We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

The Scouter Digest Staff

Pack 81 to Host OE Award Event

by

Scouts interested in earning the NCAC Outdoor Ethics Award can start that process on Sunday; October 28, 2018 at Caledon State Park, 11617 Caledon Road, King George, VA 22485 from 1-3 pm. ALL Scouts are welcome; please RSVP and let us know that you are interested. There will be a Leave No Trace trainer on site during the river/beach cleanup to help fulfill requirement #4.

Please Arrive by 12:45 pm. We will depart the visitor’s center at 1:00 pm. Caledon State Park will be providing transportation by pickup truck and large wagon from the visitor’s center to the cleanup site (2 miles one way if you decide to walk). Bring gloves for picking up debris and other garbage.

Leave No Trace instills an awareness that spurs questions like, “What can we do to reduce our impact on the environment and on the experiences of other visitors?” Leave No Trace is an awareness and an attitude rather than a set of rules. We should all practice Leave No Trace in our thinking and actions – – – wherever we go.

Crew/Troop 427’s Hike Across Maryland Adventure

by

On the morning of Thursday, July 19th, under a clear blue sky, members of Troop and Crew 427 set off to hike across Maryland on the Appalachian Trail. The Scouts chose the 41.9-mile hike as a warmup for their 2019 Philmont trek. https://www.hikingupward.com/OMH/MarylandChallenge/

With a total elevation gain of over 5,000 feet, and total elevation loss of over 6,000 feet, this hike would definitely challenge the crew’s endurance. The first two days were an opportunity to practice their navigation, cooking and water treatment skills along with building their crew integrity.

The crew’s days weren’t restricted to skills training. While hiking they were able to enjoy a bucolic view of the Maryland countryside from High Rock, MD (elev. 1900 ft. +), climb the first Washington Monument overlooking Boonsboro, MD, and visit the National War Correspondents Memorial at Gathland State Park.

On day three the crew had to hike hard in order to get to the Ed Garvey shelter before the torrential rain that brought flash flooding to much of the Central Atlantic states and New England. Once under cover of the shelter, which they shared with two other hikers and their dog, the crew passed the time playing cards, napping and generally relaxing in preparation for the next day’s push into Harpers Ferry.

Rising early on Sunday the 22nd, under overcast skies, the crew was on the trail a little before 7 and arrived at Harpers Ferry at a little before 9:30, covering the six and a half miles in just two and a half hours.

NCAC’s Popular Camp Card Program Returns!

by

The Camp Card fundraising program is back! Camp Cards help Scouts earn their way to summer camp, day camp, and high adventure treks. Units participating in the 2019 program will earn 50% commission ($2.50) on each $5 Camp Card they sell.

This program is risk free – you can simply return any unsold cards! The 2019 sale will run from February 1 to May 15. Sign-ups begin November 1. To sign up please go to: www.NCACBSA.org/CampCard.

Keep your eye out to see which great vendors we have locked in for you in 2019! In addition to the coupons you see on the card, you also get access to thousands of other coupons through the Entertainment discount network. This gives units more options when selecting locations for show and sell opportunities.

Don’t miss out! Sign up at www.NCACBSA.org/CampCard. Cards will be distributed at the February Roundtables.

For more information email CampCard@NCACBSA.org.

Goose Creek District Campout

by

Over 190 Webelos from 20 packs, with their parents, came out for a beautiful (if rainy)weekend at Camp Snyder. They exhausted themselves at the gaga pit, monkey bridge, human foosball, knife safety, cooking, wilderness survival, fire building, and first aid.

All of the activities were run by over 90 Scouts and Scouters from eight troops that came out to assist in the event. They had just a much fun showing the Cub Scouts about what Boy Scouts do and had a great opportunity to use the EDGE method in their teaching.

Topping it all off was an evening campfire, hosted by Goose Creek’s Order of the Arrow ceremony team. Packs and troops presented skits and songs for everyone to enjoy, and the staff performed their traditional “pie throwing techniques” skit to the amusement of all.

A special “Introduction to Webelos” presentation was provided to all of the first year Webelos and their parents while the Order of the Arrow did a ‘Webelos to Scout’ presentation for those that will be transitioning into Boy Scout this spring.

A special thanks to all the adult volunteers who came out to help set up, take down, pickup trash bags, distribute charcoal and fire pit stands, prepare foil strips, manage traffic, and run the food distribution area and to the troops who cut up the onions and peppers for the Webelos’s dinner and helped with the food line.

Reflections on a Scouting Legacy

by

Our outgoing Scout Executive Les Baron helped grow Scouting in many ways, but one of his strongest legacies is in his work to grow our Council’s endowment. In January 2014 our Council was awarded a matching grant from the Cecil and Irene Hylton Foundation, $2.5M of which was earmarked for our endowment fund. Les immediately took the precaution of meeting with the Endowment Team over blueberry pancakes to lay out our plan of attack and to mobilize members – his inspiration and experience were everywhere and he always kept a steady hand on the helm!

Fast forward 4 ½ years. By April of this year Les had already led us to achieve several milestones – the endowment matching grant was completed 8 months early; the endowment fund more than doubled, reaching $13M; over 170 Camperships and 400 Scoutreach Scholarships were awarded in each of the past three years; and over $160K was earmarked for top-priority camp maintenance from endowment fund interest…oh, yes, and a debt-free Council!

Les’ impact reaches far beyond donors and checks – he taught us that Endowment isn’t just fundraising, but maintaining genuine long term relationships with all our Supporters–with Scouts, Scouters, parents, colleagues, professionals and friends. He knows that 1,520 Eagle Scout Awards earned annually make a powerful force for citizenship and leadership in our communities, and that Family Scouting today puts our Nation in capable hands tomorrow. Les understands that making Scouts “Prepared. For Life” with sound values, moral compasses, and training to make ethical decisions is the best investment we can ever make in our youth!

Across his career in Scouting, Les built his solid Legacy for future generations and we know we are better citizens because of his leadership! Thanks, Les, for showing us how to make the perfect cast, to lead those clay pigeons and to keep our priorities straight!

Godspeed, Les and Kim!

Troop 544 Honors Five Eagle Scouts

by

Scouts from left to right: Campbell James Wilson, Elmer Douglass Ellis, Jr., Columbus Jared Giles, James Omar Dorman, and Ian Groom

At the end of July, Troop 544, chartered by Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C., hosted an Eagle Court of Honor to jointly recognize the accomplishments of five of their Scouts who had recently completed the journey to earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

“Troop 544 is honored to recognize five distinguished Scouts who have recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout,” said Robert Simpson, Scoutmaster of Troop 544. “Their accomplishments highlight Troop 544’s proud lineage of Eagle Scouts which now stands at 49. As one of the first African American Boy Scout Troops in the country, with over 86 years in Scouting at Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ, we are proud to celebrate this historic event.”

Columbus “Jared” Giles became an Eagle Scout in February 2016, with Bronze, Gold, and Silver Eagle Palms, and is a member of the Order of the Arrow. He recently graduated from Blyth-Templeton Academy in Washington, D.C. and this fall began his studies to become a clinical psychologist.

For his Eagle Scout service project, Jared planned, designed, and supervised the construction of three weather stations, all of which were donated to Stoddert Elementary School in D.C.

Campbell Wilson became an Eagle Scout in August 2016, and is a member of the Order of the Arrow. Campbell currently attends a college prep program at the Gow School in Buffalo, New York.

For his Eagle Scout service project, Campbell oversaw the building of a retaining wall to stem the erosion of the garden walls into Sligo Creek to benefit his neighborhood community garden.

Ian Hunter Michael Groom became an Eagle Scout in July 2017. He graduated with honors in June 2018 from St. John’s College High School (SJC) in Washington, D.C., and was inducted into the National Honor Society in September 2016. He is attending Hampton University on an academic and athletic scholarship.

For his Eagle Scout service project, Ian worked with the non-profit Sole4Souls and organized a shoe drive to collect 750 gently used pair of shoes, and then worked to transport the collected shoes to Sole4Souls central distribution center in Nashville, TN.

James “Omar” Dorman became an Eagle Scout in May 2018, and is a member of the Order of the Arrow. He graduated from Georgetown Day School and currently attends the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

For his Eagle Scout service project, Omar planned a book drive for children in Africa, working with non-profit organization that supplies books to libraries and orphanages in Africa, he collected approximately 1,000 books from his neighborhood, school, and church.