INTRODUCTION:  This activity is a circuit hike (about 4 miles) through the City of Manassas with stops at five churches.  At each stop a church representative will conduct an interactive discussion with the Scouts about two of the Ten Commandments along with a brief introduction to their particular religious denomination.  The hike is part of the traditional February Scout Sunday/Scout Sabbath celebration. 

WHEN:  Saturday, February 2, 2013.  The time frame for the hike will be 9:00 AM until 12:30 PM, with registration starting at 8:30 AM.  The starting and ending location for the hike will be CrossWay Fellowship Church, 8601 Plantation Lane, Manassas, VA. 20110.  Dress for this event is your full, complete uniform. 

THEME:  The theme for this 2nd annual Ten Commandments Hike in the City of Manassas is WALK IN HIS WAYS:   “This day the Lord, your God, is commanding you to observe these statutes and ordinances.  Be careful, then, to observe them with your whole heart and with your whole being.  Today you have accepted the Lord’s agreement: he will be your God, and you will walk in his ways, observe his statutes, commandments, and ordinances, and obey his voice.”  (Dt. 26:16-17).  Each pastor, religious leader, or designated speaker will be encouraged to use this theme as part of their discussion of the commandments.  The design of the 2013 patch will also reflect this year’s theme.

COST:  The only cost for this event will be a $2 charge for anyone who desires to purchase a patch upon completion of the hike.  The refreshment area this year will be at Nativity of Our Lord Orthodox Church.  A free will donation jar will be located at the church, for those wishing to help defray the cost of the refreshments. 

SCHEDULE:  Each hiking group will operate autonomously, with a limit of 10 participants per group.  Leaders are responsible for making sure their group remains on schedule and on course.  At the starting point each group will be given a map and detailed directions for the hike.  The discussion at each house of worship will last approximately 15 minutes (5 minutes for discussion of commandments, 5 minutes for introduction to the particular faith of the house of worship, 5 minutes for questions).

PARTICIPATION:  Participation is open to all BSA units in Bull Run District.  Units from other districts within NCAC are also invited.  Members of the Girl Scouts of America are invited to participate, as well as American Heritage girls, Camp Fire youth, 4-H youth, Columbian Squires and Columbian Squire Roses. Siblings and family members are encouraged to participate as well.

INSURANCE:  This is not an official Bull Run District Event.  This event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, George Brent Council, and is being run by Crew 1188 and members of George Brent Council.  All units in Bull Run District are invited to participate.  Existing unit insurance from BSA will cover registered BSA participants.  All BSA leadership requirements for Safe Scouting must be in place for BSA units to participate in this event.  All other youth groups must have their particular insurance and leadership requirements in effect in order to participate.

REGISTRATION:  I need an estimate of the number of adult and youth participants as soon as possible, but preferably not later than January 19, 2013 (see Contact Us page on this web site).  This information is vital for event planning and to insure adequate patches and refreshments.  Hike day registration should be completed by only one person per group to avoid confusion in accounting for everyone who participates in the hike.

SERVICE PROJECT:  Each group participating in the hike will be asked to pick up litter along the hike route.  Trash bags will be provided.  The City of Manassas should be a cleaner place after the hike than it was before the hike.  We also need to make sure that we are respectful of the condition of all the places of worship that we visit along the hike route. 

ADVERTISING:  The Manassas Ten Commandments Hike will be advertised though Bull Run and Occoquan District Roundtables from October through January.  Information will also be in the District e-Newsletter during the same time frame.  Hopefully we can get some local media coverage and possibly an article in the Scouter Digest.  The best advertising would be for the public to see Scouts engaged in a worthwhile endeavor looking sharp in their full uniforms!  

CHURCHES:  The following churches will be participating in the 2013 hike:  CrossWay Fellowship, New Hope Christian, Nativity of Our Lord Orthodox, St. Thomas United Methodist and Bethel Evangelical Lutheran.  All of the churches are handicap accessible.   

ROUTE PLANNING:  The hike route is organized to provide a safe and effective route through the City of Manassas.  The City of Manassas Police Department has reviewed and approved the hike route. Support from the City of Manassas Police Department is essential to making this hike a safe and fun experience for everyone involved.

SITE MANNING:  George Brent Council volunteers and Venture Crew members will staff the church sites, the registration tables, and other points along the hike.  Their role is to keep the flow of scouts running smoothly at the sites, to keep the presenters on schedule, and to ensure the sites are returned to their pre-hike condition.  A first-aider will be available for the duration of the hike.

FEEDBACK:  All Leaders will be asked to complete a brief feedback form at the end of the hike.  Your comments and suggestions are needed so that next year the hike will be even better!

CANCELLATION POLICY:  The Ten Commandments Hike will be conducted “rain or shine”.  BE PREPARED!  WEAR APPROPRIATE CLOTHING!  However, should snow or ice present hazardous conditions, the hike will be cancelled for that day.