On Sunday, members of our troop went on a canoe trip down the Fox River. We meet at St. Rita’s at 6:30 and then departed. The trip took about a good four hours, but we all had fun during the trip.
On the last week of July, our Troop headed for the L.E. Phillips for the annual Summer Camp. Our scouts earned lots of Merit Badges, cooked a couple meals, shot a few rifles, won an award or two, swam, sailed, but most importantly had fun. Lots of our younger scouts completed FYC (First Year Camper) so the can rank up to second or first class. Overall we had a great trip. GO TROOP 53 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Recently our troop went on a camp-out in Kaneville, IL. When we arrived, the weather was slightly under 70 degrees and then decided it was a good day for camping. We pitched our tents and then conducted the opening flag ceremony. An axe yard was set up by the most magnificent Mr. Gilmore and the older scouts at the camp-out started teaching the newer scouts the proper use of an axe, saw, and hatchet. Also around the camp fire, the other elder scouts were teaching the young-lings the requirements for the Firemen Chit. A good hour’s work later, the lessons were done and the fun begun. The scouts walked around the campsite, enjoying the never ending drone of the croaking frogs. The scouts enjoyed themselves for the afternoon, relaxing in the peaceful aroma. Toward dusk, we prepared our evening meal which consisted of wrapping potato slices, onions, and a frozen hamburger patty (with a little seasoning of course) in two sheets of aluminum foil. Then this package was placed over the hot coals and heated for about fifteen minutes. Finally after dinner, the scouts went back to their campsite and started a fire flavored with pine needles. The next morning the scouts ate excellently cooked bacon and eggs. We took down our tents and packed up. A closing ceremony was conducted and then everyone left for home.There were few ordeals other than the constant drone of frogs and the iron in the well water distilled over time. A quote from Kevin about the camp-out: “The easiest and most relaxing campout I’ve ever been on.”
Recently, our troop was featured for our voluntary help during the One Day Earth Day. Our scouts worked hard for a day to help the fellow citizens of our local area. They repaired the house of a family who couldn’t afford the building themselves. The organization the troop worked with was Rebuilding Together Aurora. Thank you boys for representing our troop and demonstrating the Scout Law.
The article can be found at http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/4657216-418/volunteers-join-to-spruce-up-aurora-homes.html and the RTA’s shout-out can be found at http://rtaurora.blogspot.com/2011/04/volunteer-shout-out_07.html
If you are a Webelos Scout looking for a boy scout troop, you’ve found it! You’re welcome to visit any of our regular Troop meetings on Monday nights at 7:00 and find out more about the exciting things we do in Troop 53. The Boy Scouts of Troop 53 enjoy canoeing, hiking, biking, fishing, camping, rank advancement and earning merit badges, just to name a few. Our weekly meetings are a place to learn, have fun and plan for our monthly outings. Our favorite outings are summer camp and the winter cabin campout.
Troop 53 is a boy-run Troop which began during the early 1990′s. Thanks to the strong support team of parents and leaders, we have produced many Eagle Scouts, the highest rank in scouting. The boy scouts of Troop 53 are represented by Annunciation School, Holy Angels School, Jefferson and Jewel middle schools, Freeman, Hall, St. Rita School, as well as Aurora Central, Marmion and West High.
Troop 53 Scouts have participated in many projects including Eagle projects that helped clean up and support wildlife efforts of Kane County Forest Preserves, recycling oil and paint products and efforts to provide flags to many of the public and parochial schools in Aurora.