Lone Star District

Lone Star District Merit Badge College, Oct 25

Scoutmasters, get ready! The Lone Star District's Merit Badge College is almost here, and we have an incredible team of merit badge counselors ready to go!

This is a milestone event for our district, and it's a golden opportunity for your Scouts to dive into a wide range of exciting subjects. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 25th, from 9 AM to 4 PM at Stonebridge United Methodist Church in McKinney.

We're thrilled to offer 15 different merit badges (accommodating up to 125 scouts), covering a diverse array of skills and interests. Merit badge registration will open on Monday, September 29th via a link that will be provided ONLY to Scoutmasters. Your Scouts will have the chance to explore and earn badges in: American Business, Art, Astronomy, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Digital Technology, Dog Care, Electricity, Electronics, Forestry, Law, Personal Management, Programming, Radio, and Robotics. 

Roundtable for Nov, October 30th, 7 pm

The Order of the Arrow Chapter Meeting will still be held on November 6th location TBD.

Treats, Thanks, and Triumphs!

Mark your calendars for a spooktacular Roundtable on Thursday, October 30th (this is our November Roundtable rescheduled due to date conflicts)! This special night is your chance to continue connecting with fellow leaders, troubleshoot current challenges, and gather those essential program ideas. To celebrate the season, please wear your favorite Halloween costume and feel free to bring a snack to share with the group.

What a fantastic month of learning and shared resources at our November Roundtables! Whether you lead a Pack of energetic Cubs or a Troop of aspiring Eagles, we hope you walked away with fresh ideas and practical solutions. Our Cub Scout leaders focused on Giving Thanks, exploring service projects to help our youngest scouts put the "Do a Good Turn Daily" into action. Meanwhile, the Scouts BSA Roundtable proved that advancement doesn't have to be scary! With the help of District Advancement Coordinator Michell Crawford, leaders received valuable "tips and trick-or-treats" for successfully guiding Scouts from the Scout rank to Eagle.

We can't wait to see you there for a night of Treats, Thanks, and Triumphs!

And speaking of triumphs, let's give a round of applause to the top contenders in our Attendance Power Rankings! After the THREE months, the current standings are:

Packs:

1. Pack 293

2. Pack 413

3. Pack 303

3. Pack 531

Troops:

1. Troop 123

2. Troop 406

3. Troop 229

Complete standings are in the newsletter below. We look forward to seeing you there and continuing to build a strong community.

Troops:  👻 Not-So-Scary Advancement 🎃

Is Advancement giving your troop leaders more tricks than treats?

Join us for the upcoming Scouts BSA Roundtable where we tackle the theme: Not-So-Scary Advancement!

We're thrilled to welcome Michell Crawford, our Lone Star District Advancement Coordinator, who will share her "tips and trick-or-treats" for creating a successful troop advancement program. She'll cover the essentials for guiding Scouts all the way from the Scout rank to Eagle.

This is your chance to demystify the process! What challenges is your troop facing when it comes to keeping Scouts engaged and advancing? Come ready to share your concerns, and more importantly, come share your troop's success stories and best practices.

Packs: 🍂 Giving Thanks 🧡

The season of gratitude is upon us, and the time of giving is here!

Join us for the upcoming Cub Scout Roundtable where the theme is Giving Thanks. How does your Pack instill the spirit of giving in your youngest scouts? We will explore different ideas and types of service projects that can promote this essential value and help your Cubs put "Do a Good Turn Daily" into action.

Whether you're looking for inspiration for a simple den project or planning a Pack-wide service event, this Roundtable is for you! Let's make this a season of grateful hearts and helping hands for every Cub Scout!

Cub Scout Roundtable is your essential resource, designed to equip you with practical resources to streamline your planning, provide new program ideas to keep your dens and Pack engaged, and offer valuable opportunities for shared problem-solving with fellow leaders who truly understand the Scouting journey. Come ready to share your own successes and glean a harvest of fresh ideas!

Coming up in December - ugly sweater gift swap, BSA and antique Scout show.  Aaron Self will bring old stuff.

District Eagle Award and Recognition Dinner, January 24, 2026

Please save the date for the 2026 Lone Star District Eagle Award and District Recognition Dinner.   Come help us celebrate another great year of Scouting in the Lone Star District!

Who:     All Lone Star District Leaders and the Class of 2025 Eagles (2025 Eagles are free)
What:    Join us for dinner as we give thanks to everyone that made the 2025 Scouting year count!
When:   January 24, 2026 at 5:00 pm
Where:  Stonebridge United Methodist Church, 1800 S Stonebridge Dr, McKinney, TX 75072
Cost:   $10 with a food based on our theme

Please sign up for a theme base dish here:  signupgenius link (coming soon)

We look forward to celebrating with you!     (coming soon)

Roundtable Attendance Power Rankings

We have a new competition this year!!! The units (one Cub Scout unit AND one Scouts BSA unit) with the highest aggregate adult leader attendance rate from the August Roundtable to the January Roundtable will win TWO free tickets to the Lone Star District Dinner held in late January.

Upcoming Roundtable Topics

Nov - (Oct 30) Advancement that is not so scary.

Dec - ugly sweater gift swap, BSA and antique Scout show.  Aaron Self will bring old stuff.

Merit Badge Pamphlets Now Free  

The free public PDF version of all merit badge pamphlets is now available online here:  https://www.scouting.org/skills/merit-badges/all/  . This is part of a program to transition towards a comprehensive Scouting digital platform.  

Rotary Flag Fundraiser Opportunities 

The Rotary Flag Lease campaign is in full swing. We are ramping up to have almost 6000 flags across McKinney this year. Rotary clubs and Scouting units have  had a tremendous partnership over the years. We are currently looking to bring on MORE units this year to help with their fundraising efforts.

If you are a unit (troop, pack, etc) that could use help with fundraising and has the desire to commit to a flag route this year, we are looking for helpers. Currently I will need help with about 8-10 routes this year, if you know anyone interested?

One flag route typically averages about 65 flags to pass out and return a few days later. We do this 5 times a year. We contribute $3 per flag, per holiday for fundraising. So, a unit could wind up earning around $1,000 per year, per route, as a donation from us.

If you know anyone interested, please send them my way. Hoping to help some folks out this year. Thank you for your time, looking forward to seeing you soon.

Brian Cyranowicz, 214-491-7678

District News and Successes!

Lone Star District wants to share your successes and what is going on with you all with the rest of the district.  If you have any news, photos or events to share, please let us know.  We would love to share it through the newsletter, Facebook page and website.

Share details with us here.

Friends of Scouting Donation Link

Did you miss your unit's Friends of Scouting presentation?  It is not too late to donate anyway.  

Here is an online donation link to Circle Ten Council.
https://donations.scouting.org/#/council/571/appeal/15 

Or you can fill out the card they sent you and send it back.  Or fill this one, link, out and turn it in at Roundtable or at the Fairview Scout Office.