Troop 53
History

Some factoids:

• Founded 1964 at Whiteside School, Belleville, Illinois. Sponsored by Whiteside School Parent Teacher Club (PTC).
• Moved to Belle Valley School (North), Belleville, in 1979. Sponsor: Belle Valley Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). Various Belle Valley Sponsors came and went through the years (their fault, not ours) including the Mothers' Club and the Parents Booster Club.
• Started meeting during the summer at Union United Methodist Church, Belleville, beginning in 1991 and shortly thereafter acquired the Methodist Men organization as a co-sponsor.
• Began meeting at Union United Methodist Church year-round in 1993. Our current chartered partner is the United Methodist Men of Union UMC.
• First Eagle Scout 1971. Our present total is 62.
• Quality Unit for 30+ years.
• 3 time winner of the Okaw Valley Council Outstanding Unit Award. (discontinued)
• 100% Boys Life unit for 30+ years
• Planned and hosted the St. Clair District (Okaw Valley Council) Fall Camporees in 1996 and 2002.

High Adventure:

• Region 7 Canoe Base, Northern Wisconsin (now closed): 1972
• Land Between the Lakes High Adventure Base, Kentucky (now closed): 1975
• Philmont Scout Ranch: 1977, 1980, 1984, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2008
• Northern Tier High Adventure Area (Charles Sommers Canoe Base): 2002
• Although technically it is not "high adventure", this was special enough to include here:
  9 Troop 53 Scouts attended the 2005 National Jamboree — 8 as members of an Okaw Valley Council contingent troop and 1 on Jamboree staff. Troop 53's own Cameron G. is on the cover of the November-December, 2005, issue of Scouting magazine. He was gracious enough to share the cover with President Bush. Cameron was one of a number of Scouts attending the 2005 National Jamboree who were selected to be on stage when the President addressed more than 70,000 Scouts, Scouters, and guests. In the cover photo, Cameron is the Scout with the big grin on his face and a black watch band.
• Ace Adventure Center, West Virginia: 2011

Scoutmasters:

1. 1964-67, George Muren
2. 1967-69, H. Duane Clasing
3. 1969-73, Joachim (Joe) Giger
4. 1974-75, Richard A. Brown
5. 1975-77, Joachim (Joe) Giger
6. 1978-79, Mike Fassler
7. 1979-82, Paul Hollansworth
8. 1982-2010, Kevin Mahoney
9. 2010-present, Frank Kurz

deceased

This short history lesson only gives some bare unadulterated facts. What it doesn't tell you about is the hundreds of lives Troop 53 has affected; the thousands of days and nights spent camping, hiking, backpacking, canoeing, boating, and enjoying the Great Outdoors; the thousands of man-hours given in service to our community; and of the fun had by those participating. These intangibles are difficult, if not impossible, to quantify and list in black and white. But they are the stuff that make a Boy Scout Troop a Boy Scout Troop and not just another group of boys.

We have attempted to give you an idea of these "intangibles" on other pages in this site. So, sit back, relax, and cruise around troop53.net to get a handle on what we do!