2010 Annual Report

TROOP HISTORY

Troop #782 was first chartered in 1954 or 1955 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Livonia, MI.  Rev. Jay Coulter was the founding Pastor of St. Andrew’s, and  Jack Comstock and Sam Spears were two of the first leaders of the troop and troop committee.

Little is known of the earliest days of scouting activities at St. Andrew’s, except that in 1960, David Friedrichs became its 1^st Eagle Scout.  In 1958 or 1959, David’s dad, Dr. Donald Friedrichs, had come from New York State to become Principal of Bentley High School in Livonia.  To date, 248 boys in Troop #782 have become Eagle Scouts.  Douglas McDonald was scoutmaster in 1968, followed by David Cameron in 1969 and Ken Bourgon in 1970 who is scoutmaster to the present day.

So many assistant scoutmasters have guided our scouts and planned their activities along the way.  Included in those with many years of service are Paul Mason, Jim Young, Ed Sulick, Eric Haupt, Tom Wallace, Ed Hanish, Steve Tarbet, Dave Johnson, Larry Keeler, Virgil Salois, Jim Irvine, Warren Kellner, Dave Briggs, Bill Bowman, Bill McCarley, Mel Oakley, Craig Moeller and too many more to mention.

The troop has gone to summer camp every year since 1969, and usually has an additional high adventure activity each summer as well.  Its’ first trip west to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico was taken in 1972, and subsequently the troop has returned to the Sangre de Christo Mountains every three or four years since that time.  Trips to National Scout Jamborees, to the Sea Base in the Florida Keys, to the Wilderness Base of Ely, Minnesota or Atikoken, Ontario, to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and to Isle Royale in Lake Superior have served to maintain excitement and enthusiasm for older scouts in the troop.

In 1976, some 75 boys and dads went east to Philadelphia to participate in our countries’ Bicentennial Celebration, and this was the start of our annual spring trip.  Every year since that time on a long weekend vacation from school, we have traveled to Toronto, Ontario, or New York City, to Washington, D.C. or Chicago, to Springfield, Illinois and St. Louis or to Huntsville, Alabama and Nashville, Tennessee, along with Boston, MA and Atlanta, GA.  We have climbed mountains, descended into caves and mines, scaled and wandered battlefields, visited historic sites and presidential graves, snorkeled, canoed, and white water rafted all over the Eastern and Central United States and as far west as Utah.

Many older scouts have served as Senior Patrol Leader, and they are listed below:

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