Article Type: Council Updates

We’re excited to share that planning is underway for the Virginia Headwaters Council contingent to the 2026 National Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia.

An organizational Zoom meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 29 at 8:15 PM for all Scouts, leaders, and families interested in learning more about how to participate as part of the council contingent. We encourage you to join us to learn about this unforgettable Scouting adventure.

Here are the Zoom call details:

• Topic: National Jamboree Interest Meeting – 8:15 pm 10/29/2025
• Time: Oct 29, 2025 08:15 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
• Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88165751732?pwd=xRLqix8xvin5wrXpVqfg4Lkc2JedNl.1
• Meeting ID: 881 6575 1732
• Passcode: aCEAn9

We look forward to seeing you on October 29!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Christmas Tree Sales Season! Once again, Scouting America Troops will be selling Christmas trees across Central Virginia. Proceeds from the sales support our local Troops and will help support Camp Shenandoah. 

We have ordered 1,056 Fraser fir trees that will be fresh cut and delivered on November 22 or 23. Trees will range in height from 4-5 feet to 9-10 feet and all are graded as #1 or better (premium trees). All tree sales lots will be open by Saturday, November 29, and some might open earlier. Lots will continue selling until we are sold out of trees. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to purchase their Christmas tree at one of our seven lots:

• Louisa, Virginia – Advance Auto, 505 E. Main Street
• Fluvanna, Virginia – Turkey Sag Trail across from Jefferson Pharmacy, Palmyra
• North of Charlottesville – Towncenter Shopping Center near Kohl’s, 340 Towncenter Lane
• South of Charlottesville – 5th Street Station (Wegmans shopping center) near Krispy Kreme
• East of Charlottesville – Pantops Shopping Center, near Med Express
• Crozet Virginia – Crozet Market Great Valu Shopping Center, 5728 Three Notch’d Road
• Staunton, Virginia (NEW!) – VAHC Office, 617 Greenville Avenue

The Virginia Headwaters Council is excited to announce that, effective September 15, Michael Werling is joining our professional staff as the council’s Director of Membership. He will focus on growing Scouting across our communities, starting new units, expanding outreach, and ensuring that more young people and families experience the adventure of Scouting.

An Eagle Scout, Michael is an accomplished non-profit executive with more than a decade of experience in engagement, volunteer relations, fundraising, budget management, and program development. He has a strong record of cultivating meaningful partnerships with corporations, faith-based organizations, and individuals. His leadership has advanced community engagement initiatives, donor relations, and large-scale special events, ensuring strong connections between organizations and the communities they serve.

Since 2022, Michael has served as Community Development Specialist with the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), where he manages relationships with more than 70 community partners and oversees fundraising campaigns. Prior to joining CAC, Michael spent seven years in leadership roles with the National Capital Area Council, Scouting America. As District Director and earlier as Senior District Executive, he managed budgets, led membership growth initiatives, and directed operations for major programs, including summer camp operations in both the U.S. Virgin Islands and Virginia. Under his leadership, annual fundraising goals were consistently achieved, new community units were created, and youth membership steadily increased.

Michael is a graduate of the University of Virginia and his wife Cindy is a teacher. Please join us in giving Michael a warm welcome to the Virginia Headwaters Council team! Together, we’re committed to growing and strengthening Scouting in our neighborhoods and empowering the next generation of leaders.

Scouting America has announced the launch of Scoutly, a powerful new AI assistant designed to provide instant, reliable support to the entire Scouting community.

Scoutly is more than a search tool – it is an interactive chatbot trained on an extensive, contained knowledge base of official Scouting America resources. This ensures a safe, child-friendly experience without relying on external internet searches. Key features of Scoutly include a Dedicated Knowledge Base, Merit Badge Expertise, Simplified Registration, and Round-the-Clock Support.

Scoutly is now available 24/7 on Scouting.org and BeAScout.org, providing answers to a variety of Scouting questions. You can interact with Scoutly by selecting the floating Scoutly icon on the lower right corner of each of these websites.

The 2026 National Scout Jamboree—a ten-day spectacular from July 22 to 31, 2026 at the iconic Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia—is now open for registration to members of the Virginia Headwaters Council.

Why This Is Not Just Another Summer Camp

• 360° of Adventure: The Jamboree isn’t your typical camp: it’s an immersive time of fun, friends and fellowship with hands-on adventure that takes you places you never thought you’d go and challenges you to try things you never thought you could.
• High-Octane Activities at The Summit:
  • Whitewater rafting and kayaking in stunning New River Gorge
  • Rock climbing at Boulder Cove, the world’s largest outdoor climbing facility
  • Mountain biking, zip-lining, archery, skateboarding, bouldering, fishing, skeet shooting, patch trading, and more!
• A Truly Immersive Experience: The Jamboree isn’t just activities; it’s an unforgettable journey—an immersive world where Scouts push their limits, build confidence, and connect with peers from across the nation.

At-a-Glance Highlights

Registration is now open through the Virginia Headwaters Council website. Don’t wait—secure your spot and get ready to unlock an epic chapter in your Scouting journey. 

Register here to be part of the Virginia Headwaters Council contingent: https://scoutingevent.com/763-99336-231390

More information about the Jamboree: https://jamboree.scouting.org/

April showers might bring May flowers but it’s bad news for aviation events. That’s why Cub Scout Aviation Day (CSAD) at Gordonsville Municipal Airport was forced to reschedule to September 6-7 and is now the first major event of the school year. CSAD will include airplane fly-ins, a tour of planes, remote-controlled plane demonstrations, an inflatable planetarium, Air of the Wolf beltloop, Tiger’s Sky is the Limit beltloop, a B-52 pilot, bi-plane ride raffles, and so much more! Do you know someone who flies? Invite them to fly in to CSAD! Please ask them to contact Daman Irby at irby@virginia.edu for more fly-in information.

Scouts who registered in the spring are all set for September and their t-shirts will be there waiting for them. Advanced registration for the event and the opportunity to order t-shirts has been turned back on and will remain open through August 20. Advanced registration for daytime activities from 12:30-4:00 pm costs $12 per Cub Scout, and day and evening activities including camping is $17. T-shirts are $15. Entry at the gate is $22 for the day or day/evening. Newly joined Cub Scouts will receive the advanced registration price at the gate, so you can use the event to promote joining the program! Non-scout family members are free!

Scouts BSA members and adult leaders! Cub Scout Aviation Day is in need of volunteers to help assist and lead stations at the event. Individuals, patrols, or full units are encouraged to be a part of the program. Contact Daman Irby at irby@virginia.edu if you are available to help. For more information and to register for Cub Scout Aviation Day, please visit: https://www.virginiaheadwaters.org/events-camping/aviation-day/

A one-page flyer for the event is also available for pack or den distribution.