This is the time of year that we spend time looking back on the past year and look forward to the coming year.
2025 was a historic year for Troop 70 primarily because 2025 was the founding year with the first official meeting happening on August 4th. With a new Troop with new Scouts many of the meetings and campouts were focused around some of the early rank advancment and working on basic Scouting skills. Troop 70 also had their first elections and started working on their first Klondike sled. Troop 70 also joined Troop 5 on their events. Both Troops helped raise the flag at the Elkhart County Fair before several of the concerts. They also joined Troop 5 on their campouts to Chain O’ Lakes, Pokagon, Potato Creek, and University of Scouting. They also went with Troop 5 to the Feild Museum in November. Through all this the girls in Troop 70 developed their leadership skills and worked on skills related to outdoors, first aid, fitness, navigation, and cooking among others.
While Troop 5’s year was not quite as momentous it was still one for the history books. The beginning of the year started with taking home first place at the LaSalle Council East Side Klondike Derby, a demonstration of leadership, teamwork, and Scouting skills. February brought a day outing to the Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum in Elkhart. March was a stay at The Res where Troop 5 did some service work. However, the most memorable part of that campouts was probably when the Scouts got to play “Man Hunt” with a platoon of Marines. Unfortunately, April’s campout was canceled due to historic flooding in and around Clifty Falls State Park. May was a day trip to Baintertown County Park to do the orienteering course there. June was a big month for Troop 5 with the first hight adventure trip in numerous years. This trip was to the Boundry Water Canoe Area with 5 days on the water. There were several Scouts who went straight from the high adventure trip to summer camp at Camp Tamarack. Through all these adventures and the ones in the last half with Troop 70, Troop 5 Scouts lived out the Scout Oath and Laws, and developed their teamwork, leadership, and had many opportunities to practice all the skills they have learned throughout the rest of the year.
The Scouts of Troop 5 and 70 earned numerous rank advancments and more than 50 merit badges. Troops 5 and 70 also contributed more than 100 man hours of community service throughout the year as well. What is harder to quantify and see is the way that each of the Scouts developed things like interpersonal skills, problem solving, leadership, how they learned to navigate life’s challenges, become strong and brave, and develop mental and moral fortitude.
Looking forward to 2026 Troop 5 and 70 look forward to celebrating several Scouts earning their Eagle Scout award, as well as Scouts earning Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life. All the Scouts get to experience more great outdoor adventures, including another high adventure trip, and summer camp. The Troops will also have the opportunity to contribute more time to the community through service work. We also look forward to new Scouts joining the Troop. As always all this will be delivered through a world class outdoor program lead by the youth guided and supervised by trained adults.
If you are looking for a single activity that does more to prepare youth for all sorts of challenges from cooking, first aid, and leadership to navigation, personal fitness, and teamwork. Then consider Scouting, drop us a note and we can get you connected!
Troop 5 and Troop 70 Goshen, Indiana 