The Scouter Digest Staff

My name is William C., and I am a member of Scouting America Troop 1717B in Hartwood, Virginia. I joined Troop 1717B on May 2, 2025, when I completed my Cub Scout journey and achieved my Arrow of Light. Since joining the Troop, the older Scouts, Scoutmaster and other Scout leaders have welcomed me and taught me a lot about Scouting, the outdoors and being a valuable member of my community. Their kindness and enthusiasm for Scouting led me to decide to join the Troop’s weeklong Summer Camping trip.

From June 29th to July 5th, 2025, Troop 1717B attended summer camp at the Pipisco Scout Reservation Camp Lions in Spring Grove, Virginia near Williamsburg. As a first-year Scout, I was a bit nervous about going camping without my parents. However, this camping experience was epic! The older Scouts immediately were kind, took care of me and reassured me of all the fun ahead. After my initial reservations, I quickly realized how much fun we were having.

On the first night there was a camp-wide celebration with great music. During the week, I participated in the Huskanaw, “Rite of Passage”, Program for new Scouts. I learned many camping skills and skills that are basics for Scouting America. I learned the Scout Oath, Law and Motto, which are the guiding tenants of what it means to be a Scout. We were able to go to a climbing wall, swim in the pool, go canoeing, play gaga ball and even learn about game design. The camp staff was very nice and cheerful and made sure they kept the Scouts happy, even when it was hot. The food was also really good!

The week went by very quickly, and I learned a lot. I was able to complete my first Scout Rank, completed three merit badges and even was certified to carry a pocketknife and taught how to properly build fires. It made me feel very proud to have done all this with the help of my fellow Scouts and my adult leaders.

My first Scouting experience was awesome, and I highly recommend that anyone who is interested in Scouting go and check out your local Troop to see if you can have as much fun as I am having! “Be Prepared!”

Are you ready to begin your family’s Scouting adventures too? To join Scouting America, please go to www.beascout.org to find a Scout unit near you – Cub Scouting serves families with children in Kindergarten through 5th Grade; Scouts BSA serves families with children ages 10-18. There are also Scouting America programs for families with older Youths, ages 14 – 20, including becoming Venturers, Explorers or Sea Scouts.

The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling the values of the Scout Oath and Law. Aquia District is part of Scouting America, National Capital Area Council. Aquia District includes Stafford County, Virginia, and Marine Corps Base Quantico. For more information on Scouting in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area, including how to donate, join or volunteer, contact Kristy Freeman, Aquia District Executive, at Kristy.Freeman@Scouting.org or call (540)287-3866.

What does being staff at Goshen mean?

As we wrap up the season, we decided to ask a few staff members about their experience with Goshen Scout Reservation, why they came to work here, and what it means to them!

Two of the people we interviewed joined staff by chance! Dan Leichtling and John Ferguson, Lenhok’sin High Adventure Camp Director and Trek Director, respectively, both joined because of a choice they made to take the plunge into camp staff. Dan got his start here at GSR at Camp PMI after his Scoutmaster asked if anyone would be interested in working at Goshen for the summer, and John got his start with us after he was asked by a staff member at Lenhok’sin if he would be interested in helping them finish up their season when he was here as a Den Chief at Camp Ross.

For everyone else, family was their reason for coming. For those of you who attended Camp Bowman this year, you may have met Cassidy, our Bowman Brigade Director. This is her first year at Camp Bowman, and she joined for a simple reason: her brother! She said that “[h]e’s the Range and Target Activities Director, he’s worked here for many years, and he’s always loved it so much.” Thomas, Camp Bowman’s Program Director, told us that he joined camp staff because his brother, Henry (Camp Bowman’s Camp Director) and him had come here since they were kids, and they wanted to spend more time together in a place that means a lot to them.

Everyone at Goshen has a different thing they love most about the place and working here; for Dan, it’s getting to see Scouts grow over the course of their trek and staff members grow and develop over the years. As Dan says, “You can see little saplings rise up into trees, and you can see the same thing in the staff.” A common theme among the staff we interviewed was the community you create while working at Goshen. Cassidy and John all talked about how much they loved creating new friendships and bonds with their fellow staff members both in their camps and across the Reservation over the summer, and how that community can last even outside of camp.

The staff enjoyed creating those memorable experiences for Scouts during their week of summer camp. Thomas discussed how much he loved helping plan and create new experiences for Scouts like those that he and his brother had when they were campers at GSR. John also mentioned that the relationships you build with Scouts and their leaders are ones that he appreciates forming, especially as they work to trek across the reservation.

While Goshen is an incredible place to meet new people and try new things, it is also a great place to learn new skills that you can use outside of the Reservation, and not just the things you might expect! All of our staff have learned something at Goshen and have learned or honed some skills they use at their jobs the rest of the year. As a teacher, Thomas values the opportunity he gets to focus on logistics and planning, and he’s also learned how to use a support network and when to ask for help. Dan has learned plenty in his years at Goshen, including first aid, lifeguarding, food safety, and more, but he notes that perhaps most importantly, he’s learned how to listen. Dan uses a variety of things he’s learned here in his regular job: how to talk to people, how to help people in a crisis, and how to read the room, and pick up on subtle cues that others may not say out loud.

John talked about how he’s learned at camp to recognize his limits and when to take a break, as he can overwork himself without realizing. He’s also worked on being able to work with people with differing abilities, and adapting to their needs. Cassidy, much like Thomas, has learned a lot about planning and logistical skills, and uses them constantly the rest of the year.

Finally, we wrapped up by asking the staff what advice they would give to someone interested in joining us here at Goshen. Everyone gave pretty much the same answer: take the chance and do it! Most highlighted that, while working at camp can be difficult and present new challenges you may not find at other summer jobs, it is extremely rewarding, and John noted how working at Goshen is an incredible opportunity to meet new people. Thomas offered some additional advice, and that’s to brush up on those skills you may end up using here, like cooking or knots.

Whether you’re working at Lenhok’sin, Marriott, Bowman, Ross, Olmsted, or even Camp Post, everyone on staff knows that working together and helping one another out is the way to have a fun, safe, and memorable summer. If you’re interested in joining staff here at Goshen and seeing what it’s all about, check out www.gotogoshen.org/staff for more information

On Day 2 of Troop 601 B’s trek with Lenhok’sin High Adventure, Scouts and their leaders got to explore Crossroads Cave!

The cave, which has over 4 miles of surveyed passage, is regarded as one that is great for beginning spelunkers while still being engaging.

After a short drive out to Bath County from Baird Base Camp, the crew geared up with durable clothes, helmets, gloves, and headlamps, and began their descent. They prepared beforehand and learned the importance of maintaining three points of contact at all times and to call out loose rocks or other possible hazards, and most importantly, they reviewed both inside and outside the cave the importance of leaving no trace in the cave.

As Dan Leichtling, the Lenhok’sin Camp Director and the guide for the adventure, noted to the crew, the cave itself is a very static environment, and not much can change down there without human involvement. Once the crew had gotten their fill of the spacious first room, the crew moved to “The Crossroads,” a smaller room that branches off into other rooms in the cave, but the route they followed was one that looped back into the first room!

After a small break in the main room where the Scouts got to explore a small passage, the crew made their way deeper into the cave, getting to a slightly smaller but still spacious room where the crew took a seat and got to experience total cave darkness. After a fun demonstration showing how breaking mints in your mouth can lead to some visible sparks in the darkness, once the lights came back on the Scouts and some leaders successfully crawled through the “Mole Hole,” a rather narrow passage that they had to lay flat on the ground and maneuver through. The crew also took some time to see the Fossil Room, a small room with a wall covered in old fossils from when the cave was underwater. Below the room is a visible drop into “The Maze,” a large system of passages in the cave that wasn’t explored by the crew this time around.

Once that was explored, the crew decided to head back to the main area to wrap up, but not before stopping by the Five Foot Ledge, the only way in and out of The Maze.

After another crawl through of a small passageway, the crew found itself back in the main room, where they began our ascent back to the surface! The Scouts and leaders had a choice of entering the way they came in or going up a similar but slightly more challenging way back up. Once they got back to the surface and were hit by the strong temperature difference (it was about 50 degrees in the cave and almost 90 outside it!), the crew headed back to Baird Base Camp to clean up and prepare for dinner.

While still challenging for everyone, the cave proved to be an amazing time, and added another level of adventure and challenge for the Scouts as they work on their trek this week!

The Importance of Summer Resident Camp in the Scouting Experience, as told by an Assistant Scoutmaster.

Summer resident camp is more than just a fun escape into the outdoors—it’s a vital part of the Scouting experience that tests the skills, values, and character traits developed over a year of meetings and weekend adventures. It pushes Scouts beyond their comfort zones and gives them opportunities to lead, serve, and grow in ways that aren’t always possible in shorter or more structured settings.

This summer, I had the privilege of attending three different camps: Camp Snyder with my Wolf Cub, Pipsico with my Scouts BSA son, and Camp Ross at Goshen with my Webelos. Each offered its own unique challenges and rewards, and together they reminded me why resident camp is such a powerful part of the Scouting journey.

At Camp Snyder, my youngest learned the importance of being part of a den outside the familiar structure of our regular Thursday meetings. He got his first taste of independence—making choices, following schedules, and participating in his favorite activities like BB shooting, archery, and building. Most importantly, he learned to encourage his fellow Cub Scouts and show Scout spirit, even when he was tired or frustrated.

Camp Ross was a major step up for my Webelos. There, the Scouts were encouraged to take more ownership of their experience—navigating to activities on their own, helping lead flag ceremonies, and completing service projects. Severe weather rolled through camp one night, and I watched as Scouts calmly executed the emergency protocols they had learned. They stayed calm under pressure, made smart decisions, and looked out for one another. It was a clear example of how camp puts Scouting values into action. Even more personally, I saw growth when my picky eater decided to try unfamiliar camp meals. Outside of his comfort zone, he learned that adventure sometimes starts at the dinner table.

At Pipsico, my older Scout dove into the high adventure atmosphere. He earned merit badges, worked with Scouts from other troops, and took on leadership roles within his patrol. The week challenged him physically and mentally, and he came home with a renewed sense of purpose—and a whole lot of stories.

Across all three camps, the same core values shone through: service, resilience, leadership, and Scout spirit. Resident camp gives Scouts a full immersion into the Scout Oath and Law—not just reciting them, but living them every day. Whether cleaning a campsite, helping a nervous camper, or adapting to sudden weather changes, Scouts grow through experience.

In the end, summer camp is not just a tradition or a reward—it’s an essential, transformative experience that helps shape our Scouts into capable, confident, and compassionate leaders. It’s where the lessons of Scouting come to life.