We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Leaders

Warm Nights

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My name is Zack Brandon, Troop 1283 Junior Assistant Scoutmaster and Patuxent Chapter Chief. On February 3rd, Super Bowl Sunday, our troop was gathered at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bowie, MD to assist them in an annual good turn: helping those less fortunate than us have a warm place to sleep at night.
Warm Nights is a program that many churches in our area participate in every year when the weather gets cold. Many men, women, and families rely on the program to get through the winter every year. They are cared for and sheltered for one week inside of the gym in the church, and are provided with a warm place to sleep at night, a large dinner, lunches, and toiletries.

Troop 1283 helps out every year by fixing lunches and preparing a large chili dinner for the guests. The twelve youth attendees collectively made four, large, delicious bowls of chili beforehand and brought it to serve. We arrived well before the guests did, and formed an assembly line to make their bagged lunches for the following days. After setting up tables, chairs, and tablecloths, we set up a television to stream the Super Bowl so that the guests could watch it while eating their dinner. Once all of the preparations were ready, the guests slowly started to arrive. Once they were all present, the Pastor of the church opened the meal with a prayer, and we began serving the guests their chili, salad, chips, drinks, and desserts. After serving around thirty guests, we went though the line ourselves and ate dinner with them. We were able to sit and cheer on the teams at the Super Bowl with them and talk to them about who they thought would win the game. Well-fed, we cleaned up the area and departed for home late that night. It was overall a magnificent experience, and I would recommend it to every Troop in our district!

Pack 194’s Youngest Popcorn Kernel Does His Best

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For the previous two years, Pack 194’s Liam Brougham, currently an Arrow of Light Scout, has been the Pack’s top seller and has helped his entire Pack raise funds for Scouting. Sure, he enjoyed the prizes, accolades, and delivering the ceremonial pie in the face to Pack adult leadership – twice! But the 2018 fundraising season was a little different. In fact, the Pack almost did not conduct a popcorn fundraising event because there were no adult volunteers to be the Popcorn Kernel. Liam overheard his Pack 194 Committee Chair explaining this so what did he do? He demonstrated great Scouting characteristics and said, “Can I be the Kernel?” Did he do it for the prizes? Absolutely not. Because Liam further said, “I’ll stop trying to be the top seller by myself and help out the whole Pack instead.” And help he did.

Of course, first the Pack had to discuss the idea with the District Executive explaining how a Scout wanted to be Kernel. It was a bit of a surprise as Cub Scouts don’t usually lead such a pivotal Pack role and coordinate, promote, and lead all Kindergarten through fifth grade Scouts AND all their parents. But while ensuring proper youth protection was maintained with emails and interaction with others, Liam was off to the races.

Liam attended Regional Kick-Off training, asked questions, helped assemble presentation material, and spoke at Pack meetings on what Pack 194 was going to do. He set up five Store Front Sales and even went to meet with the store manager in his Scout uniform to show respect and commitment to raising important funds for his Pack’s Scouting effort. Liam had help with the ordering system, but it was he who analyzed the sales in prior years and predicted what popcorn the Pack would need to order. He made the orders (several of them), helped inventory at pickups, helped set up Store Front Sales and have sales material and popcorn on hand, helped train new Scouts, collected the end of sale proceeds, kept account of which Scouts were credited with sales, ordered the entire Pack’s prizes at the end, and answered other questions and placed more orders for Take Orders from the Pack. He learned how spreadsheets work and how they can be used to calculate. He practiced his math skills and REALLY enjoyed counting all the money (a lot of it as it turns out). And finally, he learned how internet sales and transactions worked and even upgraded the Pack’s technology to allow touch and chip credit card payments.

So how did Pack 194 do with fundraising under the leadership of Popcorn Kernel Liam Brougham?

The Pack vastly exceeded expectations. The original 10% growth target was left in the dust. The end result was more than double last year’s sales: that’s over ten times more funds available for Pack 194 Scouting events in 2019.

The entire Pack 194 enjoyed the experience of a Cub Scout in charge and shared in the benefit of Popcorn Fundraising. And Liam’s reward? Adulation from his Pack (sure), learning great life skills in sales, communication, logistics, accounting, … (OK those all definitely happened), but the REAL REWARD… a ceremonial THANK YOU by way of a pie TO HIS FACE for a job so very very well done.

Troop 1717 Scouts Pay Respects to Pres George H.W. Bush in Zero Dark-Thirty Ceremony: Scout Patriotism Never Sleeps

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The 41st President, George H.W. Bush, was still lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda when Troop 1717 of Hartwood, VA held its weekly evening meeting on December 4th at historic Hartwood Presbyterian Church in Aquia District. It was there that Eagle Scout and Senior Patrol Leader Ben Motta asked youth and adult leaders if it was possible to pull together a delegation from the Troop to travel that very night to the U.S. Capitol to honor his service to our Nation.

It was very short notice and a school night, but SPL Motta challenged his fellow Scouts to step up saying that, if they could stay up all night playing video games, they could surely muster enough energy to stay up to honor a President of the United States. In his words, “Patriotism should never sleep.” Five Scouts in addition to Motta volunteered: Eagle Scouts Teddy Durrant and Ethan Crawford and fellow senior Scouts Zach Dankanich, Norman Carter, Jr. and Owen Knight. Leaving with four volunteer Assistant Scoutmasters around midnight, they arrived at the Capital about an hour later in full uniform and stood in line in the cold with other mourners for about an hour. Then, around 2:00 AM, they silently slipped into the Rotunda in single file to stand within mere yards of the body of the 41st President, his flag-draped casket held high upon a catafalque which once held the casket of President Abraham Lincoln.

Little did they know that their visit was captured by a WUSA9 TV reporter and C-Span cameras. After a few moments in silent prayer and reflection, they issued, on command, one last sharp Scout Salute to a President who, like all U.S. Presidents, served as the honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America. Later, they would describe the experience as “sad” and “heavy” but also “powerful” and ‘inspiring.”

They said they felt it important to make the extra effort to honor President Bush, a war hero and member of what’s come to be known as the “Greatest Generation,” who had dedicated his life to service to his Country.

“It was impressive to stand next to the President’s casket and think of all that he had accomplished throughout his life in the service of others,” Ben says. “I think that his example is one that all Scouts aim to follow.”

The Scouts and their leaders returned back home around 4:00 AM to take a short nap before rising again to go to school and work. Said SPL Ben, speaking for all the Scouts: “I was proud to be there, not just as an American, but as a representative of a movement and an ideology that stresses character, service, and loyalty to God, country and family.”

For more on this story, check out the WUSA9 story and video Boy Scouts pay respects to late President George H.W. Bush at https://www.wusa9.com/video/news/boy-scouts-pay-respects-to-late-president-george-hw-bush/65-8362333 or visit the Bryan on Scouting Blog to read Duty to country: Webelos Scout, Boy Scouts salute President George H.W. Bush at https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/12/06/duty-to-country-webelos-scout-boy-scouts-salute-president-george-h-w-bush/

 

NCAC Announces 2019 Silver Beaver Class

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The National Capital Area Council (NCAC), Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is happy to announce the 2019 Colonel Garry Lewis, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) Class of Silver Beavers. The Council Court of Honor is set for Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Camp William B. Snyder.

The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. Members of this year’s class are:

  • Jennifer Bell
  • Jeffrey Cohen
  • George Gadbois
  • Inge Gedo
  • Christopher Gohrband
  • George Goldsmith
  • Mark Greer
  • Gordon Henley
  • Kenneth Jones
  • Robert Kahn
  • Roger LaBrie
  • Martin Predoehl
  • Jerry Saggers
  • Mark Serfass
  • James Spoo
  • John Stewart
  • Andrew Tainter
  • Anthony Tersine
  • Helen Webb
  • Candace Weitz

NCAC invites you to join them in celebrating the years of dedication performed by these great volunteers. That morning, they will also be honoring Colonel Garry Lewis, USMC (Ret.) for his countless years of service to Scouting.

To register to attend, please visit: www.NCACBSA.org/courtofhonor

Milkweed for Monarchs 2019 Kick-off

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The following observations from the February 2nd Milkweed for Monarchs Kick-off event were written by Owen M., a Webelos in Pack 1188, and submitted by Brian McDougal. Thank you, Owen, for supporting this important conservation effort, and for your reporting on this event. 

Hi my name is Owen, I am a Webelos Scout. I went to the Milkweed for Monarchs 2019 kickoff event on February 2, 2019. The National Capital Area Conservation Committee held the event in Washington DC at George Washington University. There were a lot of Scouts and Scouters there.

First, Will Roger, chair of the NCAC Conservation Committee told us what the committee does. They encourage conservation. Conservation is when people appreciate the world around them and take care of it. They want it to stay nice. He told us about lots of different awards Scouts can earn, like the Hornaday awards, Conservation Good Turn award, Messengers of Peace, Scout Ranger Patch, Hometown award, and some others.

Next, Alex Echols told us about Monarchs and why we should plant Milkweed. We should plant it because there aren’t enough Milkweed plants for the Monarchs to lay their eggs on and it is the only plant Monarchs lay their eggs on. The caterpillars eat the milkweed and that is what makes them toxic to predators.

We watched a video by national Monarch expert Peter Berthelson of Conservation Blueprint and learned how to plant Milkweed. We learned some tips, like if you want to buy Milkweed, don’t buy the tropical kind because it blooms at the wrong time for the Monarchs and doesn’t help them. You should buy native kinds like common milkweed, butterfly milkweed, and swamp milkweed.

Everyone got a packet of Milkweed seeds (for the caterpillars) and a packet of seeds of nectar producing plants (for the adults). All the Scouts got a special patch for the participating in the Milkweed for Monarch program. For more information about Monarchs, please visit https://www.monarchwatch.org/ and https://journeynorth.org/

Owen M.

Webelos Scout

Pack 1188

Looking for more info on planting your milkweed? Check out this step by step guide and tip sheet.

Milkweed Seed Planting Instructions

  1. In March plant seeds indoors to grow seedlings for later transplant
  2. Punch holes in bottom of cup a Solo cup (Support interior of cup when punching holes)
  3. Use potting soil for growing medium and fill cup and lightly pack down
  4. Plant seeds, approximately 3 to a cup, plant half inch deep. Lightly water and keep slightly Overwatering will kill plants. Check daily – may only need watering every few days. Place in south facing window – with something under cup
  5. Seeds will germinate typically in 15 – 35 days. Not all seeds will germinate. Be patient and provide consistent attention – slight watering and sun
  6. When seedlings are 6 – 10 inches high and the outside temperature is warm start to put outside during day (commonly late April but depends on weather)
  7. Use common sense – don’t “sunburn” your seedlings by putting them out directly into really hot day
  8. Bring indoors and protect from frost and heavy rains
  9. Plant milkweed seedlings (typically May – around Mothers Day good target)
  10. Select plot free of grass where milkweed can grow throughout year
  11. Dig hole just slightly larger than cup seedling is growing in
  12. Plant – gently pressing soil around seedling – plant level with ground
  13. Gently water and track for moisture for the next month
  14. Manage Monarch Plot and watch for monarch caterpillars on milkweed throughout year. They may appear as early as June or as late as August
  15. Plant your additional pollinator plants near the milkweed – again May is good time to plant those seeds directly into the ground
  16. In fall you may want to collect seeds after milkweed seed pods dry
  17. Milkweed plant should re-emerge next year and hopefully may even spread

You can always check other recommendations on milkweed and monarch management.  There are plenty of resources.  Here is the link to today’s video.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x4h09burhqv8r7d/Boy%20Scouts%20-%20How%20to%20Grow%20Milkweed.mp4?dl=0

 

 

 

NCAC Set for February 2nd Kick Off of 2019 Milkweed for Monarchs Conservation Project

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On Saturday, February 2nd, the National Capital Area Conservation Committee will kick-off the 2nd year of Milkweed for Monarchs, Inspiring Conservation in Scouts and Their Families. This year’s program is again presented by the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, and will be hosted by George Washington University.

Scouters and their families will have the opportunity to learn from national monarch expert, Pete Berthelson, about growing milkweed and providing habitat for monarchs and other pollinators. He’ll teach about providing pollen and nectar throughout the entire year, options for growing milkweed and native flowers from seed, the importance of seed-soil contact, and our role in making a difference.

“Monarch butterflies are crucial to agriculture and plants of all kinds,” said Will Rodger, Chair of the NCAC Conservation Committee. “We can save them as long as Scouts and other Americans ‘Do Their Best’ to help them.”

The youth-friendly presentation is sure to inspire attendees to take action to help save the vanishing monarch butterfly through the building of a healthy and sustainable pollinator habitat. In addition, Scouts and others who attend will receive a free Milkweed for Monarchs patch, plus an easy-to-use seed packet of milkweed and other native, nectar-producing plants that nourish monarch caterpillars and butterflies throughout the growing season.

“Planting and encouraging milkweed and wildflowers are the most important things we can all do right here, right now,” said Rodger.

Scouters and others are invited to attend, but registration is limited. The event will take place on February 2nd from 10 am to 12 pm at George Washington University, Room 113, 1957 E St. NW, Washington DC. For more information or to register, please visit www.ncacbsa.org/monarchs.