We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

The Scouter Digest Staff

Fencing for SPIRIT

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The task seemed daunting at first. Breaking the earth for my Eagle Scout project was no easy feat. I wanted to construct the front fence of the start of a new equestrian park for a local non-profit horse equine-assisted therapy organization. Driving out to the property, parking on the side of the road, I tried to peer in to see what I was working with. I shook my head in disbelief; from the road, I could not walk even ten feet into the property. It was overgrown, trees lining the front of the property, and bugs swarming my every step. How was I supposed to build a fence where I couldn’t even see the ground? However, I chose to help the organization; helping the therapy center made me feel meaning in my work, and the knowledge that less fortunate children could benefit from it only convinced me more to take this project on.
There were many, many preconditions that I had to deal with before even beginning my fence. The grasses loomed over my knees. The thickened brush scratched at my feet. I started planning the phases like it was the procedure for a chemistry experiment. After countless hours of research and writing it to paper, I created a specific project plan that ranged from the purchase of lumber to the cleanup of the property after completion. There were times when I wanted to scrap it all up, try something else, but I pushed through and I finally set the plan in action.

On the day of the project, after all the preparation, laying out the construction flags, measuring the fence distance, and renting equipment, I thought a fence cannot be that difficult to construct right? I was wrong. Off the bat, I faced even more obstacles. Drilling holes in the ground proved to be a pain in the ass, brittle, rocky earth testing my paper plan. After all the work I put in, I was not going to be stopped by a faulty power auger. My perfect plan was put to a halt in its tracks. As I pondered the possibility of working well into the night, it dawned on me that I should implement Plan B, one that just sprung into my mind. Keeping the workers focused and not idle became a new priority as the other parts of my old plan finished. I diverted my resources to help drill holes. Through the beating sun, we finally managed to finish the project after seven hours of hard labor, in front of me was a completed 300-foot fence. I would have never thought I would transform the wilderness into an orderly, pretty fence, a trailblazer for the equestrian park.

I learned many things from my Eagle Scout project. It gave me the confidence to tackle large, complex projects and taught me perseverance. By splitting up the project into stages and planning it all out, it started to look more straightforward. It really showed how hard work pays off and that planning is a necessity with projects of this scale. But I also learned that even the most-detailed, seemingly perfect plans have plenty of opportunities to face flaws.

Girl’s Troop 987 is proud to announce their first Eagle Scout!!!

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On Thursday morning at 7am EDT, Vienna, VA resident, Katie Hunter, completed her Eagle Board of Review, the final requirement for the rank of Eagle Scout. Eagle Scout is the highest achievement attainable in the Scouts BSA program. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank. While in the history of Scouting, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over 2.5 million youth, this candidate is particularly special, because October 1, 2020 is the first day that American girls are eligible to complete Scouting’s highest rank.

Katie Hunter is a 13-year old student at Thoreau Middle School. She joined Scouting in February 2019 as one of the founders of Girls Troop 987, sister Troop of Boys Troop 987, sponsored by Emmanuel Lutheran Church. She and four other area girls, Sarah Johnson, Annelise Sienknecht, Abby Elkowitz, and Victoria Spafford were among the first in the United States to share in Scouting’s adventure. The sister of two other Eagle Scouts, Jeffrey and Jack Hunter, Katie was ready for the challenge. She completed the arduous requirements for the Eagle Rank in 20 months, the minimum possible time, an extraordinary and rare achievement. With the successful completion of the Board of Review, an intensive interview with adult members of the Troop Committee and a District Representative, Katie is poised to be inaugurated as part of the first class of female Eagle Scouts in the country in February 2021.

The Eagle Rank has many requirements, including earning at least 21 merit badges, serving in positions of leadership in the Troop, and the completion of an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. The Eagle Scout must also demonstrate Scout Spirit, an ideal attitude based upon the Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. Katie earned 26 merit badges, served at the Senior Patrol Leader of Girls Troop 987 (the highest Scout rank in a Troop), and designed and led a service project at Bailey’s Elementary School in Falls Church, VA, where her mother teaches. With over 285 total hours of effort from the community over two days of work, she led a team of 50 Scouts and adults to beautify the campus by installing 36 planter boxes on the school grounds. Katie supervised construction and placement of 37 garden boxes for Bailey’s Elementary School in Falls Church. They’ll be used for teaching the butterfly and plant lifecycles. It totaled more than 280 hours and three days of volunteers.

Chris Hunter, Katie’s father and the Scoutmaster of Girls Troop 987, said “I am very proud of all of our girls. They have not only founded a new Troop, but they have created a template and a culture for the generations of girls that follow.” He went on to say, “Of course, I’m particularly proud of my daughter, Katie, for this singularly remarkable achievement.”

As to what’s next for Katie, she still has many years of Scouting in front of her, since Scouts are eligible to continue in the program until they turn 18. She plans to complete a trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch, Scouting BSA’s premiere High Adventure Base. Moreover, she hopes that her achievements inspire other girls to follow her example and that some of those girls will join her at Girls Troop 987 (www.troop987.us).

Troop 1650 Webelos Crosses Over in the Canopy

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Former Webelos of Washington, D.C.Pack 1650, A. Harris, officially crossed over from the Pack to the Troop and is now on his way to ranking up in Boy Scouts. Mr. Harris also earned Arrow of Light- Cub Scouts’ highest distinction. A. Harris joins his brother C. Harris in the Troop. Mr. Harris was honored in a Court of Honor ceremony celebrating the many achievements and advancements earned by the Scouts over the summer. The occasion took place at The Adventure Park in Sandy Springs, Maryland. Known for aerial obstacle courses and zip line features, the park was a perfect backdrop to recognize the Scout’s accomplishments. The day also marked the first outdoor, in- person, meeting for the Pack and Troop since March. After the Court of Honor, and an initial orientation, the Scouts spent the next 3 hours scaling new heights and overcoming challenges high in the canopy of the trees. The Scouts helped one another and pushed each other to reach the various levels of the course. A good day was had by all. Many of the Scouts even said they would like to return to the park soon!

From US to Afghanistan: Scouts Celebrate International Day of Peace

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Afghanistan. A country torn for decades by conflict, where thoughts of peace seem to drift ever out of reach. Yet, in the eyes of PARSA Afghan Girl Scout Troop 2 and Afghan Boy Scout Troop 36, hope of peace is alive. Hope is thriving in fact, as their passion for peace drives their unwavering energy to provide a wide range of social outreach and service projects in their communities.

On September 21, 2020, PARSA Afghan Scouts Troops 1 and 36, and Burke VA BSA Scout Troop 1345 met via Zoom under the banner of International Peace Day. The groups have met once before. They initially came together through the outreach of Marine Lieutenant Colonel Natalie Trogus who built bridges with the young women of Troop 1 while deployed to Kabul Afghanistan. LtCol. Trogus has a daughter in Troop 1345G.

Both troops were excited to attend the meeting, even as they navigated the challenges we’ve all faced lately…getting a stable internet connection. Their meeting covered four key topics: “What does peace mean to you and your country?”, “Can sports be a bridge to peace?”, “How has covid-19 impacted your world and scouting?”, and “How has scouting impacted what your passions, views, and leadership skills look like?”

Carter H, the Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 1345B shared a vision of peace where citizens “rely on each other and support each other through the good and the bad things.” The Afghanistan Scouts shared their vision of a peace, where everyone comes together and assists in shaping and rebuilding their country in a climate of mutual respect. The Afghanistan Scouts routinely take on service projects to provide food and other necessities to those in their community that need assistance.

Autumn D, the Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 1345G, found this opportunity incredibly important because, “I got to see a different story of Scouting, one on the other side of the world. Seeing girls in the Afghanistan troop like me was inspiring. Learning about their challenges, how they lead in a difficult time, and how much service was at the center of their scouting experience, I found it truly special.”

Burke Troop 1345 and PARSA Afghanistan Troops 1 and 36 are committed to building bridges with each other even if those bridges cross electronic pathways. Both troops are committed to spreading peace in their communities.

A New Home for A Turtle

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For my Eagle Project, I built a turtle enclosure at Rust Sanctuary, a nature sanctuary in Leesburg, VA. I’ve always loved animals especially after previous work with Rust. I had done a service project for their nature trail a couple of years back and so I asked if they help with something I could do for an Eagle project, and luckily they had a turtle who needed a new habitat.

My first step was to take a look at the old habitat and decide whether to build in the same place or find a new spot. I eventually decided to tear down the old one and build it in the same spot because of the natural light angle. I then created a virtual model of the habitat on Sketchup, a 3-D modeling app. Then I made a list of the materials we would need and bought them. Finally, I built the habitat and planted turtle-friendly plants.

Now looking back on this project, I found the most difficult aspect was trying to find volunteers as many could not help due to the pandemic. But it was all worth it in the end, to look at the structure I had built after months of hard work.

2020 Scouting For Food Update!

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The fall NCAC Scouting for Food Drive is ON! We are now experiencing an historic national emergency that has created extraordinary needs. Just as they did in times of world war and those calls for sacrifice by the American people, Scouts and Scouting can demonstrate their devotion to community service by helping to meet the greatly increased food demands while keeping themselves safe. Local food banks are being overwhelmed by requests from families that lack emergency financial resources and have not had the ability to stockpile food. They need donations of shelf-stable food, toiletries, and other items.

Units and Districts can and should conduct food drives now, and in November in particular. We will not be using bags or stickers that restrict us to a single date, and, with safety paramount in our minds, our methods must change. Any Council Scouting for Food drive must be completed within local and council guidelines, including those governing small group size, glove and mask use, limited contacts, and social distancing. A 2020 Scouting for Food Safety Protocol has been reviewed and approved by the council Enterprise Risk Management Committee and shall be reviewed and followed in all stages of any drive. All unit safety plans shall be submitted to their district Scouting for Food chair and District Executive; district safety plans shall be submitted to the District Executive for review and approval.

Running a safe food drive. There are many ways to collect food and maintain social distancing, like “front yard” collections and drive-through food drives (see some examples at https://weownadventure.com/star–scout–organizes–no–contact–food–drive/ and https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2020/04/24/with–front–yard–and–drive–thru– donationsscouts–keep–scouting–for–food–going/. This year the council will not allow Scouts to solicit donations door-to-door, and any group sizes shall be kept to 6-8 persons, perfect for dens and patrols. Other options could be to utilize a large empty parking lot, park, or well- traveled street for drop offs, to set up near a grocery store, or to work with a food bank to accept donations directly. Be creative! Scouts, Scouters and helpers who staff drop-off sites shall not do any sorting and packing inside a building, only entering one to use the bathroom. Drivers bringing donations to a drop-off site, and their passengers, are encouraged to wear face masks.

Promoting your local food drive. In November, the council will provide wide promotion in its social media accounts, website, and by email, but local drives may also use neighborhood, church, and school list serves, roadside signs, emails, social media posts, and stories submitted to www.weownadventure.com – our Scouting blog. Remember to identify your unit!

How to start and operate:

  1. It is especially important that units and districts first contact their intended food or feeding agency recipient to ascertain their needs, requirements, and procedures. Some cannot accept food now, lack resources to sort or pick up food, have special requests for packaging, or limit drop-off periods.
  2. Make a plan that conforms to all state, local, and council guidelines. If you have questions about safety protocols, please review the 2020 Scouting for Food Safety Protocols and the FAQ section. Your event safety plan shall be submitted to your district Scouting for Food chair and District Executive, who can also answer questions.
  3. Make sure that you take this opportunity to educate your Scouts on the value of what they are doing and their duty to help others through community service – this is part of the ethics of Scouting and will enhance their experience.
  4. Units should let their district Scouting for Food coordinator know what they are doing, when their drive will take place, and what help they need. Districts may either choose to coordinate unit food drives as they have in the past or they may allow units to run them independently.
  5. Create promotional materials, distribute them in your area in both physical and virtual space, and use available council promotional resources.
  6. Perform your food drive safely and deliver the food as directed by your food agency.
  7. Report your results (food quantity, hours of service, and number of volunteers) to your district Scouting for Food Coordinator.
  8. Report your unit’s service hours in your Scoutbook account.

This is a time for Scouting to show its commitment to helping others. Individual Scouts or entire units can help, so decide how you can safely proceed, make a plan, and enlist others. Stay safe, and thanks for your part in making more caring community.

There are a variety of ways to conduct a safe, legally compliant, socially distant food drive to serve the community. In Scouting our priority must always be the safety of our Scouts and any other event participants. To this end, group sizes shall be kept small and the following protocols shall be followed in planning and executing community food drives.

Scouting for Food Safety Protocols

Before the Event

  1. Make sure you understand state and local guidelines for your event – they must be followed. Check the latest advice from the NCAC and get permission from your chartering organization for the event. Consult the BSA’s Restart Scouting Checklist as you plan your event (https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680–pdf). And do not forget the all Youth Protection guidelines must always be followed (e.g., two-deep registered leadership at all times, no one-on-one contact, etc.)
  2. Ask prospective participants to exclude themselves and stay at home if they (a) are at high-risk for COVID-19 under CDC guidelines (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, or any heart or lung condition), (b) have a fever, cough, loss of taste, headaches, or breathing irregularities, (c) have had a recent exposure to someone with COVID-19, or (d) have had a recent positive test for the virus (the “Health Risk Conditions”.) See the Model Pre-Event Medical Screening Checklist (https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680–pdf) and the list of symptoms in the Restart Scouting Checklist.
  3. Confirm that you have Parts A and B of the BSA Annual Health and Medical Form for each participant.
  4. Assemble needed safety materials: masks for those who may not have one, hand sanitizer, a handwashing station (if feasible), and cones/tape/ropes or other ways to mark proper distancing.
  5. Prepare and distribute a permission slip which acknowledges the inherent risks of participation in any activity and asks parents/guardians to assume the risk (just as you would – hopefully – for any campout or activity.) You may use the suggested BSA form (https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/19–pdf) or a similar one that includes the same or similar language and an acknowledgement that any participant must obey the special requirements and instructions of the leaders or they will be asked to leave.
  6. Designate a safety monitor to take charge of and ensure compliance with all protocols.

During the Event

  1. Upon arrival at the event site, all participants are to (a) deliver their permission slip, (b) confirm to the safety monitor that they do not have any Health Risk Conditions on the Model Pre-Event Medical Screening Checklist, (c) have their temperature taken (either at the work site of by a parent at home and confirmed by them), (d) be instructed in and confirm that they understand the safety protocols for the event, including maintaining a proper social distance from all other participants and properly wearing a mask.
  2. Group sizes shall be kept small (8-10 maximum.) Greater participation can be accommodated with proper scheduling and timed entry and exit.
  3. Masks shall always be worn. Use and provide effective (no bandanas), that tightly fit over the mouth and nose.
  4. Hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) shall always be available, and a handwashing station set up if practicable. Both the sanitizer and the handwashing shall last at least 20 seconds and be done frequently if handling food products. The safety monitor shall recommend and supervise use when appropriate.
  5. All participants shall strive to maintain a social distance of at least six feet, using planned operations that minimize close and person-to-person contact. Visitors, such as those dropping off or picking up food, shall similarly be kept at a safe distance as a part of the event plan.
  6. There shall be limited or no sharing of items such as tools, but if they are shared, they shall be cleaned with antiseptic wipes or alcohol between users.
  7. If food and drink are needed, they shall be self-contained, such as self-packed lunches, personal water bottles, disposable utensils, and separately prepared and packaged individual portions.
  8. Any participant who exhibits any symptoms of COVID-19 during the event shall be immediately separated and isolated, and arrangements made to send them home or for medical care.

After the Event

  1. All participants shall monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after the event and report to their leaders if they experience any such symptoms. During this time, they should avoid contact with high-risk individuals.
  2. If there are any participant reports of symptoms or a positive test for COVID-19 within 14 days of the event, leaders shall complete an Incident report (scouting.org/healthand-safety/incident-report/) and contact their District Executive. Further instructions for this form can be found at https://www.scouting.org/health-and- safety/incidentreport/covid-19-incidents-exposures-supplemental-instructions/.

FAQ

Can non-family members ride in the same vehicle?

Only family members may be in the same car. If there are families that are doing a bubble (e.g. two families may have a bubble where their family members can be together) they can also be in the same car. Parents of Scouts that intend to have people outside their family in their car must notify the leader of their unit in advance and if the unit of their leader does not think this is safe, the unit leader can forbid this.

What about Scouts who are sick, disabled or excluded because of COVID-19 exposure?

Unit leaders should take into consideration and Scouts or Scouters who are medically vulnerable or who have members of their household who are medically vulnerable. It would be helpful to find a way for those Scouts to participate. For example, they could assist the SFF coordinator of their unit or district remotely by helping to promote the drive.

How do I set up a drop-off station?

One way would be to create separate sub-stations within the parking lot or drop-off area, with vehicles directed to drop off donations at each sub-station (maybe without getting out of the car.)  The sub-stations could be 20 feet apart and the perimeter of each sub-station marked with tape or chalk. Only two people at a time could be allowed to be at a given sub-station, and those people should try to stay 6 feet away from each other. Youth Protection Policies must be followed, and 2 adult leaders must be present at all times.

What should I do if I have a large unit that wants to participate?

Such a unit could either use a central location and assign volunteers to specific work times in order to limit the group size, or you could plan to let the dens and patrols run their own mini- drives either at the same or different times. One unit designed their food drive to be an individual effort and left the decision as to level of effort to each scout family.

Although we cannot do door-to-door solicitations, can we arrange to pick up food from front porches? How about going door-to-door to deliver food drive notices?

You may pick-up food from front porches because it does not require person-to-person contact. These pick-ups will probably be arranged by phone or email. The use of gloves when handling these food donations would be a prudent precaution. The council does not want you to deliver flyers or other notices door-to-door, however; there are other ways to run food drives.

What if the food bank in my area will not accept food donations directly?

If your food bank is unable to accept food donations directly, or your unit chooses to do so, please consider looking at your food banks’ options and consider other giving options. At the end of the Scouting for Food campaign, provide input on the total number of goods delivered by any means.

Should every unit make separate arrangements with their intended food agencies, or will the district or council do it?

Every unit that intends to collect food for a food agency needs to make sure that it can deliver it in the way that the agency desires. While the council will not make these contacts, it is highly desirable that the district Scouting for Food chair learn what the needs and procedures will be for any common agencies, and then let the units know. If the units wish to deliver food on a separate schedule, they should make their own arrangements.