We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

The Scouter Digest Staff

Cub Scouts Make Face Shields & Ear Relief Bands for Teachers

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At the start of the COVID-19 shut down, Cub Scout Pack 42 started a program using 3D printers owned by a handful of our Scout families to print ear relief bands and face shields for health care workers. This fall, we have shifted gears and are now printing a combination of these items for local teachers who are returning to in person educating at the start of this school year for at risk students. Our Pack has raised funds for this project and through the generosity of our families we have been able to fully fund printing efforts. To date we have provided 670 items to health care workers and are working towards a minimum of 300 face shields and 300 ear relief bands for teachers.

Cub-A-Day Program Week 11 (August 17-22)

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MONDAY

It’s Make Something Monday 

Theaters are an important art venue and provide all sorts of entertainment.

This week we are going to make hand puppets – You can use a sock, a paper lunch bag, paint, markers, or any other materials you’d like (and the adults in your house approve) to design a puppet for your hand.

PS – You’ll need it later this week!

TUESDAY

It’s Taste Something Tuesday!
Fruits and vegetables are important for a balanced diet.  Dietitians agree the more color you have on your plate, the healthier the meal.
So today, put together a colorful lunch, using at least one “new to you” fruit or vegetable.  Post a photo of what you try and how it was!

WEDNESDAY

It’s Wander Around Wednesday!
Pick a town, county, or state park you have not been to.  Plan and take a hike/walk at that park.  Don’t forget your Cub Scout hiking essentials!!

THURSDAY

It’s Do Something Thoughtful Thursday!

Take some time and listen to a new style of music.

Did you enjoy it?  How did it make you feel?

Write down your thoughts and feelings and share this new music with your family, den, or pack.

Webelos – If you can find a live music broadcast, or a recording, you can satisfy Maestro Requirement 1(a).

FRIDAY

It’s Family Fun Friday!
Put on a puppet show with your sock puppets from Monday.  Share it with your den or extended family on Zoom or in person, if your unit is meeting together.
This can fulfill Tiger Theater Requirements 1 & 3, and Wolves Howling at the Moon Requirement 2.

SATURDAY

It’s Safety Saturday!

Talk with your family about what to do during severe weather in your area – We see thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail, and high winds during the summer and can get heavy snow and ice during the winter.What other types of serious weather can we get in the National Capital Area Council?

Orienteering Sept. 12

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The 44th Annual Balto. Area Council MD Scout Orienteering Day is at Broad Creek Scout Res. (Camp Oest, 35 mi. NE of Balto.) on Sat., Sept. 12. This is a changed date & location. This event is limited this year to MD units only and a minimum of six scouts per troop due to COVID mitigation rules (which will be sent to each unit registering, reinforced by a phone call from the event chair.)

Last year #myNCAC Scouts had their usual great results, with nine of the top twelve troop awards. Troop 111 from Chain Bridge District, Arlington, was the top NCAC troop. Nate Beardmore of Troop 347, Western Shores (Prince Frederick) was the overall winner. We had 70 units last year; this year we’ll cap registration at 24 units.

Register online by Sept. 3, $4 per person (patch, 2 color maps.) No Cubs, no Webelos. If interested in camping, contact Chris at CWetzel@BaltimoreBSA.org or 443-573-2523. Self-guided map instruction starts off this 3-hour program, designed for beginners to this forest navigation map sport. Before or after your 3-hour orienteering time slot (which we’ll arrange with you in advance) troops may chose to hike some of the camp’s nice creekside, lakeside, or old growth hemlocks trails.

And save the date: Oct 23, 2021 for next year’s event at Patuxent River Park near Upper Marlboro.

Will you build a crazy STEM contraption? Join STEMaTHON!

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The Great STEMaTHON Invitational includes a Rube Goldberg Challenge for all youth and adults. The aims of the Rube Goldberg Challenge are to apply STEM to create a series of chain reactions, in an over complicated invention, that performs one simple task: rolling a can of food a distance of at least 1 foot. Design yours and send it in to be featured – see below!

RUBE GOLDBERG CHALLENGE
Challenge:

• Design a RG contraption that rolls a can of food at least 1 foot.
• Bonus, incorporate as many of the below elements as you can:
o Points for each type of simple machine
o Points for each “step” in the “chain”
o Points for rolling multiple cans of food, or longer distances

Teaming:
• You can work with one friend/classmate/parent/grandparent, or with a team/unit.
• If submitting a video of a Rube Goldberg contraption with a team/unit, multiple videos stitched together are acceptable! However, each video clip must have at least 3 machine ‘steps’.

Submissions:
• Submissions are due by 9/2/2020 11:59PM EST.
• Submit your entry to 082stem@gmail.com via Google Photos or Dropbox. Please include the names of your RG team and grade levels (adult), so we can give due credit. If you’d like to submit your video another way, please send us an email!

Features:
• Your video will be featured in the STEMaTHON on September 5-6, 2020 (or bloopers reel!)

See more on STEMaTHON here.

Virtual Leave No Trace Trainer Course

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Written by: Scout Louis

The Leave No Trace Trainer course teaches Scouts and Scouters the 7 principles of Leave No Trace (LNT) at more than a basic level. This next step on learning outdoor ethics gives each of its participants and teachers a new and refreshing view that goes more in depth than the simpler, half day session that is available on a high adventure trip. The class helps its students better understand why LNT is important, how they can implement its teachings, and how to pass on the knowledge that they have learned to their home Units, Crews, Ships, and communities.

The course is traditionally taught in an outdoor environment, over the course of a weekend. However, due to restrictions with the current COVID-19 pandemic, a different approach was offered: an online Trainer course. The course was completed over the course of a week, from the homes of the participants and instructors over Zoom calls. This way, each of the participants could safely learn the material and still be trained in a timely manner.

While the experience lacked the luster of an outdoor setting, I still enjoyed the course. The spread of the information over several days allowed the messages to really sink in with me, and with the reduced group size I felt a close connection to both my fellow participants and the instructors that taught us. With this class I was able to broaden and strengthen my knowledge of LNT and its importance for protecting the natural environment.

LNT is an important part of Scouting that can be easily overlooked or forgotten. Learning to take care of the environment, for both ourselves and those who come after us, helps preserve the beauty and experiences people seek in the outdoors. With the new information acquired from this class, I am confident in bringing the material to my unit as an older Scout, to my OA Chapter as the Camping Promotions Chairman, and to everyone that I continue to meet in the future as a Leave No Trace Trainer. I continue to aim to protect the outdoors and improve the enjoyment of people- Scouts, Scouters, and the general public- while in nature.

Family Fun in Michael’s Woodshop

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The Summer Family Camping Program at Camp Snyder was a great success! This weekend program gave families an opportunity to visit Michael’s Woodshop. Four projects of varying skill levels were offered, providing opportunities for youth of all ages to enjoy a hands-on experience in the shop. The projects included a Golf Tee Tic-Tac-Toe Board (all ages), a Small Tool Box (Cub Scouts), a Wren House (Webelos & older youth) and a Standard Tool Box (older youth). The projects were designed to allow for both independent youth work as well as parent assisted work. All youth participants had the chance to learn some new skills and use a wide variety of tools. With some focus and a little effort, everyone walked away with a completed project!

Michael’s Woodshop has reopened and is currently available for unit use. The projects offered during the Family Camping event can be adapted for unit activities. Normal monthly offerings of Woodwork Merit Badge and Woodworking 101 sessions will resume in the coming weeks. As a part of the new safety protocols, attendance will be limited, face coverings are required and tools and other surfaces will be sanitized regularly. Volunteer Shop Stewards are available to help plan and carry out your event. For more information about upcoming events or reserving the shop, please visit the Michael’s Woodshop page on the Camp Snyder website or contact us via email at MichaelsWoodshop.CWBS@gmail.com.