Scout Stories: Back to the Beach

Troop 4066 recently got back into the swing of things with our first troop meeting of the 2025-2026 school year! After the flag ceremony run by our Senior Patrol Leader, Scouts shared memories from their summer adventures full of merit badges, a weeklong campout at Ed Bryant Scout Reservation in Wisconsin, and a 7 day, 40 mile backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. During the meeting, our Unit worked in two groups; older Scouts leading younger Scouts through their Tenderfoot requirements while others planned an upcoming campout at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Indiana. Cooking Merit badge requirements were planned for the campout with considerations for all five major food groups, ingredient lists, and a lead cook for each meal. After the Retiring of the Colors, Troop 4066’s biweekly meeting was a success.

The very next day Scouts gathered outside Grace Lutheran Church, hiking boots and sleeping bags ready for the ride up to the Indiana Dunes! Scouts set up tents in pairs, making sure to rest up for the big day ahead. On Saturday, Scouts awoke to birds chirping, before devouring a Scout-made breakfast. The agenda was packed with two main initiatives; helping younger scouts complete their Totin’ Chip (awarded after demonstrating proper use of bladed tools), and hiking the sand dunes overlooking nearby Lake Michigan. An area in the campsite was roped off as an axe yard, where Scouts took turns demonstrating how to safely handle an axe, a saw and knife. Scouts sharpened, chipped, split and sawed logs to be used as fuel for the evening fire. Two hard-working Scouts even dedicated hours to chop through a 7 inch section of a huge downed tree.

Hiking the dunes, boots would slide back one step for every two steps they taken. Though tiring and weighed down from sand-filled boots, the sights were beautiful! Scouts returned to camp for dinner, cleaning up quickly to catch the sunset across Lake Michigan. The sky gave soft blends of pink, orange and yellow as the sun dipped beyond Chicago's skyline, tipping just above the horizon some 30 miles west. We ended the day with a campfire, S’mores (as always), story-telling and

games before lights out.

Another warm breakfast was prepared by scouts in the morning, before packing tents and ensuring the campsite was left cleaner than they found it. It's good to be back!