893G Troop News – 16 August 2020
Scoutmaster ConferenceIn my experience Scouts are happiest in the outdoors given the opportunity to work on activities and enjoy fellowship of other scouts around meals and around the campfire. After a long hiatus 893 is back at the campground! I’m sad to have missed it but heard great stories and saw some fun photos from this weekend’s campout. I’m thrilled to hear some scouts were able to rank up! A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room.-Lord Baden Powell PhotosThis week’s meeting was productive with continued Shakedown prep, scouts signing off on [...]
893G Troop News – 2 August 2020 **CAMPOUT INFO**
Scoutmaster MomentAfter a long hiatus we are now able to meet in person at the Activity Field, which is perfect timing so we can prep for our upcoming campout to the Prince William National Forest. The troop did a great job with our pivot from in-person Scouting as usual to going all virtual. I’m sure our pivot back will handle any bumps in stride. I hope we will be able to continue with in-person meetings going forward, but we will be monitoring how things go with us as well as local authorities for any shifts in guidance. A big shout [...]
893G Troop News – 27 July 2020
Scoutmaster MomentOver the past week our area has been hit with a serious of significant summer storms. Personally, I love a good summer storm show from Nature (admittedly much preferred from the safety of our covered porch than some of the places I’ve ridden out a storm). The storm that hit Tuesday night was another good show, I was excited when the power supply on our internet connection allowed us to rejoin the meeting. Yay preparedness! However, since our power is usually stable we were not aware that the battery was old and no longer sufficient. Preparedness has multiple components: [...]
Troop News – 26 July 2020
Scoutmaster MomentOver the past week our area has been hit with a serious of significant summer storms. Personally, I love a good summer storm show from Nature (admittedly much preferred from the safety of our covered porch than some of the places I’ve ridden out a storm). The storm that hit Tuesday night was another good show, I was excited when the power supply on our internet connection allowed us to rejoin the meeting. Yay preparedness! However, since our power is usually stable we were not aware that the battery was old and no longer sufficient. Preparedness has multiple components: [...]
Troop News – 19 July 2020
Scoutmaster MomentThis weekend Scout Bryan Hong from our linked Boys Troop (893B) held his Eagle project, one of the last steps on his Trail to Eagle. It was great to see Scouts in action, in person (including two from 893G). Even better to see a scout reaching a milestone on their way to reach Eagle and to improve part of his community. His project was building a fire safety stand for his church picnic area; a sheltered area with fire extinguishers, buckets of water and a big bucket of sand. In speaking with he and his dad it was clear [...]
Troop news –12 July 2020
Scoutmaster MomentThe 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 [...]
Troop News – 5 July 2020
Scoutmaster Moment Fireworks, summer fun, hot weather, and cool treats often mark this holiday weekend. On another hot weekend 244 years ago some folks signed their names to a document that changed the world. They identified a list of concerns and declared that they would no longer remain a part of a group that caused harm to themselves and their communities. Standing up for yourself and for others is seldom easy, but at times is essential. 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 [...]
Troop News – 28 June 2020
Scoutmaster MomentLeadership is a key aspect of the BSA Scouting program. Like many other skills such as sports, academics, and languages some people appear to have a natural leadership ability. For the rest of us we learn it the hard way: through practice and failures and more practice. In truth, even people who appear to have natural abilities in anything they perfect any skills through practice, failure, and more practice. Yesterday our Scout Leadership Team participated in the Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST), any Scout in a troop leadership position logged into our first-ever virtual offering of the [...]
Troop News – 21 June 2020
Scoutmaster MomentToday we celebrate Father’s Day, the day for all the dads in our lives. Let your dad know al the ways he is important to you. My dad taught me to ride a bike, to use tools, encouraged me to be persistent, attempted to help me with math while instilling a love of science, history, and the enjoyment of preparing food for loved ones. Plus he was the master of puns and “Dad Jokes” which have served me well in scouting…. Grandpa loved history and languages, and was steadfast in the importance of family. Some lessons they taught were [...]
Troop News – 14 June 2020
Scoutmaster MomentOn June 14th of every year we celebrate a resolution made by the Second Continental Congress "Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” The new constellation is our country, the great American Experiment. A new way of governing in the New World, of the People, by the People and for the People. Not for a king or family monarchy. Our flag is a symbol of our country, our optimism, the sacrifice of so many over the [...]