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Edelweiss and Mediterranean Scouters,

I wanted to wish you all a very adventurous, fun and safe scouting New Year. Scouting continues to grow and change here in Europe as the force structure of the military is making drastic changes. I want to thank each and everyone personally for helping to deliver the promise and values of scouting thru out the last tumultuous year. Many were deployed or changing stations. This creates great stress on the program, but with the help and leadership of the volunteers we have overcome any adversity and continued to grow.

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce a new key volunteer in the Edelweiss District and a new Executive Board Member Chris Luise, from Berlin Germany. Chris was approved by the Executive Board to assume the leadership role of the Edelweiss District Commissioner. Chris continues to serve the Berlin area as an avid volunteer and has a son in the troop. Chris has played an instrumental role in the development of the current scouting program in the greater Berlin Area. We look forward to his commissioner leadership and his dynamic scouting energy through out the district and council. If you would like to contact Chris Luise please e-mail him at: Chris.Luise@tac-bsa.org

I hope that all unit commissioners and Committee Chairs will contact Chris Luise as soon as possible with the status of your unit charter renewal in the Edwelweiss Communities and also to introduce themselves.

On a real positive note, last Friday at the Executive Board Meeting the Edelweiss District was awarded the National Quality District Award. This is a significant emotional event and all District Scouters should be very proud. This is the first time in over a decade the District has been able to achieve this status. Congratulations to all of you and the District Committee for all of their hard work in achieving this success.

I hope we can achieve this in both the Mediterranean and Edelweiss Districts next year.

A key component is the quality unit and on time charter renewal. If you have recharter questions please contact the following for your District. It is critical these get turned in on time so your unit charter does not lapse. So please get your recharters to council on time.

Online Recharter is here! It is easy and saves time. You have to read the online instructions carefully. If your units are interested, you need the online codes for your units please e-mail me. I am the only one who can get them to you. Karen.meier@tac-bsa.org Additional information on the process can be found at

http://tac-bsa.org/internet_rechartering.htm

Edelweiss Commissioner Chris Luise : Chris.Luise@tac-bsa.org Edelweiss Recharter Due 15 February 2006

Mediterranean Commissioner Bill Nupp : Billl.Nupp@tac-bsa.org Mediterranean Recharters Due 15 March 2006

Friends of Scouting 2006 Campaign Both districts have kicked-off the Friends of Scouting (FOS) campaign for 2006. Last year, our Districts met their goal. This year is even more important than ever. Our combined goal for both districts is $34,000 dollars; Edelweiss $26,000 and MED $8,000. If your unit has not scheduled a presentation please contact the Commissioners, or me and we will work together to make this happen. The best time for a presentation is at a Blue and Gold or a Court of Honor. We hope that you will also approach local organizations and clubs to ask for FOS donations on behalf of your communities. If your units achieve a 30-dollar per family goal, you will become presidential and receive a 10 percent discount on unit program supplies thru the council office. There are many other incentives for donors and our goal is 100 percent participation.

Both districts and TAC have exciting programs lined-up for this spring:
EDELWEISS:
Alaskan Days ­ Giebelstadt ­ Feb. 11th
Volunteer Recognition Dinner ­ Wlfrems Eschenbach ­ March 11
Outdoor Leader Skills Training (OLST) and BALOO ­ Berlin ­ March 24 ­ 26
Outdoor Leader Skills Training (OLST) and BALOO ­ Giebelstadt ­ April 7 ­ 9
Spring Camporee ­ Indian Lore ­ Ansbach ­ May 26 ­ 28

MEDITERRANEAN:
Spring Camporee ­ Camp Darby, Livorno ­ Italy ­ March 31 ­ April 2
Volunteer Recognition Dinner ­ Camp Darby ­ April 1st

Transatlantic Council Events:
Venture Adventure Weekend/OA Winter Banquet, Burg Ludwigstein Germany, Feb. 24-26
Scouters Annual Conference ­ Oberammergau Germany ­ April 20 ­ 22 Intercamp ­ Vilsek Germany ­ June 1 ­ 5 (BSA/TAC is hosting this event) OA Weekend ­ Camp Freedom Germany ­ June 9 ­ 10 Wood Badge ­ Adult Leadership Course ­ Camp Freedom Germany ­ June 17 ­ 23 Golden Falcon, Youth Leadership Training Course, Camp Freedom Germany, June 24 ­ 30

Transatlantic Council will also be offering three resident camps this year. Camp Freedom ­ Germany, Camp Baden Powell ­ England, and Camp Alpine ­ Kandersteg Switzerland. Please refer to the TAC website for further information on these camps.

As the district teams gear up for the 2006 Scouting season, I would like to leave you with a thought . . .
On our honor, we will do our best . . .

Yours in Scouting,
Karen Meier
District Executive
Transatlantic Council, BSA