Pelham’s Troop 1 recently returned from an expedition to Washington D.C., a highlight for a year focused on community service and scout skills. Since September, the scouts have kept a busy schedule that has tested their scouting skills training and kept them active in the local community.
The trip began Friday March, 20th with 18 scouts and 8 adults driving to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA, to explore its collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft before using the Greenbelt Campgrounds as their home base for the weekend. On Saturday, the scouts headed into the city for a day spent on foot, starting with a tour of the U.S. Capitol before hiking across the National Mall and across the Memorial Bridge to Arlington National Cemetery.
Highlights of the trek included the WWII Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial, as well as a somber visit to observe the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the eternal flame at the John F. Kennedy gravesite. Visits to the Korean and Vietnam Veterans Memorials capped off the 10-mile trek. This trip follows previous troop visits to Gettysburg and Philadelphia, with plans to visit Boston in the fall.
The D.C. trip comes after a winter where the scouts took first place at the annual Klondike Derby, proving their mastery of skills like fire building, navigation, and shelter construction. Members of the troop also took on a mentorship role this year, traveling to Durland Scout Reservation in January to lead a skills day for Cub Scout Pack 4. The scouts ran the instructional stations themselves, teaching the younger boys the essentials of orienteering and fire building.
In February, the troop gathered at the new Pelham Municipal Building for the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Ryan Feldman. For his Eagle project, Ryan led a team of scouts in stenciling environmental messages on storm drains along Highbrook Avenue, reminding residents that the basins lead directly to local waterways. By reaching scouting’s highest rank, Ryan joins a long lineage of leaders who have emerged from Troop 1 over its 110-year history.
About Pelham Troop 1 Founded in 1916, Troop 1 is one of scouting’s oldest continually operating troops, serving the community for well over a century. It provides a robust Scouting program for boys and young men from 6th grade through high school, focused on character development, citizenship training, leadership development, and personal fitness. The troop has a proud tradition of guiding numerous Scouts to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, scouting’s highest honor. Activities emphasize challenging outdoor adventures, including regular trips to BSA High Adventure bases like Philmont, Sea Base, and Northern Tier, alongside skill-building and community service. The troop is currently chartered by Christ Church Pelham. To learn more about Pelham Troop 1’s year-round activities and opportunities to join, visit our Facebook page (https://facebook.com/
