Ashburn’s Troop 58 Swoops into Summer Camp!
Summer may be over, but the stats are rolling in. This year was the Troop 58’s largest group yet to swoop into Summer Camp, as over 50 Scouts and adult leaders from Ashburn’s Troop 58 attended Camp Shenandoah in Swoope, VA in mid-June. Camp Shenandoah has been serving Scouts for almost 70 years, since 1950. Across the troop, the Scouts worked on 143 merit badges and attended 22 other classes like stand up paddleboard.
Sixteen of the troop’s recent cross-over Scouts joined in the fun and successfully completed the Timber Mountain Program. Troop 58’s Treasurer, Wilson Chua, also conquered a 1 ½ mile swim around Hope Lake earning his Mile Swim patch. Water-related merit badges earned by the Scouts included swimming, lifesaving, motorboating, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, and oceanography. The final lakeside campfire on Friday night included Troop 58’s rendition of TopNotcher – always a classic! One of the troop’s Life Scouts, Daniel Han, had such a great time at Camp Shenandoah and made such a good impression that he was offered a job at the camp.
When he arrived back at home that Saturday, he did his laundry returned to Camp Shenandoah the next morning – as a member of the camp staff for the remainder of the summer! Troop 58 is also prepared to attend the Sea Base Out Island Adventure in late July. During this high adventure trip, 2 crews of Scouts flew to Miami, FL, drove to the Brinton Environmental Center, and then paddled to Big Munson Island in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. They camped there for an action packed week of ocean kayaking, snorkeling (day and night), fishing, sailing, and exploring the ocean – all without running water and electricity!
Remember camp registrations are quickly approaching, be on the look out for the registration dates for Camp Shenandoah!
he TREAD Lightly! Trainer Course, is the newest component of the BSA Outdoor Ethics program was recently opened to Scouts ages 14 and over for the FIRST TIME EVER. The minimum age to be able to take the course was originally 18 years old but was changed in 2019.
Patrick, Connor and Teagan learned how to share the TREAD Lightly! concepts and understand the role outdoor ethics plays in the recreation community. They learned the TREAD Lightly! Principles of Responsible Recreation and were provided with the knowledge and tools to conduct workshops and coordinate community outreach as the FIRST youngest TREAD Lightly! Trainers in their Districts. The boys are qualified to present the TREAD Lightly! message to Scouts and others in their District, State or Region. Also completing the TREAD Lightly! Trainer course are: Michael Gephart, Scout Master Troop 13 and David Martinez, ASM Troop 996.
Star Scout Peydon Wilmoth (left), Life Scout Joey Sheldrick (center), and Scoutmaster Jon Culberson (right) of Troop 1422 Mattaponi District, National Capital Area Council attended Scuba Camp at Pipsico Scout Reservation where they earned “Open Water Diver” SCUBA Certification and Scouts earned SCUBA Merit badge. Upon arrival participants had to pass a SCUBA swim test, which includes a 200-yard swim and a 10-minute surface float without aid. The course consists of three parts: classroom, confined water, and open water.
The adults and scouts from Troop 1518 are getting ready to drive to Lake Phoenix in Rawlings, VA for an exciting long weekend of Scuba diving at Scuba Jam. Held every Labor Day for the past 10 years, youth from all over Virginia, DC, and Maryland come to dive, win prizes, and have a fun weekend of camping before the demands of school get in the way.