We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Articles

Scout Refurbishes 1982 Eagle Scout Project

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One of the strengths and wonders of Scouting in our area is the continuity inherent in our communities with families remaining in the area for decades. One of our current Scouts in Point of Rocks is looking to do his Eagle project refurnishing and adding names to an Eagle project that our third Eagle Scout did back in 1982. They met recently to go over pointers.

The sign depicts the local veterans who have since passed as of 1982, when the original sign was done. He will be working with the VFW, the American Legion, and the local newsletter to get the names needed to update the sign. The sign will get newer materials rather than the wood that was used and improved landscaping including removing the tree that is swallowing it on the right.

Troop 58 Breaks Summer Camp Record!

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Ashburn’s Troop 58 Swoops into Summer Camp!

Summer may be over, but the stats are rolling in. This year was the Troop 58’s largest group yet to swoop into Summer Camp, as over 50 Scouts and adult leaders from Ashburn’s Troop 58 attended Camp Shenandoah in Swoope, VA in mid-June. Camp Shenandoah has been serving Scouts for almost 70 years, since 1950. Across the troop, the Scouts worked on 143 merit badges and attended 22 other classes like stand up paddleboard.

Sixteen of the troop’s recent cross-over Scouts joined in the fun and successfully completed the Timber Mountain Program. Troop 58’s Treasurer, Wilson Chua, also conquered a 1 ½ mile swim around Hope Lake earning his Mile Swim patch. Water-related merit badges earned by the Scouts included swimming, lifesaving, motorboating, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, and oceanography. The final lakeside campfire on Friday night included Troop 58’s rendition of TopNotcher – always a classic! One of the troop’s Life Scouts, Daniel Han, had such a great time at Camp Shenandoah and made such a good impression that he was offered a job at the camp.

When he arrived back at home that Saturday, he did his laundry returned to Camp Shenandoah the next morning – as a member of the camp staff for the remainder of the summer! Troop 58 is also prepared to attend the Sea Base Out Island Adventure in late July. During this high adventure trip, 2 crews of Scouts flew to Miami, FL, drove to the Brinton Environmental Center, and then paddled to Big Munson Island in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. They camped there for an action packed week of ocean kayaking, snorkeling (day and night), fishing, sailing, and exploring the ocean – all without running water and electricity!

Remember camp registrations are quickly approaching, be on the look out for the registration dates for Camp Shenandoah!

TREAD Lightly! Trainer Course

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The TREAD Lightly! Trainer Course, is the newest component of the BSA Outdoor Ethics program was recently opened to Scouts ages 14 and over for the FIRST TIME EVER. The minimum age to be able to take the course was originally 18 years old but was changed in 2019.

Patrick Martinez, Connor Gephart & Teagan Gephart were the FIRST in their respective Districts to successfully complete the TREAD Lightly! Trainer Course on Sunday, September 22, 2019 at the United States Coast Guard Station campground.

The course is designed to help volunteers promote the message Responsible Recreation where lands and waters are protected. The course is centered on mechanized recreation focusing on the TREAD Lightly! Principles designed to minimize impacts on roads, trails, and the wildlands they access according to the course description.

Patrick, Connor and Teagan learned how to share the TREAD Lightly! concepts and understand the role outdoor ethics plays in the recreation community. They learned the TREAD Lightly! Principles of Responsible Recreation and were provided with the knowledge and tools to conduct workshops and coordinate community outreach as the FIRST youngest TREAD Lightly! Trainers in their Districts. The boys are qualified to present the TREAD Lightly! message to Scouts and others in their District, State or Region. Also completing the TREAD Lightly! Trainer course are: Michael Gephart, Scout Master Troop 13 and David Martinez, ASM Troop 996.

If you are a Scout over 14 years old and your interested in the Tread Lightly! Trainer Course contact:

Michael Nostrand
TREAD Master Trainer
ScoutmasterMN@aol.com
703-495-8221
Marriott Scout Service Center
9190 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
Phone: 301-530-9360

Scouts Participate in Leave No Trace Activities

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NCAC Scouters recently had the amazing opportunity to participate in Leave No Trace (LNT) activities with the LNT Traveling Trainers. This energetic, two-person team travels around the country visiting national, state, and local parks to spread the word about LNT by engaging the public in participatory games and activities. LNT is a set of principles that guides people in thinking about the impacts of their actions in the outdoors (#LeaveNoTrace) while also having a great time (#EnjoyYourWorld). Not surprisingly, LNT is one of the foundational elements of BSA outdoor ethics and BSA outdoor code.

The Traveling Trainers did a phenomenal job of engaging our NCAC LNT Trainer and LNT Master Educators in the hand movements for the 7 principles of LNT, a relay game about the 10 essentials, another game about durable surfaces, an activity to guess the mystery water pollutant & how to properly dispose of it, and an exercise about scenarios they find the most disturbing with respect to impacts on the environment.

Our Scouters are proud to note the learning was not unidirectional. They have so much experience teaching LNT to Scouts & Scouters that they shared a few new tips and games with the Traveling Trainers, making for a great exchange of experiences by people passionate about minimizing their impact in the outdoors.

Scouts, venturers and their scouters interested in learning more about outdoor ethics can complete 5 requirements to earn the Outdoor Ethics Awareness award (https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/outdoor-ethics/awards/scouts-bsa/). Not to be left behind, Cub Scouts in NCAC can earn our council’s Cub Scout Outdoor Ethics Awareness award (http://www.ncacbsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/New-NCAC-Outdoor-Ethics-Awareness-award.pdf) by completing 4 requirements.
For scouts aged 14 and older plus scouters, NCAC will offer the LNT Trainer course twice this fall; see the NCAC Outdoor Ethics page (https://www.ncacbsa.org/training/outdoor-ethics/) for information.

Enjoy your world. Leave No Trace.

Scouts BSA in the Frederick 4H Royalty!

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Reese Davis, SPL and founding member of Troop 476G, was sashed as the 4H Junior Princess at this year’s Great Frederick Fair. Reese, 13, has been in 4H for four years. She shows Market Hogs, Market Rabbits, and Breeding Rabbits. She also raises turkeys and chickens plus enters baked goods, photography, canned foods, and crafts in the Fair. Her Vanilla Cake with Italian Buttercream won Reserve Class Champion.

Her experience in 4H is helping her work on her Pets and Animal Science merit badges. To earn the title of Princess Reese submitted an application showing her accomplishments and activity in 4H with an essay about how she would help teach more people about 4H in the coming year. She also had a panel interview with judges to talk about why she wanted to be princess.

Her brothers are both in Cub Scouts, Pack 278, and look up to her to learn from her in both 4H and Scouting. Reese is excited to spend the next year active in two wonderful youth organizations helping encourage people to join both.

Troop 55 Attends 9/11 Memorial

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 Thirty-nine Scouts and 13 Scouters from Troops 55B and 55G attended the Great Falls Memorial Service last night at Great Falls Freedom memorial.

Scouts carried the US flag and troop flag as color guard, led the Pledge of Allegiance, raised the flags, supported the candle-lighting ceremony, and helped with set-up and clean-up efforts.