If you’re thinking about taking NYLT in 2021, please take a moment to fill out the NYLT Winter Course Survey. This Survey asks how NCAC families are feeling about participating in NYLT courses in 2021. It will also help us determine our schedule and offerings for this winter.
This Survey will remain open until Sunday September 27th!
My Eagle Scout project was inspired by a former teacher I admire. She has been a foster mom to many children since I was a kindergarten student of hers. My family has kept in touch with her through the years. While out with my mother one day, she was picking up personal and clothing items that I knew were not for me or my sister. She told me these items were going to be given to a child that was just placed in my former teacher’s care and they did not arrive with much. We discussed how and why children were placed into foster care. At that moment I knew I wanted my project to have an impact on children that find themselves uprooted from their homes. I partnered with Comfort Cases in Rockville, Maryland to pack bookbags filled with personal items, coloring books, and stuffed animals. My church family and scouting friends helped to make our donation large enough to create more than 20 bags that were distributed across the country. I appreciate being able to give back to an organization that does so much for children in need.
Submit your story and become the next #EagleoftheWeek. Rememeber submissions are due every Friday by 5pm!
The Troop 26 (“26 KICKS!”) Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) – the youth leadership of a BSA Troop – worked with their adult Scouters to plan and execute a series of active Scouting events during this August and September.
Despite the on-going COVID-19 challenges, these Scouts were determined to live by Lord Baden-Powell’s advice that: “A difficulty ceases to 
be a difficulty as soon as you smile at it and tackle it.” And tackle it these Scouts did! All events were conducted safely and were designed to be “COVID-friendly” – outdoors, single tents, single meals, masks when necessary for travel or indoors, etc. You can’t keep a good Scout down!
On Aug 16th the Troop completed an Eagle Scout Project at Chancellorsville Battlefield where Scouts, Scouting families and adult Scouters restored weathered trench markers depicting key locations on the battlefield.
On Aug 22nd the Troop went on a trip to Luray Caverns where they toured the caverns, partook in the exciting adventure of a ropes course, as well as the fun of finding their way through a garden maze.
On Sept 1st, the Troop conducted an Eagle Court of Honor honoring one of our strongest Scout leaders, Kent. The Troop even tried a COVID-friendly outdoor ceremony but, in keeping with Troop 26 (“26 KICKS!”) “tradition”, it down-poured! The rain couldn’t dampen the Scout Spirit as these hardy Scouts and Scouters made the best of it and it will certainly be an Eagle Court of Honor no one will soon forget.
Then, from Sept 4th – 5th older Scouts took on the challenge of backpacking into Nicholson Hollow in 
Shenandoah National Park. On Friday afternoon Scouts and Scouters, Scoutmaster Mike, Assistant Scout Masters Mark, Noah and Kevin, Committee Member Angelina, Senior Patrol Leader Mike F, Troop Guides Gavin and Mike T, Instructor AJ, Life Scout Jadon and Second Class Scout Kaden, backpacked several miles into the backcountry and set-up a primitive campsite. Hammocks and tarps were the shelters of choice for the Scouts and naturally, as soon as the Scouts were set-up, in true Troop 26 (“26 KICKS!”) fashion, it down-poured again! But, since these Scouts and Scouters live the Scout Motto to “Be Prepared,” all was well (and dry) as the Scouts continued to thrive in the outdoors and enjoyed backpacking meals, relaxing time by the river and even had a bear sighting – thank goodness Scouts had ensured all food was in well-placed and properly hung bear bags!
The following morning the Troop broke camp after breakfast, backpacked out and tackled climbing and descending Old Rag. Ten miles of traditional switchbacks and the typical downhill descent, but all Scouts agreed that the best and most fun part was the roughly two-mile rock scramble where it was hand-over-hand climbing and, in some places, squeezing up, down, through and over various rock formations. Challenging as it was, the rigorous hike was a great capstone to an awesome weekend.
With these successes under their Scout belts, Troop 26 (“26 KICKS!”) Scouts and Scouters are looking forward to more outdoor adventures throughout the fall!
Have you ever heard of a bike rodeo? If you’re expecting bull riders riding bicycles at a you’ll be disappointed, but Pack 1323 from Laytonsville, MD, did something just as cool this past August. The bike rodeo was held in an open parking lot to teach Scouts bike riding safety and techniques. Scouts learned about safety inspections, hand signals, helmet safety, and safe braking. One Scout remarked how his favorite part of the event was the “Slow Race” where Scouts had to follow a large circle on the ground and ride as slowly as possible without letting their feet touch the ground. The Scout with the longest time would win! Overall the Scouts had a great time at this fun, interactive, and educational event.
Troop 1889 of Aquia District, in conjunction with Troop 1422 of Mattaponi District, participated in a Flag Retirement ceremony hosted by the American Legion Post 320 in Spotsylvania County. Troop 1889 collected about 85 tattered U.S. Flags that needed to be properly retired with due respect and honors. These were added to the several hundred that the American Legion already had gathered from the community.
On August 15, 2020, Troop 1889 Scouts (Jackson, Jake, Bobby, Wesley, Tyler, and Daniel)
and adult Scout Leaders, as well as three Scouts and the Scoutmaster from Troop 1422, reported to the American Legion at 10:00 AM to prepare the Flags and set them out on metal bars. At 2:00 PM, they all participated in the Flag Retirement Ceremony where over 350 flags were retired with dignity and honor while a bugler played taps. From the collection of worn U.S. Flags to the retirement ceremony, Scouts completed about 7 hours of community service while practicing social distancing.
The Founder of Scouting, Lord Robert Baden-Powell said: “The teaching of service is not merely a matter of teaching in theory, but the development of two distinct phases: the inculcation of the spirit of goodwill, and the provision of opportunity for its expression in practice. The teaching is mainly through example and … patriotic dedication of self to the service of [others], solely for the joy of doing it and without thought of material reward.” The Scouts of Troop 1889 and 1422 and their adult Scout Leaders clearly exemplified this kind of patriotic service in their honoring of U.S. Flags deserving of proper and respectful retirement.
As summer drew to a close, Aquia District Scouts BSA focused their efforts on helping Stafford Community residents by holding a second No Contact Food Drive on August 22, 2020, due to the planning and leadership of Aquia District Scouter Laura Curran. Scouts and their families suspended their preparations for the school year for a moment and instead did their Good Turn by collecting 4,353 pounds of food to help replenish the dwindling supplies of local Stafford County pantries.
Like the Scouts BSA food drive service project in May, the goal was to support local pantries and keep Scouts, their families, pantry volunteers and donors all safe by maintaining safe physical distancing. Scouts were asked to help in whatever way they deemed appropriate for their family’s circumstances. When Scouts answered the call, they spread the word of the event virtually, shared flyers with neighbors and donned masks to collect donations from doorsteps and driveways. Some Scout units worked with their neighborhood homeowners’ associations to share information and created neighborhood collections points. The drop off point for residents who heard about the drive was operated with safety of all at the forefront.
Stafford pantries were grateful for the donations, as the need to help those affected by the pandemic continues. The pantries are expecting a prolonged demand due to corona-virus related job loss and furloughs and still need support to continue their fight against food insecurity. Donations of food via food drives are the main source of non-perishables for these food pantries.
This coming November, Aquia District Scouts BSA will be conducting “Scouting For Food,” a national food drive Scout BSA campaign. For this event held annually in November, Scouts “Do a Good Turn” to help Stafford County and Dumfries food pantries stock their shelves, not just for the holidays, but for the months beyond.
This year’s Scouting For Food may look a little different with the added emphasis on the safety of all participants. However, Aquia District Scouts BSA will continue to do their part to meet the needs of Stafford County, their efforts perpetuated by them living the Scout Oath for service to others by “Helping Other People At All times.”
