Background:

• Met at Hylton Center, CWBS, scheduled to meet 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
• Attendees: Emilie L., Tony W., Lennie R. (new person), Liz J., Dave R., Paula S., Candy W., Denise V. (Reggie C. arrived around 2:00).
• Opened with "I've Got A Mission" game. Game revealed the attending members want to increase awareness of the COPE program throughout Council, integrate COPE into high adventure programs and leadership continuum, improve the organization of the program, enable committee members to advance as COPE facilitators (learn games, support sessions).

Agenda / notes

• Lessons (to be) learned from the 20 Oct Expo
• When running (high) COPE concurrently with other events, put flags on tops of active elements. Tell the POC for radio-controlled area that COPE is "keep out" area.
• Create sandwich-board announcing COPE areas with line at/around 4' point; "If you are at least as tall as this line, go (right) to xxx (high element); if under this line, go (left) to yyy (low element)."
• For a youth to participate, his/her parents must agree to only observe or work as staff (under supervision of an official COPE staffer) in order to be allowed into COPE element area
• To allow youth under 14 on high elements, staffing must include an instructor doing gear check at start, one instructor per element as belayer, and one instructor (or FiT) removing gear. Consider having the director as liaison to parents
• Need extra small seat harnesses, chest harnesses, and helmets
• Have stand for COPE brochures near active elements
• Modify COPE brochure to clarify opportunities for Webelos to participate
• "Taste of COPE" program in the past has been a 2 hr mini COPE consisting of a get acquainted game, an initiative game, one low element, and one high element (e.g., Flying Squirrel).
• Previous Expo's have allowed COPE staff to run a rope between trees near Carol's Cottage (e.g., a slack wire).
• Recommend holding adults only COPE day (in August)
• Lessons (to be) learned from the Troop 683 session of 2012-11-17
• Prior to the event, the Director should contact the unit leader to get perspective of expectations (e.g., what s/he wants the unit to experience, what minimum should be accomplished, "the day will be a success if...", "we'll be disappointed if...")
• Ideally, the unit leader should have provided the Director a list of participants before the event in time for the Director to create a roster of name, ID, and comments.
• Do introductions, ice breaker, and stretching with unit at field by dining hall (at 0900)
• During ice breaker, the Director should collect all the adults and brief them on expectations and roles for adults (two mute observers, maximum; other adults may participate as separate, for-fee, group provided sufficient staffing is available)
• Ideally, theme should allow for assigning of numbers to the participants (e.g., Bond Boot Camp theme has "double-O n" agents, Lord of the Rings has Hobbit-n/Dwarf-m, Snow White has Dwarf-n). The Director or lead instructor can issue name tags with numbers and associate the numbers to the names on the roster. Found to be efficient in the staff learning the names of participants.
• Take pictures. Good task for FiT, or for the Director if/when at least two facilitators are available; recommend minimum of two facilitators supporting the Director so one member can be dedicated to recording
• For follow up, send unit leader a synopsis of findings and CD of pictures/video(s)
• Climbing Committee meeting at the Marriott Scout Service Center on 2012-11-14
• Insufficient time to discuss points
• Road trip to other courses
• Have committee members run through their course
• Get ideas for the NCAC COPE offering
• Need COPE Committee / Program charter before offering to provide COPE fully
• Facilities
• Need more trees. Need shade.
• There is a conservation plan for CWBS. Who has it?
• Need Order of the Arrow groups to get involved. Recommend requesting help from Districts
• New COPE brochure to review.
• Photos should reflect NCAC resources (Snyder or Goshen)
• Committee has decided CWBS COPE season is Apr to mid-June; mid-Sept through Nov
• Seeking volunteers to pose for photo ops (if you have suggestions, contact Paula)
• University of Scouting is coming up. Need volunteers to present.
• Tony planning to lead effort
• College of Adventure is typical school. How about an additional session as a Scout elective?
• Anyone else willing to help should contact Tony
• Presentation needs to discuss Cub, Webelos, Scouting, Venturing. Flyers, games, ..
• Climbing program recommendations
• Deferred
• Gear recommendations
• Need more chest harnesses (small)
• Need set of smaller helmets
• Outside: Set up and test the Zip Line (?!)
• Out of time; meeting ended at 3:00 pm. Only Tony and Lennie went to the course.
• Caterpillar: tightened nut on 2nd beam
• Shed: reset door roller on north side of door

Tasks

• Write-up on Taste of COPE at Expo [Candace W., send to Tony W.]
• Contact Fairfax County Parks and Recreation: could we have internship on marketing COPE? [anybody? Bueller?]
• Charter and 3/5 Year Plan [Emilie to research]
• NCAC COPE and Climbing Processes and Procedures draft [Tony to research]
• Get CWBS Conservation plan to Tony [Reggie]
• Research getting additional foliage planted at CWBS [Tony to contact environmental POC from NCS at Hawk Mountain]
• Need “Keep Off” signs on poles [Tony to take to Facilities Committee]
• Modify on-line staffing register to reflect CWBS COPE season of Apr to mid-June; mid-Sept through Nov
  [Tony; done 2012-12-03; Click here]
• Commit to staffing Spring Instructor session and facilitate events and by mid-December 2012 (go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B4AADA62CAB9-ncac2) [All]
• Send contact roster for COPE to team [Tony]

Other To Do: Discuss CWBS maintenance with NCAC Facilities committee (or schedule for committee work session):

• Giant's Finger: sand off splinters
• Spider's Web: build easy set up/take down
• Swinging Log: tighten west support
• Mohawk Walk: tighten screws on sign (need drill with deck screw bit)
• Giant's Ladder: pack ground around sign post
• Whale Watch: tighten screws (need drill with deck screw bit)

Topic for next meeting: 5 year plan for COPE

Year 1:

• Formally open the CWBS course (i.e., need inspection/approval by BSA Visitor)
• Expand awareness / knowledge of COPE
• Run a few units through > develop set us syllabi
• Develop set of syllabi focused on COPE objects (Communication, Teamwork, (shared) Leadership, Trust; Decision making, Planning, Problem Solving, Self Esteem)
• Train staff
• Develop policies (treatment of staff, SLA with units)
• Develop charter for COPE committee (draft)
• Develop project plan

Year 2:

• Double size of staff
• Retain 75% of existing staff (design to avoid burnout)
• Presentation schedule for Roundtables
• Refine project plan
• Paint (or replace) shed

Year 3/5:

• COPE badges
• Establish COPE as a key part of all training (youth leaders, unit leaders)