Boy Scout Troop 70 Recruiting for Another Year of High Adventure

New Canaan’s Boy Scout Troop 70 is holding its annual kick-off picnic and welcome meeting on Saturday, August 29^th from 3-5pm at Waveny Park (Raindate August 30^th, same time). The Troop and guests will assemble in the area adjacent to the outdoor fitness equipment next to parking lot by the softball and soccer fields. In addition to Troop 70’s current Scouts, parents and families, all boys who are interested in joining Boy Scouting are invited to attend along with their parents and families.

Troop 70 meets each Thursday evening during the school year from 7:30 – 9:00pm at St. Marks Episcopal Church. To become a Boy Scout, a boy must have finished fifth grade and be 11 years old or have earned Cub Scouting’s Arrow of Light Award and be at least 10 years old, but is not yet 18 years old. Annual dues are $200. For an overview of the Boy Scouting program please visit: http://www.ctyankee.org/join/overview/boyscouts.

Scouts can generally plan on 1-2 outings or events per month, as well as summer camp in Rhode Island and high adventure activities. This summer, 27 Scouts and adults spent 12 days backpacking on the 157,000 acre Philmont Scount Ranch, located in the Sangre de Christos mountain range of northeastern New Mexico. The group hiked close to 100 miles at elevations of between 6,400 and 12,450 feet, highlighted by an ascent to the top of Philmont’s Baldy Mountain, elevation 12,444 feet.

Last summer half of Troop 70 retraced the 1853 itinerary of Henry David Thoreau’s northern Maine canoe trip down the Penobscot River while the other half went boating and scuba diving off the Florida coast. In between, there was a Candlewood Lake campout, hiking on the Appalachian Trail, a camp weekend cook-off, snow camping skiing at Okemo, and other close by camping opportunities.

Advancement and community service are also substantial components of the Scouting program. Boy Scouts gain self-confidence and self-reliance and grow in their ability to help others through advancement. Boy Scouts plan their advancement through Scouting's various ranks, merit badges and other challenges. Every year Troop 70 produces a number of Eagle Scouts, Scouting’s highest honor.

Boy Scout Troop 70 performs more than a thousand hours of service each year in the New Canaan community.  Annual service projects include placing American flags on the veterans' graves at Memorial Day and laying wreaths at Christmas; serving the homeless at a soup kitchen; buying Christmas gifts for underprivileged children and making monthly donations to the New Canaan Food Pantry.  Notably, Eagle Scout Projects - a service project planned and executed by an individual Scout as the culmination of his attaining the rank of Eagle Scout -- have left many positive marks on the community.

If you cannot be in attendance but have questions about Scouting or the Troop, please call or email Michael Reeves at 203-621-4771 or michael.reeves@alumni.duke.edu. 

Image: Troop 70 Scouts hiking back to base camp on their last day at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimmarron, New Mexico in August, 2015.