Goshen Leader Update #4: Early Bird Deadline – April 15 at 11:59 pm!

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Hello Goshen Leaders!
We are just a few days away from the Early Bird deadline for the summer 2026 season at Goshen Scout Reservation!
Ahead of this April 15th deadline, we encourage you to be prepared and begin registering and paying for attendees in full prior to the deadline to help create a smooth registration process. Sarah Moses, NCAC Camping Specialist, and I are here to help you! We appreciate your patience as we process a large volume and phone calls ahead of this deadline.
Below are important reminders to help you and your units be best prepared to take advantage of the early bird discount.
Early Bird Registration Deadline – April 15 at 11:59 pm
The Goshen Scout Reservation Early Bird Deadline is April 15 at 11:59 pm. Youth and adult campers added to your registration after this point will be at an increased rate.
We encourage that you register your attending youth and adult campers as soon as possible so that we can best plan and prepare for a high-quality camping experience and your arrival at camp!
How does the Early Bird benefit you and your Scouts?
  • Campers with registrations made before the early bird deadline (April 15 at 11:59 pm) will attend at a lower cost!
  • With more accurate attendance numbers, our team is best able to prepare for your arrival and focus on service and a high-quality camping experience.
  • Enables camp coordinators to have the majority of youth enrolled so that they can help parents be prepared (medical forms, gear and equipment readiness, pre-camp meeting with all attendees, etc.)
Registration “How To” Reminders
Accessing Your Unit’s Camp Registration
If you need to access your registration, this post goes over how to do so:
If you are no longer the Registration Contact for your unit, this post goes over how to update your registration:
Adding Campers to Your Registration
For guidance on how to add participants, use this post has a quick walkthrough:
Remember, as you begin to add participants to your registrations, you should only add participants as you are ready to pay for them.
Splitting Adults on Your Registration
If you have adults who are planning to “split” the week at camp within one another and you’re wondering how to register them, check out this post: www.gotogoshen.org/registration/registration-tips-splitting-adults/
Enabling Parent Portal On Your Summer Camp Registration
As you continue to add more youth to your unit’s summer camp registration, please keep in mind the “Parent Portal” option, which allows your unit to give parents the ability to add their youth to your unit’s registration and pay for them directly. This function can also be used for registering Scouts BSA youth for merit badge sessions.
Registration Trouble Shooting
  • Having issues applying a campership or popcorn voucher? Contact Camping Specialist Sarah Moses at sarah.moses@scouting.org
  • If within a week of making your EFT payment (e-check) you receive a notice from the system that your payment has been reversed, the most common error is that there was a typo when entering the routing or the account number. Please double check your numbers and try the payment again. If you run into an instance where you were paid in full prior to the Early Bird deadline, but the system is now charging the regular rate, please contact Sarah Moses at sarah.moses@scouting.org to get this addressed before completing checkout.
Discounted Rate for All Youth Crossing from Cub Scouts to Scouts BSA
We know that many Scouts BSA Troops have recently welcomed new Scouts to their Troops who have recently crossed over from the Cub Scout program. As we believe that summer camp is the pinnacle of the Scouting year, we want to encourage all Scouts to attend summer camp, even if they recently joined your unit.
All youth who have crossed over from Cub Scouts to Scouts BSA since the beginning of the year are eligible for the discounted early bird rate, regardless of when they register to attend summer camp at Goshen Scout Reservation. This is the second year of this program. To take advantage of this discount, please register newly crossed over youth as “New Crossover Scout Youth” when adding them to your unit’s registration.
What Documents Do I Need to Bring to Camp?
  • Unit roster reflecting current Scouting America registration of youth and adults attendees
    • All youth and adult attendees must have an active membership in Scouting America at the time of their attendance at camp.
      • For Packs attending Camp Ross, the Guide to Safe Scouting permits and exception to this policy. Cub Scout Packs are required for two adult leaders to be registered in Scouting America, but not additional attending parents. Please review the Guide to Safe Scouting for more information.
    • Remember that all adults must have current Safeguarding Youth Training at the time of their attendance at camp.
  • Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Records (Parts A, B, and C) for all attendees. We recommend bringing two copies that are not the original document, one for you to maintain in your campsite, and one to reside in the camp first aid office.
  • Completed Pre-Camp Swim Check Form (not required, available to Scouts BSA and High Adventure only)
  • If attending Lenhok’sin High Adventure:
    • Wilderness First Aid Certification for at least one crew member
    • CPR Certification for at least one crew member
    • Weather Hazards Training for at least one crew member
    • Safe Swim Defense for at least one crew member
    • Safety Afloat for at least one crew member (River Trek only)
    • Paddle Craft Safety Basic Certification for one adult leader (River Trek only)
New Resource Available – Pre-Camp Parent Meeting Guide
A pre-summer camp parents meeting is a critical orientation held by unit leadership to ensure families are informed about travel logistics, medical requirements, and program specifics prior to your departure for summer camp. Through this meeting, your unit’s leadership, parents, and attending Scouts will feel more comfortable and prepared ahead of your upcoming summer adventure.
We encourage you to use the Goshen Scout Reservation “Pre-Camp Parent’s Meeting Guide,” which provides an editable agenda outline and script to support your unit’s leadership in leading a pre-camp parents meeting. This guide is available at https://www.gotogoshen.org/information/forms-downloads/ under “General Goshen Downloads.”
Bus Ticket Sales Begin May 1, 2026
Did you know you can take the bus to summer camp? Goshen Scout Reservation offers a round-trip bus service from Fairfax, VA and Largo, MD (by request) for $90.00 per seat! Ticket sales will open May 1, 2026 and will be available for purchase through your unit’s summer camp registration portal. To learn more about our bus transportation service, visit https://www.gotogoshen.org/information/transportation/.

Yours in Scouting,

Elisabeth Warren | Goshen Scout Reservation Director

SCOUTING AMERICA
National Capital Area Council