It goes without saying that the pandemic put a damper on fall 2020 recruiting - Silver Comet recruited less than 100 new scouts! For Packs that are interested in trying to recruit new youth this spring, Council will deliver targeted fliers to that Pack's local feeder school, advertising a virtual or in-person event of your choosing. This initiative is not intended to take the place of fall 2021 recruiting, nor is there a requirement for your Pack to participate. If your Pack would like to participate, or if you'd like to know more about the opportunity, please complete a brief survey here: https://forms.gle/dRmGAMy8fZpvX6vMA, and plan to attend the Spring Recruitment Training at Roundtable on Thursday, March 11th (https://www.silvercometdistrictbsa.org/node/2011). You can also contact the DEs, Daniel (daniel.degraffenreid@scouting.org) and Claude (claude.gatlin@scouting.org) to get your questions answered.

Council has a spring initiative for troops as well. The Council would like each district to facilitate a virtual Webelos Open House for 4th and 5th grade Cub Scouts to assist Webelos in finding a troop, particularly the 5th graders since they are aging out of Cub Scouts. If your troop is interested in participating, please contact Leah Briick (webelos@silvercometdistrictbsa.org).

It seems like lots of families are doing pandemic cleaning - American Legion Post 294 in Powder Springs has about 7 barrels of American flags that need retiring! If your unit is interested in helping to give these flags a proper send-off, please contact Elden Morris, at 770-713-4403.

The Silver Comet District Conductor Award is for any adult in your unit that you feel deserves recognition for service to scouting that goes “above and beyond”. They might be the Assistant Leader that is always there when help is needed, the Committee Member that somehow keeps the accounts straight, or maybe that parent that keeps everything organized and moving forward. They do not have to be a registered Scouter to be nominated for this award.

Nominations should be submitted on the Silver Comet Conductor Award nomination form by March 13th, 2021 to our Conductor Award Coordinator, Clint Pope, at: conductor@silvercometdistrictbsa.org.

Or mail to: Clint Pope, 2856 Summit Ridge Dr., Marietta, GA 30066.

One nomination per 25 registered youth in your Unit.

(1-25 registered Youth=1 nomination, 26-50=2 nominations, 51-75=3 nominations, etc.)

The list of previous honorees is available here at the bottom of the page.

You can still register your unit to sell Camp Cards in 2021! There's a link to the unit registration form on the Council's Camp Card page, https://www.atlantabsa.org/campcards.

Earlier in January, the Atlanta Area Council announced that Daniel Degraffenreid has been promoted to Lead District Executive in Silver Comet. Congrat

In addition to celebrating our Scouting birthday next month, it's time to celebrate our Duty to God by participating in Scout Sunday, Scout Sabbath, Scout Jumu'ah, or all three! Bryan on Scouting had a very informative post a couple of weeks ago, and you can read it here: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2021/01/08/everything-you-need-to-know-about-scout-sunday-2021-scout-sabbath-2021-and-scout-jumuah-2021/.

Bryan is right to remind us, "However you choose to celebrate, it’s essential this year to do so safely." The blog post includes ways to celebrate safely at in-person or virtual services.

The BSA's National Religious Relationships Committee has put together some fantastic resources to help Scouts and Scouters with the 12th point of the Scout Law: reverent. The document contains prayers, songs, poems, readings, interfaith celebrations, along with religion-specific celebrations. Be sure to check out this resource at https://www.silvercometdistrictbsa.org/system/files/DutytoGodFeb2021.pdf.