The Patriot District Spring Camporee was held at Camp Snyder in Haymarket, VA, on April 20-22, with more than 190 Scouts and Scouters gathering to share a weekend of camaraderie and fun. Once again the event was blessed with favorable weather. Saturday brought sunny skies and warm temperatures, and Sunday, although overcast, was free of any rain. Participating Patriot District Units included Troops 50, 114, 1131, 1344, 1346, 1412, 1524, 1535, and 1966. They were joined by Scouts from Troop 150 of the Colonial District, and a girls Webelos Den from Patriot District’s Pack 873. William Wallace, OA Chapter Chief, served as the Camporee Senior Patrol Leader (SPL). It was a great weekend of Scouting activity.
The theme for the camporee was Barbarians at the Gate: Scout Skills in Action. The main program involved a Patrol Skills Competition in which Scouts were challenged to demonstrate their proficiency in various fundamental Scout skills. The theme reflected a complex imagined scenario where a horde of barbarians had crash landed their boats on an island during a storm and required proficiency in numerous areas aligned with basic Scout skills to survive. In addition to traditional opening and closing ceremonies, religious services, and the Saturday evening campfire, other camporee activities included archery, air rifle marksmanship, dodge ball, and scaling the NCAC climbing wall.
A special dessert competition was also held following dinner on Saturday evening, and on Sunday morning Scouts conducted a special service project, planting about 300 tree seedlings at selected locations around Camp Snyder.
