2002, The Origins of Troop 272

By the beginning of August of 2002, my wife and I had decided to end our involvement with CCP, the chartering organization for Troop 316. This decision entailed the end of my involvement with Troop 316.

Having already put a good deal of work into preparing for the Craig Lake State Park High Adventure Outing, I did not want to leave Troop 316 until that outing was completed. Hence, I continued with Troop 316 until that outing was completed. The completion of that outing, for all practical purposes, marked the end of my tenure as Scoutmaster of Troop 316 from September of 1988 until August of 2002. I attended the Court of Honor in August, but only as a member of the audience.

Shortly after my family left Troop 316, we began efforts to form a new Boy Scout troop. During the interim, we tried to keep our two sons, who had been members of Troop 316, active in Scouting.

In September of 2002, Ethan and I joined Troop 33 on a canoeing outing to Camp Weidman near Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. In October of 2002, the two of us joined Troop 33 again, this time for the Council-wide Fall Camporee at Highfields.

During this interim period, Steven's friend Chris from Troop 43 in Dimondale, who had attended the Craig Lake State Park High Adventure Outing in August of 2002, indicated that he was interested in joining us if we were able to begin a new troop.

In order to take out a charter with the BSA to form a new troop, we needed to register a minimum of five Scouts with the new troop. By the latter part of October, we had recruited two new Scouts, Anthony and Jonathan. Together with Chris, Ethan, and Steven this gave us the required five Scouts.

The new group conducted its first troop meeting on October 22, 2002.

At the end of November of 2002, the new group conducted its first outing, an orienteering course at Fenner Nature Center in Lansing, Michigan.

In December, we conducted a bottle drive in Charlotte, Michigan. That same month, we applied for and received our charter from the Boy Scouts of America, making us a new Boy Scout troop, Troop 272 of the Mawanjidiwin District of the Chief Okemos Council of that proud organization, the Boy Scouts of America. Once again, the Lord had led us through hard times, when it seemed the end was in sight, to a new beginning. Praise the Lord!

Last Revised 08/16/03

John D. McCarthy