Troop 1010, Two Years On

Two years ago, we started with a flag in a plastic pouch, the Scout salute, and meeting in an elementary school breakroom.

Now we have all but one of the original founding members of Troop 1010 and our daughter Lexie will have her Eagle board of review this weekend.

It’s been a long trip.

We have two other girls closing in on their Eagle rank, with another not far behind. And we’ve added new members, meaning we’ll have one earn her Scout rank at the next court of honor, right on the heels of Lexie earning her Eagle.

It’s been a challenge.

Covid hit, of course, and is still around, making camping and meeting a challenge. But I have to give our troop and leaders credit; they’ve worked awfully hard around restrictions and kept interruptions to a minimum. We did our own home-grown scout camp last summer and are looking to repeat the feat this year. And we only did one virtual campout and I think a month of virtual meetings before we just pulled things together and got it to work.

It's not all been easy. We’ve had to ask for an extension for one of our Scouts – for good reason – and may have to ask for another. We’ve got one who’ll earn her Life rank, but won’t have time for Eagle, and I don’t see an extension working for her. So it’s going like any other troop would, with some motivated, some along for the ride, and most inbetween.

Still, it’s been an enjoyable ride. Here I am nearly a 50-year-old man who’s going to have to do the Hiking merit badge this summer. It’s going to kill me. I’d say cycling didn’t kill me last year, but for the big ride I gave up my bike so the Scoutmaster could be with her scouts after her bike broke. (That was a wild campout to be sure, we stayed in Felt on property owned by Cheryl Siedelman, and slept in tents as 50 mph winds blew on us all night. Yet we survived.

A few interesting things:

1. Both locally and nationally, still fighting against traditionalists who think girls shouldn’t be in BOY scouts. Even among some women, who you’d think would be more sympathetic. Oh well.
2. Dealing with some strong personalities who want to make things challenging. But that’s okay, so far, we’re up to the challenge.
3. I’ve been asked to mentor another all-girl troop in the area. I don’t know why. Probably because I met the minimum requirements: I’m breathing and I said yes. It’ll be fun. We’re already talking with their Scoutmaster about working together anyway.

Here’s to more Scouting. Who knew my life would be like this?