We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Articles

STEM University

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On June 9, 2018, the NCAC STEM Committee held the 3rd annual STEM University at the Microsoft Technology Center in Reston, VA. A special thanks to scouters and Microsoft employees, Damon DeSonier and Bill Cunnane, as well as Microsoft Corporation for making the facility available!

The day kicked off with an Einstein’s Science fair where Cubs and Scouts presented in a poster board style. Then adults and youth split off to separate activities. The adults engaged in a STEM & Special Needs session, and then selected from the following trainings: Supernova Mentor & Nova Counselor Training, Hands-on Science Activities, and STEM Roadmap to Success for Troops and STEM for Cub Scouts.

The Cub Scouts attended 6 rotations led by Boy Scout and adult leaders. Several of the activities helped with the new Nova Award, Fearful Symmetry!

Attorney of the Year

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On Wednesday, June 13, National Capital Area Council hosted a lunch to honor local attorneys with the Attorney of the Year Good Scout Award. The honorees this year were Dr. Blake Morant, George Washington University Law School Dean and Robert Kramer Research Professor of Law; A. Scott Bolden, Managing Partner ReedSmith; and Thomas Fortune Fay, Of Counsel, Fay Law Group. We are grateful to our sponsors for helping us break last year’s fundraising record! For more information or to learn about sponsorship opportunities for 2019, please contact Jenna Welle at 301-214-9151 or
Jenna.Welle@Scouting.org

Seneca Webelos Scout Awarded Medal of Merit

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Back row: Camille Finley(mother), Lois Finley (grandmother), Fritz Finley (father), Matthew Beyers (District Chair)
Front row: Graeme Finley, Vivien Finley (sister)

by Matthew Beyers, Chair, Seneca District

In June, Seneca District proudly awarded one of it’s youngest Scouts one of Scouting’s highest honors – the Medal of Merit. In July 2017, while working on his boat with his 82 year old grandfather John, 10-year-old Graeme of Pack 694 heard a splash and realized the John had fallen between the boat and dock. With his grandfather in a post-surgery weakened state, Graeme immediately threw a line to his grandfather and then yelled for help. Nearby adults pulled his grandfather from the harbor and the paramedics were summoned to check him out – all was good and Graeme, now at Troop 496, was awarded the Medal of Merit for doing the right thing at the right time under extreme pressure. Congratulations Graeme!

This Lone Scout Stays Connected Through Geocaching

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Three years ago, Cub Scout Pack 63, Aquia District, Stafford was looking for a way to offer an activity that the Scouts and families could do together and that would fit into their summer calendars. They decided on geocaching because the Scouts would learn a valuable skill while the entire family could participate in an outdoor adventure. It’s often hard to find a date when everyone can attend a summer Pack function, so we offer geocaching in addition to traditional summer activities like resident camps for Cubs and Webelos, Potomac Nationals Scout Night, etc. Our Scouts have gone geocaching locally and while traveling on summer vacations.

Lorraine Lince, the Packs Lion Leader had kept up with a fellow Wood Badge staff member and this spring realized the staffer and his family were currently living in Warsaw Poland. Lorrain discovered Dmitri, their son, was in the Lone Scout program and had no Pack to interact with in Poland. Since geocaching is done world-wide, she thought this would be a great way to help Dmitri stay connected to a Pack and provide a fun Scouting activity for his family as well. With NCAC’s permission, Pack 63 offered him the chance to participate with us to earn the National Summertime Award remotely. He and his family were thrilled to join in and are having a great time with it!

So far, he has found geocaches at Żelazowa Wola (the birthplace of Frederic Chopin), in Warsaw, Poland and a special cache in Gdańsk, Poland placed in honor of Alf Liczmański, an early Polish Scout and later a Scoutmaster. Dimitri is doing the same as all other Pack 63 families do: for each cache he and his family finds they post to the Pack’s Facebook page for everyone to see. It has been a great learning experience for both the Cubs here in the United States and for Dmitri in Poland. At the end of the summer, we will send him a special Pack 63 Geocaching Participation Certificate and certify that he has earned the National Summertime Award.

Western Shore District Day Camp

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The 2018 Cub Scout Day Camp at St Mary’s Fairgrounds kicked off Monday June 18th with over 220 Cub Scouts.  We worked through the first day kinks quickly and the Scouts had a terrific day of archery and BB guns, master chef competitions, Cub Scout wash, and much more.

Tuesday was Cub Scout Day Camp accreditation with a tour of the camp and review of all records. The St. Mary’s Fairgrounds Cub Scout Day Camp received 55/55 on the review, with zero deficiencies and exemplary comments.

The Coast Guard visited on Wednesday. The visit was  a real hit for all participants. The Scouts continued their round robin events and left camp with smiles and exciting stories to tell their family and friends.

As a conservation project, the Scouts participated in Milkweed for Monarchs by learning about the decline in the Monarch Butterfly population and planting milkweed seed to restore its habitat. The Elms Environmental Center spoke to the Scouts about invasive species and what can be done to prevent the destruction of native habitats. Our Leave No Trace Pilot Program continued as we integrated LNT practiced into the daily program this week.

Despite the rainy weather on our closing day of camp, families and Scouts enjoyed their time together as we said our good byes.

We had several new additions to Day Camp this year that were big hits! Before & After care makes it convenient for parents to drop off/pick up their Scouts closer to the hours they go to/from work. The Bobcat Boot Camp has new Scouts working on and on target to complete their badge before the close of camp. The Gaga Ball pit at Sports & Games was a highlight this year! The new improved Obstacle Course had kids coming back again and again (maybe because they get wet?)!

Some special thanks go to Kevin McCray who built our new Obstacle Course, putting in lots of hours and work so the kids would have this fun and engaging activity. Matthew Albright with help from his family,worked hard the Saturday before camp to build us a Gaga Ball pit.

Thank you to all the volunteers, parents, and key staff who planned and made Day Camp a success for all the Scouts and siblings who attended and enjoyed their week.

#smccubScoutcamp2018

Troop 128 Prepared To Help Others; A Scout Is Kind

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by John Dietrich, Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 128

In May, Troop 128’s Philmont crew conducted a 12-mile preparatory hike in Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls Park near Thurmont, MD. It was a tough day of hiking; occasional rain and a constant fog made the trails very slippery. After ten miles of hiking, as we descended from Cat Rock on the Old Misery Trail, we found a man and woman in trouble. Heidi, our new friend, was on the ground, and clearly in pain. She had slipped on the rocks and sprained her ankle.

The Scouts of Troop 128 were prepared to help. From first aid kits came bandages to bind the ankle. From Wilderness First Aid training came the advice to take ibuprofen. From one Scout’s multi-tool came a small saw to fashion a crutch to help her walk down the mountain.

Heidi tried to go down the Old Misery Trail. Unfortunately, her fall had occurred near the top of the mountain where the road was far below and about a mile away. Still worse, this trail features a steep grade, frequent switchbacks, and many boulders along the way. Heidi was able to go forty feet with her new crutch but travel proved too difficult. Again the Scouts volunteered to help.

Our crew had the phone number of the park ranger offices. Heidi’s friend contacted the ranger station and arranged for rangers to bring a basket up the trail. We helped Heidi remain warm by providing a dry Tyvek sheet to sit on, and encouraged her to stay hydrated and keep the ankle elevated. The Scouts redistributed crew gear so the older Scouts and adults could help carry Heidi when the rangers arrived.

A group of six rangers came up the trail an hour later. They provided further first aid and helped her into the basket. The rangers gladly accepted help carrying it as the footing was treacherous. Up over logs, and down ledges, the team passed the basket safely down the mountain. At every moment of the hour-long trip, at least one Scout carried the basket, fully contributing to help bring Heidi to safety.

By the end of the afternoon the tired crew arrived at the waiting Park Service vehicles. Heidi had only the most appreciative words for our Scouts. Likewise, the rangers recognized how much the boys had helped bring her safely out of the woods. The Scouts then reloaded their packs and finished their hike.

Even with her extremely injured ankle, Heidi would have made her way to safety without help from the unit eventually, but the Scouts of Troop 128 epitomized the image of the Boy Scouts of America by being prepared through training, equipment, and teamwork to help other people at all times in the rugged outdoors. I proudly call to your attention the following Scouts:

  • Chris “Cloud” Barre’, Eagle Scout
  • Ethan Carlisle, Life Scout
  • Luke Carlisle, Life Scout
  • Adam Dietrich, Eagle Scout
  • Joseph Massaro, Life Scout
  • John “Jack” Sears, Life Scout
  • Alexander Smithgall, Life Scout
  • Bart Barre’, Crew Advisor