by: Ed Murphy, District Chair
Advancement Notes – The End of an Era
After about 15 years of service, Jay Fox has stepped down as the Eagle Project reviewer for the Monticello District. In that time, he reviewed essentially every Eagle Scout project in the Monticello District. We estimate Jay has probably read, commented on, and approved nearly 1000 Eagle Projects. The Monticello District wants to thank Jay for his outstanding service to the Scouts of our District.
Pete Fenlon has agreed to take on the role of Eagle Project reviewer. In the near future, we will be creating a Monticello District email address that will automatically be forwarded to the District Eagle Project reviewer. We thank Pete for taking on this essential role.
Friends of Scouting
All units should schedule a Friends of Scouting presentation at a Pack Meeting, Troop Court of Honor, or other event where parents will be present. Please contact David Storm to schedule a day and time for your unit’s presentation.
Awards
The annual Monticello District Awards and Recognition Dinner will take place on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 6:30-8:30 pm at the American Legion, 3025 Louisa Road, Keswick, VA. After a quick opening, a potluck dinner will be served and the award ceremony will follow dinner. Look for the potluck signup in your mailbox in the next few weeks.
Awards to be presented include the District Award of Merit, the Spirit of Scouting Award, Outstanding Scout of the Year (Cub Scout, Scouts BSA, Venturing), outstanding Eagle Project of the Year, and the Unit Scouter/Volunteer of the Year Awards. Nominations for awards are still open. You can see the list of awards, nomination deadlines, and past winners here.
Every unit should nominate a Scouter or volunteer for the Unit Scouter of the Year Award for their noteworthy service to the unit over the last chartered year. This award can be presented to a person, a couple, a business, or whomever the unit feels has provided noteworthy service to the Pack, Troop, or Crew. This award can be given to someone who is not a registered leader.
Christmas Tree Sales for Camp Shenandoah
The Monticello District has wrapped up Christmas Tree sales for the 2025 season. We ordered 1056 trees that were sold at 7 lots spread across Central Virginia. Total gross sales amounted to just over $110,000. After paying for the trees and other costs, we expect to return about $22,000 to the units and $15,000 to Camp Shenandoah. We greatly appreciate the hard work of our volunteers and Scouts who staffed the lots, often on long, very cold, shifts!
Charter Renewal
It is charter renewal season in the Monticello District! If your unit has not done so, please start your charter renewal immediately and submit it as soon as possible. We have been hearing about issues with the system and with individual registrations. Starting now will give you time to work through the issues before the deadline (February 28, 2026). If you have any questions, contact your Unit Commissioner. If you don’t know who your Unit Commissioner is, please contact our District Commissioner, Mike Bonham.
Monticello District Roundtable
Our next District Roundtable will be on Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 7:00-8:30 pm at the American Legion in Keswick. All adult leaders are strongly encouraged to attend.
Yours in Scouting,
Ed Murphy
Monticello District Chair
