December 2001
Patuxent Happenings
Four months ahead

To Subscribe to The Patuxent Post e-mail edition simply send an e-mail to chris.schwartz@ieee.org with the words SUBSCRIBE PAX POST in the Subject Line. Please send articles or items of interest at least 2 weeks in advance of the next round table. Pax Post is posted at https://www.angelfire.com/md2/bsapax/paxpost or http://www.geocities.com/paxmeritbadge/paxpost
 

December 31 Silver Beaver Nominations Due

Nominations are due no later than December 31 for Silver Beaver (NCAC), District Award of Merit (Patuxent), and Unit Scouter of the Year (Unit Level- Awarded by Patuxent). Recognize the outstanding dedication of a friend in Scouting. Act now and secure an application fromt he Marriott Scout Service Center or your District Executive and nominate a deserving volunteer today. Silver Beaver application is on Page 52 of the December 2001 Scouter Digest, online forms are at http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/resources/pdfs/merit.pdf , http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/resources/pdfs/silver_beaver_nom.pdf . For details, contact our Patuxent District Leadership: Stu Stern, District Chairman - stuscout@mris.com 301-262-7177 Pete Saderholm, District Commissioner - petegene@erols.com 410-451-4713 Vince Robinson, District Executive - vrobinson@boyscouts-ncac.org .

March 23 University of Scouting

The next University of Scouting classes will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2002. Due to an overwhelming response, they WILL be offering the new BALOO training course this year.

Purpose of the University of Scouting Program: The University of Scouting is a supplemental training opportunity for all adult volunteer Scouters in the National Capital Area Council (NCAC). Four colleges support the program. The College of Commissioner Science is a primary vehicle for Commissioners to continually refresh and strengthen their knowledge in a concentrated, challenging, and systematic fashion. New Commissioners are provided challenging and progressive learning opportunities beyond basic training; more experienced Commissioners are offered advanced experiences with subject matter at several levels.

The College of Adventure (Varsity, Venturing and Exploring), College of Boy Scouting and College of Cub Scouting offer Unit and District Scouters enhanced training opportunities beyond Basic Leader Training. Scout Leader Training Teams will find challenges among the courses offered.

Location: Stone Ridge Stone ridge School, Bethesda, MD.
POC: Bob Sargent 703-323-0664 / Ed Yarbrough 703-724-1061 and on the NCAC website. Update will follow after the holidays.

Registration: Download the complete University of Scouting course curriculum and general information. This document is in PDF format and you will need Acrobat Reader to view or print it. http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/training/pdfs/uos.pdf

There will be a short opening ceremony for all participants. Also plan to attend the closing ceremony at days end. These informational and meaningful sessions will give a boost to your already uncontainable enthusiasm.

Basic Schedule: Participant specific personal schedule to be provided at check-in.

7:30-8:15 a.m. Check-in/Registration
8:30-9:00 a.m. Opening Ceremony
9:10-4:00 p.m. University Courses (Check personal schedule for course times.)
4:10 p.m. Closing Ceremony

NOTE: For all College Degree Programs ˜ The Dean of the College where the degree is being earned must approve waivers of requirements or substitutions. http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/training/university/index.html

Future Adult Events:

21st Century Wood Badge

Spring Course: May 3-5, June 7-9
Fall Course: Sept 13-15, Oct 11-13

21st Century Woodbadge is open to all Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout adn Venture Scout Leaders who have completed the Basic training for their registered position in Scouting. Cub Leaders must have completed New Leader Essentials, and then the position specific training for their position. Boy Scout and Varsity leaders must have completed New Leader Essentials, the position specific training and Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills.

Woodbadge for the 21st Century has no "invitation" requirement if you have completed the basic training requirements.

For more information, fill out the coupon on page 25 of the Dec 2001 Scouter Digest from NCAC, or send your name, address, telephone number and district to: NCAC; Woodbadge 2002; 9190 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814

Scout Events

January 6 to 24 BSA/YMCA Lifeguard Training and Certification –

Sunday Evenings Jan 6 – Feb 24, 2002 5:45 – 9:45 PM, Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA. POC: YMCA 301-530-3725

Jan. 9 Klondike Derby '02 - Valley Forge Freedom Fighters - Registration due

Important dates:
10/10/2001 Registration forms available
11/14/2001 Freedom Patch Contest entry due
1/9/2002 Registration (no late fee), no registration after 2/1/2001
2/8/2002 to 2/10/2002 Klondike Derby Enter the "Freedom Patch" Contest and win a $5 gift certificate from Blockbuster Video. Send your colored design entry, using the Klondike Derby theme "Valley Forge Freedom Fighters", with your name, address, phone number to Leeann Banes at 6314 WoodPointe Drive, Glen Dale, Md 20769. Deadline is Nov. 14. Many volunteers will be needed for the many cubscout, bebelo, and scout stations, as well as logistical duties. Contact Leeann Banes with your recommendations and any ideas you have for the Klondike Derby. Cub, Webelo and Troop chairpersons and co-chairs are needed, now. Leeann Banes, 301-805-0031, fawn777@aol.com  

Coordinators:

February 2 Merit Badge Day: Communications, Family Life & Personal Management

Date : Saturday February 2, 2002
Time : 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Location : St. Mary of the Mills Catholic Church, The Breen Room (located below the church), 114 St. Mary's Place, Laurel, MD 20707-4098
Uniforms : Scouts should wear their uniforms
Bluecards : All Scouts should provide a blue card signed by their Scoutmaster.
Contact Tim Looney at jtlooney@hotmail.com or 301-805-1352 for an appointment and let him know what badges you are prepared to work on. Walk in appointments are welcomed, but scheduled appointments will be taken first. Email or calls with the time of your appointment.

To earn the merit badge the following requirements need to be completed prior to the merit badge day: Communications : all, Family Life : all, Personal Management : all
Scouts interested in starting any of the merit badges are welcomed, but need to make an appointment. Please let me know that you just starting the merit badge.

All Scouts are expected to have read the merit badge books for the merit badge they want to work on. Requirements and workbooks: https://www.angelfire.com/md2/bsapax/MBDays/feb/index.html or http://www.geocities.com/paxmeritbadge/MBDays/feb/index.html

February 2 to 3 REI Land Navigation/Orienteering Course

Are you getting ready for a high adventure trek this summer and want to brush up on your land navigation skills? If so, you need to attend REI's Land Navigation class, Saturday and Sunday, February 2-3. This comprehensive course teaches all the necessary map and compass skills. The first day is spent in intensive classroom exercises concentrating on map reading interpretation, position plotting, compass fundamentals, declination and azimuth. The second day is spent in Prince William Forest Park, primarily off trail, engaging in practical navigation exercises of increasing complexity. The course fee is $85 and includes workbook text, course materials, compass, map, grid reader, and lunch on Saturday. This course fills up quickly, SO CALL REI NOW at 703-379-9400 to reserve your slot. This is the very best land navigation training that I have ever taken (sorry Ranger School) and now serves as the basis for our crew's land navigation program.

March 23 Teen Labor Education Day

Saturday, March 23, 2002. Annual Teen Labor Education Day. The workshop will enable the scouts to fulfill many of the American Labor Merit Badge requirements in one day.

Teen Labor Education Day
March 23
George Meany Center for Labor Studies
1000 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD

301-431-6400

The Metropolitan Washington AFL-CIO, along with its International and Local affiliates and in conjunction with the National Capital area Council - Patuxent District of the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital and the Future Force Project announce the presentation of the annual Teen Labor Education Day. The workshop will enable the scouts to fulfill many of the American Labor Merit Badge requirements in one day. It will be offered on Saturday, November 3, 2001 or March 23, 2002 at the George Meany Center for Labor Studies. The Center is locatied at the corner of New Hampshire and Powder Mill Roads, directly outside the Beltway, Rt 495. Coming up New Hampshire Ave from the Beltway, turn left onto Powder Mill Rd and drive directly onto the campus. Come back to the parking lot and park. Bring your scouts for registration at the auditorium (the former chapel). Pre-registration is mandatory and the cut-off for accepting registration is October 12, 2001 or March 1, 2002. Please note that scouts must be accompanied by an adult for every five boys. Please make arrangements with another adult attending to accompany your child if you are not going. If you need to find an adult to accompany your scout, call the registrar for assistance. Badge Book, badge and lunch will be provided.

Any scout and accompanying adults/leaders wishing to register should clip off the form below and send it and the $5.00/per person registration fee to Kathy McKirchy, Director, Community Services Agency, Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO, 1925 K Street, NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20006. Checkes should be made out to the Community Services Agency. Please call Kathy at 202-289-7232 with any questions regarding registration.

Future Scouting Events:

Baysox Scout Night Dates Set

Baysox Scout Nights for 2002 have been announced! The first is Saturday April 6th and we have order forms available now to order tickets. Copies will be available at Roundtable. The two sleepovers will be June 21st and August 2nd. Tickets for each of those will open up the day AFTER the previous Scout Night. For more information, please contact: Donald Gakenheimer; Theme Night Coordinator; Bowie Baysox; 4101 NE Crain Hwy; Bowie, MD 20716; 301-805-6000 x300; dgakenheimer@baysox.com

Future Cub Events:

Upcoming April Pinewood Derby

April

Time is approaching for the annual Patuxent District Pinewood Derby that will be held at the end of March or beginning of April. The Date/Time and Location and printed copy of rules and forms will be available at the December Roundtable. They will also be readily available online and via email. Emails with questions and offers to help can be sent to Lenny Wertz at juslenny@hotmail.com 1) The 2002 Derby will be held at theBeltway Plaza Center Court on the 13th of April. 2) Anyone interested in helping with the operation of a really fun event, please contact Lenny Lenny Wertz Scoutmaster BSA Troop 746 Greenbelt, Maryland Patuxent District Pinewood Derby Crew Chief

May

Upcoming May to October Parent/Son Weekends

The Parent/Son Camping program is designed to give a Cub Scout or Webelos Scout and his adult partner an opportunity to spend a fun-filled 24-hour period together in the outdoors. During this 24-hour period, they will learn more about each other by working and playing together within a planned program of activities. The weekend program begins on Saturday about 10:00 AM with check in and site set up. You bring a sack lunch with you, set up your tent, and get ready for the opening ceremony and Flag Raising at 12:15 PM. This kicks off a fun filled afternoon of activities for all. A staff of volunteers will be on hand to assist and guide you through this adventure. They will also offer safety guidelines and train you in new or old skills in everything from handicraft projects to sports, archery, BB shooting and campcrafts.

This experience will offer a great evening meal (cooked by the program staff) and an exciting campfire that will allow your Scouts and you the opportunity to become "Showmen" in your own right, by performing skits, songs and cheers. You then get to enjoy the peaceful night sky as the sounds of nature lull you into a restful night of sleep in your tent.

Sunday morning we will provide you with a continental breakfast served by the staff and a non-denominational religious service. Then it is on to cleaning up your gear and campsite, a game or two, site inspection and closing ceremony. Everyone is ready to depart for home by 11:00 AM and you will take with you a great experience shared together.

Space is limited: 96 pairs per weekend. Cost is $60.00 per buddy pair and is NON REFUNDABLE. The fee includes patches and T-shirts for each camper, crafts supplies, meals, etc.

The dates and locations are:

May 18-19, 2002, Rosaryville State Park, Prince Georges County, Maryland
June 1-2, 2002, Claude Moore Farm, Ashburn, Virginia
August 3-4, 2002, Camp William B Snyder, Haymarket, Virginia
September 14-15, 2002, Izaak Walton League, Poolesville, Maryland
October 12-13, 2002, Camp William B Snyder, Haymarket, Virginia

Details and signup forms are on the NCAC Homepage:
http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/camps/weekend.html
http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/camps/ctg/p-sweek.html

Order of the Arrow Events

Jan. 5 OA Lodge Banquet

Hilton Hotel in McLean, Tyson's Corner, Contact: Robert Payne (robejo@aol.com), 703-425-8733 or http://mars.umud.edu/oa.html

NEWS

12th Annual V3 Hike-o-ree

The 12th Annual V3 Hike-o-ree is history. Almost 600 Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts and Venturers enjoyed some beautiful scenery as they hiked the trails of the Shenandoah National Park on the weekends of October 5-7 and November 2-4, 2001. Special thanks go out to Dr. Bob Klein and Joe Flaig for their Friday night shows on their unit's trips to the Wind River Range and Canada last summer. Also thanks to the young men of Troop 1130 who did the Saturday night High Adventure Rally for the October Hike-o-ree and showed their Maine slides for the November Hike-o-ree along with John Selstrom who did the November Philmont slide show. Finally many thanks to the staff including Wally Feurtado, Dr. John Wells, Bill Wells, Dan Hurley, James Stapleton, Garry Briese, Bob Austin, and Mike Praeger and his Friday night parking crew.

Good Backpacking Gear Ideas for Christmas from ALPS Mountaineering

Looking for good backpacking gear for Christmas? ALPS Mountaineering markets performance oriented packs, tents and sleeping bags. Because Boy Scouts are one of their target customers, ALPS Mountaineering will offer to any established scout unit a discount of 45% off of their retail prices. For example, their #1 selling Red Tail internal frame pack sells for $169 and compares in its features and performance to other national brands like Gregory, Kelty and Mountainsmith packs that retail for $250. With the scout discount of 45%, the Red Tail comes down to $92.95, about 1/3 the cost of national brands. For additional information, go to their web site at www.alpsmountaineering.com or call them at 800-344-2577.

Leave No Trace Trainer Certification Course

This past weekend, seventeen Venturers from Venturing Crews 310, 682, and 1519 along with eighteen adults from ten different crews and troops completed the Leave No Trace Trainer Certification Course at Camp Highroad, Middleburg, VA. Sponsored by Crew 682, the course focused on the principals of LNT and provided participants to practice various teaching techniques. At the conclusion of the course, the participants were teamed together to present a 10-minute class, which was critiqued by the group. The course was the idea of Mr. Pete Seidler of Crew 682. He was ably assisted by Mr. Eric Buckland and his son Andrew of Crew 682, and Peggy and Johnie Simpson. The course was an example of what can be done by combining the efforts and talents of several units. The energy level and synergy displayed at this course was outstanding. We encourage other units; crews, teams and troops to combine their assets for exciting program and learning opportunities. Thanks Pete for a job well done!

Woodbadge Award to Hugh Gribbin

Hugh Gribben, ADC-Central Area, will be awarded the Woodbadge Beads for Commissioners' is going to be presented at the January 22, 2002 Commissioner's Meeting. Hugh is a Fox. Congratulations Hugh!

Merit Badge Lists have been updated

Check the Merit Badge Website for your troop at
https://www.angelfire.com/md2/bsapax/#trooplist or
http://www.geocities.com/paxmeritbadge/#trooplist .
The district file appears here for downloading. "Troop only" files are also included. The Troop only files are password protected. If you have forgotten your password email Chris Schwartz chris.schwartz@ieee.org