We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Leaders

NCAC Virtual Meetings Webinar

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The National Capital Area Council invites you to a meeting…. about meetings. Join us for a webinar to learn strategies for conducting engaging and safe meetings online. 

The Marketing and Communications committee has set guidelines for best practices that will help you succeed in unit meetings and online programming. We will hear from both key volunteers and from a Scouts BSA troop about their experiences.

This webinar is open to all unit leaders and youth leaders.  

Youth members participating should have a parent/guardian’s permission to attend and should be supervised per their family’s standards.

* How to safely hold meetings online
* Suggested technology
* Online meetings and youth protection
* Strategies to encourage participation
* Council’s published guidelines related to online activities and advancement
* Virtual tours and quiz engines

This is a 40 minute presentation followed by 20 minutes for open questions.
Time: Apr 9, 2020 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

You are invited to a Zoom webinar. 

When: Apr 9, 2020 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Topic: NCAC Virtual Meetings Webinar 

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HWUfXT_yRlCWRqbVaZ2HsQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Troop 160 of Chantilly, VA Hatches 200 Eagle Scouts in 34 years

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On March 11, Fairfax County’s Troop 160 awarded Ryan Tully of Chantilly the rank of Eagle Scout. He is the 200th Scout to reach the rank of Eagle Scout in the Troop’s 34-year history.

The event was held at the Troop’s regular weekly meeting at Franklin Middle School in Chantilly, VA. The Troop has been sponsored by the Franklin Middle School PTA sine 1986. Currently, Troop 160 has 104 Scouts and is 1 of 652 Boy Scout Troops in the National Capital Area Council.

“We don’t know how many other Troops in the National Capital Area or across the country have reached the milestone of 200 Eagle scouts, but it’s not a lot,” says John Wolsborn, Troop 160 Committee Chair and adult leader. “We spend a great deal of time on both fun and high adventure activities. But we’re always focused on achievement in the Troop. We try to do all we can to help scouts become Eagles. We’re equally proud of Ryan and the 199 scouts who came before him.”

To commemorate this milestone, Troop 160’s first Eagle Scout, Chip Free, attended the event and spoke to attendees about his experiences as a member of the Troop and earning the rank of Eagle. Free earned his Eagle Scout award in 1987 and is now a Scoutmaster of Troop 503 in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Free says “I was honored to participate in Ryan’s Eagle review and ceremony. It was great to see how active and robust the troop is, as they continue to guide boys on the path to becoming Eagle Scouts.”

Also in attendance were a large number of current and former Scoutmasters, as well as a number of other Eagle Scout alumni.

Over 34 years, Troop 160 Scouts have led a wide variety of Eagle project efforts, including: construction/building projects for numerous area schools, churches and other community organizations; food, blood and other drives for food banks, homeless shelters; as well as other types of community service projects. Tully’s Eagle Scout project in 2019 was building a long wooden walkway through marshland for the Bluebell Trail at Manassas Regional Park. Free’s Eagle project in 1987 was building an outdoor classroom for Franklin Middle School.

District Scout Executive Todd Bolick says “I am proud to see the outstanding 34 year legacy of Troop 160 continuing from its first Eagle Scout in 1987 to the Troop’s 200th Eagle Scout in 2020. This Troop and the Franklin Middle School PTA have assisted their community by providing the Scouting program for generations. Here’s to seeing the next generation of Eagle Scouts continuing that legacy and providing countless hours of service and leadership!”

Life Scout Donates to Fisher House Foundation

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My son, Andre Jackson is a Life Scout with Troop 29 (Patuxent District) has recently donated greatly needed items to the Fisher House Foundation at Andrews Joint Airforce Base on Friday, March 13th. His Eagle Service Project campaign, “Helping Those Who Help Others” for the benefit of the Fisher House Foundation, collection drive ran from January 31, 2020, and ended on March 13th, 2020. He collected donations from his Troop family, neighbors, his classmates at the Lab School of Washington and his church member at Largo Community Church. He collected and donated the following items:

106 Rolls of Paper Towels 
40 Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
39 Hand Sanitizers ( 4 – 32-ounce bottles, 20 – 8-ounce bottles, 7 – 12-ounce bottles, and 8 – 2-ounce bottles) 
189 K-cups assorted coffees and teas
26 Hot Chocolate packets
45 Cheez-it Snacks
42 Snack Pack Assorted Chips
30 Frito Lay Baked Mix Chips
36 Pringles Variety Pack Chips
36 Quater Chewy Bars
64 Soft Chewy Granola Bars
18 Breakfast Bars
48 Nabisco Nutter Butter Cookies
24 Animal Cracker snack packs
4 packs of Reynolds wrap
2 20-bags Quart size storage
2 13-bags tall Kitchen
4 V05 Shampoos (15 oz/each)
2 Tides Liquid Detergent

In the middle of his service project, the Coronavirus 19 news broke here in America and affected the amounts of donations, especially the Clorox Disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers. Ms. Veronica Harris, who is the house manager at Fisher House JAFB, was astonished at the amounts Clorox wipes and hand sanitizers Andre was able to collect. Her staff and she was so grateful to Andre achieving so much during the times when those items are sold out in the stores. I’m very proud of my son’s effort and dedication to helping others. He is a leader in his Troop and his school as the vice president of the student body at Lab School of Washington.

Today, he is adjusting to the new reality the Coronavirus 19 has caused such as distance learning from home and his plans to complete his Eagle Board of Review this next month. He has been a blessing helping out with cooking for his grandparents who live with us and keeping them calm during the pandemic. I wanted to share his completed service project and pictures of his journey towards his Eagle Rank to bring joy during these trying times. He cannot wait until this crisis is over so we can meet face-to-face with his troops, friends, classmates and other family members. Funny thing, yesterday he actually told me he misses going to school and seeing his classmates.

General David L. Goldfein Receives the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award

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The D.C. chapter of the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) was proud to present the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award to Gen. David L. Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, yesterday evening at the Air Force Association in Arlington, VA.

The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award is the National Eagle Scout Association’s highest recognition. The Award was established to recognize Eagle Scouts who, after 25 years or longer of having received the Eagle Scout Award, have reached the highest national level of success in their field. In addition, these recipients have demonstrated a strong record of volunteer leadership service to their community.

Many gathered in celebration of Gen. Goldfein’s accomplishment including the Honorable Barbara Barrett, Distinguished Eagle Scouts: Brigadier General Charles McGee, Michael Pocalyko, and Bray Barnes as well National Capital Area Council, BSA Cub Scouts Liam Finley of Pack 1101 and Caden Coffee of Pack 1344.

Goldfein left the Scouts with sound advice and continued a military tradition gifting them a Challenge Coin, challenging the young Scouts to pursue Eagle rank.  Brig. Gen. Charles McGee, also graciously awarded Gen. Goldfein with picture of an Eagle, along with a picture of the two.

This award ceremony brought together civic-minded individuals and constituents from throughout the DMV community in an event that recognizes and celebrates the importance of Scouting in guiding and developing youth from generation to generation.

To learn more about the National Eagle Scout Association please visit https://nesa.org/ or https://www.ncacbsa.org/about-ncac/nesa/.

TUSKEGEE AIRMAN RECEIVES NCAC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

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Troop 96 of the National Capital Area Council (NCAC) today honored retired Air Force Brigadier General Charles McGee with its Lifetime Achievement award. The Lifetime Achievement Award, presented at his home in Bethesda, MD, was established in 2013 and is given in recognition of individuals whose accomplishments embody the ideals of the Scout Oath and Law.

General McGee stated, “If more people lived their lives by the Scout Oath and Law, the world would be a lot better off.”

As an active member of Boy Scouts in his youth, McGee earned the title of Distinguished Eagle Scout and received the Silver Beaver award for his outstanding service. The veteran continued to display his leadership capabilities throughout his 30-year military career, earning numerous decorations from the Bronze Star to the Hellenic Republic WWII Commemorative Medal. Most recently, McGee received the honorary promotion to Brigadier General in December 2019, which was announced last week during President Trump’s State of the Union address. The 100-year old Brigadier General McGee has had a busy couple of weeks – from his appearance presiding over the coin toss at Superbowl LIV to being recognized at the State of the Union address to a book signing ceremony this past Saturday at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum celebrating Black History month, where he was featured as part of its African American Pioneers in Aviation and Space program.

“We are extremely proud to recognize retired Brigadier General Charles McGee for his tremendous accomplishments on behalf of this nation and in the world of Scouting,” said Scout Executive Craig Poland. “Brigadier General McGee not only meets the criteria for this selective award – he more than surpasses it. The values embodied in Scouting are reflected in his daily life and work.”

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Born in Cleveland in 1919, McGee enlisted in the Army on October 26, 1942. Upon earning his pilot’s wings, McGee joined the Tuskegee Airmen, the first group of African American military pilots in the Armed Forces. During his extensive military career, he accumulated over 6,300 total hours, flew tactical missions attacking enemy airfields, and took part in top-secret rescue missions. In 2011, McGee was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio.

McGee, a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Military Order of World Wars, and the Tuskegee Airmen Inc., now spends his time sharing his life experiences by speaking in support of the Black Heritage and Youth Career motivation programs.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given in recognition of a person’s noteworthy personal and/or professional accomplishments, his dedication to America and because he lives the ideals of the Scout Oath and Law. Past recipients of this award include Bill Marriott Jr., former Gov. Haley Barbour, Thomas J. Donohue, Jacob Stein and Michael Daniels.