National Capital Area Council > Goose Creek > District Events

District Events

Calendar & Resources

Here is a list of events held annually in Goose Creek District:

Use the link to the Scouting Calendar above to locate details on the upcoming dates for each event.

Freeze-o-Ree

Goose Creek District’s Freeze-o-Ree is an annual Goose Creek District overnight camping event hosted by our District Chapter of the Order of the Arrow. The weekend is filled with fun activities centering around a Troop/Patrol and Crew competition, with prizes award for the highest scoring Patrols at the Saturday night campfire.  Events usually include shooting sports, team sports, individual Scout skill challenges, and cooking competitions.  Campsite inspections are also incorporated in the overall judging.  The event begins with camping on Friday night and ends with check-out on Sunday morning (must depart by 10:00 am). Cold weather camping protocols are enforced by the Troops/Crews.

Pinewood Derby

Hosted by Pack 1154 of Ashburn, the Goose Creek District Pinewood Derby is held annually on a Saturday in early March. Race Registration and Drop Off is held on the Friday evening the night before and again early Saturday morning. Race Day runs all day Saturday (each Rank separately) until late afternoon.

PARTICIPATION: Goose Creek Derby is open to all scouts and friends & families of scouts, no matter how you placed or if you participated in a prior event, come join us! Bring your fastest cars & your creatively designed cars, we have an award for you!

Spring Camporee

The Goose Creek District Spring Camporee consists of two major events: a Patrol Challenge of several competition stations, and an Adventure Choice period for Scouts to explore challenging “High Adventure” program activities (additional fees apply). Each Unit has an assigned period for each event, so that everyone has equal opportunity for full participation. The Camporeee is designed for Scouts BSA Troops, Venturing Crews or Explorer Posts.

The Patrol Challenge is based on the traditional Scout Camporee where patrols compete in challenges to see who can best demonstrate superior scout skills. Patrols earn points at each patrol challenge, with additional points earned for patrols who perform skits at the evening campfire. Adventure Choice Activities are optional. Each participant may choose one Activity. Adult participation in the Adventure Choice activities is free.

OA Spring Ordeal

The Goose Creek Chapter of the Order of the Arrow (OA) holds its annual candidate induction weekend, called the Spring Ordeal, usually in early May.  From November through May, Troops and Crews hold elections for the OA, Scouting’s Honor Society.  Scouts who qualify based on advancement rank and camping experience are placed on a ballot, and their Unit’s youth members vote on which Scouts are most deserving of being elected to the OA.  Under certain circumstances, adults may also be nominated for membership by their respective Unit’s Committee.  Candidates elected by their respective Units have the opportunity to formally join the OA at the Spring Ordeal, a weekend of ceremony, fellowship and service. 

Program Launch

What, no Roundtable in May? Nope! In its place is Program Launch, an annual exhibition of events and activities that are scheduled throughout the upcoming Scouting year by Goose Creek District and NCAC. Volunteer Leaders just like you from the various operating groups of our District Committee host exhibit booths where they display literature and share their knowledge for all levels of Scouting. Come learn about Training Programs for Adults and Yout’s, Camping Programs including everything from Day Camp to High Adventure, what a Commissioner is and how they will  help your Unit, fund raisers like popcorn (and beyond!) and many other resources and useful information.

Program Launch takes place in the cafeteria of our usual Roundtable location, Belmont Ridge Middle School, on the second Wednesday in May, starting at 7:30 pm.

District Court of Honor

Goose Creek District holds our District Court of Honor in May each year. This event recognizes those amazing Scouters who’ve made a huge difference in the lives of young people here in our District.  All Goose Creek Packs, Troops, and Crews are invited to attend.  Special recipients include the District Award of Merit, Unit Volunteer of the Year Awards, Order of the Arrow Vigil Honorees and the District Key 3 Awardees. In addition to recognizing our adult volunteers, all Eagle Scouts who attained rank in the past year are invited to join us in Full Class A Uniform for a special recognition. 

Day & Twilight Camp

Every summer, Goose Creek holds two non-resident camps for Cub Scouts. Families can choose between Day Camp and Twilight Camp, running the same week. At camp, Cubs will shoot BB guns, archery, and slingshots. They’ll do a variety of crafts and learn about First Aid. Twilight Camp has shorter hours than Day Camp, and only runs for four days, so it’s a good choice for those who want to avoid the heat of the day or just have a shorter, more relaxed format. Day Camp features additional program areas, such as Sports and Scout Craft, as well as a shooting sports competition for older campers. The camps are a community effort: they are staffed by volunteer adults and older Scouts from Goose Creek Troops. “Den walker” adults accompany each group from their pack throughout camp, providing supervision while keeping it fun!

OA Fall Ordeal

Similar to the Spring Ordeal, this is an opportunity for candidates elected to the Order of the Arrow (OA), Scouting’s Honor Society, to complete their membership induction.  Most candidates are usually inducted at the Spring Ordeal, but the Fall Ordeal offers another opportunity to account for scheduling conflicts of the candidates.  Often, since the remaining candidate pool may be small for a given Chapter, several Virginia Chapters combine efforts to conduct a Fall Area Ordeal, in substance identical to an individual Chapter Ordeal except that individuals from across the area participate (both staff and candidates) rather than just from Goose Creek.

Webelos-o-Ree

The Goose Creek District Webelos-o-ree is an overnight camping event designed to introduce Webelos and Arrow of Light Scouts and their parents to the Scouts BSA program. The weekend is filled with fun and skills activities led by Goose Creek District troops. It begins with an opening ceremony Saturday morning and ends Sunday morning. The Saturday evening campfire is a special highlight!

Scouting for Food

Each November, Goose Creek Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA and their leaders take to the neighborhoods of Loudoun County in support of Scouting for Food. Scouts go door-to-door collecting non-perishable food items for families needing assistance within their local communities. Many log additional community service hours working in the collection sites, unloading vehicles and sorting the food donations. This has been a huge success over the years, with a 300% increase in food donation and delivery since 2001.