Archive

The Jayhawk Area Council will hold its Annual Business Meeting on February 8, 2023 at the Rolley Scout Service Center located at 1020 SE Monroe Street in Topeka. The meeting will begin at noon and last until all formal business has been conducted. Key topics include passing of required annual resolutions and election of the new slate of officers and board members for the 2023-24 term.

Voting members include Chartering Organization Representatives of Jayhawk Area Council units, current Jayhawk Area Council Members at Large and Executive Board members and any national council board members residing in the Jayhawk Area Council.

Nominations for board members and officers are being sought. Should you have any suggestions, please refer them to our Scout Executive, Wayne Pancoast at Wayne.Pancoast@Scouting.org. The nominating committee will review all suggestions and make contact with the prospects to ensure their willingness and capacity to serve. All nominations must be received by January 11, 2023 to allow time to properly recruit the individual.

Don’t miss our upcoming Pony Express District Roundtable on Thursday, November 17^th starting at 7:00 PM located at Wamego School District Office (1008 8th St, Wamego, KS 66547). The featured program is our Recharter and Journey to Excellence Workshop. The District team will provide direct support to assist your Unit’s successful completion of Recharter and Journey to Excellence. It is vital we have representation from each of our Units. Please bring a laptop to work on your Unit’s Recharter. Snacks and beverages will be provided.

The BSA issues charters to community organizations to enable them to use the Scouting program under their own leadership as a service to their children, youth, and families. Re-chartering is the process of renewing the charter agreement between the BSA and the organization and renewing the registration of youth and adult members. Every unit must recharter annually.

Rechartering on time is critical. It is required for units to qualify for Journey to Excellence. It is required for units to continue registration without interruption. It is required to ensure Scouts are registered, critical for receiving rank advancement and other awards, and for insurance coverage.

The Jayhawk Area Council is pleased to announce its 13th class of honorees recognizing twenty individuals under the age of 40 that are leaders in our community. These honorees are helping make Topeka and Shawnee County a great place to live, work and play.

Each spring a call for nominations goes out to the great Topeka community for candidates who’ve shown leadership and community involvement.  Once the nomination period has closed, all nominees receive an invitation to apply. Annually, the program receives more than 200 nominations and 100 applications. 

“It was a privilege to lead the selection process for Topeka’s Top 20 under 40. The caliber of applications this year was extraordinary, and all on the committee were challenged to narrow down the final 20. This group represents the bright future of Topeka with leadership, passion and generosity ,” notes Kelly Potter, Special Events Advisor .

The following list of 2022 honorees have been chosen from a pool of prominent nominees for their notable accomplishments in professional and personal service to build a stronger Topeka. Evaluation and selection of the nominees was completed by a committee of more than 20 community members.

The 2022 Class of Honorees are:

• Chelsea Artzer, Principal, McClure Elementary
• Kate Butler, Associate Attorney, Barber Emerson, LC
• Sean Dixon, President, Visit Topeka
• Dr. Jessica Dorsey, Executive Director, Kansas Volunteer Commission with the Kansas State Department of Education 
• Ashley Esquibel, Vice President of Human Resources, Envista Credit Union
• Nick Gardner, Principal, Ross Elementary School
• Emmanuel “Manny” Herron, Founder, Infinite Properties Group LLC
• Jodi Litfin, Assistant Solicitor General, Office of the Kansas Attorney General
• Mallory Lutz, Lobbyist, Little Government Relations
• Haley Matherly, Volunteer and Family Engagement Manager, Topeka Habitat for Humanity
• TJ McDonald, Membership Sales Manager, Greater Topeka Partnership
• Marcus Miller, Executive Director, First Tee – Greater Topeka
• Michael Odupitan, CEO and Founder, Omni Circle
• Rockell Otero, Financial Controller, Prairie Band, LLC
• Julie Phillips, Director of Grants, Communities in Schools of Mid-American, Inc.
• Eric Purcell, Wealth Advisor, Clayton Wealth Partners
• Kelly Rippel, Crop Claims Adjustor, Zurich North America / Rural Community Insurance Services (RCIS)
• Amber Smith, Deputy Judicial Administrator and General Counsel, Office of Judicial Administration
• Gretchen Spiker, Director of Communications, City of Topeka
• Lauren Wolf, Senior Registered Nurse Investigator, Kansas Attorney General’s Office

On November 10^th, the Jayhawk Area Council will host a banquet at Townsite Avenue Ballroom to recognize the 2022 honorees.   To make a donation in their honor, purchase a ticket to the event or to become a sponsor visit www.jayhawkcouncil.org/20Under40. Topeka’s 20 Under 40 is a premier event benefiting the Jayhawk Area Council Boy Scouts of America.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has worked to keep the membership fee as low as possible. As you know, costs continue to rise, and the annual fee must be increased to address the fiscal realities we face to deliver a safe and quality Scouting program. The fee adjustments are consistent with the National Council’s long-range projections that were announced two years ago.

To ensure we have the resources to fulfill the promise of Scouting, the following national membership fee structure will take effect August 1, 2022.

• $75 for Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts participants
• $100 for a unit charter/affiliation fee
• $15 for Scout Life magazine; this is the first price increase since 2005

There will be no change in fees for the following programs:

• $45 for Exploring participants
• $45 for all adult volunteers (includes cost of background check)
• $25 one-time joining fee for new program participants in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouts

The above represent the annual membership fees which are due for existing members when you unit recharters in January 2023.  For new members joining this fall, fees will be pro-rated (except for the $25 joining fee) based on the month they join. The fall membership packets will have the update membership fees chart included.

These are national membership fees only. Councils have the option of adding a local council membership fee in addition to the fees that are paid to the national council.  Your Jayhawk Area Council executive board has elected not to institute a council membership fee program. Your annual Friends of Scouting contributions, participation in the annual popcorn sale and attending your council’s summer camp programs and council events all help support the local council operations mitigating the need for a council membership fee.

The national membership fee helps cover the cost of essential services, including program resources, liability insurance for those participating in approved Scouting activities, criminal background checks, youth protection, and the development of intellectual property for national, council, and unit programs. As they move forward, the national council executive board will continue to look at the membership fee structure and how they deliver the Scouting program for future generations. Thank you for your understanding, together we will continue to provide a great Scouting program for our families.