NEIC 2020 Annual Report

Scouting Together

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If you aren’t in over your head, how do you
know how tall you are?

“ ”- T.S. Eliot

our greatest challenges define who we are. While it
was impossible to be prepared for the challenges that 2020 and
the COVID-19 pandemic would bring, our Scouts, volunteers,
donors, and staff came together to face every obstacle. They
fought tirelessly to redesign every aspect of Scouting
operations within the Northeast Illinois Council,
developing virtual and socially distant activities and
training, creating a library of new digital content,
and supporting our units as they navigated
the ever-changing landscape of COVID-19
restrictions. We have never felt more
connected to our Scouting community.
While our successes in 2020 may
seem modest in comparison
to prior years, to us they are
confirmation of just how
tall we can stand when
we stand together.

Our Scouts found ways to spend time safely in the great outdoors.

Zach T. helps build a new bow rack at Camp Oakarro as part of an OA service project.

We invite you to
join us in celebrating
the many silver linings
of 2020. The NEIC ranked
nationally in recruitment,
witnessed the rebuilding of Ma-
Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation, and
awarded to Eagle rank to our first
female Eagle Scouts, all while watching
our Scouting units selflessly serve their
communities through mask making projects,
food and supply drives, and community cleanups.
We are fiercely proud of our Scouts and the resilient
spirit they displayed during this unprecedented year.

Key Three Leadership Team

Kenneth P Morrison beth micksch Nick Roberts
Council President Council Commissioner Scout Executive/CEO

Bullseye! A Cub Scout makes her mark during a Local Adventure Day.

#1

AREA 7
Cub Scout & Overall
Recruitment

#3

CENTRAL REGION
Overall Recruitment

#5

CENTRAL REGION
Cub Scout Recruitment

we are proud to share that
the Northeast Illinois Council was ranked
#1 in Area 7 for Cub Scout and overall
recruitment, 3rd and 5th in these categories in
the Central Region, and among the top 15 councils
nationally. Our membership team continuously
reimagined how to safely recruit new youth, developed
online training for our units, and hosted virtual and drive-
thru registration events.

Cub Scouts 2,875 Cub Scout Packs 85
Scouts BSA Troops 86
Scouts BSA Members 2,303 Venturing Crews 24
Sea Scout Ships
Venturers & Sea Scouts 206 Exploring Posts 1
4
Explorers 45

TOTAL YOUTH SERVED: 5,424 TOTAL UNITS: 200

membership report

scout Achievements

From our new Tiger Cubs to our Eagles, our Scouts and their
leaders found ways to advance through the Scout program. From virtual Den
Meetings to online Merit Badge classes and socially distant camping
trips, our Scout units triumphed over countless obstacles.

SCOUTS BSA CUB SCOUTS

Merit Badges Earned: 3,748 Eagle Scouts: 185 Ranks Advanced:

Ranks Advanced: 1,000 Eagle Palms: 65 1,274

IN 2019, WE WELCOMED YOUNG WOMEN into the Scouts
BSA program. In 2020, we were blessed to witness eight of
these exemplary Scouts complete their Trail to Eagle,
joining the inaugural class of Female Eagle Scouts.
We offer them our sincere congratulations on
their historic accomplishments.

REAGAN BARR IONA MCQUISTON KATIE MYERHOLTZ

Troop 2 Troop 5 Troop 5

CASSIE PORAY AUTUMN SCHMIDT
Troop 1996 Troop 4150

HEIDI VANNINI LUCY VANNINI
Lone Scout Lone Scout

SALLY VANNINI
Lone Scout

Cassie Poray with Troop 1996, one of our first female Eagle Scouts.

Camping & activities

our staff and volunteers found inventive ways to deliver Scouting to
our youth. The new Local Adventures program provided small group activities
like biking, fishing, archery, and BB gun shooting. Scout units could also
rent kayaks, canoes, and bikes, and plan their own outings at Camp
Sol R. Crown and Camp Oakarro. Meanwhile, our training team
redesigned many classes to be delivered mostly or entirely online,
and offered additional weekly training sessions for leaders.
Altogether, they offered over 60 different online and in-
person training classes, an annual record!

ACTIVITY YOUTH

Camping at Council Properties 4,301
Local Adventures 288
Equipment Rentals 301
District Cubmobiles 152
Klondike Derby* 272
First Aid Meet* 131

*events took place pre-COVID

Troop 150 emjoys a socially distant campout at Camp Sol R. Crown.

Hannah S. of Deerfield Troop 4150 sews masks to be distributed to front line workers.

our
scouts
were a
constant
example of
servant leadership
during 2020. Almost every
week we heard about a new
park cleanup, a new drive for
donations to front-line workers,
a mew mask-making project, or a
new initiative to deliver cards and art
to COVID-19 patients, nursing homes, and
hospitals. Although service hours were not
recorded during 2020, we are convinced that
a better year of service has never been seen in
this council. Thank you to our Scouts for making
countless impacts in your communities!

ORDER OF THE ARROW MA-KA-JA-WAN LODGE #40
In their tradition of cheerful service, our OA members

completed several service projects to benefit the Northeast
Illinois Council, including several property improvements at Camp

Crown and Camp Oakarro (detailed on the next page). They also
created the Self-Isolation Challenge, a series of activities for Scouts of all
ages to continue the Scouting program during the pandemic. Scouts from

12 different states participate in the challenge!

service to others

reopening ma-ka-ja-wan

we know we said this last year, but we really mean it this time.
Thanks to the generosity of over 900 donors and the tireless work of hundreds
of volunteers, especially the Wilderness Engineering Society, Ma-Ka-Ja-
Wan Scout Reservation will be ready to open for its 2021 season.
Volunteers spent countless hours clearing, building, renovating,
and planning for the future of our beloved camp. We can’t wait to
welcome our Scouts back this summer!

MSR REBUILD - PROJECTS COMPLETED

• New electric and plumbing installed in many facilities
• Don Swanson Multi-Program Building completed
• New paint and woodwork on several buildings
• Campsites smoothed and cleared
• New and repaired tent platforms
• Order of the Arrow Lodge rebuilt (pictured)
• New radio tower and equipment
• New picnic tables constructed
• Most damaged roofs repaired
• Trails cleared and remapped
• West Handicraft area rebuilt
• New staff bungalows
• New tents and cots

The roof and front porch of the Order of the Arrow lodge have been rebuilt!

Grayslake Troop 73 renting the new MacLean Pump Track at Camp Sol R. Crown.

In addition
to the many
improvements
at Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan,
our volunteers and Order
of the Arrow members spent
2020 improving our two local
camps, Camp Oakarro and Camp
Sol R. Crown. Thanks to them, our
Scouts will enjoy a host of new amenities
when they return to our camps for summer
programs and overnight outings.

CAMP SOL R. CROWN CAMP OAKARRO

New picnic shelter Buildings painted
Maintenance building painted Electrical system upgrades
New air rifle and archery ranges Brush removed & forest thinned
MacLean Pump Track (pictured) Lake Michael cleaned for fishing
High Adventure Building (in progress) Shooting Sports Range complete
Campsites cleared and smoothed out Hammock Hangout zone installed

property improvements

as a

steward

of donor

investments,

the NEIC stretched

every dollar as far

as possible in 2020.

We adjusted our budget

for a savings of $738,082

to ensure the council would

remain financially stable while still

providing as many youth programs

as allowed. Thanks to the generosity

of our donors and the fiscal stewardship

of our Board, the Northeast Illinois Council

received over $655,000 in donor-restricted

capital gifts. These funds will provide for future

upgrades to our camp facilities, allowing us to

offer our familes a world-class Scouting experience.

Popcorn Sale Investments Other Revenue* Management
Camping & 6% 7% 18% 7%
Activities Fundraising
4%
3%

2020 REVENUE Scout ShopOther Revenue Programs Management (7%)
3% Scout Shop 89% Fundraising (4%)
$2,187,756 Program (89%)
Direct Support2020 EXPENSES
*Other Revenue includes $268,000 from
Program Revenue $2,247,728 the Paycheck Protection Plan funded
through the SBA CARES Act.
Popcorn Sale
All figures are pre-audit.
Investment Income

Direct Support
63%

financial report

2,146 volunteers played a significant role in

our leadershipdelivering Scouting programs across the Council.

OFFICERS 2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kenneth P Morrison Beth Micksch Bill Ratzer Felicia Brandt Beth Micksch
President Commissioner Treasurer Alison Davies Kent Middleton

Greg Lawless Nick Roberts Bob Dold Ken Morrison
Immediate Past Secretary Rick Gallagher Curt Nerenberg
Armin Gerhardt
President VICE PRESIDENTS Mike Nerheim
Tony Giamis Dan Peterson
John Wolfson Andy Langan Steven Hunter Lee Haak Ron Peterson
Administration Development Legal
Pat Heneghan Greg Pinter
Pat Klemens Kent Middleton Paul Hettich Bill Ratzer
District Operations Marketing
Andrew Hopkins John Riddle
Russ McNeilly Tom Macfadden Steven Hunter Keith Ross
Membership Program Rick Jeffries
Pat Klemens Mike Rubison
Ron Peterson Andy Langan Mike Rummel
Member-at-Large Greg Lawless Kevin Rupprecht

Tom Macfadden Ayal Sharvit
Larry Marshall Bill Sholten
Reed Snyder
Russell McNeilly Dale Thomas
John Wolfson

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Pete Armstrong Bob Markoff
LeRoy Bair G. John Marmet
Kevin Baldwin Steve Murrill
Brian Buesing Joanne Osmond
Bruce Chudacoff Leon Rockingham
Anne Fay Rick Schneider
Clark Federer Jon Stevens
Jack Fox Bill Stewart
Bill Gregory Don Swanson
Charmaine Hillary Bert Tucker
Larry Young

The sun sets over Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation’s backcountry.

thank you!Your support helps grow tomorrow’s leaders today.

Northeast Illinois Council, Boy Scouts of America @neicbsa
Kasperson Center for Scouting at Morrison Park www.neic.org
850 Forest Edge Drive
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
847-433-1813