts BSA. Additionally, please use this resource to help address any questions you might get in the community about this matter.

Learn More

Orion District Communications

The Orion District newsletter is published several times per year and contains information about upcoming district and council events and activities. Follow the Orion District on Facebook.

Sign up for the Orion District Newsletter