Help Us Create a Scout Spirit Wall at Camp Shenandoah
Calling ALL Units! It is time to let your creativity shine and show your Scout Spirit! We need your help transforming a giant wall at Camp Shenandoah into a permanent backdrop that will be used for photo ops. Create a Medallion that highlights your love for Camp Shenandoah. Does your unit LOVE to fish, canoe, have campfires? Work together to make a large, bold, medallion shaped like your favorite activity!
- Medallions should be BOLD, CLEAR, and 3D. Irregular shapes are HIGHLY encouraged! Ideas include; canoe, campfire, tent, fish, bear, snakes, birds, feather, backpack, sleeping bag, arrow, arrowheads, etc. Take your time, work as a team, and BE CREATIVE!
- Medallions should be between 24 inches and 36 inches in size.
- Medallions MUST be made of and decorated with materials that will hold up outdoors, AND finished with a clear spray sealer. Examples include: wood, wood burning or carving, metal, heavy rope, up-cycled materials, exterior paints, epoxy, etc. NO plastics, paper, or cloth are permitted.
- Medallions MUST be flat on the BACK to be mounted onto a wall! NO hand lettering or writing, with the exception of unit numbers somewhere on the piece. Unit numbers should be no larger than 3 inches.
- Medallions must be delivered to Paul Hansohn.
For any additional questions contact Paul Hansohn.
Sore Foot Club Returns
At 4,463 feet, Elliott Knob is one of the highest mountains in Virginia. There are four opportunities in 2026 to complete the 16-mile hike to Elliott Knob from Camp Shenandoah. Everyone who completes the hike will put their name on the giant foot in the Dining Hall and be remembered FOREVER.
Dates:
- Saturday, February 14, 2026
- Saturday, March 14, 2026
- Saturday, April 18, 2026
- Saturday, May 16, 2026
If you’d like to attend, please RSVP at least 3 weeks before the hike to ensure there are enough leaders for all that are going. Email Paul Hansohn to make reservations and for any questions.
Don’t Miss Out on Winter Camp!
Winter Camp at Camp Shenandoah is filling up fast! If you are planning to attend and haven’t yet registered, now is the time. From January 16-19, 2026, Scouts will gather from Friday to Monday for adventure, merit badges, and times of good cheer that will keep the cold at bay. Registration is still open but don’t wait—prices increase after December 22, 2025!
Rates through December 22 2025: Youth: $100 | Adults: $50
Rates after December 22, 2025: Youth:$125 | Adults:$65
Contact Winter Camp Director Robert Clemmer or Winter Camp Program Director Tracey Stakem with any questions.
Klondike Derby 2026
February 6-8, 2026 • Camp Shenandoah • $20 per person
Get ready to bundle up and test your winter Scouting skills—Klondike Derby 2026 is on the horizon!
What’s Included
Your $20 registration fee covers:
- Event registration
- Official Klondike Derby 2026 patch
- Protein for the Musher’s Banquet (Saturday night)
Note: Units participating in the banquet should bring a side dish sized for their group. Please avoid nuts and shellfish.
Events & Stations
Scouts will take on classic Klondike challenges, including:
- Paul Bunyan skills
- Shelter Building
- Fire Building
- First Aid
- Sled Race
- Team Challenge
- Scouting Trail
- BB Shoot
And yes—the legendary Scoutmaster Dessert Cook-off is back! Will last year’s champion defend their crown, or will a new contender rise?
Who Can Attend
All Troops, Crews, Posts, and AOLs are welcome, both in-council and out-of-council. AOLs may camp with troops and enjoy an age-appropriate program track.
Register Now
Camp Shenandoah Work Day
Calling all Scouts and Scouters: help us get Camp Shenandoah ready for Winter Camp 2026! There’s plenty to do and every helping hand makes a difference! Join us at Camp on Saturday, December 6 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm to help make Camp Shenandoah shine.
Projects for the day include:
- Relocating Metalwork area
- Winterizing key buildings
- Testing heating in the Dining Hall and kitchen
- Decorating the Dining Hall porch
- Cleaning and organizing the staff lounge, cabins, and office
- Sprucing up program areas including STEM, Handicraft, Bay 3 maintenance, and the Chapel
- Preparing the Trading Post
- Supplying firewood to each campsite
Be sure to dress for the weather and come for a few hours or stay the whole day — help us make Winter Camp a warm success!
What to bring: work gloves, water bottle, a can-do attitude, and your own lunch.
Please RSVP to Robert Clemmer. We look forward to seeing you there!
Bonus: If your unit would like to camp out for the weekend, you’re more than welcome to stay at camp for free as a thank-you for lending a hand!
Winter Camp Leaders and Parents Guide Released
ScoutsBSA troops, get ready for a brand-new adventure at Winter Camp at Camp Shenandoah! Join us over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend 2026 for four days of cold-weather camping, skill-building, merit badges, and Scouting fun. Sign-ups have been strong for our inaugural Winter Camp, so be sure to reserve a spot for your troop now!
The Leaders and Parents Guide — including the full Merit Badge list — is now available to help your troop plan and prepare. We can’t wait to see you in January!
2025 FOS campaign a Major Success thanks to YOU!
Friends of Scouting (FOS) is the council-level annual giving campaign that raises the funds necessary to provide services to the youth of the Virginia Headwaters Council. A cornerstone of our council’s offerings is Camp Shenandoah which played a central role in the 2025 FOS campaign. Donors were invited to “Own Your Day” by pledging $274 or more which is the amount that it costs our council each day to own and operate Camp Shenandoah.
Thanks to the generous support of our volunteers, units, and families, the 2025 FOS campaign was a tremendous success. The following donors who pledged at least $274 in our 2025 campaign and selected a specific day to “own” will be recognized during the 2026 calendar year with a notation appearing on both the council and Camp Shenandoah websites and they will be highlighted in The Tributary next year during the relevant month.
While every effort was made to accurately record donor names and dates, sometimes errors happen. Please help us check the list and contact Terry Michael at Terry.Michael@scouting.org with any corrections by December 1.
Thank you again for your continued support of Camp Shenandoah and the youth we serve.
January 1
Robert Young
January 2
Robert Young
January 3
Robert Young
January 4
Robert Young
January 16
Joel Sowers
January 20
Mabel Beirne
January 24
Matthew Phillippi
Mike White
January 28
Robert Cheek
February 2
Jason Miller
February 6
Ronald Guyton
February 8
Jason Richardson
Mike White
February 14
Christopher Clement
February 18
Sue Hart
February 19
Johanna O’Loughlin
February 20
Matthew Phillippi
February 22
Steve Hammond
February 28
Brian Crouse
March 1
Lawrence Whitehurst
March 7
Tim & Missy Luikart
March 9
Robert Cheek
March 11
John Connor
March 16
Kemper Dadisman
March 18
Shane Eppard
March 22
Brent Woodruff
March 28
Peyton Williams
March 29
Patrick Headley
Shenandoah Lodge 258
April 9
Jeff Nelson
April 17
Lisa Kriel
April 18
Mary Dull
April 23
Kelly Middleton
April 27
Matt Esch
Carol Stewart
May 6
David Storm
May 17
Shenandoah Lodge 258
May 18
Tracey Stakem
May 20
Bart Johnson
May 22
Keith Cheely
June 1
Sue Hart
June 3
Anton Dagner
June 6
Kyle Daily
June 10
Matthew Nunes
June 15
John Connor
June 16
Dan Dreelin
Benjamin Walter
June 17
Micah Bowman
June 18
Joseph Hoeing
Nadia Lunardi
Edward Murphy
June 21
John Kruggel
June 22
Robert Clemmer
Brian McEldowney
June 24
Cass Bailey
June 28
Hamp Carruth
Curtis Kidd
Mcanalle Neal
June 30
Michael Bell
July 1
Kyle Fortna
July 5
The Maneval Family
July 9
Rob Moore
July 13
Kent Schlussel
July 14
The Reisinger Family
July 23
Tracey Stakem
July 25
Matthew Phillippi
July 29
Patrick Watts
August 2
Joseph Hoeing
Ashley Rasmussen
August 6
Edward Murphy
August 8
Robert Cheek
August 14
Gerry Locher
August 15
Sue Hart
Joanne Norford
August 19
Joseph Zollman
August 22
Edward Murphy
August 25
Don Bergstrester
Paul Clark
Matthew Phillippi
August 27
Jeff Teagarden
August 29
Olma Olay-May
August 31
James Couch
September 1
Shelly Cable
September 5
Mike White
September 8
Jeffrey Hood
September 11
Marc Juarz
September 13
Ronald Streeff
September 16
Adam Sowers
September 19
Jeffery Robbins
September 21
Paul McGill
September 25
Keith Cheely
September 29
Jason Stiteler
September 30
John Athayde
October 1
Mike Bonham
October 2
Matthew Phillippi
Michaela Smith
October 5
Joseph Hoeing
October 6
Marc Monfalcone
October 9
Sue Hart
October 10
Shane Eppard
October 11
Pete Fenlon
October 13
Marc Monfalcone
October 17
Jason Adams
October 18
Carey Usher
October 20
Allen Turnball
October 27
David Tessendorf
November 1
John Connor
November 10
Jason Richter
November 12
Jay Gillenwater
Tracey Stakem
November 14
Raymond Ezell
November 15
Diane John
November 18
John Arpin
November 20
Jamie Craig
November 29
Jeff Nelson
December 5
Elizabeth Copeland
December 12
David Storm
December 14
John Kronstain
December 16
Pete Fenlon
December 17
Patrick Dwiggins
December 18
Sue Hart
December 29
John Athayde
Terry Hope Dedication Ceremony
You are invited to join us for a special dedication ceremony honoring former Scoutmaster, past Council President, and namesake of Hope Lake Terrill C. Hope at the Camp Shenandoah lakefront.
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Lakefront at Camp Shenandoah
Terry’s passing earlier this year makes this dedication a special opportunity to honor his memory and the lasting impact he made on our Scouting community. We hope you will join us in paying tribute and sharing in this moment of recognition. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Sue Hart.
Zombie Run
On Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM, embark on the adrenaline-pumping journey of running a 5K while dodging zombies throughout Camp Shenandoah! Register to run or sign up your troop to participate as a zombie! Registration ends on October 24.
Winter Camp Pricing 2026
Get ready for the first-ever Winter Camp at Camp Shenandoah—a chance for ScoutsBSA units to experience the magic of camp in a whole new season! From January 16-19, 2026, Scouts will gather from Friday to Monday for adventure, merit badges, and the kind of spirit that warms even the coldest winter nights.
Key Dates to Know
- August 26, 2025 – Deposit opens for Virginia Headwaters Council units
- September 15, 2025 – Deposit opens for Out-of-Council units
- October 15, 2025 – Merit Badge Guide released
- October 16, 2025 – Registration opens; Merit Badge selection opens (once paid in full)
- December 23, 2025 – Late Fee applies
Rates
- Youth: $100 | Adults: $50
After December 22, 2025
- Youth:$125 | Adults:$65
Questions?
Contact Winter Camp Director Robert Clemmer or Winter Camp Program Director Tracey Stakem with any questions.
Join our Winter Camp Staff!
We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make this first Winter Camp a success. Opportunities include Program Staff, Cook Crew, Trading Post, and Ranger Corps. Click here to apply.
Join us for Winter Camp 2026 at Camp Shenandoah!
