Adventure Awaits at Boy Scout Troop 750 Open House

North Reading’s Boy Scout Troop 750 is hosting an open house on April 26 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at St. Theresa’s Parish, 63 Winter Street. The event is open to all those interested in scouting, with a special invitation to boys ages 11-17. Join us to meet the troop and hear about some of the amazing activities from the past year including a hike up Mt. Washington, summer camp, Maine High Adventure, a 50-mile week-long paddle on the Allagash River and a white water rafting trip.

With a focus on fun, leadership, and adventure, Troop 750 sponsors a variety of outings each year that offer scouts opportunities to learn about the outdoors, participate in community service, build self-confidence, and develop lifelong friendships.

“Everyone knows each other and we all get along well. The friendships we make here have gone beyond scouting,” says Andy Kay. There’s a sense of comradery among the boys that can only come from sharing both good times and challenging ones. Who can forget the time near-blizzard conditions descended on the troop at the annual winter Klondike Derby, the deep sense of accomplishment from summiting Mt. Washington, or the all-out mud bath at the West Point Camporee?

“My most memorable trip as a scout was my first year at summer camp,” says Scott Valenti. “I got to bond with the other scouts and I tried new things like tubing and archery.”

One of the most beneficial aspects of scouting is that it exposes boys to new experiences that allow them to stretch their wings. “You get to do things that you wouldn’t normally do,” says Henry Pelmas. “There are lots of new skills and activities you can do in fun and interesting ways.”

For many boys, scouting provides a bridge from their family life to the wider world. The younger scouts learn from the more experienced ones—and the older scouts learn how to be mentors. Troop 750 is scout-led and all activities and meetings are planned and run by the scouts. “We’re there to provide structure and a safe environment for the boys, but the troop belongs to them,” says Scoutmaster Andrew Ressler.

A 2005 study by Harris Interactive found that 83 percent of men who were scouts in their youth agree that the values they learned in scouting continue to be very important to them today. Eighty-seven percent of men who remained in scouting five or more years attribute some of their self-confidence in their work to their scouting experience. Half of the group say scouting had a positive effect on their career development and advancement, and 83 percent say there have been real-life situations where their scouting experience helped them be a better leader.

From earning badges to achieving the Eagle rank, the troop offers plenty of opportunities for personal development. The road to Eagle Scout is a long one, but whether or not a scout chooses to pursue the rank of Eagle, the values, skills and experiences gained by participating in scouting stay with them for the rest of their lives. Senior Patrol Leader Tommy Lasdin said it best when he was asked what scouting meant to him. He replied, “I’ve met my closest friends and the people who have influenced me the most in my life through scouting.”