Scoutmaster Moment
The bonds of friendship can take the friends in surprising directions at times.  Last week we celebrated the 244th anniversary of our Independence, which came about with support from a national friendship with France. This week France celebrates Bastille Day, their version of Independence Day, on the 14th.  The Marquis de Lafayette (who some might call the Lancelot of the Revolutionary set) helped General Washington win battles for our new country, and then returned home to France where Thomas Jefferson helped him write the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This document has similarities to our Declaration of Independence and the later Bill of Rights.  The friendship that started between allies and developed between individuals helped completely reshape the world going forward – what might be said of your friendships?

Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.
– Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
– US Declaration of Independence

This week’s Campfire activity included a cooking session lead by the Moon Archers Patrol Leader (recipe is below)
 
 Announcements
SUMMER CAMP:
Postponed to 2021 and already booked (see Mr. Taylor’s 2 June email).  Mark your calendars for the week of 20 June 2021 at SBR. 

While our in-person summer camp has been cancelled for this summer, there are many BSA virtual camps being offered around the country throughout the summer.  This is one year where distance to camp may be irrelevant. Camps vary widely in offerings, and cost.  Many have packages mailed to scouts for participation the week long activities that can include merit badges, virtual campouts, and more.  BSA has a listing of virtual camp opportunities online as a resource (note that the list starts with Cub Scouts, be sure to look at the BSA Scouts listing). Even if you don’t choose to do a formal virtual camp, there are many virtual merit badges you can sign up for (see the list towards end of this note, this list is not exhaustive).

NCAC has a some options for virtual summer camp through the Goshen Homecamping that includes option for family camping at Goshen.  Camp Snyder (located in nearby Haymarket) also has mixed virtual and family camping options.

 

Virtual meetings and cameras – Please be sure to have your camera on during meetings.  Many of us use the gallery view which allows us to see everyone’s happy smiling faces during meetings.  When so many cameras are turned off all we see are black windows.  While we realize that some exceptions due to technical difficulties with cameras or connections that support video, we expect to see everyone else online as part of cheerful participation.

Congressional Award – did you know there is a congressional award that encompasses activities you do as a Scout?  See the Bryan on Scouting article for more information.  Important Tip: you must register for the program before working off items (this is not an “after the fact” submission)

Fruit Treat recipe from 7/7 meeting

Ingredients:
– 1 quart of heavy whipping cream
– 1 cup of sugar
– 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
– Strawberries  (abt 2 small packages or one large package from Giant
– Blueberries (1 package)

Materials:
Electric Hand mixer (or other alternative)
Piping Bag (or plastic bag as alternative)
Spatula (one of the rubber ones)

Instructions:
1. Wash the strawberries and blueberries
2. Put the Whipping Cream, Sugar, and Vanilla Extract into a bowl
3. Mix the contents of the bowl using the hand mixer until you have stiff peaks (the mixture stand up on its own, this could take a while)
4. Use the spatula to get the mixture into a piping bag
5. With adult help, cut the tops off the strawberries, and then a cross on the pointed end of the strawberries. Don’t cut all the way through or the treat won’t stay together!
6. Put the Creame Fresh (the mixture) into the strawberries by piping it into the cut you made in the previous step. You should fill the hole and then there should be a little bit sticking out of the top.
7. Put a blueberry on top to finish it off!

 

 

TROOP MEETING OUTLOOK

 

Next Week – 7/14 – **VIRTUAL** Troop Meeting
Uniform: Field Uniform (Class A)
Location: Zoom App (meeting link info to be sent day of meeting)

Knots activity lead by Rascal Rabbits
 

Guest Speaker: Mr. Harold White of National Scouting Museum
BSA has a national museum now located in Philmont (it was at national headquarters outside Dallas until a few years ago).  Philmont has other museums too, see their museum website.  Mr. White works with the museum and is happy to answer questions about scouting history and the museum, please have some ready for him!

Looking Ahead:
7/21 – First Aid Choose Your Own Adventure 
7/28 – 893G “Book Club” discussion – The Frog Princess, by E.D. Baker (book should be read in advance of the meeting)

In preparation of when we’re able to meet in-person
TBD – Camping Prep (Moon Archers)
TBD – Totin’ Chit (Rascal Rabbits)

 

Eagle Project – July 18, 11:00am (rain date: Aug 1)
Support for Eagle projects are considered approved service hours, but still must be signed off in your handbook

Bryan Hong of 893B is seeking support to help him construct a shed for fire safety tools and equipment at Saint Paul Chung Korean Catholic Church, 4712 Rippling Pond Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033.
Scout’s will be expected to follow standard safety protocols, including wearing a mask during the project and maintaining social distancing. 
See attached fly for additional information and RSVP by Aug 16.

 

 

SCOUTING FROM HOME

NCAC Scouting at Home page

NCAC new Scouting at Home patch
         
 

DelMarVa Council Scouting from Home Page
This page has Merit Badge info, but also has a great “Trail to First Class” Knowledge Library to help you work on rank advancement from home.  These include links to videos on some of the requirements to help review.

Tread Lightly online course (free)
https://tread-lightly.teachable.com/p/tread-lightly-youth-online-course?fbclid=IwAR0D0cOBOtAUzrJbOAU4jbib93v_nlhecygX-kHktBJ0WyTHWFIqIVFbE-I 

Merit Badges: 

  • See my 3/21 email for info on how merit badges work, and the troop process for opening a badge 
  • Finish open badges from MBU (or others)
  • Start a new badge (talk to me to formally open it).  
    • Good candidates are those that include tracking activities over many weeks, such as Family Life  Personnel Fitness  and Personal Management
    • Public Health is a highly relevant topic one now (and perhaps appropriate to earn during a pandemic)
    • Our troop has many counselors available to work with you using technology, and across NCAC and further others are offering to assist scouts with badges to help keep everyone busy (not bored)  
    • Online MB sessions
      • BSA Advancement Academy – updated periodically
      • NCAC MB offerings – these are updated periodically (there may be technology fees for at least some offerings)
  • Forwarded list of MB options:

National Capital Area
https://www.ncacbsa.org/merit-badges-at-home/

Central Florida Council
https://scoutingevent.com/083-OnlineMB

Gulf Stream Council (Florida) 
https://www.gulfstreamcouncil.org/raw2020   

Piedmont Council (North Carolina)
https://www.piedmontcouncilbsa.org/mbuonline 

Andrew Jackson Council (Mississippi)
http://www.bsa-jackson.org/event/list/2535

Mt. St. Helen’s Volcano Scouting
https://www.volcanoscouting.org/virtual   
 
 
30 Day Brownsea Challenge
Attention Scouts, Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, & 1st Class! Keep your Scout Skills sharp with the 30 Day Brownsea Challenge. The challenge begins this Friday! Complete the challenge and earn the exclusive Scout On Patch! You must be registered to earn the patch! There is no cost to register. Registrations end April 9th at 11:55 pm. Register & learn more here: http://www.bsa-grc.org/registration/calendardetail.aspx

Rank Advancement
Review your Scout Handbook, work on your skills so you can get items signed off.  You can discuss with other scouts too. See 30-day challenges for rank advancement ideas.  

Read a book, so many to choose from!  Here are some suggestions:

  • Lost on a Mountain in Maine, Donn Fendler – true story of a 12 year old scout lost for 9 days
  • My Adventures as a Spy, Robert Baden-Powell
  • List of books to read from Boys Life magazine https://bookzone.boyslife.org/100-books-for-boys/
  • What books do you suggest??

 

OTHER NEWS & INFO

Service Hour opportunities. All ranks have requirements for service, Scoutmaster approval is also require (any listed here are approved).

CUMC Food Ministries include monthly You Feed Others (UFO) and GRACE Ministries (which is more than just food).  Right now they are limiting the number of volunteers for COVID guidelines, but also doing additional ad hoc items given the needs of the community. Participation requires mask, and a signed permission slip for minors (ie all Scouts) – right now minimum age is 12.  

Sign up for the COVID Food Ministry – July 13 – July 17
 

Mask Making – There is still a need for cloth masks as the area begins to open up and more people are out and complying with guidelines to wear them in buildings or near other people.  If you are making masks and want to donate – or want to start, CUMC has a mask making ministry and I know a group of mask makers who are coordinating with groups who need them. (This also ties into the NCAC Scouting at Home badge)

Camp Snyder Service Days – camp service days have resumed, with some restrictions in place to for safe operations and social distancing. These now include the requirement for prior approval for service, and health status checks. The next service day should be in July (unconfirmed).

Key Dates (mark your calendar)
also available from Troopmaster subscription calendar
Dates are dependent upon COVID-19 responseJuly 18 – Eagle Project
TBD – CUMC Clean Up Day
TBD – New Scout Campout
Aug 14-16 – Prince William Forest Campout
Sep 8 Aug 25 – First Day FCPS