We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Articles

Announcing Ladies Nights in the Woodshop

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Michael’s Woodshop at Camp Snyder has become a very popular venue, hosting fun, hands-on activities for Scouts of all ages. As female youth membership in the National Capital Area Council continues to grow, we are hosting more and more female youth for activities ranging from Pinewood Derby Days to Eagle Scout Projects. As a result, we would like to add female adult and youth volunteers to our Team. The feeling of satisfaction derived from completing a project or coaching youth as they complete their own is difficult to describe. Rather than trying to convey this feeling with mere words, we decided to invite potential volunteers out to the shop to experience it first-hand!

While experienced woodworkers would be ideal, we have volunteer opportunities available for a variety of skill levels and ages, including our Youth Shop Assistant Program for BSA registered youth who are 14 and older. Volunteers are expected to be role models for visiting youth and adults. They should enjoy coaching and guiding youth during activities and a focus on safety is a must. All adult and youth volunteers must be (or become) BSA registered.

We have planned a variety of project sessions including bird houses, a cheese board and a sure to be favorite “Mom’s Tool Box”. These projects will be hands-on, sawdust-making sessions with participants having the opportunity to use a number of shop tools. The sessions are open to female adults and youth 14 and older. Time will be allotted during the activity for a shop tour as well as sharing information and answering questions about our programs and volunteer opportunities. A series of events will be held over the coming months. Please visit the Registration Page for the schedule and additional information about the projects. There is no registration fee for these events and materials will be provided free of cost. However, space is limited so make your reservation soon.

If you are interested in volunteering, we hope you will be able to join us for one of these events. If you are unable to attend a session but are interested in learning more, please visit the Volunteering Page on the website or email us at MichaelsWoodshop.CWBS@gmail.com.

Scouts Learn the Craft (and Art) of Paddlemaking

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This spring, the Aquatics Committee hosted its first paddlemaking class in Michael’s Woodshop at Camp Snyder. Two Scouts and two adults from Troop 191F and a shop volunteer all crafted their own paddles in this initial class. The process began with each student receiving a milled Ash “blank” approximately 1 1/8” thick, 6” wide and 6’ long and ended with everyone having created their own individually sized, properly balanced and beautifully shaped flatwater canoe paddle which they will treasure for a lifetime!

The class was taught by Steve Park, a highly experienced paddlemaker who specializes in flatwater canoe paddles. He generously shared his knowledge, educating students about the key components of a paddle and instructing them about the proper tools and their use. With his guidance and assistance, students were able to properly size, shape and balance their paddles. The class was not about making a single canoe paddle, but was rather an investment in learning a valuable skill. The students gave the course high marks and are looking forward to taking an advanced class where they can further refine their skills. Definitely a couple of days very well spent!

Going forward, the paddlemaking class will be formally organized into an Introductory Class and an Advanced Class. The Introductory Class will teach a number of valuable skills and will use several custom jigs and processes to enable completion of the paddle during the class. The Advanced Class will introduce additional skills students will need to start their own journey of becoming a paddlemaker!

Michael’s Woodshop at Camp William B. Snyder is a great place for Scouts to create and learn. Paddlemaking is just one of many activities available in the wood shop. For more information about upcoming Paddlemaking Classes and other shop programs or for information about reserving the shop, please visit the Michael’s Woodshop webpage or email any questions and requests to the volunteer team at MichaelsWoodshop.CWBS@gmail.com

                 

Meet 2021 NOESA Honoree Joseph “Bill” Bluff

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Bill Buff is managing partner of Stratacomm, a communications and marketing firm recognized by Washingtonian magazine as one of “50 Great Places to Work.”  Along with his business partners, Bill carefully nurtures Stratacomm’s corporate culture, which places high value on client service, innovation, entrepreneurship, inclusion, teamwork, learning, ethics and fun.

Bill serves clients by crafting the right messages and campaigns through the careful combination of research, strategic planning, media relations, grassroots activation, coalition building, digital outreach, high-profile events and personal contacts. Besides being a skilled communicator, Bill also knows the ins-and-outs of the complex system of government procurement and leads the firm’s growing federal government practice.

Before joining Stratacomm in 2001, Bill was a client at the American Highway Users Alliance (AHUA). There he oversaw media strategy, public opinion research and external communications as the director of communications and government affairs. He brings two decades of experience with transportation, environmental and energy issues to help clients achieve legislative, regulatory and reputational goals.

Bill graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Davidson College in North Carolina where he studied anthropology.

Congratulations to Bill and his fellow 2021 NOESA Honorees! Eagle alums, let’s stay connected. Join NESA DC today! www.ncacbsa.org/national-eagle-scout-association/

Troop 58’s Whitewater Rafting & Polar Plunge Adventure

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Wetsuits are a must when braving the cold water temperatures in April in Pennsylvania! Over 30 brave scouts and adults from Troop 58 in Ashburn, VA partook in a 7.5 mile white water rafting adventure on the Lower Youghiogheny River that included Class II – IV rapids. The frigid 45 degree water temperature was shocking to the system for a raft of voyagers who were thrown overboard during the adventure. The cold water temperature didn’t deter some courageous scouts from launching themselves from an overhang into the icy cold water just for the thrill of it! After whitewater rafting (and polar plunge for some) the scouts warmed up with a hike to Great Gorge and campfire cooking in the Ohiopyle State Park, PA.

          

Goose Creek District Merit Badge Dean

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Boy Scout builds outdoor classroom for Eagle Scout project

By John Battiston, Loudoun Times-Mirror

Grant Newcomb planned and helped build an outdoor classroom at his childhood school, Discovery Elementary School, for his Eagle Scout project. Here he’s pictured with the nearly finished project on May 19.

For his Eagle Scout project, Grant Newcomb of Ashburn’s Boy Scout Troop 997 decided to leave a legacy at his childhood school by building an outdoor classroom.

“I wanted to make something that would last a very, very long time and would leave my impact there,” he said of his project at Discovery Elementary School in Ashburn.

Newcomb, now a junior at Broad Run High School, said he first came up with the idea of an outdoor classroom for Discovery’s center courtyard two years ago.

As it turned out, the school already had previously come up with a budget for an outdoor classroom and made calls for ideas for the classroom’s design.

However, the school’s outdoor classroom was never brought to fruition, according to Newcomb’s father, Rich Newcomb.

“So when Grant showed up and said, ‘Hey, we’d like to do an outdoor classroom,’ they were very excited that they had a path forward,” Rich Newcomb said.

After a six-month planning period, Grant Newcomb enlisted the help of fellow scouts as well as friends from his neighborhood and workplace to start building earlier this month.

Close to 400 volunteer hours went into the project, he predicted. He said the school’s parent-teacher organization is providing the project’s funding.

Over a two-week period, the project team dug holes in the school courtyard, poured in concrete, then built nine wooden benches and a stage to be placed into the holes.

The stage includes a weatherproof whiteboard that any school instructor can use to teach a class on a particularly nice day.

Grant Newcomb said he also hopes the space will help teachers educate students on Leave No Trace and The Outdoor Code — two very important practices for him and other scouts.

“This project will definitely leave a very positive impact here,” he said. “It gives kids a good space where they can learn and be outside, so they’re not cooped up in their classrooms all day.”

Meet 2021 NOESA Honoree Richard Harrington

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Rich has been the CEO of RHED Pixel, a visual communications company in Falls Church, VA, since 1999. He is an expert in motion graphic design and digital video who started his career in broadcast journalism in Iowa. His interest in visual communications can be seen throughout his career. He’s directed live television, published a regional music website, taught at two universities, and wrote for various magazines. He’s helped his clients effectively communicate their message. Some of RHED Pixel’s clients include the American Red Cross, American Diabetes Association, Canon, Children’s National Hospital, LinkedIn, Microsoft, the Obesity Action Coalition, and Skylum. His certification as a Project Management Professional helps him blend creative vision with real-world results.

Rich values sharing what he knows with others. This has been highlighted during the pandemic when he helped multinational companies, local small businesses, and our NCAC scouts communicate virtually as the country quickly moved to online platforms. He shares his enthusiasm and knowledge with more than four million people a year through books, magazines, websites, and conferences. He is a highly in-demand industry speaker and consultant. He has helped develop conferences since 2003 for the National Association of Broadcasters. He has been a featured speaker at conferences such as Adobe MAX, Photo Plus Expo, Macworld, Photoshop World, and other conferences internationally.

Rich has published more than 40 books on technology topics ranging from Photoshop and PowerPoint to Video Production and Podcasting. Many of them have been translated into other languages. Rich is an avid blogger. He has produced more than 1,000 podcasts to help others learn about creative software and manage their projects effectively. Rich owns and publishes the Photofocus website, which reaches 350,000 viewers each month. His tutorials can be found on LinkedIn Learning, Lynda.com, Creative Cow, and other locations. He enjoys sharing knowledge and helping others expand their creativity.

Rich strives to be friendly, positive, and inclusive in his professional life. He has built a diverse network of colleagues and clients that spans the globe. Rich recognizes that his industry needs more women and diverse voices and works to create opportunities at his company, on his website, and when selecting speakers for conferences. He openly engages others in respectful and friendly ways to create a better future for his industry.

Rich believes in giving back to the scouting community in a variety of ways. He is a former Cub Scout Den Leader (2010 – 2013), Assistant Cubmaster (2013 – 2015), Assistant Scoutmaster (2015 – 2017), and Scoutmaster (2017 – 2019). He is currently an ASM for the girls’ Troop 1533 and Advisor for the Venture Crew 2188.

Rich tries to do a good turn daily by being generous with his time. Rich cheerfully runs merit badges for youth in his troop and at the council level on topics of expertise – including Moviemaking, Photography, and Animation. He helps train adult Scouters to communicate more effectively and inclusively by running training sessions at the University of Scouting. Since the need for Scout-At-Home programs began, he has helped develop these opportunities by working with leadership and scouts alike. He lends his skills and service to his council, helping with messaging and website redesign as the Vice President of Marketing for NCAC.

Congratulations to Rich and his fellow 2021 NOESA Honorees! Eagle alums, let’s stay connected. Join NESA DC today! www.ncacbsa.org/national-eagle-scout-association/