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The Boy Scouts The Boy Scouts of America were organized in South Vienna about 1947 as Troop 19. Dr. E. H. Long was the one person probably most instrumental in making this happen. John R. Garringer was the first scoutmaster, and the troop meetings were held upstairs in the K of P Hall. The troop was disbanded about 1950, because of the inability to find new leadership following the resignation of the scoutmaster. The scouts were reorganized in 1956 as Troop 6,and the first scoutmaster of this troop was William C. Nestlerote. The troop was sponsored by the United Church of South Vienna and meetings were held in the basement of the church. This sponsorship continued until the church united with the South Vienna United Church of Christ, then the sponsorship continued by the new United Church of South Vienna. This occurred in 1971, and the troop continued to meet in the Methodist building until the United Church constructed a new building in 1991. Then, the meetings were moved to the new building. Two members of the church who were longtime members of the scout committee and active in many of the troop activities were Steve Earley and Ralph Phares. Scoutmasters from Mr. Nestlerote until the present time are James H. Murray, Lee W. Chaney, Eugene C. Shook, Gilmer E. Smith, Ron E. Shoemaker, Charles L. Mathews, David A. Price, R. Michael Phares, Phyllis Stewart, Floyd “Bud” Loeffler, and Richard “Ric” Conard. The scoutmaster with the longest term of service was Gilmer Smith. He was “Mr. Boy Scout” in South Vienna for many years. He was an active adult scouter for 32 years, and served not only as scoutmaster, but also, for a few years, as cubmaster. He was presented with the prestigious Silver Beaver Award for his many years of service to the Boy Scouts of America, both locally and with the Lagonda District. The troop periodically attended summer camp at Camp Birch during the 1950’s and 60’s, then during the mid to late 1970’s had summer encampments at Lake Milakokia in Michigan and at Norris Lake in Tennessee. These trips were taken every other year, and during the other years the troop attended Camp Birch for their summer encampment. In 1976, Ron Shoemaker served as an assistant scoutmaster for a provisional troop from Tecumseh Council for a backpacking trip to Philmont Scout Ranch, near Cimmaron, New Mexico. Scouts who made the trip were Rollie Shoemaker, Kenny Shoemaker, and Roger Wilson. To date, these are the only scouts from troop 6 to attend this high adventure camp, although “Bud” Loeffler attended an adult training session there in 2005. In 1977, the same group who took the trip to Philmont in 1976, plus Mark Wertz were part of a provisional troop from Tecumseh Council that attended the National Scout Jamboree, held at Morraine State Park, Pennsylvania. These are also the only scouts from Troop 6 to attend a National Jamboree. Since that time, Troop 6 has gone on many exciting camping excursions, including going to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, Laurel Caverns, Pennsylvania, Allegheny River canoe trips in Pennsylvania, New River White Water rafting in West Virginia, Appalachian Trail Hiking, and a trip to the National Scout Museum, with stops along the way at Fort Knox and the General Patton Museum. There has also been the annual summer camp program, usually at Camp Birch, along with yearly spring and fall camporees and Klondike derbies, yearly merit badge trail drives at Clark State, and dozens of hiking, backpacking, canoeing, bicycling, camping, orienteering, and wilderness survival outings. The troop also attended the “100 Years of Flight” celebration, held on the runway behind the Air Force Museum. This was attended by over 8,000 cubs, scouts, and leaders from our tri-state area. Eagle Scouts from Troop 6 include Gilmer Smith, Jr, in 1963; Rolland E. Shoemaker in 1977; Andrew G. Howell and Kenneth E. Shoemaker in 1981; Andrew L. Turner and Matthew E. Turner in 1985; Blake Andrews in 2000; Matt Farren in 2001; James Mount in 2004; Michael Farren in 2005;Michael McFall and Joseph Webber in 2006; Boris Hinderer and Cody McFall in 2008; Benjamin Justice and Larry Mullins in 2009; Robert Elder in 2010; and Keegan Justice in 2012.