Hello Scoutmasters and Crew Advisors!! September 22, 23, 24, 2017 The President Ford Field Service Council is proud to provide this information packet about our grand Mackinac Rendezvous. Please be sure to carefully read and share this information with your families. And remember to invite your future Boy Scouts - - - current Webelos to join your Troop on this great adventure!! The Mackinac region of Michigan is rich in American history! Our Rendezvous will have many new and exciting programs to take advantage of this history. We are excited to offer this premier Council event for your Scouts and leaders! We hope that after you review (and share) this information, you will come prepared to make this a real highlight of your unit s Scouting year! This year s Rendezvous is dedicated to the life and Scouting leadership and service of Jon Graska, Past Council President! Jon served as our 1999 Rendezvous Chair and as a Team Leader on nine other Rendezvous! Jon was an Eagle Scout, Silver Beaver and Silver Antelope awardee. A grand Hero of this grand event!! See you at the Rendezvous! Mike Sulgrove MRXVI Chair All details of this Mackinac Rendezvous XVI event are at: www.michiganscouting.org The online version of this guide will have interactive links. 1
Mackinac Rendezvous Quick Facts Sheet When: Friday, September 22 to Sunday, September 24, 2017 1) Plan to arrive for check in after 12:00 noon & before 10:00 p.m. on Friday, September 22 nd. 2) Check out is after the 9:00 a.m. religious service and campsite inspection on Sunday, September 24 th. Where: Fees: Our location is: Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground, 9730 US Hwy 23, Mackinaw City (two miles SE of Mackinaw City) The Rendezvous fee is $85.00 per person (youth or adult). The Early Bird fee is $75.00 per person. Registration for this Rendezvous is limited, so please complete your unit registration by May 31, 2017 for the Early Bird or before September 1, 2017 for the regular fee. (Late fee after September 1 st is $95 per person.). Island Adventure Fees: (For Venturers, 14 years and older Boy Scouts, and their leaders) Youth or Adult: Early Bird $125; Regular Fee $135 and Late Fee $145 Fee Pays For: Campsite, boat, bus, Fort Mackinac, Colonial Fort Michilimackinac, Mill Creek State Park, catered dinner on Saturday night, plus all the Mackinac Rendezvous traditions: collectors patches, great programs, and many new grand adventures! Program Highlights: Traditional: Super Boy Scout and Venture Crew camping at Mill Creek Campground. Convenient bus transportation to and from Star Lines ferry boat dock. Awesome tours of multiple historical forts and buildings. Towering monster inflatables. Great catered supper Saturday evening. Unique collector s Mackinac Rendezvous patches. Returning from our 2015 Rendezvous: Fast paced menu of Friday afternoon and evening programs. More adventure time on the Island. Special returning ferry stop under the mighty Mackinac Bridge. Troop and Crew campsite open time Saturday evening. By special initiation only Saturday evening recognition ceremony. New for 2017: Island Adventure weekend program for Venturers, 14 years and older Boy Scouts, and leaders. Super Saturday morning Lumberjack Show. Amazing Quest events for Friday afternoon and evening. Expanding our Friday programs. Honored Eagle Scout Awards Ceremony Saturday evening. Special OA flap to all Eagle Scouts. Best Bar None Unit Spirit Challenge. Only the best will earn our MRXVI CSP. All new food and specialty Trading Posts. All Rendezvous communications and main MRXVI Trading Post will be online only. 2
Timeline Details: Last: 1) Your unit registration (online) is required to be completed before September 17, 2017. Remember Early Bird fee applies prior to May 31! Beginning September 1, the late fee will apply. Visit https://scoutingevent.com/272-mrxvi to register. 2) All participating units are required to have one adult (who is actually attending the Rendezvous) view the Pre-Rendezvous Leader Orientation on Tuesday, August 22 nd at 7:00 p.m. using Facebook live. Simply visit the President Ford Field Service Council Page on Facebook to view. 3) Last minute add-ons or registration changes are permitted until September 17 th (none after that date). 4) Your unit s final roster and other Rendezvous instructions will be emailed to you the second week of September. 5) Remember you must register online at michiganscouting.org/presidentford. Be a part of the online Pre-Rendezvous Leader Orientation! (8/22/17 at 7:00 p.m. via Facebook) Come prepared as a unit for a grand event! Follow the registration timeline! Read and share this entire packet with all attending! Read this packet again, and register online before August 31 st! MACKINAC RENDEZVOUS GENERAL INFORMATION Registration Fees: Early Bird (until May 31): $75 Regular (July 1 to August 31): $85 Late Fee (September 1 to September 13): $95 RENDEZVOUS REGISTRATION All participants must be registered in the Boy Scouts of America. Parents or guardians of a registered Scout may attend but must be registered in Scouting. Names will be checked against unit rosters to ensure that all participants are registered members of the Boy Scouts of America. Remember that: Health Form A & B will be required and are kept with unit leaders. The second week of September a printed confirmation of your final roster will be emailed to the person that registers your unit at https://scoutingevent.com/272-mrxvi We have uploaded all of this on the Mackinac Rendezvous pages at www.michiganscouting.org. Keep up to date on the Rendezvous by checking this web site regularly. There will be updates! *PLEASE NOTE: $50.00 of the participation fee is non-refundable. There are no refunds made after September 1, except for emergency reasons. Refunds must be requested in writing. WEBELOS AND ARROW OF LIGHT REGISTRATION - By Troop Invitation Only! Your Webelos, Arrow of Light, and their leaders may be invited by your Troop to participate in this Mackinac Rendezvous! 3
Scoutmasters---this is a great opportunity for your Troop to have yet another vital networking opportunity with your Webelos den(s) and their leadership! Invite your Webelos to join you! Note: 1. Webelos Den leaders may participate in the August 22 nd online Pre-Rendezvous orientation with the Scout Troop leader! 2. Troop must assign a Den Chief from their Troop to every Webelos den participating. 3. Webelos sign up is permitted only through a Troop registration. NOTE: First Year Webelos (fourth graders by September) registration to this Rendezvous by a Boy Scout Troop IS PERMITTED! RENDEZVOUS STAFF REGISTRATION Scouters who would like to be a part of the volunteer staff should email mackinacstaff@bsa781.org for information on registration and to pay the $65.00 staff fee. You must be approved to be a member of staff. REQUIRED PRE-RENDEZVOUS LEADER ORIENTATION Our experience has shown that a pre-rendezvous orientation for units participating is critical for safe operations at the Rendezvous. A pre-rendezvous online* orientation is set for Tuesday, August 22 nd at 7:00 p.m. ATTENDANCE AT THIS MEETING IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL UNITS PARTICIPATING IN THIS RENDEZVOUS. *Unit leaders may attend the Orientation in person at the DeVos Family Center for Scouting should they wish to. UNIT PREPARATION The weather at the Straits of Mackinac can change rapidly. BE PREPARED! Plan on appropriate attire for a wide variety of weather conditions including sun, wind, rain and even snow. It has all occurred at previous Rendezvous!! Scouts and leaders are expected to be well-schooled in camp setup after dark and in adverse conditions. Bring only the tents and the equipment you expect to be using. 4
WHAT TO BRING Bring tents, ground cloth, metal stakes, cooking gear to prepare meals in your campsite (or purchase meals at our new Food Trading Posts), hand tools for campsite set up and clean up, dining fly, water jugs, first aid kit, Troop flag, plastic trash bags, and fire safety equipment, several changes of clothing, warm sleeping gear, rain protection, warm coat, gloves, hat, sun/wind screen, sunglasses, canteen, flashlight, camera, compass, spending money and Scout Uniform. NOTE: All Scouts and leaders will be expected to be in a Boy Scouts of America uniform (Scout, Venturer or adult) while on the Island. Let s set a great Scouting example! PLEASE DO NOT BRING YOUR OWN FIREWOOD! There will be a limited supply of firewood at the park. Troops should plan their own Friday supper, Saturday breakfast and lunch, and Sunday breakfast (food and preparations). New for 2017: A variety of meals will be available at one of the several new Rendezvous Food Trading Posts that we will be providing - - so if you would prefer, replace your unit meals with ours and save time and hauling! FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 Use our new Gate to Campsite check-in program! RENDEZVOUS DAILY SCHEDULE As a courtesy to others, units will be expected to rapidly unload unit equipment and move their vehicle(s) to the designated parking areas before campsite set up can begin. Troop/Crew trailer(s) are allowed in your campsite. A tow vehicle may stay if it remains attached to the trailer. No other unit vehicles are allowed in your campsite. Our Friday program menu will include many special treats: The Amazing Quest will take your unit through a special program at our Mackinaw Mill Creek campgrounds and Colonial Fort Michilimackinac. (Details of this special Rendezvous program will be on a separate online page.) Best Bar None Unit Spirit Challenge This unique challenge program (details will be on our special Rendezvous online page) will begin with several pre-rendezvous activities and then multiple Friday and Saturday must do Scouting and historical opportunities. Only the Best Bar None Spirit Challenge units will qualify to earn our MRXVI Collectors Council Shoulder Patch!! And only they will ever have the HONOR to be called BEST BAR NONE! Another new extra to this year s Rendezvous will be multiple Food and Community vendor Trading posts. The Food Trading Posts will provide many meals and treats, including fudge, elephant ears, breakfast menus, pizza and other evening meal opportunities. The Community Trading Posts will offer a variety of Native American and UP NORTH collectables. 5
Our traditional Nataepu Shohpe OA Lodge and National BSA Trading Post will also be available for Scouting purchases. Our normal Mackinac Rendezvous Trading Post will be Pre-Order Online only. A Unit MRXVI Trading Post order form will be added to our online site by this summer. Experience early Mackinac history with our outstanding re-enactors in a living history encampment including black powder cannon shooting from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. We will have our infamous giant inflatables available from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday! There will be a Leader s Cracker Barrel for an overview of the Saturday program at 10:00 p.m. at the Rally Building. All Rendezvous Trading Posts will be open from Noon until 10:00 p.m. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2017 A great Scouting day to be on Mackinac Island!!! Activities on the Island include: BEST BAR NONE UNIT SPIRIT CHALLENGE continues. Tours of the forts and other historical sites. Downtown fudge shopping and sightseeing. Visiting our Lady Liberty statue provided by Boy Scouts 50 years ago. Experience has shown us (and leaders have asked us) if units could have an open schedule while on the Island so starting this Rendezvous, once your COLOR GROUP and unit arrives on the Island, you may go wherever you wish. Please remember over one thousand Scouts and leaders in one or two locations at one time is going to get very crowded - - so really think through your Unit s time on the Island. Get out and explore!! Color group times and ferry travel times will be strictly controlled by our Rendezvous Security Team to insure everyone is accounted for and safely returned to and from the Island. Plan to have your own special lunch time in a park or restaurant on the Island. Sound like a busy day? You bet! So relax and let us provide for you our delicious Saturday evening feast! Don t forget the Leader s Cracker Barrel to close out the Saturday activities and cover any last minute Sunday announcements! We will collect your numbers for the Best Bar None Unit Spirit Challenge recognition items at this meeting. Then off to bed with a smile on your face, and good memories in your heart! There will be a special Honored Eagle Scout Award Ceremony for all Eagle Scouts and youth Life Scouts at this Mackinac Rendezvous. Nataepu Shohpe OA Lodge invites all Life and Eagle Scouts to attend this fellowship and ceremony. At the conclusion of the ceremony, a limited edition commemorative OA Flap will be presented to each Eagle Scout and youth Life Scout. 6
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 Remember that a Scout is Reverent. Wake up, have breakfast, and come worship with us at 9:00 a.m. Units wishing a full religious service should arrange their own at one of the churches in the area. A listing of these services can be provided upon request or found by looking up Mackinaw City churches on your computer. Campsite inspections will begin AFTER the worship service. When the unit s campsite inspection is completed by a MRXVI staff person, a recognition (your Rendezvous patches, etc.) envelope will be provided for each unit. ISLAND ADVENTURE VENTURER AND OLDER SCOUT PROGRAM For the first time ever we are offering a complete STAND ALONE Venturer, older Boy Scouts (14 and older) and their leaders a special Island program. Space for this will be limited to only 50 youth and adult participants. The fees for this program are: $135 per person (or Early Bird by May 31 is $125; and the Late Fee after September 1 is $145). Complete details of this very limited ISLAND ADVENTURE will be on a on our online site. Program Highlights include: Exclusive Friday to Sunday on the Island program. Scout Barracks available only to this group for sleeping. All meals from Friday evening to Sunday morning will be provided. Personalized historical and downtown tours. Special ferry boat transportation to and from Island. Hiking, biking, and sailing programs. EMERGENCY CONTACT POINTS AT RENDEZVOUS A list of MRXVI key leadership staff and their contact numbers will be in your September 22 nd check in packet! Mackinaw City Police: 231-436-7861 OR 911 Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground: 231-436-5584 or email at: office@campmackinaw.com NOTE PLEASE: Only Scouts, leaders and Units registered with this Mackinac Rendezvous may participate in any manner with this Rendezvous. A Scout is trustworthy!! Participation on the ferry boats, campgrounds, and Island areas will be required to display proper Mackinac Rendezvous XVI identification per written agreements with boat services, campgrounds and Michigan State Historical Parks staff. This is a Youth Protection and Risk Management Issue - - so please pay close attention to security instructions. 7
FACILITIES / SECURITY We continue to review ways to streamline the check-in procedures that begin Friday at noon and end at 10:00 p.m. Follow the pre-rendezvous procedures for Gate to Campsite check in, each vehicle checking in will be given a color-coded card to be filled out and displayed on the dash with a time limit to have your vehicle in the campsite included. Once that time limit is expired, the vehicle must be moved to the main parking area. Those units that bring a Troop/Crew trailer may leave their tow vehicle in the campsite as long as it is attached to the trailer. If the tow vehicle is disconnected from the trailer you are expected to move it to the parking area. If your unit does not have an equipment trailer, we suggest you consider renting or borrowing one for the weekend as this will allow for faster movement of vehicles in the camp and provide greater space in vehicles to transport Scouts and adults. (Use of an equipment trailer is not a requirement only an experienced suggestion!) This is a tent camping Rendezvous so if you are planning to bring your RV camper, trailer or motorhome you will need to make separate arrangements, at your expense, with the Mill Creek Campground facility - (Phone: 231-436-5584 or Email: office@campmackinaw.com). The area for these vehicles will be located in the north area of the Rendezvous campground. All Rendezvous participant registration is to be completed online at michiganscouting.org. If you have any special needs or special requests, please contact Jerry Kiste, Facilities Chair at jpkiste@yahoo.com or Ken Chudy, Security Chair at ksc1250@gmail.com Requests in the past have included: Dietary concerns, special parking and transportation to events for handicapped persons, electrical hook-up for those with medical needs, or camping near a specific Troop or Crew. Finally, campsite picnic tables are in limited supply where we are camped - - - plan to bring your own chairs and small portable tables. 8
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: May we bring our families, younger children, spouses? No---Space is limited so we ask that only Rendezvous registered Scouters and Scouts participate. Can we bring our own firewood? No---Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground will provide a limited supply of firewood available at designated locations in the park. What can we do to speed up check in? Use our new Gate to Campsite check-in procedure. 1) Week before Rendezvous email to us your final unit roster information complete and correct. 2) Attend the required online orientation meeting in August. 3) Follow all Gate to Campsite vehicle unloading instructions which will be emailed once the roster is received. 4) Relax it will be a great weekend! Are individual Health Histories required? Yes---BSA Health Form A & B for both youth and adult participants are required. These health history forms will need to be in the possession of one of the unit leaders always. We recommend having them in a three ring binder for ease of organization and carrying. Can we bring bikes, skateboards or roller blades? No---Limited bikes may be rented on the island (see their booths upon arrival) and skateboards and roller blades are illegal in most areas of the Island. May Scouts or Scouters with special needs or diets attend? Yes-please advise us of who they are and their needs (including dietary) when you register the participant. We hear Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts can attend how do they sign up? Yes all Webelos and their leaders may attend with your Troop. Their registration is with your Troop registration only a Webelos den may not sign up on its own. Do all our adult participants need to be registered in the Boy Scouts of America? Yes you should be doing this anyway as a part of your youth protection plan! We understand that some food is to be provided and some is prepared by our unit --- what do we need to bring? Great question! We recommend: charcoal or propane grills and stoves, griddle, pots for boiling water and paper products to reduce dish washing. You will need to prepare food Saturday breakfast, Island lunch and Sunday breakfast. We will provide Saturday s supper. Rather than haul food for these meals, consider using our new Rendezvous Food Trading Posts! Are Scout uniforms required? You bet!! This is a public viewed Scouting function! A complete Scouting uniform is expected and so is the proper wearing of that uniform (tucked in, buttoned up, clean, etc.). Troop T-shirts or camp T-shirts can be worn in your campsite. Complete Scout uniforms are expected of every member of the Boy Scouts of America for the Saturday program unless your unit has chosen to come in historical 1750 1850 Rendezvous attire! What are lost Scout or missed the boat plans? ---Well, neither will happen if our security procedures and some good Scouting common sense are followed!! Tell your Scouts that: 1) All our security leaders wear yellow security hats. Call upon them if they need help. 2) Use the Boy Scout buddy system, and 3) follow the color group schedule!! When can we get our vehicles and depart on Sunday morning? You may get your vehicles and depart only after two things have happened: 1) Rendezvous worship service is over 2) Your campsite is cleaned, inspected, and signed off by a member of the Rendezvous staff. Other questions? Call or email Council Program Director, Matthew Hogg at matthew.hogg@scouting.org or direct: 616-930-4586 OR participate in - be at the required online orientation meeting!! 9