Keeping the Outing in ScoutingThe Occoquan District Newsletter:

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To submit articles, pictures or events please email Stephanie Carter at stephanie@bandwassociates.com

Cub Scout & Webelos Activities

Order of the Arrow Feature

Recognizing Scouters

District PWD Rules

Annual Meeting Announcement

Info on World & NationalJamborees.

November 2017

What’s Inside: October’sFeatured Organization

See inside for what makes VFW Post 7916this month’s featured organization!

Next month’s featured organization -Muslim Association of Virginia (MAV)

Merit Badge Day

Save the Date!Who? Scout Troops and Webelos ScoutsWhat? 2018 Merit Badge DayWhen? Monday, 15 January 2018 (MLK Holiday) Where? Freedom High School, Woodbridge, VA 15201 Neabsco Mills Road

REGISTRATION - $20 per ScoutWhat Does Registration Include: • Eight hours of merit badge sessions• Lunch• Concession Punches for snacks

Fees for class materials are not included.

How Do We Sign Up: Online registration expected to go live soon. Some classes will have prerequisites and/or post-class requirements.

Annual MeetingOn behalf of the Occoquan District Nominating Committee, this message is being sent to all Charter Organization Representatives (CORs) and Members-at-Large (MALs) who are voting members of the Occoquan District.

The purpose is to announce that the District Nominating Committee has been formed is in the process of identifying candidates to fill critical district committee positions. Some of these important positions include: District Chair, Vice Chair for Finance, District Program Chair, and Chapter Adviser of the Order of the Arrow. Please contact me if you are interested in getting information about the position or know a scouter who would might be interested or if you would like to volunteer yourself to fill one.

The District Nominating Committee consists of Pete DeSalva, Jack Zeto, Jim Whipple, Rich Sackett, Tim Uecker and myself. To broaden the candidate pool, the National Capital Area Council President may add to this committee and there may be additional committee members brought in from the local community to help identify business and other community leaders to serve as At-Large members.

The committee will be meeting during the next few weeks and will be contacting candidates to confirm interest and availability to serve. Our district’s ability to grow and continue support to our county’s youth is dependent on the willingness of scouters and district residents to lend their time, talents and support to the BSA mission – to help prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes. Self-nominations of candidates must be submitted in writing or email to me as the Chair of the Nominations Committee not later than midnight Friday, December 1, to provide enough time to review candidate qualifications and verify willingness to serve on the District Committee.

We also need volunteers to help in Membership (New Unit Coordinator, Lions Program and Exploring), Program (Summer Camp Promotion, Day Camp Promotion, Cub Scout Activities, Pinewood Derby Coordinator and Camporee Coordinator), Finance (Community Friends of Scouting, Prince William Good Scout Dinner). If you know of someone with a desire or who would make a good candidate, please contact me directly. It is the committee’s goal to have at least one representative on the District Committee from every pack, troop, crew, ship and post in the District. Each new district volunteer will receive training and a position description for their respective assignment. If you are contacted by the committee, please seriously consider accepting the nomination to serve.

All candidates will be voted on at the Annual Business Meeting of the Occoquan District on Thursday, December 14, 2017 at 7:30 pm at Grace Baptist Church, 14242 Spriggs Road, Woodbridge, VA 22193. Casting their votes at the Annual Business Meeting will be the voting members present (CORs or their Institutional Heads and the Occoquan District MALs). Nominations from the floor cannot be accepted.

Yours in Scouting,Rich SackettActing Chair, Occoquan District Nominations Committee

Email: rsackett01@comcast.net

Not sure where to serve? No problem! You can join the District Committee as a Member-at-Large and we’ll work together to identify an area you’d like to serve in.

Annual Meeting

Dec 14, 2017

Grace Baptist Church

November’s Featured Organization!VFW Post 7916 By Jimmy Spoo, Assistant Editor

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 7916 in Occoquan, Virginia has been sponsoring Boy Scout units for over thirty years. Today, they sponsor one Cub Scout Pack, two Boy Scout Troops, and a Sea Scout Ship.

For twenty-five years, Stuart Sanford served as the Jr. Vice Commander for VFW Post 7916 responsible for youth programs. However, in 2005, he asked if the Post would sponsor a Sea Scout Ship since they were located in a boating community and along the shore of the Occoquan River. It seemed to be a perfect fit. Previously, young members of the community had to travel to Arlington, Virginia in order to be a Sea Scout.

The Post agreed, and Stu stepped down from being the Jr. Vice Commander so he could become the Chartering Organization Representative (COR) and focus all of his time on making the Sea Ship a success. His efforts paid off, and Sea Scout Ship 7916 became one of the most active Venture/Sea Scout programs in the Council. One of the Ship’s major events each year is participating in a “Long Cruise” sailing for a week all over the Chesapeake Bay aboard the SSTV “Der Pelikan”.

Stu became a Cub Scout in 1960 in Modesto, California. He went on to become a member of Troop 7, and he earned his Eagle Scout in 1969. Additionally, he was a member of his Troop’s Drum and Bugle Corps and they performed at the 1967 World Jamboree, and he was selected as the Senior Patrol Leader for his Council’s Jamboree Troop and he attended the 1969 National Scout Jamboree. He later went on to serve on the Staff of “Operation Handshake” which helped bring Scouting to low income and minority areas of the Yosemite Area Council, and he served as the President of his Explorer Post.

As an adult, Stu served in the US Navy and volunteered as a Scout Leader in Hawaii and the Philippines before being transferred to the Washington, DC area. He initially served as a Unit Commissioner in Hyattsville, Maryland before moving to Woodbridge, Virginia in 1986. Since becoming a member of the Occoquan District, he has served as a Tiger Cub Coach, an Eagle Scout Mentor, a member of the Boy Scout Roundtable Staff, the Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner, a Unit Commissioner, a District Committee Member, an Assistant District Commissioner, the Assistant Chairman for “Scouting for Food”, and now as a COR.

Stu received his Eagle Scout, the Woodbadge, the Seabadge, the Tiger Coach Award, the Cub Scouter Award, the Scouter’s Training Award, the Unit Organizer’s Award, the Community Service Award, the Commissioner’s Key, the Commissioner’s Arrowhead, and the District Award of Merit. Mr. Sanford is also the two-time recipient of the Gordon Lazerson Service Award.

We salute Stu Sanford, Sea Scout Ship 7916, and VFW Post 7916 for their service to the Boy Scouts of America, the Occoquan District, and the Prince William County.

RULES & SPECIFICATIONS:CAR MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION (RACE RULES)(A SCOUT IS TRUSTWORTHY):1. Car must be built within the current school year. Only cars built for the 2018 Pinewood Derby season are eligible for competition.

2. Cars may NOT contain components from cars built for previous years’ competitions.

3. WHEELS AND AXLES

a. Car axles, wheels and bodies must be built from official BSA Pinewood Derby kits.

b. The wheel profile should be fairly flat, with no significant rounding.

c. Only the official BSA wheels that come with the kit are acceptable.

i. Official BSA colored wheels purchased from officially licensed BSA distributors MAY be used.

d. All BSA trademarks and other identifying insignia MUST be clearly visible on ALL wheels.

e. “Pinecar” Wheels are NOT Official BSA Wheels.

f. Wheels may NOT be altered in any way that changes the dimensions. Wheels may be lightly sanded to remove flashing.

g. Bearings, washers or bushings are NOT allowed.

h. “hub cap” covers are NOT allowed on the wheels.

i. Wheels may NOT be painted nor “rubbed” with graphite on the flat surface. Pushing cars across paper should not leave graphite “skid marks”.

j. Cars MUST run with ALL FOUR wheels, in pre-cut axle slots. Axle slots should be clearly visible.

k. Wheels may NOT be peaked, H’d, humped, tapered, narrowed, rounded (U’d) or have the shape modified in any way. See figures below for examples of forbidden wheels. (see examples)

l. Glue, filler, paint and or other materials must NOT obstruct the clear view of the axles and axle slots. (Note: gluing is allowed, competitor is strongly advised to use a clear drying glue)

4. LENGTH, WIDTH, HEIGHT & CLEARANCE

a. Cars SHALL NOT be more than 7 inches long or 2 ¾ inches wide.

b. Car body must clear the ground by at least 3/8 of an inch.

c. Height SHALL NOT exceed 4 inches. (Note - for artist purposes, Scouts may have flags and posts which exceed 4 inches,

BUT they will be removed or lowered not to exceed 4 inches prior to racing down the track).

d. The wheelbase (distance between front and rear axles) may not be changed.

e. Wheels may NOT extend beyond the end of the car.

5. WEIGHT AND APPEARANCE

a. Cars SHALL NOT weigh more than 5 ounces.

b. The weight shown on the official scale is final.

c. Mercury cannot be used as a weight and is never safe for minors.

d. All cars must be free-wheeling with no starting aids.

e. The car cannot ride on springs. Magnets are not allowed.

f. Cars may not have split or forked fronts. All car fronts must align against the starting post without extending beyond it. Cars

with forked fronts may be modified by the judges so they do not extend beyond the starting post.

6. LUBRICATION

a. Cars are only allowed to use dry lubricants such as graphite or Teflon.

b. No lubrication will be allowed after the car has been impounded after passing the official weighing or between races.

7. INSPECTIONS AND DISPUTES

a. Each car must pass inspection, by race officials, before it will be registered. Cars determined by the judges to not comply with these rules WILL be disqualified from racing, but may be judged for artistic merit or achievement.

b. Any participant (including the parent of the participant) has the right to appeal to the race committee for an interpretation of these rules. The Race committee, by majority vote, will be the final judge of these rules. In case of a tie vote the decision of the Race Committee Chairperson will be final.

c. Any unsportsmanlike conduct by any participant or member of the audience will be grounds for expulsion from the competition and/or the race area.

8. GROUND RULES

a. The computer determines race pairings. Not all scouts will race each other, although an attempt is made to have all scouts race in each lane of the track.

b. If a car jumps its lane during competition, a re-race will occur, regardless of whether the car interfered with another competitor. If the same car jumps its lane for a second time in that heat, that car will be given a default time of 8 seconds.

c. If a car suffers a mechanical problem, loses an axle, breaks a wheel, etc, the heat will be run without the problem car. If the problem car can be repaired prior to the completion of the final heat, it will be permitted to run in the lanes that it would have run in during the missed heats.

d. In the event of a failure of the electronic sensors, the judges will determine the winner of each race, and we will move to a double

elimination method.

2018 Occoquan District Pinewood Derby Rules

30,000 Scouts attended 2017 National Scout JamboreeBy Jimmy Spoo, Assistant Editor

The Boy Scouts of America held the 2017 National Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve (BSR) in West Virginia from July 18-27, 2017.

Over 30,000 Scouts attended this event which is held every four years. In order to make this event possible there are over 15,000 Scouters who work at the Jamboree.

At this year’s Jamboree, the National Capital Area Council had the highest number of Scouters serving with Jamboree Contingents and on the Jamboree Staff than any other Council in the country. Two hundred and thirty-nine Scouters from NCAC participated in this year’s National Jamboree.

We are very proud of the Occoquan District Scouters who served with Jamboree Contingents at this year’s National Jamboree. They are: Kyle Brendel, Dan Chartier, Mark Clester, Thomas Dezeil, Gregory Suchanek, and Matthew Todd.

We are also proud of the District Scouters who served on the National Jamboree Staff. They are: Palmer Denny, Bob Kahn, and Jimmy Spoo.

2018 Occoquan District Pinewood DerbySaturday, March 10, 2018 • Registration 8A-10A; Race 11A-2P

LOCATION: ANTIETAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 12000 ANTIETAM ROAD, WOODBRIDGE, VA

DISTRICT DERBY: The Top 5 Racers from each Occoquan District Pack, as determined by the Pack, are invited to compete in the 2018 District Pinewood Derby. The scout MUST BE present to race. Active Occoquan District Cub Scouts only may compete in the District Derby. *Lion Cubs may participate if they participated in the Pack’s Pinewood Derby and were in the top 5 finalists in the Pack.

OCCOQUAN DISTRICT CUP: The Occoquan District Cup is awarded annually to the Cub Scout Pack with the fastest average time in the Cub Race. The winning Pack will keep the Occoquan District Cup until the following year’s Occoquan District Pinewood Derby. Where they will have a chance to defend it or relinquish it the new winner. The cup is awarded to the Occoquan District Pack with the fastest average time in the Occoquan District Cub Race. A Pack’s average time is calculated by combining times from all 5 of the Pack’s entries in the Cub Race and dividing by 5. *Packs must have at least 5 cars entered to be eligible for consideration.

INSPECTION: Cars will be inspected during registration for compliance with the specifications set forth below. If at registration a car does not pass inspection, the owner will be informed of the reason for failure and may correct the cars deficiency. Cars should be presented in a “race ready” condition, and once registered, will be impounded.

REGISTRATION: $5.00 per Scout entrance fee on race day. Race day registration is from 8:00AM – 10:00AM (Anyone not in line by 9:45AM will not be registered). Races start at 11:00AM sharp.

NCAC Pow WowBy Jimmy Spoo, Assistant Editor

On October 28, the National Capital Area Council conducted its annual Pow Wow at Annandale High School in Annandale.

Approximately 300 Cub Scout leaders from across the Council attended this annual training event. The training was tailored to train Cub Scouts leaders on how to perform in the various Pack leadership positions. Classes were also conducted to teach Cub Scout leaders songs, skits, games, and ideas on how to plan an exciting Blue and Gold Banquet.

Four members of the Occoquan District attended this event. Stan Mushaw and Jim Pierce were part of the Training Staff, Shari Youtz from Troop 501 worked the STEM desk using a “Star Wars” theme, and Jimmy Spoo worked the International Scouting desk.

The Pow Wow was a complete success, and we encourage all District’s Cub Scout leaders to attend next year’s event.

Webelos WeekendBy Jimmy Spoo, Assistant Editor

Troop 501 held a Webelos Weekend on October 28-29, 2017 at Leesylvania State Park. The theme of the weekend was “Safari Adventure”.

The Webelos Scouts learned the necessary skills needed to go on their “Safari”. They learned knot tying needed to rescue fellow Webelos from a “quick sand pit”, finding their way across a durable surface maze, and picking a good spot to set up their campsite.

Once a campsite was prepared, they purified water using different techniques and starting a fire without using matches. They successfully mastered both techniques. Then they cooked dinner over an open fire, followed by s’mores and a campfire program that included songs and skits that went well into the night.

Troop 501 had a great time hosting the Webelos Scouts and they look forward to seeing everyone at future Scouting events. For anyone who wasn’t able to attend this weekend, Troop 501 is willing to visit your Pack and help your Webelos Den learn more about Boy Scouts.

Star Wars DayOn December 2 and 3, Troop 501 will be hosting a Star Wars-themed STEM event at Woodbridge Senior High School.

As part of the fun, Troop 501 will be including Cub Scout activities, Boy Scout Merit Badge classes, and other STEM activities.

For more information about this event, please go to www.StarWarsDays.com

The Occoquan Chapter of the Order of the Arrow (OA) Lodge — Amangemak-Wipit 470 has implemented a change to its monthly Chapter meetings designed to make them more interesting and promote members’ participation.

After the Chapter’s “business portion” of the meeting is completed, Chapter members are now doing craft projects to learn more about Native American culture.

The first project is having Chapter members make their own buckskin bag. Each Arrowmen receives a piece of goat skin hide tanned to look like brain-tanned buckskin. The leather is provided by a tannery in Lewiston, Maine. Along with the leather, each member receives a concept of how to put the bag together, and a button made from a deer’s antler. They can then make a medicine bag, a strike-a-lite bag, or a bag of their own design.

Each Arrowman is encouraged to share all supplies and tools, understand how the Native Americans harvested the leather and resources, and realize how much effort was involved in gathering these raw materials. As a component of this activity, Chapter members learn how to use awls and needles, including a leather awl made from a deer’s ulna - the style of awl used by Native American tribes. They also use “simulated” sinew (tendons and ligaments) for thread, and beeswax to strengthen the thread.

A future project will involve beading; some of the Arrowmen might use their beading skills to decorate their handmade bags. The ultimate goal of these projects is for each Chapter member to increase his skills, take pride in what he produces and use it for many years to come, and gain a greater appreciation for Native American culture and activities.

The Occoquan Chapter welcomes and encourages all OA members to attend our monthly meetings.

Recognizing ScoutersFellow Scouter’s it’s that time of the year again to make your submissions to Honor and Recognize those Scouters in our District and your Unit for their Outstanding Service to our District Scouting Programs.

To recognize a Scouter please follow the following instructions:

All District related awards submissions must be sent by either email or snail-mail to Mr. Bob Fenlason at: elangomat@hotmail.com or 15504 Ridgecrest Drive, Dumfries, VA 22025.

All Baden-Powell Service Awards are to be submitted to either your Unit Commissioner or Mark Chipman our District Commissioner by email at KCHS1972@gmail.com ALL SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY THE DEADLINES in our District Award Guidelines on the District Web Site.

Please remember to recognize those Scouter’s that go that extra mile for our Scouts. YIS,Bob Fenlason District Awards Chairman

Occoquan OA Chapter Changes Monthly MeetingBy Jimmy Spoo, Assistant Editor

2018 Trout-o-Ree

Save the Date!Who? Scout Troops and Webelos ScoutsWhat? 2018 Joint District Spring Trout-O-ReeWhen? April 6-8, 2018 Where? Graves Mountain Lodge, Syria, Virginia

Details:Register early to make sure you can attend. Scouts and Webelos are not required to have a fishing license, but all Scouters (adults) must have a current Virginia fishing license with a trout stamp.

Scouts will be able to start or complete their Fishing Merit Badge. All Scouts must remember to bring their Blue Cards. Webelos may only fish when supervised by a Scouter (adult/parent). There will be two stocked ponds and a nearby stream. Everyone should have a great time fishing.

There will be two types of fishing: 1) “Catch and Release”, and 2) catch, keep, and pay by the pound.

The Joint District Spring Camporee program and fees will be announced at a later date.

Registration is expected to go live after the first of the year!We look forward to seeing everyone at the 2018 Trout-O-Ree!!!

Cub Pack 1373 Featured on WJLA Channel 7By Deborah Ellis, Pack 1373, Committee Chair

Pack 1373 was featured on WJLA Channel 7 during their news segment entitled “HERO 24/7”. The news segment “HERO 24/7” features area first responders who make a difference after hours by volunteering in their community.

Webelos 2 Den Co-Leader Timothy Parsons was the highlighted hero of the feature.

Imagine the excitement in the pack meeting when news anchor Nancy Chen showed up with a television crew. Several portions of the pack meeting were filmed and news anchor Chen interviewed Webelos 2 Den

Co-Leader Parsons, his son Webelos 2 Gabriel Parsons and Webelos 2 Seth Ellis. Den Leader Parsons has served in law enforcement for the past fifteen years and is currently a detective with the Arlington County Criminal and Investigations Division.

Parsons stated that he felt the need to give back to his community through Scouting because his dad served as his den leader when he was a Scout. He hopes that giving back to the community through Scouting is a legacy that continues with his son.

If you would like to check out the news segment, it has been posted to our pack Facebook page. Pack 1373 is so proud of our hero Den Leader Parsons!

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/Pack1373/