By Kathy Brown, Committee Member, Troop #44/44G.
(June 28, 2024) — Haddam BSA Troops #44 (for boys ages 11-17) and #44G (for girls ages 11-17) held their spring Court of Honor on Tuesday June 4, 2024.
Scoutmaster Mark Pach led the ceremony, (photo above, with assistance from Sr. Patrol Leader Nick Boynton and Asst. Sr. Patrol Leader Soren Tassmer), which was held at the First Congregational Church of Haddam.
The Court of Honor kicked off with the crossing over of one cub scout, Caleb Denison, from Cub Scout Pack 40. (photo above)
There were twelve rank advancements:
- Harrison Reed earned Life Scout
- Dylan Brown, Zach Lloyd, Liam Sikora, and Caiden Taylor earned Star Scout
- Zach Lloyd and Devin Weems earned First Class
- Aaron Frank, Riley Fritz, Zach Lloyd, and Benny Mueller earned Second Class
- Dakota Camire earned Tenderfoot
There were twenty-two merit badges awarded to Scouts. The Scouts earned merit badges at Merit Badge Madness (Council event), at Scout meetings, and during other troop activities. Many of them will earn more merit badges at Summer Camp, which is held the last week of July at Camp Mattatuck in Plymouth, Connecticut.
The following merit badges were awarded (number of Scouts who earned the merit badge in parentheses):
- American Business (1)
- Camping (3)
- Citizenship in the Community (2)
- Citizenship in the Nation (2)
- Communication (1)
- Cooking (1)
- Emergency Preparedness (1)
- First Aid (3)
- Law (1)
- Personal Fitness (2)
- Personal Management (1)
- Snow Sports (1)
- Swimming (2)
- Traffic Safety (1)
After rank advancements and merit badges were awarded, the Court of Honor continued with the awarding of an Eagle Scout to Liam Emigh. More information will be forthcoming in a separate article.
After the Court of Honor, the Scouts and their families had cake, desserts and drinks outside.
The troops are very active: camping once a month while school is in session, going on a 3-4 day camping trip each May in various locations around New England (this year’s spring trip was held in Vermont), attending a week of summer camp at Camp Mattatuck, holding three can-and-bottle drives a year at the Higganum Community Center (the Saturday following each Memorial Day, Labor Day, and New Year’s Day), and doing various community service in our town.
Troop #44G, for girls, is a regional troop, with Scouts from several surrounding towns (any town nearby which doesn’t have their own girls’ troop including Chester, Deep River, East Haddam, and others).
If anyone ages 11-17 is interested in learning more about or joining either troop, please come to any regular meeting, which is held when school is in session at the First Congregational Church of Haddam, Tuesday nights 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. or send an email to Tiffany Fritz at tiffanykellerfritz@gmail.com, Scoutmaster Troop #44G or Mark Pach at markcp571@gmail.com, Scoutmaster Troop #44.
Photos by Kathy Brown
