Showing posts with label Cub Scouts. Show all posts

Thursday, July 16, 2015

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

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

2015 Popcorn Sale and District Kick-Offs

Believe it or not, it is time to start planning for the 2015 Popcorn Sale!

Popcorn Survey

In our efforts to plan a better sale, we ask that every unit take a few minutes to complete the 2015 Popcorn Survey before June 19th.

The survey will also allow you to sign up for a Trail's End "popcorn system" password.

Kick-Off Schedule

Our first Popcorn Kick-Off is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16th at the American Legion Post 136 in Greenbelt, Maryland followed by Thursday, June 18th at the First Baptist Church of Alexandria.

Both start @ 7:00pm.

Please be reminded that Unit Popcorn Kernel's must attend one of the 12 scheduled Kick-Off's in order to earn the additional 3% commission for your unit. Unit Popcorn Kernels can attend any kick-off; however, units are encouraged to attend a kick-off in their Service Area or District. You do not need to RSVP or register through the website to attend a kick-off.

Attendees will need to complete the "confirmation form" when attending a kick-off. This form will be located at the back of your leaders guide. Completing and submitting this form will qualify your unit for the additional bonus commission.

Date	Time	Service Area Host	Address
Tues, June 16	7:00 pm	Three Rivers	American Legion Post 136 6900 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770
Thurs, June 18	7:00 pm	Virginia Central	First Baptist Church of Alexandria 2932 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302
Tues, June 23	7:00 pm	VA South	Chancellor Community Center 7300 Old Plank Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Thurs, June 25	7:00 pm	Mountain West	Our Savior's Lutheran Church 43115 Waxpool Road Ashburn, VA 20148
Tues, June 30	7:00 pm	VA South	Our Savior's Lutheran Church 6194 Dumfries Rd., Warrenton, VA 20187
Tues, July 7	7:00 pm	Mountain West	Lees Corner Elementary School 13500 Hollinger Avenue, Fairfax VA 22033
Thurs, July 9	7:00 pm	Montgomery	Marriott Scout Service Center 9190 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814
Sat, July 11	9:00 am	VA Central	University Mall Theatres 10659 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032
Tues, July 14	7:00 pm	Mountain West	Church of Latter-day Saints 199 North Place, Frederick, MD 21701
Thurs, July 16	7:00 pm	Three Rivers	Jameson-Harrison American Legion Post 238 6265 Brandywine Rd, Hughesville, MD 20637
Tues, July 21	7:00 pm	VA South	Potomac Crest Baptist Church 15418 Cardinal Dr, Woodbridge, VA 22193
Thurs, July 23	7:00 pm	Virginia Central	Truro Church 10520 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030

Please contact the Colonial District Popcorn Kernal Sean McCarthy or the Colonial District Executive Joel Jackson if you have any questions. We are looking forward to having an even more successful 2015 Popcorn Sale!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

New Cub Scout Materials are here!

NEW CUB SCOUT MATERIALS ARE HERE!

You’ve been waiting, and the day is here. New Cub Scout handbooks, den leader guides, and uniform accessories (primarily Tiger badges) are in Scout shops as of May 1.

Here is the scoop on the merchandise orders:

The first pre-order period for wholesale accounts (council run shops) closed on April 3, and 169 councils ordered items.
Products to support these pre-orders shipped Monday, April 6, and the last orders for this group of councils shipped April 14.
Inventory for Scout Shops managed by Supply shipped April 13.

Pre-orders have been running very strong. The project team is monitoring orders daily and has already initiated reprints for items showing strong demand.

For more Cub Scout Program Update info check out our past announcements:

Cub Scout Program Launch Update

New Cub Scouting Images

CubCast Covers Cub Scout Program Updates

Cub Scout Program Launch: Day Camp Guidance

Purchasing Adventure Loops and Pins for Recognition

Updated Requirements for Cub Scout Awards

Cub Scout Program Update: Transition in LDS Chartered Units

Monday, May 11, 2015

The Colonial District — Selfless Service for Armed Forces Family Day

Thank you to all who supported the 2^nd Annual Armed Forces Family Day at Ft Hunt Park on Saturday, the 9^th of May, 2015. We had 37 Scouts and Scouters from four Colonial District Troops participate, along with a contingent of dedicated District Scouters. Thank you Troops 1509, 996, 301, and 993!!

The Armed Forces Family Day is a great example of the partnership between the Colonial District and the Friends of Ft Hunt Park, and various organizations supporting the event, including the National Parks Conservation Association and the George Washington Parkway. Our contribution to the day was to support the opening ceremony with a Scout-led Pledge of Allegiance, to provide outstanding music from the Troop 996 Band, then to run fun and games for military families while working on a model campsite. The Scouts also cheerfully volunteered to serve the BBQ lunch to a long line of hungry visitors.

The Scouts who volunteered ranged from Scout rank to Eagle, and they had great opportunities to learn and grow while serving their community. Our young Scouts demonstrated the EDGE method as they taught some youngsters how to build paper “stomp-rockets”. The older Scouts coordinated the flag ceremony with the event leader, with free reign to bring on more Scouts and plan the tasks. All of them learned some vital history lessons as they were able to speak with several veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. The Scouts even got to deliver the delicious leftover trays of food to the Fairfax County Police and Fire Stations afterwards. Each of them would likely agree that the day was truly fun-with-a-purpose!

We look forward to supporting the next Ft Hunt Fall community clean-up event as well as the next Armed Forces appreciation event in May 2016. We hope to see Colonial District units support these events — let us know if you’d like to get involved.

Provided by guest writer John Hickey.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

The Armies are getting ready!

With over 1,500 Scouts in attendance today, they represent about the same number that was present for the battle in May of 1864. Our Scouts are split into both Union and Confederate and will be able to participate in a small reenactment tomorrow. Today is filled with visits to the museum, tours of Bushong farm and guided tours of the Battefield itself. More updates to come!

Confederate Army getting ready

Union Army getting ready

Good Morning from New Market Battlefield!

We've got awesome weather and a lot of energized Scouts and Scouters ready to go this morning! Will post more pictures as I can!

Thursday, April 16, 2015

2015-2016 Pack Meeting Plans

Wanted to pass this link on as soon as I saw it. I know we've had a lot of discussions at Round Table about these and I knew many of you would want to see them! After you read through them, hit us up with your comments! We'd love to hear from you!

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/04/15/pack-meeting-plans-2015-2016-2016-2017-available-free-download/

Thursday, April 9, 2015

UPDATED REQUIREMENTS FOR CUB SCOUT AWARDS

The Cub Scout program is becoming more exciting than ever June 1, 2015. To coordinate with the launch of the new program, the requirements for the National Den Award, National Summertime Pack Award, Cub Scout World Conservation Award, and the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award are updated.

See what the new award requirements are by reading on.

National Summertime Pack Award

The pack can qualify for the National Summertime Pack Award certificate and streamer by planning and conducting three pack activities—one each in June, July, and August (or during other school vacations if your pack is in a year-round school).

Dens with an average attendance of at least half their members at the three summer pack events are eligible for a colorful den participation ribbon. Boys who participate in all three pack events are eligible to receive the National Summertime Pack Award pin, which they can wear on the right pocket flap of their uniform. This is an individual recognition for boys, not adults.

Cub Scout World Conservation Award

The World Conservation Award provides an opportunity for individual Wolf Scouts, Bear Scouts, Webelos Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, and Venturers to “think globally” and “act locally” to preserve and improve our environment. This program is designed to make youth members aware that all nations are related through natural resources.

Requirements for this award must be completed in addition to any similar requirements completed for rank.

Requirements to Earn World Conservation Award

Wolf Scouts must:

Earn the Paws on the Path adventure.
Earn the Grow Something adventure.
Complete requirements 1 and 2 from the Spirit of the Water adventure.
Participate in a den or pack conservation project in addition to the above.

Bear Scouts must:

Earn the Fur, Feathers, and Ferns adventure.
Earn either the Bear Goes Fishing or Critter Care adventure.
Complete requirement 3 from the Baloo the Builder adventure by constructing a bird feeder or a bird house as one of the options.
Participate in a den or pack conservation project in addition to the above.

Webelos Scouts (Including Boys Earning Arrow of Light Rank) must:

Earn the Building a Better World adventure.
Earn the Into the Wild adventure.
Earn the Into the Woods adventure.
Earn the Earth Rocks adventure.
Complete requirements 1, 3a, and 3b in the Adventures in Science adventure.
Participate in a den or pack conservation project in addition to the above.

Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award

Cub Scouts can earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award in each of the program years as long as the requirements are completed each year. The first time the award is earned, the boy will receive the pocket flap award, which is to be worn on the right pocket flap of the uniform shirt. Each successive time the award is earned, a Wolf Track pin may be added to the flap. Leaders should encourage boys to build on skills and experiences from previous years when working on the award for a successive year.

Requirements for Outdoor Activity Award
All ranks must attend Cub Scout day camp or Cub Scout/Webelos Scout resident camp. Additionally, complete the rank-specific requirements as follows:

Tiger Scouts
Complete the Backyard Jungle adventure, and complete four of the outdoor activities listed below.

Wolf Scouts
Complete the Paws on the Path adventure, and complete five of the outdoor activities listed below.

Bear Scouts
Complete the “Bear Necessities” adventure, and complete six of the outdoor activities listed below.

Webelos Scouts
Complete the Webelos Walkabout adventure, and complete seven of the outdoor activities listed below.

Outdoor Activities
The applicable number of any of these activities must be completed in addition to any similar activities counted toward rank advancement. These can be accomplished as a family, a den, or a pack.

Participate in a nature hike in your local area. This can be on an organized, marked trail, or just a hike to observe nature in your area.
Participate in an outdoor activity such as a picnic or a fun day in a park.
Explain the buddy system, and tell what to do if lost. Explain the importance of cooperation.
Attend a pack overnighter. Be responsible by being prepared for the event.
Complete an outdoor service project in your community.
Complete a nature/conservation project in your area. This project should involve improving, beautifying, or supporting natural habitats. Discuss how this project helped you to respect nature.
Participate in your pack’s earning the Summertime Pack Award.
Participate in a nature observation activity. Describe or illustrate and display your observations at a den or pack meeting.
Participate in an outdoor aquatics activity. This can be an organized swim meet or just a den, pack, or family swim.
Participate in an outdoor campfire program. Perform in a skit, sing a song, or take part in a ceremony.
Participate in an outdoor sporting event.
Participate in an outdoor Scouts Own or other worship service.
Explore a local city, county, state, or national park. Discuss with your den how a good citizen obeys park rules.
Invent an outside game, and play it outside with friends for 30 minutes.

Stay in the Know on All Cub Scout Program Updates

In case you’ve missed out or maybe just need a refresher on all Cub Scout program information, revisit the updates below: