We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Adventure

Loudoun Scouts Host District Camp at Murray Hill

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This week, our favorite wedding venue in Loudoun County has been taken over by nearly 130 Cub Scouts from dens all around the area!

The Barn at Murray Hill, just east of Leesburg, is now the site for this year’s Goose Creek District day camp. Scouts from first through fifth grade are here, and it’s the first time that the awesome owners, Peggy and John Rust, have let us use their property.

We started camp on Monday, but on Sunday, our amazing adult and youth leaders transformed the venue into a scout paradise, just hours after a wedding that even had an Eagle Scout groom!

Throughout the week, we’re having a blast making harmonicas and slingshots, learning first aid, improving our wilderness and sports skills, practicing with bow and arrows and BB rifles, and trying to catch fish in the pond. Nurses from the GW School of Nursing are running our First Aid station, ensuring we’re safe while having fun.

Our staff is a mix of volunteers of all ages, from seasoned scouters whose kids have aged out but who still love to be involved to young adults who have just crossed over and brand-new Scouts who have just joined a Troop. We have Cub Scouts of all ages here, from new Tigers to Arrow of Light scouts. It’s been an unforgettable adventure!

Scouts meet Former President during Annual Memorial Day Service Event!

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Photo submitted by Troop 1107

Members of Troops 1107B/G gathered at Alexandria National Cemetery for the Troops’ annual Memorial Day service event, placing flags and flowers on each of the graves of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

Photo taken by Robyn Wass

Former President Barack Obama was also in attendance, speaking prior to the distribution and honoring several service members by placing flags on their final resting places. According to the  Military Times, there are more than 4,000 graves at Alexandria National Cemetery, and typically, a president is not part of the event put on by the Veterans of Foreign War Post 609.

Photo submitted by Troop 1107

Obama said, also according to Military Times, “One of the greatest honors of my life was the privilege of serving as commander-in-chief, and with pride also came sometimes heartbreak and loss.”

He added, “And the sober recognition of the sacrifices that so many Americans and their families have made to preserve our freedom. As we go out here, I hope that we just reflect and say a prayer for and say thanks for those who came before us. And for those of you who are still serving those of you who may be serving in the future, thanks to you as well.”

Photo taken by Natalie Dreier

Thomas (TJ) D. of Troop 1107B in the Colonial District was among the members who first handed out the flags and flowers to other volunteers before placing them on the graves himself. He said of the annual event, “I do the flags every year to honor the people who give their life for this country, and this is a way to honor them each year with the Flags In and Wreaths Across America.”

TJ met Mr. Obama after the event. Although the former president was leaving, Obama took a moment to shake TJ’s hand and spent a few minutes talking with him about being a Scout and earning an Eagle.

Photo taken by Robyn Wass

Victoria W. of Troop 1107G said, “Being at the Memorial Day remembrance was a very special and significant thing for people, and especially for me as a scout to do. Memorial Day is more about remembering those who died to save us and our country and making sure that they receive the respect and admiration that they worked so hard to earn. Even with the surprise and exciting visit from former President Obama, I think the main focus was on those who had their names inscribed on the tombstones, with flags and flowers in honor of them lying there as well. I am very proud that we got to help, whether it be handing out flowers and flags or laying/placing those flags and flowers on the graves. I am thankful for all the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, and appreciative that I was invited to help show my gratitude.”

Troop 1107G’s Sophie W. said, “I thought putting the flags and flowers by the graves was important because we were honoring the people who served in the military and who died while serving. It felt good to know that we were able to honor them. I also thought it was really cool that former President Obama was there. I haven’t met a President before and not a lot of people get to meet one. It was cool that I was standing about six feet from a former President!”

Photo submitted by Troop 1107

Her brother Sean W., a Cub Scout in Pack 867, said, “I wanted to help put flags in because it’s like the wreath-laying we did last December. We are remembering the people who died serving our country, and that’s important. It was exciting to see former President Obama. I wish I could have gotten his autograph and shaken his hand.”

Photo taken by Robyn Wass

Troop 1107B’s Troop Guide, Caleb W., said, “Placing the flags and flowers on each grave illustrated the Scout Law that all Scouts should live by. “The Scout Law emphasizes reverence as one of the most important parts of a Scout’s life, while we were honoring the sacrifices of all the men and women who had made the ultimate sacrifice. The experience of meeting former President Obama was cool, and although he previously held presidential office, that day he was just like us, just there to give back to those who gave everything.”

According to the cemetery’s website, Alexandria National Cemetery was one of the first 14 national cemeteries created in 1862. Its graves date back to the Civil War. Within two years, the cemetery was nearly filled, leading to the creation of Arlington National Cemetery. To read more about the cemetery and some of the notable people buried there, visit the cemetery’s website.

Experience High Adventure at ACE Adventure Resort – Sponsored

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ACE Adventure Resort’s 1500-acre resort, located in the heart of the New River Gorge National Park in Southern West Virginia, has been serving the Scouting community for over 40 years. The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve and High Adventure camp are just a 20-minute drive away.

Scouts use ACE as a single-day location for rafting and the waterpark or a multi-day location that provides a budget-friendly option for a multi-day to weeklong camp.

The Resort provides 40 miles of hiking and biking trails for guests to discover the beauty of “These West Virginia Hills.” The New River region of the state is the home of high adventure, and ACE provides lodging, meals, and guided activities that Scouts incorporate into their programming to build confidence, discover activities that challenge individuals, and develop troop cohesiveness.

Budget-friendly lodging options include primitive camping, bunkhouses, and cabin tents.   You’ll find shower houses with hot running water strategically placed throughout the resort.

ACE’s Wonderland Waterpark is a great place to keep your Scouts active between guided activities and the perfect option to finish the day’s adventures.

In addition to rafting the Upper or Lower New River, you can choose from land-based (zip lining, rock climbing, aerial park, hiking, and mountain biking) or water-based (rafting, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding) activities.

The New River Gorge High Adventure Package, created with Scouts in mind, offers a week of guided adventures, waterpark passes, and primitive camping with the addition of a six piece patch set. 

Be sure to check out the New River Gorge National Park Junior Ranger Program and Scout Ranger Program.

Both are available free of charge as a part of the NPS programming for youth.

If the goal of your trip to Southern West Virginia is to hike every day, then the New River Gorge National Park will not disappoint.

  • WV Tourism’s Waterfall Trail provides directions and incentives to locate and enjoy 40 Waterfalls throughout the state, and you will find 15 of those waterfalls are in the New River Gorge. Start with Finn’s Falls, located here at ACE Resort.
  • The Meadow River Rail Trail opened in 2023 with six miles of completed trail. This trail provides a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of the Meadow River backcountry, accessible by rail trail or river.
  • Needles Eye Bouldering Park is located just 15 minutes from the Resort. You’ll discover unique rock formations that invite you to climb up, around, and through the large rock formations and boulders.

 

ACE provides activities for youth as young as four years old, young adults, and seasoned leaders. Non-profit group rates are available for lodging, activities, and meals. Discover ACE as your “go-to” location when visiting the New River Gorge and add high adventure programming to your Troop’s 2024 Summer activities.

Call Agnes Casto in Group Sales @ 304-469-0130 to plan your trip.

Earning the Triple Crown of Scouting Achievements

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After first obtaining the Eagle Scout rank and then reaching the rank of Sea Scout Quartermaster, on March 8th, 2024, William Kennedy completed his trifecta of highest rank in three different Scouting programs, earning his Venturing Summit. From attending National and World Jamborees, to becoming a man overboard with a broken arm at SEAL Training, William had an exceptional journey completing this ultimate (daunting) challenge. To top it all off, he completed everything a month before turning 19 years old.

Attaining Eagle Scout has been a goal since he looked through Boys Life magazine while in Cub Scouts. He joined Scouts BSA in 2016 and the catalyst that would start his journey for the other two achievements was the 2019 World Jamboree, which would cause the motivation to be more active in Scouting, leading him to join Sea Scouts in late 2020 and Venture Scouts in 2021.

His original Skipper, Tom Ballew, helped motivate him to get Sea Scout Quartermaster, especially since William was one of the last Scouts for Skipper Ballew, who sailed under him when he joined Ship 942. After Skipper Ballew left, William wanted to be one of the many Sea Scouts who earned Quartermaster under his guidance.

By the time he really invested in Venturers, William had nearly completed his Eagle Scout and was on his way to Quartermaster, so he decided he wanted the Trifecta by earning his Venturing Summit. However, the main reason that he decided to earn the Venturing Summit was because of how much personal growth, expanded opportunities, and unique advancement he had. While advancing in Scouts BSA and Sea Scouts are similar, advancing in Venturers was another motivator for William to go all the way.

William was primarily a lone Scout, or a Scout without a troop or unit, so attending the 2019 World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) was William’s highlight for Scouts BSA. As previously mentioned, this experience was not only the catalyst to this fantastic journey but also the authentic experience of being in a Patrol for the first time, being a part of a unit comprised of over 40 scouts from all around the world. William stated, “People take for granted the impact patrols have. No matter the size, having a patrol is probably the best way to experience scouting.” On a more fun note, when 14-year-old William accidentally cut his finger, requiring three stitches, he mainly remembered how “the medical tents looked just like the M*A*S*H hospitals, and it was awesome.”

He obtained a good portion of his leadership training in Sea Scouts, which required him to learn the complex skills necessary to sail a ship and know them well enough to teach newer Sea Scouts. His most memorable Sea Scout moment was Sea Scout Advanced Leadership (SEAL) Training in Seattle. It was nine days, but he stayed for three more days to volunteer at the Sea Fair. He thoroughly enjoyed learning unique leadership styles you wouldn’t learn in Youth Training. SEAL did this through Drills, which taught necessary responses for emergencies and responsibility and accountability for yourself and others. With two drills a day, one would always be a man overboard drill, the other being any drill the Bosun-of-the-day chose. For one day, William got to be the man overboard with a broken arm, but for his drill as Bosun, he chose hydraulics failure, which involved tasks like manually turning the ship’s rudder.

His most memorable Venturing moment was when he was a part of the Venturing Explorers Sea Scouts International (VESSI) Scouts staff for the 2023 National Jamboree. While there as a Venturer, he worked as the Sea Scout Bosun, teaching NSJ Scouts how to tie the complex Bosun Knot. He was only there for the first half, a little over a week, due to being a staff member at the 2023 WSJ. He learned valuable lessons about management and keeping things under control, made some great friends, and met some great people. In particular, the Mercy Flight Explorer Scouts were impressive, working at the medical tent. William stated, “If you mention any sort of injury to them, you will get a complete checkup every time.”

However, his all-time favorite memory from his entire Scouting life was going to Philmont in the summer of 2023 with Troop 581, the Troop he’d become an Assistant Scoutmaster. With two crews, William, one of the crew leaders, had an unforgettable experience and memories that will last a lifetime.

In the last four years, William K worked 1300 community volunteer hours, received his Eagle Rank on May 22nd, 2022, Sea Scout Quartermaster on October 15th, 2023, and finally, his Venturing Summit on March 8th, 2024. William stated, “I felt relieved because I wanted to get this before going to college this fall, taking a gap year to focus on Scouting,” and “can finally relax and not worry about managing my time.” When asked what advice to give to other scouts having experienced so much of Scouting, he first said, “You are never too old to make the most out of Scouting.” followed with, “I was mainly, a provisional Scout, so all Scouts should always look for provisional opportunities, regardless if your troops participates. If you want to do it, go for it.”

All This Before Most of Them Turned 10!

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At Pack 1100’s Arrow of Light Crossover Ceremony on March 2, 2024 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield, Virginia, the positive impact of this one den made over the last six years was documented. These 11 Scouts positively influnced the community in so many ways through the Scouting program. Just look at this list!

They have:

  • cleaned up parks and waterways,
  • supported our local schools when there was no one to maintain the grounds,
  • cleaned our local trails,
  • made cards for wounded warriors,
  • collected toys for newly admitted families at Walter Reed,
  • provided Christmas greetings to a Virgina Veterans home, and
  • celebrated the “Month of the Military Child” in the White House with First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden.

They earned:

  • top scores for teamwork at Camp Ross,
  • recognition for their commitment to their religious organizations, and
  • the National Park Award by participating in volunteer and educational activities.

They have overcome challenges with diversity, learned how to work as a team and how to accept the loses with the wins.

They supported Wreaths Across America, recruited new friends who have become Scouts, earned the top NOVA awards in Cub Scouting, collected and delivered over 200 pounds of supplies for the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, and presented the BSA Report to the Nation.

Through the years they have collected over 5,000 pounds of food to support our local food bank and
community and conducted over 150 hours of community service.

They have spent 112 nights camping, hiked over 332 miles (that’s like hiking from Springfield to Cleveland), and Scouted for 12,816 day or 35 years.

One of them even participated in a push up challenge with Congressman Dan Crenshaw on the steps of the US Capitol.

“As we celebrate these 11 Scouts today,” explained their Den Leader, Marjorie McDonald, at the ceremony,“we know these Scouts are our future and knowing what we know about them, I can tell you our future is bright! It has been an honor for Christina and I to lead these Scouts, but perhaps they were leading us and we didn’t
even know it….. Watch out world here they come!”

Ashburn Scouts Soar to New Heights with Aviation Merit Badge

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What do you get when you combine 20 Scouts, a Guinness World Record holder, and a Civil Air Patrol plane? A thrilling and educational experience that none of them will ever forget!

That’s what happened this week when Scouts from three troops in Ashburn, VA earned their Aviation Merit Badge at the Leesburg Executive Airport. They learned from Christopher Freeze, a part-time flight instructor, full-time Eagle Scout, and world record holder for the longest wheelie in an airplane (14,319.5 ft).

Mr. Freeze taught the Scouts everything they needed to know about flying, from the basics of aerodynamics and weather to the intricacies of navigation and communication. He also showed them how to perform pre- and post-flight inspections on a Cessna model 172, generously provided by the Virginia Wing Civil Air Patrol, where Mr. Freeze serves as Captain and Emergency Services Officer.

The highlight of the day was the FPG-9 flight competition, where the Scouts tested their skills by launching paper gliders made from foam plates. Jacob G. of Troop 1158B emerged as the winner, with the longest flight time and distance. He received a special certificate signed and stamped by Mr. Freeze, commemorating his Guinness World Record achievement.

The Scouts had a blast learning from Mr. Freeze and getting hands-on experience with the aircraft. They also gained valuable insights into the world of aviation and the opportunities it offers. The Troops thanked Mr. Freeze and the Civil Air Patrol, Leesburg Composite Squadron for their time and generosity.

Congratulations to all the Scouts who earned their Aviation Merit Badge, and a big thank you to Mr. Freeze and the Civil Air Patrol for making it possible!