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By Roger Pierson
Special to the Rappahannock News
Boy Scout Troop 36 has seen much activity since returning from Summer Camp and since honoring David Massie with the award of Eagle Scout rank on Sept. 9.
Later in September the troop traveled to Dillsburg, Pa. for two nights camping and to participate in the BSA COPE program. This program offers initiative games, an obstacle course, a tire traverse, balance beams, and zip lines designed to develop team skills. It is still up for debate as to which group, Scouts or Scouters (adult leaders), had more fun.
October saw the Troop in Strasburg for the Shenrapawa District Camporee hosted by Warren County’s Troop 5. The weather cooperated for the open-air lecture and demonstration sessions involved in the Camporee themes of Traffic Safety and Truck Transportation.
Troop members enjoyed the basketball and horseshoe tournaments later in the day. The Dragon, Timberwolf and Eagle Patrols all presented well-received skits at the Campfire ceremony held Saturday night.
The troop planned an ambitious caving and winter camping trip to the Sinks of Gandy in Randolph County, W.Va. for November’s outing. Camp was set up at the Laurel Forks National Forest Campground late Friday night after a dusty drive on curvy roads.
Spirits picked up Saturday morning and the trek through “The Sinks” 3000 feet of passage began. Gandy Creek flows through the cave providing an unambiguous, but cold, route from one entrance to the other. Small numbers of the indigenous brown bat were observed in hibernation and care was exercised in order to avoid awakening them.
The troop proved well prepared and exited in relative comfort to bask in the unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon sun.
Saturday night proved a bit more seasonal with some of the troop staying up late in the night to witness the Leonid Meteor shower before retiring to the warmth of tents and sleeping bags.
The quarterly Court of Honor held Monday, Nov. 19 was to be a time for reflection and rededication to the ideals of Scouting.
Four Scouts earned and were awarded badges of rank. They were: Dorian Matthews, First Class Scout; Matt Ralston, Star Scout; Josh McArthur, Star Scout; and Daniel Pierson, Life Scout. A total of 84 merit badges were also awarded to individual Scouts, an indication of the effort, learning
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