Boy Scouts of America
by Kara Kiefer

"On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight."

- Boy Scout Oath

U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, former President Gerald Ford, and 11 out of 12 men who walked on the moon - What do all of these notables have in common? They were all involved in Scouting, and they were all led by volunteers. The Boy Scouts of America, founded in 1910, celebrates its 93rd anniversary this year. In commeration, The TowneLaker takes a look at some of the many volunteers and the boys whose lives they touch and influence for years to come.

Troop 641 - This troop meets at Bascomb United Methodist Church and the Scoutmaster is Scott Nolan. Scott has been involved in Scouting since 1993, and he was also nominated and approved as the District Chairman. Scott allows the boys to have a say in how the Troop is run. It gives the boys a sense of ownership. Scott and the Troop are most proud of winning the prestigious "Eagle" two times in a row. This award is presented to the best overall Troop at the Annual Camporee. Modern Scouting presents many challenges. According to Scott, one of the biggest challenges is getting parents involved. "The 12 - 15 age range is a hard range for parents, but this is also when kids need parents the most," states Scott. The Troop is currently finishing a new Scout Hut on the church property.

Pack 639 - This Pack meets at Woodstock Christian Church, and the Cubmaster is Jimmy Brooks. Jimmy got involved in Scouting when his son Brandon signed up at school. Brandon will be crossing over to Boy Scouts in March. Jimmy enjoys the camping and hiking with the boys, but he also enjoys the way Scouting teaches team work and builds friendships. Pack 639 consists of 55 boys and approximately 20 adult leaders. "We are fortunate in that we have a lot of parental involvement. There's always someone to help when I need it." states Jimmy.

Troop 994 - This Troop meets at Hillside United Methodist Church and is led by Scoutmaster Mark Hess. Mark has been Scoutmaster for two years. He has been involved in Scouting since he was a teen and started volunteering his time to local packs shortly after college. Troop 994 was established in 1994, and 14 Scouts have become Eagle Scouts. The most recent were Trey Kenyon and Jeffrey Crow. Mark is very proud of the way the boys in the Troop have learned how to plan and run the meetings and events. Mark feels one of the challenges in Scouting today is the number of activities available for young people. Mark notes, "In addition to Scouting, many boys are involved in church, school activities and sports. Planning and coordinating events can be challenging because some boys cannot commit until the last minute."

Pack 994 - Ed Archer is the Cubmaster for Pack 994. The boys in this Pack graduate to Troop 994 when they become Boy Scouts at age 11. Ed was a Cub Scout for two years as a young boy. He became a leader when his oldest son Ryan joined. His four-year old son, Zack, will start Scouts just as Ryan advances to Boy Scouts - Ed is in it for the long haul. As a leader, he is proud of the boys and their achievements. "It's a great feeling to see the look of accomplishment on the face of a boy who just realized he can do something after trying many times," said Ed.

Pack 94 - Don Austin is the Pack Chairman for Pack 94 which meets at

Top to bottom. 1) Scouts in Pack 639 receiving awards at the monthly Pack meeting. Left to Right: Den Leader Dave Rich, Jake Rich, Stephan Moll, Corey Hall, Brandon Brooks, Den Leader Ed McAlpine and Cubmaster Jimmy Brooks. 2) Troop 994 celebrates the Fourth of July in downtown Woodstock. Left to right: Bradley Jones, Jeffrey Raiders, Andy Stembridge, Austin Hunter, Devon Jones. 3) Pack 94 during the recent Pinewood Derby. Left to right: Jake Austin, Matthew Harmson and Anthony Digirolamo. 4) Troop 4900 (left to right) front row: Curtis Jones, David Mercardo and Nate Braltebo. Back row: Ed O'Neill, Debra O'Neill, R.D. Jones, Michael Remo, Walter Flowers, David Remo, Father Michael and Father Paul. 5) Pack 999 at their Pinewood Derby. Left to right: Tom Loizzo, Bryan Byers, Andrew Swendsen, Philip Feiner, Alex Clift, Jimmy Micali and Nicholas Pienta.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. The Pack Chairman, along with a Pack Committee, organizes, runs and manages the various events with the Pack. Don was involved in Scouting as a boy. He is most proud of the boys and what they have learned and achieved. "It's my belief that Scouting teaches the proper family values, religious beliefs and the honor system to the boys. These boys will use this knowledge for the rest of their lives." commented Don.

Troop 4900 - Eddie O'Neill is Scoutmaster for Troop 4900 at St. Michael the Archangel Church. According to Eddie, one of the biggest challenges in scouting is keeping it interesting and fun. He strives to have a varied program to make it enjoyable for all. The troop had one boy, David Remo, achieve the rank of Eagle Scout last year. Two more are expected to achieve the rank this year. Eddie is proud of the Troop's Scouting for Seniors Program. The boys perform community services for area Seniors including lawn mowing and yard work.

Pack 999 - This pack, sponsored by Bascomb Elementary School, is led by Cubmaster Jim Loizzo. Jim has been involved with Scouting for more than 32 years. The one thing he is most proud of with his Pack is the number of parent volunteers. The Pack will soon graduate 24 Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. Jim notes, "Scouts today have a lot of demands on their time. Scouting is designed to help boys grow in today's society with an emphasis on family values and learning new skills - all while having fun."