If your family was not able to participate in Family Camping during July, you have a special opportunity to do so! We’ve just added a 5th week of Family Camping at Camp Snyder for the weekend of August 7-9. Some families have already registered, so don’t wait long to sign up!
Want to shoot a BB gun, climb the Scouterhorn, fly a drone, make a tool box or bird house or create Foam Gnomes with STEM? Then this weekend is for you! Check out the Camp Snyder Program Activities Catalog! Plus, you can hike the nature trail, bike all over Camp Snyder, fish in a well-stocked lake, discover Geocaches, roast marsh mellows over your own campfire or look at nature up close with the foldable microscope every youth receives.
Register by August 5th to reserve your place at Camp Snyder!
Like many, Ashburn Troop 997’s summer camp plans were put on hold due to COVID closures. But that didn’t stop the Troop from providing a high-quality summer experience for their Scouts while following all BSA, CBC and state rules and guidance. The Troop set up a campsite at the Hidden Meadow group campsite maintained by the Willowsford Conservancy.
So then I had to test it, but I didn’t know any high buildings or bridges that I could use. So then Ms. Trisha told me perhaps I could do it from the COPE wall at Camp Snyder and I said YES PLEASE! On Saturday we drove to Camp Snyder in Haymarket, Virginia and Ms. Trisha asked Mr. Waisanen, the NCAC COPE & Climbing Chair, if I could do my project and he said yes. We had to figure out how to drop it and how to collect the data I needed for the requirements. There was another adult, Mr. Lesko, who talked to me about how to throw or drop the parachute from the 24’ high tower. I chose static drop, because that was easier and more reliable for 
deploying and collecting data. I also had to figure out how to pull the parachute back up after each drop and how to stay at the top of the climbing tower and still be able to use my hands. The COPE teachers showed me how I could put my feet against the wall so I could use my hands. That was really cool! I had a looped cord all the way down that they tied the parachute on, so I could pull it up every time and I dropped the parachute 3 times. My mom took the hang time with a stopwatch and my friend Keefer checked the box to make sure it wasn’t damaged and to check the supplies inside. The box was still good after 3 drops, so my experiment was successful. After that I climbed down and we had to clean all the equipment we used with soap and water to make it safe for the next person to use.”
