TROOP HISTORY

Troop #782 was initially chartered by St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (Livonia, MI) in November, 1954.   Rev. Jay Coulter was the founding pastor of St. Andrew’s, and Messrs. Jack Comstock and Sam Spears were two of the first leaders of the troop and troop committee.  Little is known of the earliest days of scouting activities at St. Andrew’s, except that in 1960, David Friedrichs became its 1st Eagle Scout.  In 1958 or 1959, Donald Friedrichs (David’s father) brought his family to Livonia from outstate New York to become principal at Bentley High School (originally the SE corner of Five Mile and Hubbard).  St. Andrew’s was home to T782 for about forty years, before the troop relocated a couple miles west under Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

For more than fifty years, the troop has offered young men the opportunity to learn leadership skills within the context of an outdoor adventure program.  The troop convenes each week to work on leadership and advancement.  It works to offer one weekend Scouting activity per month, whether it be camping or sightseeing.  And there are opportunities for Scouts to collectively provide community service and public leadership.

For younger Scouts, summer includes an opportunity for week-long camp at Pioneer Scout Ranch in Pioneer, OH (2.5h southeast of Livonia) usually the last full week of June.  Scouts who choose to attend have six fun-filled days of basic skill or merit badge advancement courses, as well as swimming, boating, fishing, climbing, and campfires.

For experienced Scouts – usually First Class and above, AND age 14 or completed the 8th grade – the summer may hold the promise of a High Adventure base with the troop contingent: Philmont Scout Ranch for backpacking, Northern Tier for canoeing, and Florida Sea Base for sailing.  These trips are usually 2-3+ weeks long, in consideration of the destination event and travel time.

For all Scouts and families, the troop works to organize a spring trip, usually around a 4-day mid-winter school break.  In past years, the troop has traveled to Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Toronto, Washington DC, St. Louis, and Nashville.  We strive to make the trip fun and educational, and the costs tend to vary depending on activities, accommodations, and level of participation.

The troop is intended to be programmed and led by the youth members, but certainly their mentors include the requisite adult volunteers.  Besides Comstock and Spears, Douglas McDonald (1968), David Cameron (1969), Ken Bourgon (1970 – 2005), and William McCarley II (2005 to present) have served as the program’s Scoutmaster. In recent years, William Bowman, Pete Tzaprasis, and Jackie Norin have served as Committee Chair to the troop.  A dedicated staff of fellow volunteers too numerous to mention, offers program and administrative support to the troop, the Scoutmaster, and the Committee Chair.

The Senior Patrol Leader is responsible for the weekly operation of troop activities, working with support of the adults, and setting a good example for younger Scouts.  Many older scouts have served as Senior Patrol Leader, listed below by period of annual service:

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