Cub Scouts TAKE FLIGHT at Gunston Hall - A Destination like no other!

From low flying model airplanes to rapid water gushing fire engines, to dissecting owl pellets to flying mini-kites, all were seen at TAKE FLIGHT Day Camp 2015.Under the leadership of Colonial District Executive, Joel Jackson and Program Director Laura Lewis more than 260 Aviators stemming from 18 Units attended TAKE FLIGHT Day Camp at historic Gunston Hall in Lorton, Va. during the week of June 22nd through 26th . TAKE FLIGHT ran two separate camps. There was a Main Camp and a Webelos Camp. The latter one was dedicated to the older Cub Scouts who for the first time experienced camp rotations as they would in the Boys Scouts world -- in Patrols. The Webelos Camp was supported by Boy Scout leaders in T301, under the direction of T301 ASM Keenan M. Pallone. Following the Aviation theme, our Main Camp Aviators traveled to six Destinations daily including the highly coveted, Archery, BBs, Crafts, Games, Fishing, Scout Skills, and STEM/Nature. First time Fishing Lead, Andrea Amberg from P129 had the experience of a lifetime when the Aviators caught a turtle! Totally not what they were expecting to catch that morning but as in good Cub Scouting they “caught it and released it” back into the water – what a moment! The Webelos Camp Aviators participated in Archery, BBs, Fishing, and learned more advanced Scout Skills in knot tying and lashings. The Webelos also built chariots and catapults. The latter ones were launched by the Main Camp Aviators on Friday’s Open Program. No Day Camp at Gunston Hall would be complete without the services of a Tick Bead Master. Many thanks to our 2015 Tick Bead Master, George Look from T899. George ensure that all who encountered a tick on flight received an “official” tick bead. In addition, he helped monitor the overall camp attendance by safeguarding Colonial Crier!!!! Summer 2015 BSA NCAC – Colonial District the folders while being an extra set of hands at the Control Tower! As many of you know, one of the biggest challenges of Day Camp is the scorching summer weather in the DMV. Mother Nature stayed by our side enabling us to enjoy all Destinations every day including the day the Mercury rose over 100 degrees! Our Aviators experienced STEM/Nature indoors and some Units were even scheduled to watch the Gunston Hall movie – a total treat! Day Camp would’ve not been such as success without the collaboration and leadership of its Program Director, Laura Lewis, P888 who managed to work the TAKE FLIGHT theme into all of the Main Camp’s Destinations and was even spotted at the Webelos Camp’s range! Lewis was supported by some serious volunteers who quickly stepped up to deliver an amazing experience for all our District Aviators! Special shout out to our volunteer Staff who unconditionally supported our District particularly to those who return year after year to deliver a quality, fun, and safe program for our local youth! Thank you for all of you who donated a week of your summer and supported our Day Camp! Please have a look at the day camp photos at the end of this article. Archery – Photo Credit: Bryan Oakley Firetruck – Photo Credit: Lucy Look P1503 STEM/NATURE Fossils – Photo Credit: Amy Trimble P888 Leatherwork - Photo Credit: Lucy Look P1503 Closing Ceremony Fun- Photo Credit: Regla Pérez Pino Jr. Staff and Webelos Camp Skit lineup – Photo Credit: Regla Pérez Pino This was out third year at Gunston Hall and our partners there provided us an excellent venue and were tremendously cooperative. Nothing is ever perfect and we are busy reviewing the operations and program in light of what we’ve learned and your feedback to make next year’s Cub Scout Day Camp even better. If you have any feedback you would like to share with the team, please send them to Rick Pitterle at rpitterle@comcast.net and he’ll pass your input along.

A very special thank you to all those that supported Day Camp this year: Day Camp could not run without YOU! First, we want to thank the Packs, the Pack Coordinators, the Den Walkers and the staffers provided by the Packs — they were a critical part of our success! Our Adult Ground Crew: Troy Sullivan and Tim McGrew BBs RSOs P1509; Bryan Oakeley and Ben Rubio, Archery RSOs; Sasha Loftin, Office, P118; Amy Trimble, STEM/Nature, P888; Bonita Knight, STEM/Nature, P1076; Andrea Amberg, Fishing, P129; Rick Pitterle, Webelos Camp, District; Bill Lewis, Webelos Camp RSO, P888; Kurt Connell, Games and Fishing, P888; Robin Connell, Games, P888; Lucy Look, Crafts, P1503; Jason Loftin, Scout Skills, P118; Ed Shepard, Fishing/ Scout Skills, P155; Erin & Bill Stewart, First Aid, Venture Crew 80.

WEBELOS Camp Staff: John Samuel “Sam” Markle T301; Zachary Cooper, T301; William Cowardin, T301; Alex Crimm T301, and Martín Román-Pérez T301. Junior Staff: Elizabeth Oakeley, Archery; Joseph Cheney; Jacob Dulaney; Jeremy Freewalt, T996; Gabe Hill; Garrett Lewis, T1509; John Little T1509; George Look T899; Spencer MacKenzie, T996; Cole Miller,T1509; Adrian Pabst; Brandon Pacious, T301; Al Pitterle; Jared Schroeder and Ryan Sullivan, T996.

First timer STAFF lead Lucy Look, and Pack 1503 Day Camp Coordinator, managed our Aviators’ Crafts Destination. As Pack Coordinator, she shared comments from a Den Walker dad in her Unit who was excited and lucky to “have spent the day with his son doing all the fun stuff” – that’s what Day Camp is ALL about! Look added that she, “was amazed that everyday 240 projects would be developed by our Aviators and be totally different!” Our TAKE FLIGHT Aviators projects included kites --flown on-site, carry bags painted with Colonial Crier!!!! Summer 2015 BSA NCAC – Colonial District aviation templates, model airplanes, and the traditional leatherwork for individual totems. Many memorable stories were cherished throughout our Flight! Get your Space gear ready to embark on our 2016 Colonial District Day Camp: Galactic Trek! It promises to be a journey like no other!

Contributed by Regla Perez Pino, Asst. Camp Director for Administration