Archives for July 2018
Piedmont Cub Scouts Summer Camp ‘A Blast!’
Cub Scouts from the Piedmont District enjoyed a fast-moving week of rocket launches, games, shooting sports, new skills, hiking—and more—at the Inskeep Farm in the shadow of Cedar Mountain, south of Culpeper, Virginia. Piedmont District Cubs Camp Director Russ Wetzel called the event “great fun!”
Wetzel declared he had as much fun as the Scouts, adding, “It rained on Monday and was off and on sunny the rest of the week. But, nobody cared about the weather. We were having too much fun!”
The Scouts made boats and held a “Raingutter Regatta.” They decorated rockets for launch during the week. The group hiked to the Cedar Mountain Civil War Battlefield where they discussed the history of the Civil War. When the wind was up, they flew kites. Then, they launched more rockets; practiced archery skills, enjoyed target practice with BB rifles, played horseshoes, and more!
Asked on Friday by one leader what they wanted to do next, one Scout said, “Everything! Let’s do everything again.”
Special HOST Hike Brings Scouters Together To Learn About William T. Hornaday
A special 2018 William T. Hornaday – Colin Livingstone Hike was held on Saturday, May 26, 2018. The Hornaday Wildlife Conservation award honors the man who was the head taxidermist at the Smithsonian, helped establish the National Zoo, and was the first Director of what is now the Bronx Zoo. He is widely credited with saving the American bison from extinction.
This was the newest entry to the Council’s History & Archives Committee’s H.O.S.T program and was a one-time event. It followed much of the Livingstone Hike but added unique challenges and information about Hornaday, making it a very different hike for those who had previously earned the Livingstone Hike medal.
There were historical displays about the Hornaday Award, plus information about Scouting’s environmental and conservation programs available at the ceremony before the hike. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place promptly at 9 AM with multiple departures leaving shortly after from the Omni Shoreham Hotel. The entire route was approximately 6.5 miles long, finished at the Smithsonian Castle, and took the most of the 430+ registered participants four to seven hours to finish.
If you missed the Hornady Hike, consider signing up for one of the other three History Of Scouting Trail program hikes currently available.
NCAC Launches Multiweek Day Camp
Earlier this year NCAC launched an exciting new pilot program: a multiweek Cub Scout day camp! For five weeks this summer they offered the same great program as our traditional day camps, with the multiweek format helping for parents looking for more summertime activities. The camp received full accreditation from BSA’s National Camp Accreditation Program and campers had tons of fun!
The camp averaged 18 campers each week – pretty good for a pilot program – with all Cub Scout ranks represented. Cub Scouts split into groups by age level so they could focus on activities tailored to each rank.
There were, of course, lots of opportunities to work on advancement. By week 4 the Tigers completed the Curiosity, Intrigue, and Magical Mysteries elective Adventure Loops. Wolves worked on the Finding Your Way, Digging in the Past, and Paws of the Skill Adventure Loops. Bears worked on the Baloo the Builder Adventure Loop, and completed the Roaring Laughter and Super-Science Adventure Loops. Webelos worked on the Into the Woods and Build-It Adventure Pins, and completed the Sportsman Adventure Pin.
Scouts each week also earned their rank-specific Shooting Sports Archery Patch and Pin, built stretchers and chariots for relay races, made paracord bracelets, completed service projects, built bird houses, tied a variety of knots, performed educational songs and skits, and learned about all turkeys and other local plants and animals with the head biologist from Fort Belvoir.
One of the most popular events was the Bike Rodeo. This event gave Scouts a chance to have fun and challenge themselves to improve. Many Scout learned to ride a bike for the first time, and more experienced riders assisted their fellow Scouts and grew their own skills.
This camp would not have been possible without the hard work of our staff. In particular, a huge shout-out goes to our Admin Director Dominick Caridi, Nature Director Abbie Allred, and Scout Skills Director Sam Markle, and Staff Advisor Joel Jackson for their outstanding service to our camp. They went above and beyond to put together something special that our Scouts and staff want to keep building in the future. Already parents are making plans to come back next year – and bring their friends!
