How we communicate with you.
This page updated May 16, 2023Who are we?
We are the Web Team, a group of volunteers that coordinate communications for the council primarily through our web based and social media properties. We report to the Council Commissioner Service Team and to the Council Marketing Committee. Our professional advisor is our CEO. Three of our members are BSA Certified Marketers.
Can you help us with our mission? Contact Steve Myers at commissioners@gtcbsa.org to start a conversation.
One Calendar
The Web Team was found in 2021 and works to solidify communications. Our first accomplishment was the adoption of one calendar across all meetings and activities at district and council levels. Our procedure is that all published dates should be accompanied with links to the calendar or to a relevant web page which has links to the calendar. A variety of specialized calendars are presented but they all derive from the same data base.
Our official digital channels are listed below.
The Great Trail Council and its districts have a variety of ways of getting the word out. This page is a catalogue of those ways. The Web Team has worked diligently since 2021 to establish communication channels that are consistent and accurate. We did this by having the Web Team take ownership and administration of all of our digital properties and this effort is ongoing.
*Unofficial links are indicated by "(unofficial)" below for digital properties not yet administered by the Web Team.
If you want to communicate with us about this page contact commissioners@gtcbsa.org. If you want to communicate with other staff visit out Contact US page.
Web Based Properties
Our domains:
GTCBSA.org (this site)
Manatoc.org (Camps Manatoc, Butler and Stambaugh)
Marnoc.org (GTC's Order of the Arrow Lodge)
Scoutingpopcorn.com (Fall product sale)
AllAboutScouts.org (landing site for new scout families)
Domains we use:
councilstuff.com/433 (online store)
campreservation.com/433 (reserve a campsite at our camps)
https://global.scoutingevent.com (nationwide calendar)
https://scoutingevent.com/?OrgKey=BSA433 (GTC's calendar)
https://www.qgiv.com (for our donors to support scouting)
https://mailchimp.com (for emails)
GTCVenturing.org (unofficial, inactive)
One Calendar, One Calendar Only
Our first overarching goal was to support a one-calendar initiative. Every activity of the council and districts and associated organizations is on the one council calendar and no other calendars should be used or relied on. Our vendor for the calendar is BlackPug software and supports both our listing of meetings and provides for camping and event registration.
Our commitment to you is you can rely on and trust the Council Calendar. It is under constant review and at the heart of our advertising efforts.
Special Subsets of this calendar are available at these links:
Search the calendar (GTC Local events and meetings)
Search the Global Calendar (Nationwide events by Councils the use the same software we do).
What is scheduled at our two camps calendar (existing events on home page of Manatoc.org)
Training calendar (lists all local council training events)
Fund Raising calendar (lists dates and events associated with our council level fundraisers)
Direct Communications from us to you.
GTCtv
Now in it's second season, this is produced by the GTCtv team and comes out every two weeks on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month. It is a video presentation with links to the topics discussed.
GTCtv web page with links.
GTCtv is published to GTC's YouTube Channel.
GTCtv is posted to our GTC Facebook page.
Weekly Updates sent out in each district
Our District Professionals publish an email newsletter to their districts each week and to their district Facebook page. The current edition and archives are available on the district websites so they can always be found.
Each district page includes pictures and contacts for the district key 3, the school districts and communities served, a static list of district meetings (be sure to confirm on the calendar), Links to official district Facebook pages and Groups, district history, a map and a public file storage where flyers and more may be found.
Canal District Website (on GTCBSA.org)
Crooked River District Website (on GTCBSA.org)
Soaring Eagle District Website (on GTCBSA.org)
Stambaugh District Website (on GTCBSA.org)
Weekly Archives all email campaigns (new 2023 - link may change)
Social Media
Great Trail Council Facebook and Instagram
Our primary channel is the
Great Trail Council Instagram (currently underutilized)
District Facebook Pages and Instagram
Canal District Facebook Page Instagram
Crooked River Facebook Page Instagram (no Instagram) (not yet in Meta Business Suite)
Soaring Eagle Facebook Page Instagram (no Instagram)
Stambaugh District Facebook Page Instagram
Exploring Facebook Page Instagram (no Instagram)
Marnoc Lodge OA #151 Facebook Page Instagram
Other Council Facebook Pages
Camp Manatoc Facebook Page
Great Trail Council Scout Shop Facebook Page (not in Meta Business Suite)
The Adaptation, Inclusion and Diversity Committee, Great Trail Council, BSA Facebook Page
Manatoc Traditions Committee Facebook Page (needs a @username)
Great Trail Council Venturing Facebook Page (not in Meta Business Suite) (note https://GTCVenturing.org exists, is not owned by Web Team and is not used presently)
Council Related Facebook Groups
Groups are not listed in this accounting. District Group pages can be seen in the individual district web pages.