College Park Scouts Earn Geocaching, Geology Merit Badges at Lincoln Caverns

Submitted by Lincoln Caverns:

The members of Boy Scout Troop 740 joined 50 boys and their leaders on Friday, June 7 through Sunday, June 9, 2013 at Lincoln Caverns and Whisper Rocks near Huntingdon, PA. The troop participated in a combination event for Boy Scouts. During the two day program scouts participated in workshops specially designed to complete both the Geocaching and Geology Merit Badge requirements. 

In the Geocaching Merit Badge, they learned about how to use GPS units as well as learning the basics of geocaching. The boys created their own Cache In Trash Out containers to use in their local community when geocaching. They also learned the basics of orienteering and participated in a geocache hunt. 

For the Geology Merit Badge, they learned about rocks and minerals and performed identification tests. The Earth history workshop gave the boys an opportunity to explore the geologic time scale and learn about fossils from different time periods. After discovering how fossils formed, the Scouts put together fossil collections, and searched for fossils to take home. The maps and mineral resources workshop gave the boys an opportunity to study various types of maps and to get a firsthand look at the relationship between limestone, mountains, caves and sinkholes.

Lincoln Caverns' slide presentation, "An Introduction to Speleology, The Study of Caves," was followed by special interpretive flashlight tour of Lincoln Caverns and Whisper Rocks. The boys also spent Friday and Saturday nights primitive camping at Lincoln Caverns’ Warrior Ridge Campground. Troop 740’s trip was organized by Loren LaVoy.

Lincoln Caverns’ badge programs are now in their twenty-fourth year and include programs for Webelos, Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts, as well as for older Girl Scouts, Junior Girl Scouts, Brownies and other youth groups of all ages. Indoor lodging and primitive camping options for Scouts are also available. Programs are conducted year round in the indoor learning center. Leaders who would like more information about the badge programs and Lincoln Caverns' other educational offerings are invited to call 814-643-0268, write: Lincoln Caverns, Inc., 7703 William Penn Highway, Huntingdon, PA 16652, or visit their website at www.lincolncaverns.com for more information.