Are you an Arrow of Light scout looking for a Scout Troop to cross over to? or maybe you are new to Scouting and want a great Troop to join?
Either way, Troop 437 welcomesall youth to come and experience the adventure of scouting! Visit one of our meetings to experience what Scouting is all about and what makes Troop 437 a great Scout Troop.
We meet every Thursday evening when school is in session. Meetings start at 7:00 pm at the American Legion Post 437 at 114 Dunstable Road. Feel free to contact us at info@westfordtroop437.us and let us know you are coming or to contact us with any questions. For more information about the troop, you can start at our About Us webpage.
Sign-ups are due Thursday, May 9th before the Troop meeting ends
The May trip for Troop 437 will be a camping trip to Purgatory Chasm. Always popular with the scouts, this trip includes scrambling over glacial rock formations and through natural caves. For more information visit: Purgatory Chasm State Reservation Mass.gov.
We will be tent camping at Sutton Falls Camping Area, 90 Manchaug Road, Sutton, MA and driving to Purgatory Chasm for the day. Adults attending the trip will be needed to assist with transport to and from Purgatory State Reservation. We will arrive on Saturday mid-afternoon, set up camp, prepare dinner, late campfire and cracker barrel, before turning in. Sunday we will have breakfast, pack a lunch, head to Purgatory Chasm, then return Sunday afternoon. Carpooling will be available starting from and returning to ‘Mac-N-Choose’ on the North side of Rt 110 opposite the Whole Foods (Abbott school lot will be hosting the fair)
Outing: Purgatory Chasm Camping Trip, Sutton, MA. Leave: 2 PM on Saturday, May 18th - carpooling from Mac-N-Choose for arrival around 3:30PM Depart: Campsite 9:00 AM on Sunday, May 19th for Purgatory Chasm Return: To Westford at ~ 2:30 PM Cost: $30 includes campsite, Saturday dinner and cracker barrel, Sunday breakfast, lunch.
This Saturday (5/4) is our annual Bike Sale and Sporting Goods Sale. This is the only fundraiser for the Troop. We have been collecting a lot of donated bikes and sporting goods and more will be coming in on Friday and Saturday. The sale attracts a lot of people from Westford and surrounding towns.
To make this work we need everyone in the Troop to help out - that includes scouts and parents. This is an All-Hands-On-Deck event. This is a good opportunity for all parents to help support the troop. It It looks like the weather will be nice and we will have a good time on Westford Common.
There are many opportunities to help - please check out the signup link below.
In particular, we need:
More adults and scouts to help Saturday morning during the setup, and the beginning of the sale which is always the busiest.
Baked goods for our bake sale
Anyone with a truck, van, or trailer to help transport bikes and sporting goods
Please sign up for at least one-time slot to help on Saturday. The sign-up sheet is here: 2024 Bike Sale Volunteer & Equipment Signup. More details are in the mail below from the bike sale committee.
Thank you to everyone who has helped out already and those who have already signed up!
Every scout should go to summer camp! It is a great opportunity to have your scout immersed in the scouting program while experiencing adventure and learning valuable life skills.
The Signup form: 2024 Summer Camp Sign-up (google.com). I would ask everyone going to came please fill out this form now so we know how many scouts are going.
The $530 fee can be paid via Venmo or check. After Thursday the full price of camp will be $560.
Sign-up deadline: Signup and payment are due by April 25th to receive early-bird pricing
Camp Fees: The week of summer camp costs $560. However, if paid to the Troop by April 25th there is an early-bird discount of $30 making the camp fee $530. Assistance is available if needed - we want every scout to experience summer camp! See details at Scout Troop 437 | Summer camp: Wanocksett scout reservation.
Medical Forms: Medical forms signed by your medical provider are required for scouts and adults attending summer camp. Those need to be signed in the last 12 months. If you are going to need a physical to get the form filled out then now is a great time to schedule that. Medical forms are due by June 6th! A link to the medical form is available at the above camp URL. Scouts need sections A, B, C, and if applicable, D-NH (if the participant has an epi pen or inhaler). Part D-MA is not needed for our summer camp.
Financial Assistance: Need-based camperships are available from the camp. The deadline for applying for the assistance is April 1st. The link to the request form can be found at the above camp URL. If you plan to apply for assistance, please talk to a Scoutmaster for help filling out the form.
Counselor in Training (CIT) Program: If your scout wants to experience even more summer camp, they can apply to be a Counselor in Training at the camp. Scouts at least 14 and not yet 16 at the beginning of the camp season can apply to be CITs. More details can be found in the camp leader's guide. Links to the guide along with the CIT application can be found at the above camp URL.
The April trip is a 3-night, four day trip to Philadelphia and eastern Pennsylvania. Sign-ups are due by February 15th since we need to reserve a lot of group tours.
We'll leave early on Saturday April 13th to drive to the Scranton area, visit the No. 9 Coal Mine in Lansford, PA, and tour historic Jim Thorpe, PA, followed by a pizza dinner. We'll be tent-camping nearby. On Sunday, we'll visit Lost River Caverns in Hellertown, PA and then go on to spend the afternoon at Valley Forge National Historical Park. We'll spend Sunday and Monday night in a large lodge at BSA Camp Jarvis in Devon, PA. We may visit an Escape Room Sunday evening, depending on the level of interest.
On Monday, we’ll spend the day in Philadelphia! Some of the sites that we will see include the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Independence Visitor Center, the U.S. Mint, Betsy Ross House, and either the Eastern State Penitentiary or the Museum of the American Revolution. (You can vote on the sites you prefer on the registration form.) In the evening, we’ll take a Spirit of ‘76 Ghost Tour before returning to Camp Jarvis. On Tuesday morning, we’ll depart Camp Jarvis and head to Ronks, PA to tour an Amish dairy farm, followed by a pretzel factory tour in Lititz, PA. We'll be home by about 9:30 or 10 PM Tuesday evening.
The trip cost is approximately $250 per person, although this may be adjusted slightly based on the sites that we visit in Philadelphia. Cost includes:
One night tent-camping and two nights at a cabin/lodge at Camp Jarvis
Transportation to and from PA (we will be carpooling and do need adult drivers)
Tickets for entrance into activities (except escape room)
Breakfast on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday
Bagged lunch on Sunday, lunch funds for Monday
Saturday, Sunday and Monday dinners
Cracker Barrel (snack) each evening
You'll need to bring additional funds for lunch and dinner on Tuesday as well as souvenirs and treats (ice cream, etc.). The escape room outing is an extra $35 per person, for those who choose to participate.
Please fill out the registration form ASAP. There are several questions on the registration form where you can vote for your preferred activities in Philadelphia.
Scouts will overnight at the church in Gilford, adjacent to the Gilford Youth Center. Scouts will enjoy a cracker barrel and the use of the youth center for a couple of hours before bed. In the AM, we will have a dry breakfast (we have kitchen use, but it would be for boiling water not cooking bacon), then head to a nearby location for snowshoeing.
We would like to hike 3 to 5 miles with the shoes, and may break into groups depending on participation.
Arrive: Friday, February 9, 2024, 8:00 PM at Gilford Youth Center directions Carpooling to be communicated, assume a meetup at the Abbot School at 5:30 PM. Return: Saturday, February 10, 2024, at approximately 3-4:00 PM or when done snowshoeing - depart at 1PM. Cost: $20 per person Snowshoe Rental: $15 per person Meals: Friday night cracker barrel and Saturday morning breakfast are included. In the AM Scouts will prepare a sandwich lunch for after the snowshoe and before departing
February's trip is snowshoeing in Gilford, NH.