Scouting is Alive and Thriving in Portland!

Kurt Fedewa

13 minutes ago

2 min read

Scoutmaster Bryan Gehrcke says that Portland’s Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are having a fantastic year, making friends, serving their community, and learning new skills.

The Boy Scout program has produced three Eagle Scouts in the past twelve months. These young men include Matthew Simon of Portland High School, Cooper Gehrcke of St. Patrick School, and Sawyer Dakin of PHS.

In addition to this impressive record of Eagle Scouts, Mr. Gehrcke says the Scouts have been heavily involved in community service while also enjoying all that Scouting has to offer.

Boy Scout accomplishments this year include:

• Participating in the 9/11 memorial ceremony alongside area fire departments.

• Partnering with the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Lansing to earn boater safety certificates.

• Volunteering at Portland Community Day to assist vendors.

• Helping with local recycling efforts.

• Attending a week-long summer camp in Clare, where the Scouts collectively earned 70 merit badges.

• Assisting with the Memorial Day flag ceremony and flag retirement.

• Visiting the Veterans’ Museum in Muskegon.

Not to be outdone by their older friends in the Boy Scouts, the Cub Scouts have also been very active. Mr. Gehrcke says the Cubs have compiled an impressive list of accomplishments of their own. These include:

• Enjoying a family camping weekend in Portland.

• Cleaning up the River Walk Trail.

• Hosting a gathering at the Splash Pad, offering hot dogs and refreshments to the community.

• Participating alongside the Boy Scouts in the Fourth of July parade.

• Visiting a World War II landing ship in Muskegon.

“The Boy Scouts and the Cubs deserve a round of applause!” said Mr. Gehrcke.

There’s always room for more Scouts! Both the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts welcome new members. Parents and individuals interested in learning more may contact Mr. Gehrcke at portlandtroop129@gmail.com for the Boy Scouts or portlandpack258@gmail.com for the Cub Scouts.

With community service, outdoor adventures, new skills, and lasting friendships, Scouting continues to thrive in Portland!

Courtesy photo