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.
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 3rd is the West Wind District Escape from Hoth!
Klondike Derby is an all-day event where scouts stock sleds with all the gear they need to conquer many challenges they will meet along their travels.
This year's Derby is being held nearby at Centralville Sportsmen’s Club in Dracut, MA. Scouts should plan on arriving at Abbot school at 7:00 am. See the sign-up form for more details.
Sign-ups are due by Thursday, January 25th at 7:00 PM
Reminder: if you are attending the AMC Hut Hike this weekend, please bring your packs and boots to Thursday's meeting so they can be checked by a leader.
The January Troop Outing is a backpacking hut hike to Lonesome Lake. This will follow this linked trail. It is a fun and popular trip. It is a bit rigorous, but all scouts can and should do this hike. There is an early deadline of December 7th for this trip, as we have placed a deposit and need to know our numbers thirty days out. We will detail this trip more as to gear and such in the coming weeks (warm sleeping bag, microspikes, warm socks, etc.)
Outing: AMC Lonesome Lake Hut Hike, Franconia Notch Trailhead is Lafayette Place Campground, Franconia Notch State Park
Depart Westford: Saturday, January 6, 2024, Abbot School 7:00 AM, arrive at the trailhead at ~9:30 am
Depart Franconia: Sunday, January 7, leave the trailhead at 11:00 AM
Cost: $65.00 (includes hut stay, dinner, cracker barrel, and breakfast)
Participants need to pack a lunch for Saturday. Travel time approximately 2 hours.
February's trip is snowshoeing in Gilford, NH.
It's Klondike Derby Time!
Reminder: if you are attending the AMC Hut Hike this weekend, please bring your packs and boots to Thursday's meeting so they can be checked by a leader.
