Council Exec Shares Her Thoughts
I don't know about you, but I can't wait until the elections are over! I am totally sick of the negative ads, each of the candidates bashing the other and no one talking about what it is going to take to make this nation better. It seems that every time you turn on the TV or radio, we hear nothing positive about the world or nation. So, I thought I would create my own positive advertisement.

It goes like this:

Popcorn Success!!
Congratulations to the nearly 300 Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops and Venture Crews for selling $1,654,869 in popcorn! This is by far a record breaking year for the council, with a 13% increase over last year. The participating units will receive approximately $600,000 in commission plus lots of great prizes including gift cards, crossbow marshmallow blasters, a party with the Harlem Globetrotters this February, Mariners tickets, weekly fill it up drawings that included a weekend at Great Wolf Lodge and a huge flat screen TV for one hard working Cub Scout. Thanks for your participation! To learn more about the one council supported fundraiser, please visit the popcorn webpage.

100th Anniversary Service Projects
The holiday season is here and we still have a lot of service projects to complete if we are to achieve 100 by December. We can do it with your help! Please click HERE and select a project that your pack, troop, crew or post is willing to complete to help make our community a better place. Folks know they can count on the Boy Scouts, so let's not let them down. Thanks for the help we've already been given!

A Message From Our Council President
The weather has definitely turned colder and the first snow has already fallen in the mountains. But there is still time to register your Cubs and Scouts for Winter Camp at Camp Sheppard! They will enjoy snow sports, tubing, day hikes, campfires, scavenger hunts and more! Speaking of camps, it's also never too early to sign up for summer camping sessions! We are already ahead of last year for 2011 camping registrations. Sign up early and avoid the rush!

One of our most important council activities this fall will be drafting the new five year strategic plan. This is a critical process as we develop the vision for the Chief Seattle Council for the near future, and create a road map on how to get there. Surveys will be sent out to a wide audience of council volunteers to solicit their input about all areas of council activities. At the troop level, district level, and board level, volunteers will be asked to provide key feedback about how they would like to see the council grow in the next five years with regards to membership, program, finance, camping, etc. This is the time to help craft an inspiring and exciting vision for our great Chief Seattle Council. The results of the survey will be used to help form committees around each of the key focus areas. The committee members will work to develop the details of the plan over the coming months. We will share the finished plan with everyone in the spring of next year. Thank you in advance to all of you who will be participating in this essential development.

The Thanksgiving holiday at the end of the month provides an opportunity for family and friends to gather together and give thanks for all those things we are blessed with in this great country. As we draw towards the end of Scouting's 100th anniversary, we can certainly give thanks to such a great movement and the positive impact it has had on all of our lives.

Yours in Scouting,
Tom Pigott

Downtown Breakfast
The 2011 Downtown Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, March 16th, 2011 at the Seattle Sheraton, Grand Ballroom. We are excited to announce that this year's breakfast will be chaired by Eagle Scout and CEO of McKinstry, Dean Allen. Building on the tradition set forth in 2010, the Chief Seattle Council will be recognizing another Pillar of Puget Sound to join the 2010 class of Phil Smart, Sr., Phil Condit, and Jack Creighton.

This is the Chief Seattle Council's largest fundraiser of the year. Funds raised will go towards supporting more than 40,000 youth and adult Scouting members in the Puget Sound area.

To get a table at the event or to reserve an individual spot, please contact staff advisor Ryan Larson at rlarson@seattlebsa.org or call at 206-902-2364.

Silver Beaver Nominations Due November 19th
The Silver Beaver Award was established in 1931 and is presented for distinguished service to young people within a local Boy Scouts of America Council. It is the highest award which may be presented by a local council. A recipient must be a registered adult member of the Boy Scouts of America. Annually, volunteers nominate men and women who are doing an outstanding job as Scouters for the Silver Beaver Award. These nominations are reviewed by the Silver Beaver Selection Committee and the most outstanding men and women are selected to receive this special recognition. The Silver Beaver award is presented to recipients in 2011, at the Annual Council Meeting and Recognition Celebration. The committee welcomes all nominations and encourages you to recommend those Scouters you believe worthy of this high honor at any time. Nominations must be received by your local district executive no later than November 19th 2010. Nomination forms can be found here.

2011 Seattle Mariners FOS Luncheon
The 2011 Seattle Mariners Friends of Scouting Luncheon is on Friday, January 28, 2011 at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency, Evergreen ballroom. Brian Kirkpatrick, EVP and Chief Financial Officer of T-Mobile, USA is Co-Chairing this undertaking where the South end (Seattle Mariners South Luncheon) and the Eastside (Seattle Seahawks Eastside Breakfast) Friends of Scouting events are being combined into one in 2011. Like in the past few years, program at the friends of Scouting luncheon will involve panelists ranging from the General Manager, Jack Zduriencik and new Field Manager, Eric Wedge and a current or past player of the Mariners. The voice of the Mariners, Rick Rizzs will be the emcee the event. This will be the council's first major fundraiser for the year 2011. Funds raised will go towards supporting more than 40,000 youth and adult Scouting members in the Puget Sound area.

To get a table at the event or to reserve an individual spot, please contact staff advisor Keka Majumdar at kmajumdar@seattlebsa.org or call at 206-902-2329.

Winter Camp
Winter Camps are open and now is the time to start signing up! Weekends are still available for Scouts from Tigers to Boy Scouts, but they will go fast, so get your reservation in soon! You can mail it in or reserve on the phone with credit card at 206-725-0361. Click here for more information. Lots of snow is predicted this winter, so don't miss out on the fun!

Summer Camp
If your troop hasn't yet set their summer camp plans for 2011, we'd like to suggest Camp Pigott! Situated on its own picturesque lake, Camp Pigott not only features a solid program and staff, but also brand new craft shelter, beautiful campfire bowl and popular activities such as expanded COPE course and shotgun range. Scouts can swim, boat or fish in the lake, test their skills on the mountain bike course or climbing tower, or forge in the blacksmithing shop. Five sessions are available. Click here for more information, or call 206-725-0361.

Sea Scout Ship Argo Assists Sinking Vessel
Every year our Sea Scout Unit the "Argo" embarks on its biggest event of the year, our 10-14 day Long Cruise. This gives our Scouts the opportunity to experience living aboard a boat and to train in skills such as safety, boat operation, line handling, navigation, radio, and other skills. This year we left our home in Bellevue on the 29th of July and cruised north to the San Juan Islands. Our trip was uneventful and we had plenty of chances for training, advancement, and just getting out to see this beautiful part of the Pacific Northwest. However, little did we know that when we woke up on Thursday, August 5th, that we would have a chance that day to really test our skills in an actual emergency.

Click here to read the full story.

Pack 584 Do a Good Turn
Pack 584 of the North Lakes District helped their local community by doing a service project in cooperation with the City of Bothell-Public Works, Surface Water Program.

The project consisted of clearing invasive plants (blackberry bushes) and planting native trees and shrubs. The 10 boys did such an awesome job that the event finished an hour earlier than scheduled because of project completion.

As an added bonus, the boys got to see firsthand how their work was helping local wildlife by providing shade and cover for the spawning salmon returning to North Creek as several Sockeye Salmon were spotted in the creek.

A huge thank you to Ms Janet Geer, the Surface Water Program Coordinator for providing our boys the opportunity to serve our community and the environment.

Additional info can be found at the Cobra Den web site.

New Building at Camp Pigott
By Ray Sayah

For the past year, Mark Olson and his apprentices have been crafting some innovative and breathtaking structures for Camp Pigott. In June and September, volunteers assembled the first two of these structures: the Craft Lodge and the Blacksmith Shop. These are open air buildings with heavy timber designs. The truly amazing part? The structures were assembled without a single nail, screw, or bolt! The only fasteners are wooden dowels called "pegs." The building styles incorporate "mortise and tenon" and "lap joint" construction, both old world building arts.

Mark Olson is no ordinary builder. Mark is the Lead Instructor for Murray Timber Framing, a Seattle-based company (www.murraytimber.com) which specializes in construction of timber frame buildings. As an instructor and expert in the art of timber framing, Mark has taught hundreds of students this incredible process. Timber framing requires much more accuracy and planning than conventional construction. The most remarkable aspect of these buildings is the expected life. Buildings of this type are known to last 500 years or more.

Mark also has a great Scouting background. He is an Eagle Scout and longtime continuous member of the Chief Seattle Council and the T'Kope Kwiskwis Lodge of the Order of the Arrow. He served on the staff of Camp Brinkley as a youth member. His is a Scouting family as well. His brothers are both proud Eagle Scouts and his father still serves as a board member for the Chief Seattle Council.

These buildings were made possible due to donations made to the Chief Seattle Council for the recent renovation of Camp Pigott. The buildings were assembled with help from over a dozen alumni from Camps Brinkley, Pigott, and Omache working together. Thanks go out to all who worked to make these buildings a reality. To get a closer look, please contact Camp Pigott at camppigott@earthlink.net or sign up for Camp Pigott summer camp!

Scout Shop Corner
Introducing Youth Denim Pants
INTRODUCING BLU -- BSA EXCLUSIVE-BRAND YOUTH DENIM. NEW! From school-wear to outdoor adventure, this classic 5-pocket style is durably constructed and made to last. Parents will love the quality… and the great value price. Basic jean design includes BSA® logo on the shank button and the cool BLU label on waistband back. Only $9.99 a pair! Now available in youth sizes 4 – 22. Please note that these are NOT official uniform pants, just a good pair of jeans at a fantastic price.

100th Anniversary Sale
All BSA 100th Anniversary is now on sale to upwards of 70% off. Don't miss out on your last chance to remember the 100th anniversary with this scouting memorabilia. They also make great gifts. Hurry while supplies last.

Scout Shop News
The Puget Sound Scout Shop is now on Facebook! Stay current with all promotions, new items, and other Scout Shop-related news by "Liking" us. Just search for "Puget Sound Scout Shop" and click "Like". Can't find the time to come to the Scout Shop? Feel free to give us a call and we will be more than willing to ship out whatever you need straight to your house. In most cases, you'll receive your merchandise in the next one or two days!