We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

The Scouter Digest Staff

2024 NCAC Summer Camp Guide Now Available

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With the weather getting chilly, we can think fondly of summer camp and get excited for Summer 2024! Check out the 2024 NCAC Summer Camp Guide, available online.

www.ncacbsa.org/campguide

Find prices, dates, and details on all the National Capital Area Council Summer Camps for Summer 2024!

cub scout logo

Cub Scouts

Is your Scout going to be a rising Tiger, rising Wolf, Rising Bear, or rising Webelos or Arrow of Light? Find the Cub Scout Camp that’s right for your Scout!

Choose a local District Day and Twilight Camp for a wild time with the 2024 theme: Jungle Adventure.

Discover your powers and save the day at Camp William B. Snyder with the 2024 theme: Superheroes. Attend a Day Camp, stay overnight on a Resident Weekend, or join the staff for a special Family 4th of July Weekend.

Are your rising Webelos and AOL dens looking for a weeklong adventure? Camp Ross is Goshen Scout Reservation’s dedicated overnight camp. The theme this summer is Indiana Ross. Avoid traps, find clues, and fool villains in an adventurous week!

Scouts BSA

There are plenty of options for Scouts BSA – whether they have been in the Troop for a while or are going to be bridging in next spring. There are camps for both units and individuals.

Camps Bowman, Marriott, and Olmsted at Goshen Scout Reservation offer a variety of dining options, unique and favorite Merit Badges and activities, and exciting programs for new Scouts, older Scouts, and all the Scouts in between.

Finish out your summer with Camp Catoctin BSA’s expert Merit Badge counselors in mid-August.

Is your Scout not able to attend camp with their Troop? Are they looking for a second week? Check out our options for individual scouts! Goshen runs Provisional Camp each week and Camp Snyder has two different Scout Specialty Weeks with both overnight and day camp options.

Older Scouts, Venturers, & Sea Scouts

Need more adventure for older Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts? Sign your unit up for a backpacking & adventure activity trek or a river canoe trek at Goshen’s Lenhok’sin High Adventure.

Individuals can find adventure with a High Adventure Base Trip to Philmont, Northern Tier, Sea Base, and Lenhok’sin High Adventure with a council contingent run by the NCAC High Adventure Committee.

Order of the Arrow members should also check out GOAT, the Goshen Order of the Arrow Trail Crew, involving cheerful service on trail maintenance and a classic Lenhok’sin backpacking and activity trek at a reduced rate.

Those ages 14 and up who just cannot get enough summer camp should submit an application to join Summer Camp staff! Interviews will begin in January for the Summer 2024 season.

Be sure to check out the online 2024 NCAC Summer Camp Guide for all the details  and pictures of the possibilities for your summer! Get outdoors, have fun, and find your next summer adventure!

Visit the Summer Adventure page for information on all these camp options!

Celebrating Our 500th Baloo the Builder Adventure!

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On October 22nd, Bears from Pack 1139 completed their Baloo the Builder Adventure in Michael’s Woodshop. They learned about useful tools to have in their toolboxes and practiced using clamps, sanding blocks, hammers and nail punches. They made a golf tee game board as their “fun project” and after sanding, they applied a clear polyurethane finish. Finally, as their “useful project”, each Bear made their own toolbox. It was a couple of hours very well spent and not only did these Bears learn a few things and have some fun but, they also earned the distinction of having among their Den the 500th Bear to complete the Baloo the Builder Adventure in Michael’s Woodshop!

The Baloo the Builder and Webelos Build It Workshops are two of the most popular activities in Michael’s Woodshop. These workshops are great, hands-on activities that are fun, learning experiences for the Cub Scouts. To learn more about these workshops and the many other shop activities available, or to reserve the shop for an activity, please visit the Michael’s Woodshop webpage. Start planning now to schedule an activity for your unit in the spring.

With continuing high demand for woodshop activities, we recently announced the expansion of the woodshop. To support the additional work space we need additional tooling and are seeking additional volunteers to join the Woodshop Team. There are roles available for experienced woodworkers, Woodwork Merit Badge Counselors, and both adult and youth assistants. For more information about becoming a volunteer or donating tools, please see our recent article Michael’s Woodshop is Expanding! or email us at MichaelsWoodshop.CWBS@gmail.com for additional information.

 

                                                                                           

Troop 1577 Enjoys Chopped Cooking & Video Game Campout

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Troop 1577 had a fantastic campout on October 28-29 at Lake Fairfax! It started with dropping off the Scouts at a location about 25 minutes away from camp, and they found their way back for Camping merit badge requirement 3.

Next the Scouts made scrumptious meals using only Dutch oven, foil or skewers for Cooking merit badge requirement 5d. At this Chopped cooking competition, the pre-announced ingredient was chicken and the surprise ingredient was apple. Patrols came prepared with a ingredients and a plan ready to pivot if needed. The meals were scored on taste, presentation, teamwork, cleanliness, use of ingredients and technical complexity.

Next the Scouts had a video game competition on a big screen set up in the forest! Scouts made monkey bread in a Dutch oven as a snack.

Thank you to all the Scouts and adults who helped make this event such a success!

Photos by Carla Brown & Bill Wacek

Patriot District Star Scout Earns 65 Merit Badges

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Callum is a Star Scout from Troop 697 in the Patriot District. He has earned 65 out of the 138 Merit Badges. He first began his Scouting career as a Cub in the first grade. After reading his Scout Handbook cover to cover he became inspired to earn merit badges and advance in rank. When asked what he learned in pursuit of his badges Callum shared “I have learned countless things, like how to mount a stamp, how to use a tourniquet, how to operate a tractor, and how to write my own musical composition! I do find that some badges are more useful, like First Aid. If I’m hiking and I fall and there’s a bleeding wound, I know how to treat it. I learned in Sustainability how I can save money and protect the environment. In plumbing, I learned how to unclog pipes. During all the recent strikes, I learned about American Labor and Unions. I’m curious about everything!”

Not only did he work hard to earn these badges, but Callum decided to earn the rank of Star Scout. He completed his necessary service hours, became a patrol leader, and completed 6 of the 13 badges from the list required for Eagle Scouts.  Earning merit badges for First Aid, Swimming, Environmental Science, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Citizenship in Society, and Lifesaving. He is currently working on Cooking, Personal Management, and Family Life. Callum thought the Sustainability badge was the hardest to earn, he recalled “I had to implement ways to save on my family’s energy, water, heating, and transportation bills. Even though this one was super hard, It is still one of my favorite badges because I’m really interested in making the world a better place.” When asked what his favorite merit badge Callum explained” Space Exploration was my favorite because I got to build a model rocket and launch it into the sky. I got to design a lunar base and learn about Aerospace Engineers. I really want to become an Aerospace Engineer, especially after earning that badge.”

Callum is currently a Patrol leader and Webmaster for his Troop. He plans on earning many more badges and awards. Currently, Callum is working on the Ad Atari Dei Medal, Messengers of Peace( making 35 no-sew fleece blankets for a local homeless shelter), the Distinguished Conservation Service Award, and the NOVA awards. He plans on using what he learned earning these awards/badges and has his eye set on becoming an Eagle Scout.

 

 

Potomac District Welcomes 11 New Eagle Scouts

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The October 2023 NCAC Potomac District Monthly Eagle Board of Review for 11 Scouts was held last night.
Congratulations to all the new 🦅 Eagles Scouts and their proud families! Special thanks to all the Scouters, the EBOR Chairs and those who assisted these 11 Scouts on their journey to reach the 🦅 Eagles rank!
Last but not least the Potomac District cannot put this monthly event without the leadership and time devoted by Larry McNiece, Potomac District Eagle Chair!
The new Eagle Scouts and his/her proud family might find the following websites useful.
http://usscouts.org/eagle/eaglecongrats.asp

Here’s an Eagle Scout congratulatory letter request template to use or adapt

The Association of Top Achiever Scouts (ATAS) is a worldwide Scouting fellowship group, of Scouts and Scouters who have achieved the highest rank as a youth in their Scout associations such as King’s Scout, Queen’s Scout, President’s Scout, Fuji Scout, Tiger Scout, Eagle Scout, Summit, Quartermaster.
https://www.atasapr.org
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Scout Restores Ravine in Potomac Overlook Park

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My name is Carter Kunz, and I am a Life Scout in Troop 111 in Arlington, VA. For my Eagle and Distinguished Conservation Service Award projects, I decided to do a ravine restoration project in Potomac Overlook Park in Arlington, Virginia. The purpose of the project was to slow the erosion in the ravine in order to reduce runoff into the nearby creek and to protect the large hardwood trees bordering the ravine as well as the hiking trail at the bottom of the ravine.

For my project, scouts from my troop and community members placed 22 weirs/water dams in the ravine using lumber and logs. We then placed gravel on either side of the weirs. These weirs, along with the gravel, will slow the flow of water through the ravine, causing better water absorption into the ground, and reducing erosion that is now making the ravine bigger and endangering the trees alongside it. Over time, dirt will build up behind each weir (on the uphill side), which will further slow the flow of water down the ravine and reduce erosion. Also, leaves and small sticks will also build up on the uphill side of the weirs, trapping more soil and aiding in water percolation. The slowed flow of the water will also help maintain the stability trail below the ravine, compared to if the water came shooting out of the ravine. Finally, we covered the weirs with branches to ensure park visitors do not try to hike in the ravine and to help slow the flow of water and catch leaves and debris which will help fill in the ravine over time.

My project is designed to address soil and water conservation. The water rushing down the ravine causes the soil to erode and become unstable, which leads to exposed roots of trees and trees falling over. There are a number of large, beautiful trees along the ravine that are worth trying to save. The soil also washes into a stream that goes straight to the Potomac River. The sediment being washed into the river can impact the health of aquatic organisms such as fish and turtles by destroying spawning grounds and can smother aquatic plants used as food sources and habitats.