We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

The Scouter Digest Staff

Troop 1780’s European Adventure

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Troop 1780 from Waldorf, MD recently had a group of Scouts and leaders go overseas to Europe on a home grown high adventure. The crew flew into Munich International Airport and spent the day in Munich at a local hotel to get over jet lag and to visit the city. Early the next morning we then made our way down to Krimml, Austria through a series of train rides lasting about 5 hours. Once in Krimml and after checking into the lodging we walked up to the top of the Krimml Falls which are the tallest waterfalls in Austria. The next day we started on the bicycle portion of the trip as we biked 38 miles to Zell am See, Austria. We arrived early enough that we had time and explored a bit of the town and ate the ‘best waffles in Europe.’ So far, we haven’t found any that have come close.

On the following day we traveled from Zell am See up to Lofer, Austria and spent the night in St. Martin just outside of Lofer. The next day was the leg up to Salzburg, Austria. Another early arrival gave us some time to take in the sights. We had now left the Alps and over the next three days we peddled along more farm land as we headed up to Berghausen, home to the longest castle in Europe. The following day brought us to Obernsburg am Inn, Austria where we enjoyed an older town square with cobble stone streets and observed a small celebration for the end of the school year. The last day was spent going to Passau, Germany where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers all meet. Our lodging was on a pedestrian street with easy access to cafes, ice cream parlors and restaurants. We had clocked up 205 miles of peddling over the past 6 days.

After a good night of sleep, we then took a train and bus to our camp site located in Berchtesgaden, Germany. The group split up at this point and did different activities including a tour of a salt mine, a day trip back into Salzburg for a visit to Mozarts home, a boat ride on Lake Konigssee and a trip to see the famous Eagles Nest.

We returned via Munich for the last night in the same local hotel and one last chance to visit the city before heading home.

Red Rose

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In 2015, Scoutmasters Alexandria Keenan (Troop 1572, Clinton, MD) and Wahbe Tamari (Troop 61, Washington, DC) met during Wood Badge course N6-82-15-3 in the National Capital Area Council. Little did they know how often their paths would cross after the course ended. A year later, they met by chance at Kandersteg International Scout Centre. After that, they met again at an Order of the Arrow Ordeal where they began chatting about planned trips for their respective Troops. Keenan’s Troop was planning a trip to England for the Red Rose International Scout Jamboree; Tamari’s Troop was heading to England to hike Hadrian’s Wall. Both trips were being planned for August 2018, so they decided to join forces and do the trip together.

Late in July 2018, Troops 1572 and 61 headed off to England to tour London, hike Hadrian’s Wall, and attend Red Rose. The group of 23 Scouts and Scouters arrived in London and spent three days at the Baden-Powell House. They toured Buckingham Palace, Churchill’s War Rooms, the Tower of London, Hyde Park, Greenwich Village and more. Once the jet-lag subsided, the group boarded a train to Carlisle where they would be staying the first few nights of their journey along Hadrian’s Wall.

Early in the morning on August 3, the group arrived at King’s Arms in Bowness-on-Solway to begin the 84 mile hike to Wallsend. Day 1 was a 16 mile hike back to Carlisle. While there were no parts of Hadrian’s Wall visible on this part of the journey, and the weather was a bit rainy, the group was excited to be setting off on this trip of a lifetime.

Over the course of eight days, the group hiked the entire 84 mile length of Hadrian’s Wall, arriving in Wallsend the afternoon of August 10. Along the way, there miles of cattle and sheep fields, phenomenal views of the countryside, old castles and forts visited, and museums explored. There was even time for a side trip to Vindolanda to see an active archaeological excavation in progress. Despite a little rain and many blisters everyone completed the hike.

After the hike, a sub-set of the original group headed down to the Westmoreland Showground in the Lake District to attend Red Rose International Scout Jamboree. The Jamboree, named for the host District (West Lancashire) in England, is held every four years. Red Rose started in 1979, and until this year, Scouts from the United States have never before attended.

The group was excited to represent the United States and proudly flew our country’s flag as they marched in parades around camp. Scouts from all over the world stopped by Subcamp Spielberg to visit, swap neckers and patches, and ask about next year’s World Jamboree at Summit and Scouting in the United States.

Red Rose is a week long event and is divided into activity days such as: International Day, Explore, Adventure, Challenge, and Splash. Each day provides campers with different activities around the camp and the Lake District. Options for water sports, COPE, panning for gold, caving, sightseeing, friendship, spirit, adventure, and more abound! More information about Red Rose on their website:www.redrose.org.uk

Next up for the group…. perhaps following in the footsteps of Thomas Cook, the Great Wall of China, or…..

Post 1010 Competes in Engineering Challenge

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Explorer Post 1010 annually competes in four engineering challenges – FIRST Tech Robotics (FTC), Team America Rocketry (TARC), Botball Robotics, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). This year, all four teams did well in local and regional events, making it to the highest level tournaments in their respective competition. In April, the FTC team travelled to the world championship in Detroit, Michigan. The TARC teams competed in the national championship in May in The Plains, Virginia. In July the Botball team travelled to Indian Wells, California to compete in the global Botball tournament. And finally in August, the drone team competed in the national UAS competition in Muncie, Indiana. It was a great year for growth, opportunity, and fun. Many of the leaders went off to college in September, so it looks like 2019 will be a rebuilding year. See more at their website: http://post1010.org.

Eagle Scout to Receive 2018 Billy Michal Student Leadership Award

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Troop 761 Eagle Scout John Matter has been selected to represent Virginia to receive the 2018 Billy Michal Student Leadership Award from the National WWII Museum. Matter will travel to New Orleans to receive the award at the 2018 American Spirit Awards Gala on June 8th.

Matter was nominated by Boy Scout Troop 761 Committee Member, Kathleen Quinn, of Ashburn, Virginia. “I nominated John because of his selflessness to his troop and to his community,” Quinn said. “He is very deserving of this honorable award. John represents the values of leadership, teamwork, creativity and perseverance, and quietly demonstrates them in his daily life.”

The Billy Michal Student Leadership Award is given annually to one student from each state who demonstrates the American spirit in his or her community. The values of leadership, teamwork, tolerance, creativity and perseverance can and should be learned and lived by all Americans regardless of age.

During World War II, when six-year-old Billy Michal from Zimmerman, La., helped his one-room school win a statewide scrap-metal collection contest, he understood that every citizen – no matter their age – could contribute to victory in the war. Billy Michal’s example, and the actions of millions of other students on the Homefront during World War II, reminds all that service to country and community helps create active, engaged citizens.

An Eagle Scout, National Honor Society student and varsity athlete, Matter is honored as one of the top student leaders in his school, community and state. But it was his service to others that prompted his nomination. Matter co-captains a team each year in the annual Race for Hope in Washington, D.C. to raise money for brain cancer research, and in 2017, he organized Troop 761 Scouts for “Project Starfish” to collect clothing, household items and money to aid victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

Stone Bridge High School Principal Matthew Wilburn said, “This is a tremendous honor for John. We are very proud to have him as a representative of Stone Bridge High School. He is definitely deserving of this recognition due to his dedication to Stone Bridge and our community. I have no doubt that when the National WWII Museum created the Billy Michal Student Leadership Award, they had someone like John in mind.”

Upon hearing the exciting news, Matter said, “I am very honored to receive this award on behalf of the state of Virginia. I have been fortunate to have the support of my Scout troop, my school, and my community. I’ve learned a life lesson that leadership is a team effort.”

Bull Run Helps Lead Flag Day US Flag Retirement

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Every year the United States celebrates Flag Day on June 14 to mark the anniversary of  adopting “the Stars and Stripes” as the nation’s official flag, and Prince William County residents have the opportunity to observe the holiday by retiring old or tattered American flags at the Prince William County Landfill anytime during open hours.

Local Boy Scout troops from Occoquan and Bull Run Districts collect the flags and ensure that they are properly disposed of and ceremoniously retired. Flag retirement is a long-standing American tradition of respectfully and reverently burning flags that are no longer fit to be flown.

The American Flag Collection Center led by Scout Leader Dave Byrne is a joint effort between the Boy Scouts of America Occoquan and Bull Run Districts, Keep Prince William Beautiful and Prince William County Solid Waste Division.

The partners who run the American Flag Collection Center consider safety in addition to tradition. Not all flags are safe to burn, for example, American flags made of nylon can release toxic fumes when burned. These flags will be recycled in an appropriate manner.

FSK Day Camp

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FSK’s June Day Camp was a huge success. Our camp hosted over 100 campers during the final week of June at the Thurmont Conservation Sports Club. The camp held a variety of activities stations including swimming, archery, shooting, fishing, STEAM, nature, and sports.

This camp and our second day camp in July could never have been possible if it weren’t for the hard work and dedication of our camp directors, Lauren Dutrow (program) and Dory LeCroy (administration). They have already passed down a wealth of knowledge and we are very lucky to have such dedicated, passionate volunteers in FSK.

Their hard work definitely paid-off. Not only did our Cub Scouts have a great time, we also received a perfect score on our official camp inspection!