January 2002
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
 

Adult Events and Training

Jan 12 Charter Turn-in, Holy Cross Luthern Church, Greenbelt

ADCs and Commissioners,

Just a reminder that this is Recharter Week. You should be in contact with your Units to determine how they are progressing on their Recharter Forms. You should review them before they arrive on Saturday to make sure they are complete and all signatures obtained. Then this Saturday assure that the Charters are completed and turned in. We will be meeting at the Holy Cross Luthern Church on Greenbely Road --next to the the Greenbelt Park -- between 9:00 AM and 12:00 Noon on this Saturday.

If Units want to turn their Charters in early I will be at the Roundtable this Wednesday. PETE Saderholm

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 for Feb. 8 to 10 Klondike Derby

Important dates:
10/10/2001 Registration forms available
1/9/2002 Registration (no late fee), no registration after 2/1/2001
2/8/2002 to 2/10/2002 Klondike Derby

Camping February 8 to 10 at Cedarville State Park. Cub Scout program on February 9. Contact Leeann Banes at 6314 WoodPointe Drive, Glen Dale, Md 20769. Many volunteers will be needed for the many cubscout, Webelo, 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  

Please check the web page for sled plans and Cub Scout entry forms. https://www.angelfire.com/md2/bsapax/paxpost/klondike or http://www.geocities.com/paxpost2001/klondike

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.

April 20: First Aid, Emergency Preparedness, & Personal Fitness Merit Badge Days

Please take advantage of cpr courses offered across Maryland. This will speed up things on merit badge day.
Flyer at https://www.angelfire.com/md2/bsapax/MBDays/apr/index.html or http://www.geocities.com/paxmeritbadge/MBDays/apr/index.html

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

Fall Camporee

The theme will be Rendezvous and it will have an American Indian/mountain man emphasis. The place is TBD, but it will have a place for a largish ground fire for a dance and campfire.

The committee is being pulled together in March. It will be an event that not as craft concentrated as an OA Indian Seminar, or a true Powwow. If we can teach Scouts, Webelos and Cubs a little dancing, Indian culture/lore/spirituality, American history, and how the two peoples cooperated in the beginning, we might use this as a continuing theme to build better transition into Scouts and OA.
Contact Nick Dunten nick.dunten@verizon.net

July 15 to July 26 Blair Atholl International Patrol Jamborette Blair Atholl Estate, Scotland
The Jamborette is held on the grounds of Blair Castle, albeit on a different field (it was moved to its present location on Target Field in 1970 when the Caravan Park was built on the old site). The patrols are divided up into six sub-camps - MacDonald, MacLean, Morrison, Murray, Robertson, and Stewart - each forming its own circle on the huge field.

Featuring: Hill walking, expeditions, watersports, pioneering
For: 1,000, 13-16 years old
Fee: £150, incl. food
Home hospitality: Yes!
Host: The Scout Association
E-mail: admin@scouts-scotland.org.uk
Contact: Scottish Headquarters, The Scout Association, Fordell Firs, Hillend, Dunfermline, Fife KY11 7HQ, United Kingdom

April 13 Pinewood Derby

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 Please use the preregistration form provide at https://www.angelfire.com/md2/bsapax/paxpost/pinewood or http://www.geocities.com/paxpost2001/pinewood

Future Cub Events:

May

Upcoming May to October 2002 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

NEWS

Permission Slips

 Don’t use permission slips. Waste of paper. Read this article by Jim Moss, a guide, lawyer and frequent poster to the Scouts-L about the use of permission slips.
Permission Slips

Eagle Letter List

With the change in administrations, there have been many changes in the Eagle Congratulatory letter list. However, thanks to Calvin Gray, Scoutmaster of Troop 405 of Georgetown, Texas, you can find an updated listing online at www.troop405.org/eaglelis t. Because this list was done for a Texas troop, it is obviously heavy on the local officials. You might want to use the list as a guide as you collect the names and addresses for your own location. Be careful with the salutation. You can’t just always use ‘Dear’ followed by the salutation. Check your local library for a copy of Emily Post to verify your forms of addresses.

Passport to High Adventure

A training outline for teaching the contents of a “Passport to High Adventure” has recently been included in the National Council BSA’s website. While many of the units in our area have planned and conducted very successful high adventure activities for their older youth, this new site is of help to anyone who might be planning their first trip. To view the training outline, go to www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/18-075/index.html . Remember, high adventure is the best way to keep your older youth coming back for more!!!!

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

Swimming Merit Badge Changes
REQUIREMENTS were REVISED as of January 1, 2002

Until April 1, 1999, either the:

Swimming Merit Badge or
Personal Fitness Merit Badge or
Sports Merit Badge

was required to earn the Eagle Scout Rank. Effective January 1, 2002 this has been changed to either:

Swimming Merit Badge or
Hiking Merit Badge or
Cycling Merit Badge

is required to earn the Eagle Scout Rank. The actual requirements of the swimming Merit Badge have also been changed.

Click here for detailed information http://www.usscouts.org/mb/changes/mb014.html

Internet Scout Patch

Back by popular demand, the Internet Scout Patch Program has brand new requirements that are more challenging and age group specific. (see reqirements at http://usscouts.org/internetscoutpatch-earnit.asp )

The U.S. Scouting Service Project encourages Scouts and Scouters from around the world to learn about the Internet and how to use the Internet safely. The requirements will help Scouts and Scouters to explorer the Internet and to learn how to use it to help in Scouting. Internet safety, computer safety, and more great topics are featured. Scouts and Scouters who complete the program are eligible to wear the Internet Scout Patch as a temporary patch. The Adult Mentor patch is free with orders of 10 or more Internet Scout Patches.

Escaping From Reality
Colin Fletcher from the Complete Walker III

I have been told with some regularity that by walking out and away, I am “escaping from reality”. I admit the question puts me on the defensive. Why, I ask myself, are people so ready to assume that chilled champagne is more real than water drawn from an ice cold mountain creek?  Or a dusty sidewalk than a carpet of desert dandelions?  Or a Boeing 707 than a flight of graceful white pelicans soaring in unison against the sunrise?  Why, in other words, do people assume that the acts and emotions and values that stem from the city life are more real than those that arise from the beauty and silence and solitude of wilderness?