The 2021 Potomac District Pinewood Derby is in the books! On Saturday June 12th, a total of 66 cars from Packs around the Potomac District raced and the event picked up two more Packs participating this year over the field from the 2020 event. The event was held again remotely, as it was for the first time last year, and streamed out via a private Youtube channel. The race can be rewatched for a finite period here: https://youtu.be/QleFyboKOpM.
Cub Scouts chatted online as they competed for fastest cars by rank and for appearance in five judge’s categories. Despite it being essentially shaped and painted blocks of wood rolling down an incline, an event like this is takes planning and a core team of dedicated volunteer Scouts and Scouters. Three Scouts BSA, Peter C. of Troop 472, Connor V. and Devin C. of Troop 1450, ran the car check-in and race day heats and Dr. Stan Fricke of the NCAC STEM Committee served once again the Master of race day ceremonies. Eric Van Ryzin of Troop 1450 and Vince Camobreco, of Troop 472, provided the equipment and technical know-how, Stephen Allen, Potomac District Field Director, provided the online registration and NCAC provided the venue to broadcast from. Charles McKee and Jim Boyce of Pack 1280 coordinated the overall planning and awards. And appreciation goes to all the Pack points of contact who coordinated race car drop-offs for their Units in the week before the event. Next year the organizers look forward to seeing this event return to being in-person.
Scouts start designing those new cars!
Phil Reilly is a retired CIA senior Operations Officer with a decorated 29 year career. He also served in the US Army Special Forces prior to CIA. Among the many positions he held, Mr. Reilly served as the CIA’s senior paramilitary officer as Chief of Special Activities Division and was charged with conducting Presidentially directed activities. Mr. Reilly had numerous foreign and domestic assignments including Chief of Station positions in Afghanistan, Europe and in the Far East. He also served as Deputy Chief of Station in Iraq and operated in Latin America and Africa. Mr. Reilly was the deputy commander of the first USG team to enter Afghanistan two weeks after the 9/11 attacks.
The suggestion to light up the path was actually pitched by the community itself. The path at night is awfully dark, but many people still use it. The 10 Solar LEDs were placed on the post as a way to have renewably powered lights to keep the community safe at night. These LEDs are dim enough to avoid blinding, but bright enough to make the path visible. This way, everyone can enjoy the path both in the day, and safely at night.
NCAC is hosting BALOO and IOLS trainings for both Cub and Scouts BSA leaders on June 19 through June 20th at Camp Snyder, VA.
We’re looking for Merit Badge Counselors for the first-ever Camp Snyder Scouts BSA Merit Badge Week, July 19 – 23. Come and be a part of creating an amazing week for Scouts BSA of all ranks as they learn in the outdoors.
Joe Sullivan is a Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland. He received his PhD in Plant Physiology from Clemson University in 1985 when he joined the University as a Faculty Research Associate in the Department of Botany. As Associate Dean, he is responsible for administration and coordination of all academic programs in the college. He formally taught courses in Environmental Science, Plant Structure and Function, Forest Ecology, Vegetation Sampling and Data Analysis and Advanced Plant Ecophysiology and directs the Urban Forestry program for the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture. He served from 2015 to 2017 as the Interim Director of the Environmental Science and Policy program.