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Troop 4077 Scouts Spread Some Holiday Cheer

December 2008 -- Ten Troop 4077 Scouts demonstrated their commitment to their community by volunteering at the United Communities Ministry Back Porch thrift store. The Scouts arrived at the Back Porch Store at 10 a.m. not sure of what was ahead. The store staff quickly put the boys to work, giving them a firsthand opportunity to see how the thrift store functions.

Scouts at United Community Ministries During their eight hours on the job, the Scouts arranged items on the floor for sale, received and helped sort donated items, and placed clothes on hangers for sale. They developed an appreciation for how hard the store staff works every day and how generous our community is. Donations were delivered to the back door nonstop from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and, if not for the assistance of the Scouts, would have overwhelmed the regular staff.

Several Scouts showed a deft touch at organizing merchandise and serving customers, skills that would probably surprise their parents. The store manager complimented the Scouts’ on their eagerness to help and cheerful conduct of all requested tasks. The Scouts lunched at the Country Buffet restaurant next door, enjoying a wide selection of food and a Boy Scout discount thanks to the manager whose son also is a Scout.

One of the highlights of the day was loading a 16-foot truck from floor to ceiling with donated clothes. The boys inexplicably enjoyed forming a chain and passing or throwing the bagged clothes at each other. There was a time in the hanging room during which the boys weren’t sure if they would ever be done. But before we knew it, it was time for the store to close and for the boys to go home, after eight hours of arduous but rewarding work. With tired bodies and the sure knowledge that they had made a difference, the Scouts went home with holiday cheer.

Scouts at United Community Ministries

See Past Events for additional photos of this and other Troop 4077 events.

Troop 4077 Attends 46th Annual West Point Camporee

May 2008 -- Troop 4077 attended the 46th Annual West Point Camporee. Special thanks go to Ms. S.-H. and Scoutmaster Mike S. (USMA graduate) for arranging this outstanding trip and ensuring that everyone had a great time at the campout, including a very special guided tour (thanks to Cadet Brady D.), at one of the finest colleges in America.

There were over 3,200 attendees at this event. Most troops were from the local NY and NJ areas, but one troop came all the way from Miami, FL and one troop brought a bag piper who played that "Old Spice" song - over and over and over... The guns were all real - but shot blanks - very loud blanks! MRE's are pretty great - if you're really hungry. There was a Huey that roared by at 100' off the deck at 100 mph that was pretty cool. The "Virtual Army Experience" was tops on our Scouts' list of fun things. We learned that Mrs. S. is frighteningly proficient with an with an M-4. A Blackhawk flew in on Saturday. Sunday morning, as it spooled up, the jetwash blew over a line of latrines that were close by. Two Scouts (not ours) were in said latrines as they blew over, door side down - now there's a memory!

Our Cadet guide, Brady D., shown here with his cadet brother Brook, spent a lot of quality time with the scouts and could not have been a better role model for how to prioritize a very busy schedule to earn top grades. Brady is interning with the Supreme Court this August and we hope to see him while he is in town.

Congratulations Troop 4077 on another great Camporee!

Troop 4077 Celebrates with Eagle Scout Ryan C.

April 30, 2007 -- Ryan C. was officially awarded the rank of Eagle Scout during a ceremony at St. Mark's Church, becoming the third member of Troop 4077 to reach this pinnacle of scouting.

Congratulations, Ryan, on your great achievement!

Troop 4077 Awarded "Best Patrol" at Spring Camporee

April 22, 2007 -- Troop 4077 once again demonstrated they are "the best of the best" at the 2007 Colonial District Spring Camporee held at Camp Highroad in Middleburg, VA. After packing all the equipment needed for the campout, the Troop drove out to the camp ground, arriving around 8:00pm. The scouts then set-up the campsite and their tents, got organized and executed chores based on menus and duty rosters they worked on in previous meetings, and then played scout games until lights out at 11 pm. On Saturday, the scouts were up at 6:30 am, cooked breakfast, and then off went off to the opening ceremony and the day's events.

There were somewhere around 300 scouts and 20 patrols that attended this years Spring Camporee. Troop 4077's Bat and Pine patrols did extraordinary well in all the activities and events at the Camporee. The patrols had to work together as a unit to be able to succeed in any of the events, and they did this with amazing focus and determination.

Our scouts handled disaster situations, including Responding to an Aircraft Crash and Rescuing Survivors, Rescuing a Lost Hunter, Rescuing an Injured Minor, learning about special radio equipment used by responders in emergencies, and then demonstrating a vast array of scouting knowledge and skills in other midway activities. (Check out more photos through the links at Past Events.) The patrols were graded in each event by awards of up to 100 points. The patrols earned awards in just about every event for a total of 6 awards: one 1st place, three 2nd place, and one 3rd place. Then they won the award for "BEST PATROL" at the 2007 Colonial District Spring Camporee.

Congratulations Troop 4077 Bat and Pine Tree Patrols!

Members of Troop 4077 Complete Rides for Cycling Merit Badge

October 8, 2006 -- Seven members of Troop 4077, all under 14 years old, have completed all the bicycle rides required for the Cycling Merit badge, including at least two rides each of 10 miles, 15 miles, and 25 miles, and ending with a 50 mile ride completed in under eight hours. On a beautiful October day, seven scouts and five adults road the full 45 mile W&OD trail starting from Purcellville, VA, connected to the Four Mile Run Trail and then the Mt Vernon Trail, and reached the Washington Sailing Marina to complete 50 miles. The group averaged a brisk 12.5 miles per hour, completing the ride in about five and half hours (including a number of snack breaks).

Congratulations to Cody, Cameron H., Cameron P., Griffin, Yong Hun, Nick, and Julian on a great achievement!

Troop 4077 Celebrates with Eagle Scout "VJ" F.

September 18, 2006 -- Vernon Joseph ("VJ") F. was officially awarded the rank of Eagle Scout during a ceremony at St. Mark's Church. VJ started Boy Scouts in Columbia, Missouri. There he completed Tiger Cubs and Cub Scouts. In 2000, he moved with his family to Alexandria where he completed Weblos and entered his career in Boy Scouts with Troup 1107. In 2002, when Troup 4077 was formed, VJ stepped up as a young Senior Patrol Leader and helped bring new scouts to the troop. His BSA summer camp and campout experiences gave him an appreciation for learning skills, opportunitites to work with his peers and train new scouts, and work effectively with adult leaders.

VJ's experience in scouts has helped him excel academically and in sports. He is in the High School International Baccalaureate program and expecially enjoys chemistry and mathematics. For years he also played on a touring soccer team and for the past two years has been one of the leaders on the High School Cross Country and Track and Field teams. The leadership skills and commitment necessary to succeed in Scouts has proved invaluable to VJ in school and sports, and will guide hime throughout his life.

VJ thanks his mom for working tirelessly with him from the time he was in Tiger Cubs in helping him achieve his Scouting goals.

Troop 4077 the "Best of the Best" at Scout Summer Camp

July 2006 -- Not even scorching heat, torrential thunderstorms, and swarms of man- and woman-eating mosquitos could stop the Troop 4077's "best of the best" from having a great Summer Camp experience at Camp Nanticoke, Henson Scout Reservation. The attending Troop members made several particularly noteworthy accomplishments this year.

Of the approximately 100 Troops who attended Henson this Summer, 4077 was only the second to prepare all their own meals at their campsite rather than eat in the Dining Hall (and the other Troop had their adults cook the meals)! Troop 4077's Scouts, under the supervision of the Patrol Leaders Council, prepared their own well-balanced menus (no Pop Tarts for us, thank you) and food lists prior to camp; set up their own Troop Commissary using the camp's refrigerators and freezers; and then, by patrols, cooked and cleaned up after themselves for a total of 15 meals during their week at camp. This was a significant accomplishment considering there were a total of five Scouts who were attending Summer Camp this year for the very first time, and this was the first time in its history that the Troop undertook such an ambitious program. We are proud to report that Troop 4077's' meals were better in quality and quantity than the meals that were served in the Dining Hall and, more importantly, they learned valuable lessons in the Patrol Method - sharing responsibility and teamwork; initiative (what to do when the pancakes get burned!); and self-sufficiency.
Our Scouts completed a total of 30 merit badges at camp, including several Eagle-required badges such as Lifesaving and Swimming, plus some old camp favorites like Riflery, Archery, Nature, and Wood Carving. Our Scouts also received "partials" in another 15 merit badges. Most of these "partials" are only short one or two requirements and should be completed before our Fall Court of Honor. Of note, two Scouts earned their Motorboating license, one Scout worked on the Water Skiing merit badge, two Scouts completed the Small Boat Sailing merit badge, and one Scout completed the Mile Swim. Our five Brownsea (first-year camper) Scouts were given instruction in most of the skills required for advancement up through First Class.
Even though we had a relatively small contingent at camp, our Scouts held their own in all the camp-wide events. Our Triathlon team took third-place overall; our soccer team lost a very tough first round battle with the Camp Staff team; and our entry in the Troop gateway competiton received an Honorable Mention.

Troop 4077 Campers, congratulations on a great job!

Another Eagle Scout for Troop 4077

On Monday, April 3, 2006, VJ F. passed his Board of Review with flying colors, becoming the second member of Troop 4077 to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

Congratulations VJ on a job very well done!

Troop 4077 Names First Junior Assistant Scout Masters

Because of their proven leadership ability and dedicated service to our Troop, effective April 17, 2006 Scout Master Joe P. has appointed Ryan, VJ, Kent, and Bobby to the Troop leadership position of Junior Assistant Scoutmaster (JASM). These JASMs have the following responsibilities:

Perform all duties of an Assistant Scoutmaster (except where prohibited by age requirements).
Serve as mentors to the Patrol Leaders/Assistant Patrol Leaders
Serve as advisors to the Patrol Leaders Council (PLC)
Serve as instructors for advanced Scoutcraft skills.
Conduct quarterly junior leader training for all members of the PLC.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Scoutmaster.

Congratulations Ryan, VJ, Kent, and Bobby!

Kent M. becomes Troop 4077's first Eagle Scout

On Monday, January 2, 2006 Kent Cameron M. became Troop 4077's first Eagle Scout. Kent has come a long way since his early years as a Cub Scout. He has learned to be a leader and, more importantly, how to be part of a team. He stepped up when Troop 4077 was founded in 2002 as our young Senior Patrol Leader, brought the first scouts together, and was largely responsible for attracting our first crop of new scouts. His BSA summer camp experiences gave him a keen appreciation for learning skills and being part of a large group of boys. Earning his BSA Lifeguard Certification allowed him to work as a lifeguard last summer. His many campout experiences gave him an opportunity to train the next generation of scouts and effectively work with the adult leaders.

Kent is kind, considerate and fun. He makes the most of every moment and works to make each experience a great memory for everyone. He is an accomplished snowboarder, Lacrosse attacker, wrestler, lifeguard, kayaker, rock climber, musician, honor roll student, and camper. Many of these accomplishments came as a direct result of his scouting experience. He would agree that Scouting made him into a better man and afforded him many opportunities. All of which have given him a greater confidence in all aspects of his life. Scouting made a difference.

Kent dedicated his Eagle ceremony -- in which the whole troop participated -- to his parents and grandparents as their first Eagle Scout.

Troop 4077 Supports "Scouting for Food"

On Saturday, November 12, our Scouts demonstrated once again why Troop 4077 is the "best of the best" by collecting well over 400 pounds of food items in support of the BSA "Scouting for Food" program. Due to the hard work of our Scouts - and adults - and the generosity of our neighbors, dozens of less fortunate families in our area will be able to enjoy a holiday meal this year.

Troop 4077 Raises Over $2,000 for Hurricane Victims

On Saturday, September 3, 2005, the scouts and their families held a car wash to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Through their hard work and the generosity of everyone who brought their cars to be washed, the troop raised $1,058.00. With another $1,058 in corporate matching funds, Troop 4077 made a donation of $2,116.00 to the Red Cross for the relief efforts. We are always proud to see our Scouts put into action the words of the Scout Oath and Law:

"On my honor, I will do my best . . . to help other people at all times" and
"A Scout is Helpful."

Special thanks to Rev. Weatherly and the St. Mark's congregation for allowing us to use the church grounds for our fundraiser, and to Mr. McQueen's company for their generosity matching the money we raised.

Last updated January 10, 2011.