Saturday, March 7, under gray skies that produced no rain, Richardson Boy Scout Troop 81, New Life Church, won overall first-place honors at the North Trail District Camporee.  Including Saturday evening guests, 949 people attended the annual event, held at Camp Cherokee on Circle Ten Council’s 3,300-acre Clements Scout Reservation in Athens, Texas.

Troop 751, First United Methodist Church of Richardson, finished second, and Richardson Troop 1001, Trinity Bible Church, was third.  Webelos Cub Scouts, hosted by Lake Highlands Troop 719, St. Patrick Catholic Church, placed first overall in Cub Scout competition.

Representing 22 troops and organized into 47 patrols, 472 Boy Scouts, participated, celebrating “The World Brotherhood of Scouting.”  Robert S.S. Baden-Powell started the Boy Scout movement in England in 1907, and three years later, the American Boy Scout program was begun.  Today, Scouting is the largest voluntary youth movement in the world, with a membership of more than 25 million.    

Camporee featured 17 competitive events for Boy Scouts.  Required events included fire building, first aid, and an orienteering pentathlon.  Among optional events were troop tunes, camp-fire entertainment, senior patrol leader international dessert, and world Scout history. 

Seventy-six Webelos Cub Scouts competed in B-B guns, fire building, flag etiquette and history, and safe use of knife and woods tools.  “Fifth-grade Cubs will earn their Arrow of Light awards this spring, and then we hope they will join a Boy Scout Troop,” said Guy New, Cubmaster of Richardson Pack 778, MarkTwainElementary School.  “By attending Camporee with a troop, the boys and their parents experience what the Boy Scout program is all about.”

Also, 53 Boy Scouts and adults were honored by their troops with invitations to join Yanush Chapter, Mikanakawa Lodge, Order of the Arrow.  Forty-seven others made their membership permanent through Brotherhood conversion.  Order of the Arrow honors youth and adult campers for striving to live the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives, promoting camping traditions, and cheerfully serving others. 

Continuing a tradition of many years, Order of the Arrow members planned and coordinated the weekend.   Richardson Troop 751 Eagle Scouts Trevor Hodges and Michael Yancey were co-youth leads.  Martin Ward, Scoutmaster of Troop 2485, Dover Elementary School, was the adult lead.  They were supported by a staff of 75 Boy Scouts, 38 adult volunteers, and 213 adult leaders and parents who camped with their troops.

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Richardson resident Alan Edwards is among those who report on North Trail District Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Venture, and Varsity activities.