Troop celebrates Scouting tradition
Special to the Star-Herald
PRESQUE ISLE — Boy Scout Troop 171 of Presque Isle was organized in 1927 by Rev. Hayward Thomas under the sponsorship of the Grant Memorial United Methodist Church. Rev. Thomas served as scoutmaster of the troop from 1927 to 1935. Under his leadership, the troop was an important youth activity in the community. Troop 171 operated the community skating rink on the Presque Isle Stream and a boys’ recreation program on Friday nights at the old Town Hall, which was the first recreation program of its kind in Presque Isle.
Troop 171 was reorganized in 1937 with Linwood Bowen as scoutmaster. It has been sponsored each year since then either by the Grant Memorial United Methodist Church or the Men’s Club for the past 72 years and is the longest active troop in the North Star District. Membership in the troop has always been open to any boy in the community regardless of religious faith. In the summer of 1937, Rev. Thomas and Alvin Weinberg of Troop 171 attended the 1st National Boy Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C.
Some of the Scouting activities in the early years were summer camps conducted by Rev. Thomas at either Oak Point on Portage Lake or across the outlet at Cross Lake. Later the boys started attending summer camp at Camp Roosevelt, also called Katahdin Scout Reservation, in East Eddington.
In 1966, 15 boys and three leaders went to the spring Camporee at West Point Academy where Norman Cooney, an Eagle Scout from the troop, was president of the Scout Council there. Troop 171 has attended the Spring and Fall Camporee, Council Camporee, Scout Shows and other District and Council events. They also attended the Winterama at Loring AFB, sleeping out in snow shelters they made, with some years the temperature reaching 25 degrees below zero. They also attended the Klondike Derby at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine a number of times and came back with the first-place trophy on several occasions.
Scouts from Troop 171 have attended Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, Okpik Winter Training at Maine High Adventure and canoe trips at Maine High Adventure as well. This summer, six Scouts from Troop 171 will be attending the 2010 National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., in honor of the 100th anniversary of Scouting.
Today the troop is active in many community projects, such as putting flags out at the Fairmont Cemetery for Memorial Day, Scouting for Food Drives to benefit the Gift Food Pantry, service projects for the Aroostook Area Agency on Aging, Friends helping Friends, and also assisting at the Presque Isle Nursing Home service in December.
Troop 171 has had 20 scoutmasters since its inception. The Katahdin Area Council, which troop and pack 171 are chartered under, awards the Silver Beaver Award each year to individuals who are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the Council. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self sacrifice, dedication and many years of service. It is given to those who do not actively seek it. Troop and Pack 171 have had 10 leaders receive this award since the troop and pack have been in existence.
The Eagle Scout rank is the highest award a youth can receive in Scouting. Troop 171 has had 53 Eagle Scouts in its history, to date.
For information on Troop and Pack 171, visit us at http://presqueislescouts.org/default.aspx. For information on Scouting in other communities in Aroostook County, visit www.katahdinareabsa.org/.
