We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Cub Scouts

Great Falls NPS VA Cub Scout Day Brings Together NPS and Scouts for Fun and Service

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On Sunday, September 23, over 130 Cub Scouts from across NCAC came together at Great Falls Park in Virginia to celebrate 100 years of partnership between the National Park Service and Boy Scouts of America. Cub Scouts got up close and personal with a Great Horned Owl, Screech Owl, Barred Owl, Red Shouldered Hawk, and Barn Owl. They also were able to touch corn snakes, and observe other snakes feeding. Most Scouts also stretched their legs as they took part in hikes ranging from one to three miles along the river.

“Some of the best moments in Scouting take place in national parks,” said Andrew Turner Au, Park Guide at Great Falls Park. “My first experience as a Scout was in the National Park Service climbing Old Rag in Shenandoah Valley. I am tremendously grateful for what Scouting provided me when I was young and what it has taught me.”

Turner Au has been giving back ever since, creating opportunities for Scouts to explore NPS by promoting Eagle Scout projects at Great Falls, providing merit badge programs, offering rank requirement opportunities, and arranging other Scouting activities in the park, such as Cub Scout Day.

On this day, he was proud to report that nearly all Scouts completed the junior ranger book, earning the coveted Junior Ranger Badge. Scouts also did a good turn on their hikes by picking up litter and learning about Leave No Trace (LNT).

LNT activities were conducted by Scouts in Troop 55, and Cub Scouts received LNT certificates after reciting the seven principles from memory, watching an LNT video, and picking up ten pieces of trash. According to one volunteer on site on Sunday, the park hasn’t looked this clean in years.

Cub Scouts who stayed at the park the whole day earned the NPS/BSA patch for learning, helping, and inspiring others about the National Park Service.

“Each year Scouts spend more than 60,000 hours on volunteer projects to restore or enhance our national parks,” said Turner Au. “This service is not only integral to Scouting, but also provides a great benefit for NPS.”

For more information regarding Scouting or volunteer opportunities within Great Falls National Park, please contact Park Guide Andrew Turner Au at andrew_turnerau@nps.gov. Special thanks to Park Rangers Cheryl Breese, Susan Finta, and Franice Sewell for their support of the Cub Scout Day program.

NCAC Launches Multiweek Day Camp

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Earlier this year NCAC launched an exciting new pilot program: a multiweek Cub Scout day camp! For five weeks this summer they offered the same great program as our traditional day camps, with the multiweek format helping for parents looking for more summertime activities. The camp received full accreditation from BSA’s National Camp Accreditation Program and campers had tons of fun!

The camp averaged 18 campers each week – pretty good for a pilot program – with all Cub Scout ranks represented. Cub Scouts split into groups by age level so they could focus on activities tailored to each rank.

There were, of course, lots of opportunities to work on advancement. By week 4 the Tigers completed the Curiosity, Intrigue, and Magical Mysteries elective Adventure Loops. Wolves worked on the Finding Your Way, Digging in the Past, and Paws of the Skill Adventure Loops. Bears worked on the Baloo the Builder Adventure Loop, and completed the Roaring Laughter and Super-Science Adventure Loops. Webelos worked on the Into the Woods and Build-It Adventure Pins, and completed the Sportsman Adventure Pin.

Scouts each week also earned their rank-specific Shooting Sports Archery Patch and Pin, built stretchers and chariots for relay races, made paracord bracelets, completed service projects, built bird houses, tied a variety of knots, performed educational songs and skits, and learned about all turkeys and other local plants and animals with the head biologist from Fort Belvoir. 

One of the most popular events was the Bike Rodeo. This event gave Scouts a chance to have fun and challenge themselves to improve. Many Scout learned to ride a bike for the first time, and more experienced riders assisted their fellow Scouts and grew their own skills.

This camp would not have been possible without the hard work of our staff. In particular, a huge shout-out goes to our Admin Director Dominick Caridi, Nature Director Abbie Allred, and Scout Skills Director Sam Markle, and Staff Advisor Joel Jackson for their outstanding service to our camp. They went above and beyond to put together something special that our Scouts and staff want to keep building in the future. Already parents are making plans to come back next year – and bring their friends!