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Boy Scout Troop 202 History Caledonia UMC |
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ABOUT US |
Boy Scouting started in the Grand Rapids Area in March 1913 when 7 local leaders started the Furniture City Council. Troop Council/District Assignments Due to Caledonia’s location in Southern Kent County, the Troop suffered through a certain amount of re-districting of Councils and the Districts within the Council. The Furniture City Council name was changed to the Grand Valley Council in 1950 with the merger of the Allegan/Ottawa Council out of Holland. Duplicate Troop numbers within a Council was not permitted and the Grand Valley Council already had a Troop 2 out of Grand Haven. The Troop, which had been formerly known as Troop 2, became Troop 202 as a condition of the 1950 merger. The Council became the West Michigan Shores Council in Nov 1972. It was renamed the Gerald R Ford Council in 1996. Prior to 1964 the Troop was Assigned to the South Kent District in the Council. Jan 1964 the Troop was assigned to the Thornapple District out of Hastings Nov 1972 the Troop was assigned to the Thornapple/Grand District (District 3) out of GR May 1981 the Troop was assigned to Kent District out of Council Council Camps - 1925 - 1954 As of 1954, the Grand Valley Council Scouts had the following camps Camp Lion: 40 acres NE of Comstock Park Served up to four Troops. Owned since 1925 Camp Shawondossee: 225 acres 15 miles north of Muskegon on N Shore of Buck Lake near Lake Michillider. Owned by Council since 1934. Served as the summer Camp for up to 225 scouts at a time. Camp sites at Shawondossee included: Ottawa, Kickapoo, Chippewa, Iroquois, Winnebago, Delaware, and Mohawk. Camp Ottawa: 40 acres 7 miles east of Newago on the North Shore of Pettit Lake. This location was leased from Consumers Power Served 125 Scouts. Camp sites at Ottawa included: Mohawk Valley, Bonnie Highland, Oak Grove, Thunder Mountain, and Wilderness. Camp Kirk: 40 acres on Lake Michigan north of Port Sheldon. Served 24 scouts. Owned since 1925. Camp Taylor: 10 acres 3 miles east of Fennville next to Allegan State Forest. Served up to 18 scouts. Owned since 1946
SCOUTING BEGINS IN CALEDONIA In 1922, Herman Hale started the first Boy Scout Troop in Caledonia and served as its first Scoutmaster. At the time Scouting started in Caledonia, some locals thought of it as a para-military unit so after existing during the 1920’s that groups disbanded. We do not know its Troop Number. Mr. Hale had been a Captain in the Army during WW1 and was later re-commissioned a Major when WW2 broke out. Major Hale, as he was called by the Scouts, lived until his death in 1973 at 300 South Street at the end of Church Street. Major Hale was also the head of a local group of hunters called "The One Eyed Jack Rod & Gun Club" which included Jack Loring, Dobber Wenger, Alex Neil and others. They liked to hunt and would take the Scouts to Camp Lion. Major Hale had three sons, all of which were in scouting. During the Jack Loring era, the 'One Eyed Jack & Gun Club' would take the Scouts to Jack Loring’s Cabin near Kiva, Michigan on the Whitefish River for their Summer Camp experience Caledonia Schools Parent/Teacher Association Sponsors Troop 2 - 1936 Scouting was revived in Caledonia in October 1936 with scouting being a School Activity and the Scoutmasters being a series of Schoolteachers. The High School Annual specifically says the Troop was given a new number when the school took it over. The 1937 annual reveals teacher Mr Potts as the Scoutmaster. Math teacher Russell Therrien served as the last Teacher/Scoutmaster from 1946 to 1948 when sponsorship transferred to the United Brethren Church in 1949. Year Scoutmaster 1936 - 37 Mr Potts 1938 - 39 Mr Woodrow Eber 1940 Mr Burgoyne 1941 Mr Al Finkbeiner 1942* 1943 Mr Henry Harvey 1944 Mr Scott 1945 ???? 1946 - 48 Mr Russell Therrien See pages from School Annuals for members and activities. *No 1942 photo: Student Council minutes in Oct 41 show the Student Council offered student groups the right to sell ‘paddle pops’ for them but the Scouts withdrew from it in Nov 41. In Mar 1942, the Student Council required all groups to get a ‘Charter’ from them to be a registered activity to qualify for your activities photo in the annual. The Boy Scouts though they were sponsored by the PTA applied for the Charter but they and the Varsity Club’s charter was ‘postponed’. The Student Council approved the Charter in Apr 42 with an ‘as of’ date of Sep 42 so their photo did not get included in the 1942 annual. This Troop also was reported as Troop II in the 1947 School Annual and in the South Kent Press in 1948. It is not known if this was supposed to be ‘eleven’ or a fancy ‘two’. United Brethren Church Sponsors Troop 2 and 202, 1949 - 1957 Jerry Steinfort organized the Scout Troop under the United Brethren Church in 1949 where he was a member. The Brethren Church, now the Township Library Building, remained the Sponsor until 1957. Mr Jerry Steinfort was the Scoutmaster during these years and Dobber Wenger was an Assistant Scoutmaster. A review of the ‘South Kent News’ during the Steinfort era reveals: 7/21/49 Troop went to see the local minor league team, the Chicks play baseball 9/1/49 Troop held a court of Honor and Steinfort moved the meeting day from Tuesday to Monday. August campout had to be canceled due to the Polio epidemic. 8/10/50 Scouts went with Assistant Scoutmasters Hugh Keggerues and Leatherman to Copper Harbor visiting St Ignance, Big Spring and Thquanoman Falls. 12/50 The Troop was officially Troop 202. The new Committee Chair was Bob Campbell 12/28/50 Troop went on its Polar Bear to Camp Noonday in Yankee Springs. The three small Brethren Church parishes of Byron, Caledonia, and Bowne were all being served by the same pastor. In 1957 the three churches merged, and established and built, a single church at 92nd and Kalamazoo. Thus, a new troop sponsor was sought.
Caledonia United Methodist Church Sponsors Troop 202 and Pack 3202 in March 1958 The Caledonia United Methodist Church assumed the sponsorship of Troop 202 in the spring of 1958 with Gordon Bell as Scoutmaster and Jack Loring as Committee Chairman. That summer Ken Glacker, who had just received his own Eagle Rank in 1957 from Cascade Troop 334 became the Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 202. Beginning in 1959, Ken served as Scoutmaster until 1978. Ray Nolan appears during all this time as an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 202 until he moved to Seattle in the 1970’s. On Feb 8, 1960, a large celebration dinner was held in the Masonic Hall in Caledonia to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Scouting in America. In 1960 Jack Loring became the Troop Committee Chair, a post he held continuously until 1991. # of Eagle Years Scoutmaster Ranks 1949 - 57 Jerry Steinfort ? 1958 Gordon Bell 0 1959 -78 Ken Gackler 10 1979 - 85 Ronald Shook 5 1986 - 90 Jim VanderWoude 5 1991 - 92 Gary Champlin 1 1993 Butch Mursch 3 1994 - Present Frederick Fleischmann 5
Alaska Troop 289, 1950-1962 – Alaska Baptist Church As early as 1939 Troop 2 had a "Alaska Patrol" of Scouts in the Village of Alaska with Mr Gibbs of Caledonia Schools specifically assigned to it. In the early 50's, a separate Troop was organized by Gilbert Rich Sr under the Baptist Church, which lasted with 10-12 boys until the early 1960's, and then, after a short lapse, it was restarted by Mr Rich again under the Alaska Parents Club. During the early 50's, Mr Jim Corter and then Gilbert Rich served as Scoutmaster. One old scout believed Gilbert Rich Jr. and Jim Kilmer were Eagle Scouts but that must be verified. Grover Seating and Mr Benn and Bill Friske served as Assistant Scoutmasters during the 1950’s. Ronald Keatings son, Ralph Keating who was a Scout in this Troop was killed in Vietnam in 1967. Other Scouts were Leon & Jim Wisnieskis, Marc Fleischmann, Harry Lysdale, Gibb Rich Jr, Tom Fuller, Jim & Steve Kilmer, Grover Seating, Don Postema and DeBrie. # of Eagle Years Scoutmaster Ranks 1950-54? Jim Corter 1950-58 Gilbert Rich 2? 1958-60 Ronald Keating 1960-61 Ken Clausen 1959-60 Clair Waite 0 1960-63 William Lysdale 0 1963-64 John Barfess 0
Alaska Parents Club Re-Sponsors Troop 289, Nov 1967 - 1978 A group of parents in the Village of Alaska started Troop 289 in Nov 1967 and began meeting at Kettle Lake Elementary School on Wednesdays. One Scout that began with Troop 289 became an Eagle Scout with Troop 202, Douglas Benn. Several boys transferred from this troop to troop 202 in Caledonia. This was largely due to difficulty advancing the scouts. This troop was dropped in Mar 72 and again in Mar 74 because of late renewals but reactived both times. The third time in 1978 it did not resume. # of Eagle Years Scoutmaster Ranks No Troop 1964 - 1966 1967-71 Robert VanHeynengan 1972-73 Lawrence Colborn 1974-76 Erwin Hermann 1977-78 Dick Snyder
Holy Family Church Sponsors Troop 310, Jan 1975 - Mar 1978 Another Scout Troop was started in 1975 and existed for three years. Troop 310 was sponsored by the Holy Family Catholic Church at the request of Ken Stanick, whose boys had been in Troop 202. Mr Dale Gipe (1975 -76) and Gary D Mitchell (1977-78) served as Scoutmasters. Rumor has it that it began over an alleged offense when Mr Stanicks son got Soap as a Christmas gift at the December 70 party. Gary Mitchell and his 3 sons were the only blacks in the Township. Dutton Legion Post 564 sponsors Troop 220 Between Nov 1949 and 1954, the Dutton Legion sponsored Troop 220. It met in the Fire Barn and had about 20 scouts. Norris Field was their first Scoutmaster in 1949. Mr Field was the second Scoutmaster from 1950 – 51.
EXPLORING POSTS IN CALEDONIA – 1950’S Exploring was adopted by the National Boy Scout Council in 1947 for ages 15-21. In 1949, this age range was lowered to 14-21. In 1948, Exploring took in the Separate Air Scout activities. The concept was that by age 14, the local Boy Scout Troop would transfer its older boys into an Explorer Post. The Explorer Post served to teach the older boys about various career fields. Until 1960, Scouts were allowed to obtain their Eagle Rank up to age 21 if they were associated with an Explorer Post. The age to obtain the Eagle rank was dropped to age 18 in 1960 where it remains. Between 1947 and 1960 most Boy Scouts could effectively only advance to 1st Class in a scout troop. After becoming 1st Class, they had to become ‘Explorer Scouts’ for their Star, Life, and Eagle Ranks. Advancement suffered accordingly. Complicating this locally was the Christian Reformed Church Synod adopted in 1952 a resolution of opposition to Scouting for its ‘Unionistic Tendencies." About this time both the Christian Reformed and the Baptist Churches started their own youth program for boys (Cadets and ???) based on the Scouting model. Alaska Parents start Post 2289 – 1950’s Gibb Rich started the first Explorer Post in Caledonia Township. Post 2289 was organized in the early 1950’s for the scouts associated with Troop 289 in Alaska. United Methodist Church starts Explorer Post 2202 – 1961 - 1971 School Principle Millard Engle began the Caledonia Explorer Post, Post 2202 in Oct 1961 for the older boys age 14 with the following Explorer Advisors 1961 - 63 Keith Ward 1964 Frederick Tape 1965- Apr 68 Jerry Steinfort Apr 68 - Apr 70 Don Babcock Apr 70 - Apr 71 Leonard Cox Wayne Rogers who began his scouting career with Troop 202 was the only Eagle Scout from this Explorer Post. He also received one palm. Ken Clemens, Eagle Scout from 202 transferred into this Post and received a palm in 1967. This unit was dropped by the Council in July 1, 1971. United Methodist Church starts Venture Crew Unit 2202 for ‘Rangers’ – May 1999 The Unit was restarted in May 1999 by Scoutmaster Frederick Fleischmann and Asst Scoutmaster Thomas Kohl with Ron Shook as Committee Chair. They began the Ranger Program in June 1999 as a Venture Crew Unit for 5 advanced scouts.
CUB SCOUTING BEGINS IN CALEDONIA - 1947 In 1933 the National Boy Scout Council adopted Cub Scouting for boys ages 9, 10, & 11. In 1949, this age range was reduced to 8,9 & 10 when the Explorer age rank dropped to 18. Caledonia PTA Sponsors Pack 3002 - 1947 Stan and Donna Stawski began Cub Scouting in 1947 with Pack 3002. The Pack number was changed to 3202 to match the affiliated Caledonia Scout Troop 202. By this time Pack 3002 had 13 dens and extended all the way to Alto. The Committee Chair in 1949 was William Ellis with S.J. Stawski as Cubmaster. According to the South Kent Newspaper Cub Pack 3002 seems to have died about 1951 in Caledonia because the following year, the Caledonia PTA was petitioned by local parents to resume having a Pack Alaska Demonstration Club sponsors Pack 3289 - 1953 The announcement for the First South Kent District Appreciation Dinner on Nov 19, 1953 at Lee School showed that the Alaska Demonstration Club was sponsoring Pack 3289. The Demonstration Club and the later Alaska Friendship Club were created from an Extension program by Michigan State University that began as far back as the 1930’s. Ken Glacker may have the monthly minute books of the Alaska Demonstration Club. Kettle Lake School Sponsors Pack 3289 - 1968 Between 1968 and 1977 the Kettle Lake School sponsored Pack 3289. In 19XX, the Kettle Lake School re-started its Cub Pack, which was then designated Pack 3201. The Peace Reformed Church also sponsored a Cub Pack 3444 from Oct 1973 to 1978. Caledonia PTA Sponsors Pack 3202 - 1950 The training log for Fall 1950 shows that Cub Pack 3202 existed and the Mr Demarest was the Cubmaster. Pack 3202 sponsorship transferred to the United Methodist Church in 1958. United Methodist Church sponsors Pack 3202 – 1958 The Methodist Church took over the Caledonia Cub Pack and Boy Scout Troop at the suggestion of Mr Steinfort in 1958.
Name Eagle Board Date Troop/Post Believed Early Eagle Scouts from Caledonia Township Phillip Hale 1930’s? 2* Carl Hale 1940’s? 2* ????? Preston 1940’s? 2* Gibert L. Rich, Jr 1950’s 289* James Kilmer 1950’s 289* John Barfus Jr 1965 289* Thomas Hodges Dec 1959 2202** *Not on Troop Plaque ** Not on Troop Plaque, Confirmed from Council Records. May be a Scout from another District Known Eagle Scouts from Caledonia Township Date Posted Court of Troop and/or Eagle Board Honor Date Explorer Post Kenneth Gackler (From Cascade Explorers) 1957 202/2334* Thomas L Gordon 6 May 1962 202 Kenneth E. Clemens Dec 64 18 Jan 65 202 Larry D. Kaechele Dec 64 7 Feb 65 202 Wayne E. Rogers 12 Jun 1966 2202 Daniel L. Benn Dec 1968 16 Dec 1968 202 Brian J. Shook 18 June 1972 202 John "Chip" DeVries 4 Feb 1973 202 Mike Newell 4 Feb 1973 202 Theodore Cutler 4 Feb 1973 202 Douglas Benn 11 Dec 1973 289/202 Donald Passenger 8 Feb 1976 202 Todd Diefenbaker 8 Feb 1981 202 Dennis Shook 20 Sep 1981 202 Robert Johnston 18 Oct 1981 202 Steven P. Lentz 9 Nov 1986 202 James C. Nickelson 7 May 1989 202 John Striplin 10 Dec 1989 202 Todd VanderWoude 22 Apr 1989 202 Andrew Foster 5 May 1990 202 David K. Mack 20 July 1993 202 Dennis Rozell 25 July 1993 202 Jason Eakins 19 Sep 1993 202 Luke Champlin 7 Nov 1993 202 Jasen M. Johnson 20 Dec 94 XX Jan 1995 202 Eric L. Fleischmann 18 Apr 1995 1995 202 Steven Mursch 17 Oct 1995 1996 202 Jeffrey Foster 19 Nov 1996 1996 202 Rustin L. Manning 18 Mar 1997 1997 202 Ian W. Fleischmann 21 Oct 1997 1997 202 Mark Osgerby 11 Mar 1998 1998 202 Brian M Davis 20 Apr 1999 1999 202
TROOP 202 - UNIT COMMISSIONERS George Schroeder 1960 Paul Campbell 1961-1963 George Rodgers 1964 John DeVries 1965-1966, 1976-1984 Arthur House 1967-1969 Richard Jensen 1970-1973 Edward Passenger 1974-1975 Ronald Shook 1985
TROOP 202 - COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Howard Gehl 1960 George Schroder 1961 Jack Loring 1962-1991 Ronald Shook 1991- Present
TROOP 202 - SCOUTMASTERS
Herman Hale 1922-192X (No Troop) 192X-1935 Mr Potts 1936 - 37 Woodrow Eber 1938 - 39 Mr Burgoyne 1940 Mr Al Finkbeiner 1941 ???? 1942 Henry Harvey 1943 Mr Scott 1944 ???? 1945 Russell Therrien 1946-1948 Jerry Steinfort 1949-1957 Gordon Bell 1958 Ken Gackler 1959-1978 Ronald Shook 1978-1985 Jim VanderWoude 1986-1990 Gary Champlin 1991-1992 Butch Mursch 1993 Fred Fleischmann 1994-Present
TROOP 202 - INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Ron Shook 1997, 1991-1994
TROOP 202 - ASSISTANT SCOUTMASTERS 1961-1986
Eugene Schiefla 1960 Herman Hale 1960-1983 Keith Ward 1960-1963 Harold Cavner 1960-1962 Henry Basarabski 1961-1962 Al Niles 1962-1963 William Yarrington 1962-1964 Donald Willyard 1962 Bill Argue 1962 Dean Bellgraph 1962 Lawrence Gehl 1963-1964 Frank Agrusa 1964 James Dustin 1964-1966 Gary Durkee 1964 George Burrows 1964 Frederick Tape 1964 Tom Gordon 1964-1966, 1970 Richard Terpstra 1964-1966 Jim Van Oost 1966-1968 Jerry Steinfort 1967 Ed Schiefa 1968-1973 Jay Shook 1970-1974 Gerald Durkee 1971-1972, 1974 Don Babcock 1972 Ron Pyper 1974-1976 Roy Hall 1974-1975 Jeff Aley 1975-1977 Kenneth Clemens 1975 Michael McCormick 1975 Ron Shook 1977-1978 Larry Finkbeiner 1979 Ken Gackler 1979-1985 Todd Diefenbaker 1983-1985 Dennis Shook 1983-1985 James Nickelson 1985
Quality Unit Awards
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Antidotes In 1964, Ken Glacker took 6 scouts to the Seattle Worlds Fair taking three weeks. They spent 5 days in Seattle, 3 at the Worlds Fair, one touring the Boeing Plant and one seeing Mr Nolan again. He could only get around with a cane but the boys presented him with a plaque for being "their firs Scoutmaster". In 1970’s Ken Gackler, Roger Loring and ????????? went to Philmont. Camp Roger Chafee was by Everert, Michigan Camp Blackhawk was one of the several camps run by Owissippi near Camp Gerber. In 1999 the troop under assistant scoutmaster Thomas Kohl took three boys (Kohls (2), West) to Philmont |
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Caledonia United Methodist Church |
