By Kathy Brown, Committee Member, Troop #44/44G.
(December 11, 2023) — Haddam BSA Troops #44 (for boys ages 11-17) and #44G (for girls ages 11-17) held their fall Court of Honor on November 28, 2023.
Scouts Nick Boynton (photo above, right) and Liam Emigh (photo above, left) led the ceremony which was held at the First Congregational Church of Haddam. There were 19 rank advancements:
- Dakota Camire, Hugh Law, Waylon Page and Declan Sikora earned Scout rank
- AJ Frank, Owen Rizzo, and Benny Mueller earned Tenderfoot rank
- Ryan McCue earned Second Class rank
- Caiden Taylor, Liam Sikora, Dylan Brown and Liam Brown earned First Class rank
- Cooper Meehl, Harrison Reed, Liam Brown, and Nicholas Boynton earned Star rank
- Jaden Frank, Nicholas Boynton, and Cooper Meehl earned Life rank
There were 81 merit badges awarded to 20 Scouts. Seven Scouts earned five or more merit badges since the last Court of Honor held in Fall 2022. The Scouts earned merit badges at summer camp, at Scout meetings, or during other troop activities.
The following merit badges were awarded (number of Scouts who earned the merit badge in parentheses):
- Automotive Maintenance (2)
- Aviation (1)
- Basketry (3)
- Camping (5)
- Chess (1)
- Citizenship in the Nation (3)
- Citizenship in the Society (3)
- Citizenship in the World (11)
- Climbing (2)
- Communication (5)
- Cooking (2)
- Cycling (1)
- Emergency Preparedness (5)
- Environmental Science (5)
- Family Life (2)
- First Aid (1)
- Kayaking (1)
- Leatherwork (1)
- Lifesaving (2)
- Mammal Study (1)
- Metalwork (1)
- Personal Fitness (2)
- Personal Management (1)
- Pets (2)
- Photography (1)
- Public Speaking (1)
- Rifle Shooting (2)
- Robotics (2)
- Shotgun Shooting (2)
- Small Boat Sailing (1)
- Space Exploration (1)
- Swimming (4)
- Weather (1)
- Welding (2)
- Wilderness Survival (1)
After the Court of Honor, the Scout Committee, Haddam Citizens for Scouting, treated the Scouts and their families to a pasta dinner. Scouts and their parents brought drinks and desserts to share.
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, attending a week of summer camp at Camp Mattatuck in Plymouth, Connecticut, 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 varied community service in our town.
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 Jason Brown
