Congratulations to Pack 1530 in Powhatan District for being the first unit to earn the new NCAC Hornaday Unit award patch.
William T. Hornaday awards are given for distinguished service to natural resource conservation. The Hornaday Unit certificate is awarded to a pack, troop, crew or ship of five or more Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA Scouts, Venturers, or Sea Scouts for participating in a substantial conservation project. At least 60 percent of registered youth must participate. The Unit award may be awarded for participation in a Hornaday Badge or Medal project, for participation in an outside organization’s conservation project, or for a standalone project the unit planned and conducted on its own.
NCAC developed this new patch for the participants in Hornaday Unit award projects. It features the Smithsonian Castle and a bison because William T. Hornaday, a taxidermist for the Smithsonian, is credited with helping to prevent the extinction of the America bison.
Pack 1530 earned this prestigious conservation award by participating in Boy Scout John Foong’s Hornaday Badge project to remove invasive plant Japanese stiltgrass at Frying Pan Farm Park. Japanese stiltgrass is invasive because it is non-native, grows aggressively, and crowds out native plants. Pack 1530 Cub Scouts, scouters, alums, and family members helped over 100 other volunteers remove 110 large garbage bags of stiltgrass. In the spring, volunteers will help plant native shrubs and perennials on the site where the stiltgrass once lived. This project site is part of Fairfax County Park Authority’s Invasive Management Area (IMA) program.
For more information about Hornaday projects, please go to the NCAC Hornaday page (https://www.ncacbsa.org/advancement/awards-and-recognition/hornaday/). We strongly advise any scout interested in a Hornaday project or any unit interested in a Hornaday Unit award to identify a Hornaday Adviser to guide you through the process.
“Unusual prizes are won only by unusual service.”
– William T. Hornaday
“Very special thanks to our local Cub Scouts who participated in clean-ups. Your efforts will help the land to heal and provide a fresh landscape for native plants and animals to live. When we all pull together great things happen. May you all continue your wonderful work in conservation and thank you all so much from your friends at Frying Pan Farm Park.”
– Patrick Macnamara, land manager at Frying Pan Farm Park
On March 1, 2019, the online YPT Course was replaced with an updated version.
On Saturday, February 2nd, the National Capital Area Conservation Committee kicked-off the 2nd year of Milkweed for Monarchs, Inspiring Conservation in Scouts and Their Families. Hosted by George Washington University. Scouters and their families learned from national monarch expert, Pete Berthelson, about growing milkweed and providing habitat for monarchs and other pollinators. He taught about providing pollen and nectar throughout the entire year, options for growing milkweed and native flowers from seed, the importance of seed-soil contact, and our role in making a difference. The event drew 400 Scouters to GW and is sure to again inspire Scouts to action.
On Saturday, February 2 and Saturday, February 9 scouts from all over the National Capital Area Council competed in the Council’s five-round chess tournament, the Akela Chess Classic. The February 2nd event, held at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Herndon, VA, was the Scouts BSA tournament, open to all scouts in troops, crews and ships. Seventeen scouts competed in two brackets: age 10-12 and age 13 and up. In the younger-scout bracket, one scout took first-place honors, with one scout finishing second, and three scouts finishing third. In the older-scout bracket one scout took first-place honors, with three scouts finishing second and three scouts finishing third. The first-place winner in each bracket finished with a perfect 5-0 score.
Recognizing a Scout for attaining the rank of Eagle? Celebrating your pack’s Blue & Gold?
My name is Zack Brandon, Troop 1283 Junior Assistant Scoutmaster and Patuxent Chapter Chief. On February 3rd, Super Bowl Sunday, our troop was gathered at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bowie, MD to assist them in an annual good turn: helping those less fortunate than us have a warm place to sleep at night.
Troop 1283 helps out every year by fixing lunches and preparing a large chili dinner for the guests. The twelve youth attendees collectively made four, large, delicious bowls of chili beforehand and brought it to serve. We arrived well before the guests did, and formed an assembly line to make their bagged lunches for the following days. After setting up tables, chairs, and tablecloths, we set up a television to stream the Super Bowl so that the guests could watch it while eating their dinner. Once all of the preparations were ready, the guests slowly started to arrive. Once they were all present, the Pastor of the church opened the meal with a prayer, and we began serving the guests their chili, salad, chips, drinks, and desserts. After serving around thirty guests, we went though the line ourselves and ate dinner with them. We were able to sit and cheer on the teams at the Super Bowl with them and talk to them about who they thought would win the game. Well-fed, we cleaned up the area and departed for home late that night. It was overall a magnificent experience, and I would recommend it to every Troop in our district!