By Kathy Brown, Committee Member, Troop #44/44G.
(January 2, 2025) — Haddam BSA Troops #44 (for boys ages 11-17) and #44G (for girls ages 11-17) held their fall Court of Honor on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
Scouts Waylon Page and A.J. Frank led the ceremony, with assistance from Scoutmaster Mark Pach, which was held at the First Congregational Church of Haddam.
There were 69 merit badges awarded to Scouts. The Scouts earned merit badges at Summer Camp, which is held the last week of July each year at Camp Mattatuck in Plymouth, Connecting, at Scout meetings, during other troop activities, and sometimes on their own with assistance from a Merit Badge Counselor.
The following merit badges were awarded (number of Scouts who earned the merit badge in parentheses):
- Astronomy (2)
- Automotive Maintenance (2)
- Aviation (1)
- Camping (2)
- Canoeing (1)
- Citizenship in the Community (1)
- Citizenship in the World (1)
- Citizenship in the Society (6)
- Climbing (1)
- Communication (3)
- Cooking (3)
- Electronics (1)
- Emergency Preparedness (3)
- Environmental Science (2)
- Family Life (2)
- Fish and Wildlife Management (1)
- Fishing (4)
- Fly Fishing (1)
- Geocaching (3)
- Law (1)
- Leatherwork (1)
- Lifesaving (1)
- Mammal Study (2)
- Metalwork (1)
- Moviemaking (2)
- Personal Fitness (3)
- Personal Management (2)
- Pets (2)
- Railroading (1)
- Rifle Shooting (6)
- Small boat Sailing (2)
- Swimming (3)
- Welding (2)
There were nine rank advancements:
- Dylan Brown, Liam Brown, and Zach Lloyd earned Life Scout
- Devin Weems earned Star Scout
- A.J. Frank, Ryan McCue, and Mason Weems earned First Class
- Waylon Page earned Tenderfoot
- Caleb Dennison earned Scout
After rank advancements and merit badges were awarded, the Court of Honor continued with the awarding of an Eagle Scout to Colin Mitchell. More information will be forthcoming in a separate article.
Soren also earned his gold palm award, which is when a Scout earns ten merit badges after earning his Eagle rank. The palm was pinned on by his mother.
After the Court of Honor, the Scouts and their families had desserts and drinks. They also brought donations of non-perishable food, toiletries, and paper goods for the Haddam Food Bank.
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.
