• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
We Own Adventure

We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

  • Home
  • Newsletters
  • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • Sport Adventures
  • Submit Your News
  • Be an Influencer!
  • Scouting America National Capital Area Council Main website

Leaders

A Few Thoughts on Family Scouting

July 20, 2018 by The Scouter Digest Staff

National Capital Area Council holds a quarterly full-staff meeting where we gather to share the “30,000 foot view” of what’s happening within each respective department, share valuable interdepartmental information and initiatives, and enjoy a moment of fellowship with everyone together at that day’s lunch. In short, it’s a Scout meeting, right down to the prayer and thought of the day. At our most recent meeting, Senior Accountant and lifelong Scouter Joel Kahn offered the thought of the day. We asked him if it was okay to share it with the Council at large, and Joel, affably agreed.

Good Morning:

My thoughts on Family Scouting:

Everyone is either saying “embrace the future”, or “don’t mess with a good thing and make changes to the past”

I think we are doing both!

When a river or creek gets blocked, and the water stops flowing as it should, it will become stagnant.

The same goes for any great institution. If they stop accepting the continuing changes needed to stay a relevant and vibrant organization, they will become stagnant.

Scouting has always tried to be a leader in training young men to become better persons and teach leadership skills. Family Scouting is not changing this, it is expanding to officially include all members of the family.

To me, this is not new at all:

I grew up through my early life as a Cub Scout, with my Mother being the Den Mother, and my best friend and I were the kids that misbehaved the most. Every kid in the pack and troop had 2 working parents. One parent always tried to support the activities when the other was working. The parents would bring the cub’s siblings to the meeting, and keep them amused with activities of their own. This included younger brothers and sisters and the occasional older sister who could not be left alone at home yet. The Troop used to take us camping with them occasionally during the summer, and this is where I learned to appreciate nature, a love I still have today.

When I became a Boy Scout in Troop 755 at Temple Israel Synagogue in Silver Spring, the Scoutmaster seemed to know what each boy was capable of doing and what they needed to learn. He tried to take us camping at least once a month, even through the winter, when the weather allowed it. Some of the parents who were chaperoning us would bring a male sibling who was usually a cub Scout, and if it was a mother, sometimes the female sibling would come and stay in her tent. We never thought about this as right or wrong, it just always was.

When I was made Den Chief of our pack, it was the same then as when I was a cub Scout. The younger brothers and sisters of the cubs would come to the meetings and participate where they could.

While I did not learn a lot about the Scouting system-I never knew we were part of a district or the Council. I first learned about Camp Philmont when I was in my twenties and my cousin chopped the tip of his finger off with an ax while he was there. (After I started here, learned his Father had retired from a Scouting career as the Scout Executive of the Council in Reading PA). What I did learn was right from wrong, good ethics, good manners, and respect for our elders and for nature.

So, Family Scouting is not something new at all. It is just officially being recognized and incorporated into the leadership programs we have been providing for over a century.

Filed Under: Leaders Tagged With: Scouter Perspectives

Troop 128 Prepared To Help Others; A Scout Is Kind

July 20, 2018 by The Scouter Digest Staff

by John Dietrich, Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 128

In May, Troop 128’s Philmont crew conducted a 12-mile preparatory hike in Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls Park near Thurmont, MD. It was a tough day of hiking; occasional rain and a constant fog made the trails very slippery. After ten miles of hiking, as we descended from Cat Rock on the Old Misery Trail, we found a man and woman in trouble. Heidi, our new friend, was on the ground, and clearly in pain. She had slipped on the rocks and sprained her ankle.

The Scouts of Troop 128 were prepared to help. From first aid kits came bandages to bind the ankle. From Wilderness First Aid training came the advice to take ibuprofen. From one Scout’s multi-tool came a small saw to fashion a crutch to help her walk down the mountain.

Heidi tried to go down the Old Misery Trail. Unfortunately, her fall had occurred near the top of the mountain where the road was far below and about a mile away. Still worse, this trail features a steep grade, frequent switchbacks, and many boulders along the way. Heidi was able to go forty feet with her new crutch but travel proved too difficult. Again the Scouts volunteered to help.

Our crew had the phone number of the park ranger offices. Heidi’s friend contacted the ranger station and arranged for rangers to bring a basket up the trail. We helped Heidi remain warm by providing a dry Tyvek sheet to sit on, and encouraged her to stay hydrated and keep the ankle elevated. The Scouts redistributed crew gear so the older Scouts and adults could help carry Heidi when the rangers arrived.

A group of six rangers came up the trail an hour later. They provided further first aid and helped her into the basket. The rangers gladly accepted help carrying it as the footing was treacherous. Up over logs, and down ledges, the team passed the basket safely down the mountain. At every moment of the hour-long trip, at least one Scout carried the basket, fully contributing to help bring Heidi to safety.

By the end of the afternoon the tired crew arrived at the waiting Park Service vehicles. Heidi had only the most appreciative words for our Scouts. Likewise, the rangers recognized how much the boys had helped bring her safely out of the woods. The Scouts then reloaded their packs and finished their hike.

Even with her extremely injured ankle, Heidi would have made her way to safety without help from the unit eventually, but the Scouts of Troop 128 epitomized the image of the Boy Scouts of America by being prepared through training, equipment, and teamwork to help other people at all times in the rugged outdoors. I proudly call to your attention the following Scouts:

  • Chris “Cloud” Barre’, Eagle Scout
  • Ethan Carlisle, Life Scout
  • Luke Carlisle, Life Scout
  • Adam Dietrich, Eagle Scout
  • Joseph Massaro, Life Scout
  • John “Jack” Sears, Life Scout
  • Alexander Smithgall, Life Scout
  • Bart Barre’, Crew Advisor

Filed Under: Leaders Tagged With: Scouter Perspectives

Unit Performance Guide

July 20, 2018 by Roy "Rick" Rogers

The Unit Performance Guide methodology is BSA’s approved strategy for starting and sustaining high quality units. Darlene Sprague, National Commissioner Service Resources Chair, describes the key principles:

  • Volunteer-driven, professionally guided. The district executive, new-unit commissioner, and new-unit organizer all work together in the new-unit organization process. Professionals and volunteers partnering together help ensure the proper development of high-quality units.
  • A new-unit commissioner is assigned at the very start of the new-unit organization process. Once the unit is organized, the commissioner serves the unit for three years to help it become a high-quality unit. There should be a 1:1 ratio—one new-unit commissioner for one new unit.
  • Organize every new unit with at least 10 youth. Starting with two dens or patrols or a crew of 10 helps ensure the unit has a good foundation to grow.
  • Recruit at least five adult unit volunteers. Properly selected quality volunteers are important to the successful operation and sustainability of the new unit. Preferably, one of the members should be a new member coordinator. This position can be instrumental in welcoming new families to the unit. Note: The chartered organization representative position should be a separate position and not a multiple position.
  • Develop the unit Key 3 concept. The unit leader, committee chair, and chartered organization representative meet monthly. The assigned new-unit commissioner serves as the advisor to this group.
  • Focus on organizing the whole Scouting family. The whole Scouting family normally includes a pack, a troop, and a crew chartered to the same organization. It can also include a Sea Scout ship.

As we implement Family Scouting and start new girl troops, following these principles will give new units the best chance to serve our families with the Scouting program they deserve in a sustainable manner.

To start sustainable new girl troops in February 2019, the Unit Performance Guide process should be going on now!

Filed Under: Leaders Tagged With: Commissioner’s Corner

People Who Move America

July 20, 2018 by The Scouter Digest Staff

On Wednesday, May 16th National Capital Area Council hosted a dinner to honor individuals from the trade and transportation industry with the People Who Move America Good Scout Award. The honorees this year were Scott Ernst, CEO of Textron Aviation; Ricky Smith, CEO of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport; and Kevin Burke, President and CEO of Airports Council International – North America. We also recognized Congressman Pete Sessions with the Lifetime Achievement Award. We are grateful to our sponsors for helping us break last year’s record! For more information on this event or to learn about sponsorship opportunities for 2019, please contact Jenna Welle at Jenna.Welle@Scouting.org.

Filed Under: Leaders Tagged With: Development

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 34
  • Page 35
  • Page 36

Primary Sidebar

NCAC Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Latest Issue

TSD Summer '18 is on Issuu

Archives

  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • October 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 · Genesis Elk on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in