About Troop 520
Resources
As Troop 520 continues to move through its third decade sponsored by New World United Methodist Church, there is much to be grateful for and plenty to be excited about.
Troop 520 has the best meeting facility if any unit in Arlington and enjoys the support of one of the strongest and most senior cadres of adult leadership as well:
Phil von der Heydt has served as Scoutmaster for the last 23 years and is ably assisted at the present time by 26 registered Assistant Scoutmasters, five of whom have served the Troop for 10 years or longer (two have been registered for more than 25 years). Twelve Assistant Scoutmasters have earned their Eagle Scout award as a member of Troop 520 and continue working with the scouts in an adult leadership capacity.
The Troop Committee, led by Steve Brown as Chair a ten year veteran in the Troop has 12 members, with several who have served for 7-10 years.
In addition, our Charter Organization Representative, John Sweek, has been with the Troop for more than 20 years as well.
This year we have 22 scouts actively involved and registered with Troop 520. The Troop has aged significantly and by the beginning of 2009 six scouts will have reached the age of 18 and will become registered adult leaders. We expect that all six will earn the Eagle rank making a total of eight new Eagles this year.
Program
Troop 520 functions year round and camps at least monthly. The Troop attends week long summer camp annually and sends contingents to BSA High adventure camps annually. This summer in addition to summer camp for all members of the troop, two crews, totaling 16 scouts and adults participated in a 10 day canoe trip through the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota and southern Canada starting in Ely, Minnesota. As a result of this trip seven scouts and one adult earned international recognition for receiving the “Triple Header Award” for attending at least one trek at each of the three BSA High Adventure bases. (Philmont Scout Ranch, Florida Sea Base and Summers Canoe Base).
The Troop has had at least one of its’ members serving as staff at Sea Base, Philmont and/or Longhorn Council Summer camps for the last decade. This year was no exception with two troop members serving on Philmont staff and one each on summer camp and Seabase staffs.
In addition, the Troop has sent representatives as attendees or staff to the BSA National Jamborees in Virginia for the last 6 quadrennial meetings, to the World Jamborees in Australia and Korea and last summer to England for the Centennial World Jamboree celebration of 100 years of scouting worldwide. Troop 520 has sent scouts and leaders to Japan for the Nippon Jamboree and to Scotland twice for the Scottish Scout Jamboree.
For the last 20+ years Troop 520 has served in a leadership capacity in the Longhorn Council by providing staff or leading Council wide events. To give a perspective on this, the Longhorn Council serves 23 counties in North and Central Texas with more than 35,000 scouts and 10,000 adult volunteers. There are almost 1,000 units in the Council. Nonetheless yet each year the Council asks Troop 520 to lead three of its weekend events. These events, called Webelos Woods are designed to showcase their three summer camp facilities and programs and thereby improve the transition of Webelos Scouts into Boy Scout troops.
Troop 520 scouts manage the whole weekend including all programs starting with managing campsite assignments and parking to feeding staff, presenting campfire program, and chapel services. This event is held in each of the three council summer camp locations every winter for a full weekend at each. The leadership experiences are invaluable and the performance of the scouts during these events is remarkable. As expected the Council has asked us to do these events again in 2009.
We also serve on a District level staff for a Cub Scout event called Bob’s Big Event for Cub Scouts. These activities increase our visibility and help us to recruit new scouts. Recruitment, however, continues to be a problem for Troop 520 as it does for most of the Troops in the area.
Community Service
Troop 520 annually provides a variety of community services in a variety of ways:
The Troop has for the last 17 years served as staff for the Annual Jerry Lewis Telethon.
Scouts working on the Eagle Scout Award each design and deliver a significant community service project to meet one of their major requirements. Over the years many have been in support of the church. In the last year five projects have been completed, including Jeff Brown’s loft project for the youth storage area in the storage building. Others are two picnic tables constructed for the Dunlop Park playground area; another scout founded a not for profit organization providing on going tutoring for students in the Lewisville ISD. Another built a trail at a church retreat camp in Glen Rose, Texas. Over the last thirty years there have been more than sixty such project completed.
The Troop supports Arlington North Rotary in their fundraising activities by working on teams to help distribute and collect American flags on national holidays. This subscription service raises more than $20,000 annually which the Rotary uses in its philanthropic service to the community. The Rotary, in turn, provides campership money back to the Troop to help underwrite scouts who cannot afford to attend summer camp or high adventure activities.
Fundraising
In addition, to the $1,500 provided to the Troop annually from New World, the Troop supports its programs with other fundraising activities: These include the Annual Spaghetti Dinner on the Monday preceding Thanksgiving annually. This year is the 15th Annual dinner and your tickets have been included in the package. (Please pay at the door.) Another major source of income comes from the Arlington Bar Association which makes contribution to the Troop annually in exchange for help with table bussing and clean up for their annual barbeque event. The Troop regularly provides flag ceremonies and flag retirement services for organizations and commonly receives donations for these services as well.
Fund raising activities annually are conducted to assure that all program resources are available and that each scout can participate in all activities regardless of his financial resources. One scout recently completed seven years in the Troop and his Eagle Scout award, including 4 years at summer camp and two trips to Philmont without cost to his family. The Troop continues to believe that fundraising should continue to provide such resources to any active scout needing them. Two scouts currently are active in the troop and have been totally funded for each activity including summer camp the last three years and for summer camp and the canoe trip to Canada last summer.
The Troop maintains its own website (www.T520.org). It is managed by the scouts and has up to date rosters and calendars of events as well as pictures and linkages to scouting resources.
The Troop continues to serve the Arlington area with an active, youth managed program that creates opportunities for young men to grow in to community leaders. Most of you know or have met members of the Troop in your lives in the Church and the community. We are proud of our 68 Eagle Scouts and of all of the fine young men who have followed the Trail to Eagle in Troop 520. With the continued support of the Church we will work hard to maintain this quality program. In the future, we hope that many more Church members will recognize the excellent youth services that scouting provides. We hope that the Church and its members will redouble its efforts to encourage the young men in the church family to actively participate in scouting at the age appropriate level from age 7 to 10 to Pack 378 and 10 ½ to18 to Troop 520.
Phil von der Heydt
Scoutmaster
Troop 520
817 832 7631
BVDH@aol.com
Steve Brown
Scoutmaster Committee Chair
Troop 520
817 822 0985
steve.brown@buildersfirstsource.com