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Tamanend
District
February 2026
| WASHINGTON CROSSING COUNCIL | | | |
Winter Olympics!
As I write this, we are midway through the Winter Olympics in Milano and Cortina. Friday had the shocking loss by Ilia Malinin, an American figure skater who was heavily favored to get the gold medal. He found himself off the podium after his routine was laden with falls and mistakes. When his score was announced, one of the first things he did was to go over and congratulate Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, the athlete who earned the gold medal. Malinin’s handling of the situation was a model for good sportsmanship, and it wasn’t the first display of magnanimous behavior in these Winter Olympics from winners or from losers. The Olympics always have a way of showcasing how our world can be if we had good sportsmanship and respected the rules.
For our Wolf Scouts, they have the chance to earn the Race Time Wolf adventure. Requirement Number 4 talks about how the Scout will display good sportsmanship, including following the rules, always doing your best, encouraging others, respecting the judges, and ending with a handshake. The Olympics have shown each of these principles throughout the competitions.
Every single one of those points of good sportsmanship can be found in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Following the rules and respecting the judges? That’s being obedient. Doing your best? That’s literally the second phrase of the Scout Oath. Similarly, to be friendly, courteous, kind, and cheerful embody encouraging others and ending with a handshake.
It’s amazing to see how the values of sportsmanship and the values of Scout Oath and Scout Law work together. It’s one of the reasons why there are so many competitions in Scouting – we’ll have our district Pinewood Derby on March 7 where Cub Scouts can compete for a district title. Last month, we had the Klondike Derby for our troops and crew. Our world can learn a thing or two from Scouting just as much as from our Olympic athletes. Sports play a huge role in our society for a reason. Scouting helps our Scouts be good sports, both on the field and in life.
As always, thank you for all you do for Scouting!
Yours in Scouting,
Joe Donahue
Tamanend District Commissioner
| | District Executive Minute | | |
Summer Scouting Adventure!
As the snow is finally thawing, we see signs that spring is just around the corner. Thus, it is not too early to be planning summer scouting activities. The theme for Cub Scout Day Camp this summer is Dinotopia, and will be held June 22-26 at Core Creek Park. However, our Cub Scouts are welcome at any WCC Cub Scout Day Camps: Mercer County Park (June 29-July 2), Rosedale Park (July 6-10), Deer Path Park (July 13-17), and OSR (August 10-14). Troop Summer Camp at OSR will feature a celebration of our Country's 250th Anniversary. This is a great Scout Camp that puts on a great program -- a great team for those in Scouts BSA who would like to join as staff.
After attending Scout Summer Camp for three consecutive years, my son and I are heading to Philmont in July. We've done plenty of hiking, camping, and traveling cross country -- but not all three at the same time. We are learning about the proper fitting of backpacks, as well as weight and volume trade-offs of the various items carried in them. With the warmer weather, it has been good time to start breaking-in the most essential piece of equipment of all - our hiking boots. We are planning full shake-down hike campouts in March and April, and a weekend of wilderness first-aid in between.
So what will your scouting adventure be this summer?
Thanks,
Greg House | Tamanend District Executive
greg.house@scouting.org
C: 267.393.4139
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Register Now!
$10 / Scout
Closes on March 5
Event Time/Date:
10 am on March 7
(8 am volunteer arrival).
Event Location:
Oxford Valley Mall
2300 Lincoln Highway
Langhorne, PA 19047
| | Churchville Nature Center | | Catholic Committee on Scouting | | |
A solid program is essential for retaining Cubs and Scouts. Assistant Commissioner Jim Rugarber discussed the calendar of great activities including the 250th. Incident reporting was reviewed and Den Chiefs was shown to be a great way for Packs and Troops to work together. Our hosts even gave everyone a thank you for attending!
Roundtable Calendar @ St John's:
- March 11
- April 8
- May 13
- June 10 (Annual Social)
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Roster Checks!
Recharter is complete, but the work is not done. Every unit must conduct a roster check to ensure all active youth and adults are properly registered. Some Scouts may have unintentionally dropped during renewal. With winter activities underway, this is an insurance and safety priority. Review your roster now and correct any discrepancies immediately. Contact your Unit Commissioner or District Executive if you need assistance.
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Time to Fill Den Gaps!
Spring is prime time to strengthen Packs. Identify missing den levels and plan targeted Den Gap Fill efforts now so you head into summer strong. A simple spring join night, bring-a-friend activity, or focused outreach can close gaps quickly. Growth now sets you up for success at the June 30 benchmark and into fall. For support or planning help, reach out to your Membership Chair or District Executive.
| | The May 1st dinner is just around the corner, giving us the chance to celebrate the past year and the people who made it possible. This is the time to recognize the leaders who go above and beyond in your den, unit, and district. Thoughtful recognition matters—and it starts at the unit level. Please submit your nominations via the link below. | | | |
Join leaders from across Washington Crossing Council at our 3rd Annual AdventureCon and discover where the adventure awaits your Scouts! From outdoor experiences to local programs and partners, you’ll see just how much fun—and opportunity—we have right in our own backyard. AdventureCon connects units with businesses and organizations ready to help you deliver unforgettable experiences all year long.
Mark your calendar to get inspired!
May 5 from 6 - 8:30pm
Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA
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Interested in participating as a vendor?
Registration, booth requirements, and setup information is live. Space is limited so early interest is encouraged.
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Fish Camp is a Cub Scout family camping adventure for all Cub Scouts.
Dates: May 8 - 10
Location: Ockanickson Scout Reservation.
Cubs & parents will learn fishing knots, build their own rods, and discover local fish species on shore of Great Buck Lake.
All meals included for a worry-free weekend of fun and learning.
SCOUTS BSA - If you are interested in staffing Fish Camp, click the link below.
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Buy before the Price Increase!
I’m writing with an important notice for our Council Units & families. You may have heard that due to supply chain cost increases, National Scout Shops, including scoutshop.org, have implemented a price increase beginning February 2. The price increase impacts over 1100 items including advancements and uniforms, excluding the blue Cub Scout uniforms.
The Washington Crossing Council Scout Shop is delaying the implementation of this price increase on in-stock items until March 2 to allow our units & families a chance to purchase their advancements and/or uniforms at the current prices.
Unit Advancement Chairs: Please send your advancement order to scoutshop@wccscouting.org by February 25 so we have time to pull the order and call you for payment before the price increase takes effect. If you don’t make the deadline for us to pull the order, you are welcome to come in person by the end of the month for a self-service purchase. We will be happy to assist if time allows.
Parents & Leaders: If you or your Scout need a new AOL, Scouts BSA or Venturing uniform, please be sure to visit the Washington Crossing Council Scout Shop in Doylestown in February.
Michelle Cathers
Scout Shop Manager
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Scouts BSA & Venturers
Walk-in registration, $10 paid at the door.
Dates: March 1, and April 12
Time: 12:30-4:30pm (arrive no later than 3pm)
Location: Ockanickon Scout Reservation - Foster Hall
| | Range & Target Activities | | |
Cub Scouts
Throughout the year, the Council's Range & Target Committee offers several different activities. For all activities, an adult is required to be present to satisfy the 1-to-1 adult participant ratio.
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Slingshot Adventure:
March 1
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Archery Adventure
April 12
| | The 2026 Cub Scout Day Camp “Dinotopia” will be here before you know it! Cub Scout Day Camp is a fun-filled week of adventure for Cub Scouts. Make new friends while participating in archery, fishing, STEM, sports, Scout skills, crafts, nature, and more! Scouts are placed in dens by age and grade, and stay in those dens all week. Age appropriate activities are offered to challenge the campers and allow them to learn new skills or expand existing skills. Campers will rotate through a variety of stations each day. Our camps are assessed annually and are nationally accredited to ensure the highest quality and safety so your child will have a positive camp experience! There are 5 different weeks of day camp to choose from. Consider volunteering with your child to join in the fun. Camp is where memories are made to last a lifetime! | | Registration opened February 1, 2026 | | |
2026 Reservations
Troops can start planning now for Summer Camp 2026 at Ockanickon! With over 80 merit badges to choose from, every troop should consider OSR as a summer camp option. Troop deposits are now being accepted!
The theme for 2026 will be based on America’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Troops can choose from six different sessions.
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Week 1 June 21 - 27
Week 2 June 28 - July 4
Week 3 July 5 - July 11
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Week 4 July 12 - 18
Week 5 July 19 - 25
Week 6 July 26 - August 1
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Click on links below to register:
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Stay connected with the latest updates, events, and Scouting news — join us on Facebook!
| | | Looking for a previous newsletter? Archives are now included on our Council website under the ABOUT tab. | | |
Commissioner Meeting
March 5
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District Committee Meeting
March 5
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