Troop 513
St. Ambrose Parish
Scouts BSA Troop 513, chartered by St. Ambrose Church since 1973, is a youth organization targeted to young boys between the ages of 10-18. Under the guidance of more than 25 adult leaders, the Scouts will develop various skills including strong character, timeless values, and leadership. Troop 513 uses a variety of methods to promote these core values.
The Adventure Begins on Tuesdays . . .
Whether a Scout has just joined the Troop, transferred from another Troop, or has been with Scouting for several years; everything begins on Tuesday at our weekly meetings from 7:30pm-9:00pm. Scouts will learn and reinforce fundamental outdoor skills such as camp craft, cooking, fire building, first aid, and pioneering.
In addition, Scouts will also delve into our civic duties to understand our cultural heritage and fulfill their Duty to Country through various community service projects including: Adopt-a-Roadway Campaigns, Eagle Scout Service Projects, and American Red Cross Blood Drives.
A scout is reverent. We encourage scouts to grow in their faith and offer religious programs for several faiths. These programs were created by various religious groups to encourage youth to grow stronger in their faith. As part of their Duty to God, we support various events and services for the Parish Community of St. Ambrose including a food drive for the Catholic Works of Mercy.
More importantly, Scouts will be taught the skills they will need to be able to react to any situation. As the founder of Scouting, Sir Robert Baden-Powell, said, “A scout is never taken by surprise; he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.” As leaders and a Troop our Scouts learn to “Be Prepared!”
The Adventure Continues at Camp Outs . . .
Whether boarding a ship of war or being dropped off at some distant tree line, Scouts must resort to the knowledge and skills they have learned to have fun. Each trip is a new experience and challenges each Scout to learn something different.
Troop 513 develops an annual camping calendar that includes weekend trips to various Scouts BSA Camps in the area, and has included trips to historical sites such as the Buffalo Naval Yard, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Air Force Museum, Fort Niagara, and the Henry Ford Museum. We also strive to include canoeing, caving, climbing, lumberjacking, repelling, and white water rafting. The highlight of the regular camping year comes at the heart of the summer, when Scouts embark on a weeklong resident camp where they get to experience the great outdoors and learn a thing, or two.
All of which culminates in the opportunity to participate in a high adventure program which has included World and National Jamborees; trips to Algonquin, Canada; hiking the Appalachian Trail, whitewater rafting in West Virginia, canoeing in the Adirondack Mountains; High Adventure bases Philmont Scout Ranch, Florida Sea Base, Northern Tier, and The Summit Bechtel Reserve; and the Laurel Highlands for adventures that will be remembered for a lifetime.
The Adventure Along The “Trail to Eagle” . . .
In Troop 513 we work along what we refer to as the Trail to Eagle, a metaphorical hiking trail with markers for each rank that a scout earns based on his achievements within the Troop as well as his demonstration of scouting skills, and scout spirit. Along this trail a Scout can expect to create lasting friendships, vivid memories, and learn countless new hobbies or career opportunities as well as make new friends.
Among the fundamental skills sets will be the exploration of communication, citizenship in the community, nation, and the world, emergency preparedness, family life, first aid, personal fitness, personal management, and swimming (or backpacking). The Troop also offers many other opportunities such as Auto mechanics, Aviation, Canoeing, Dog Care, Electronics, Horseback Riding, Medicine, Motor boating, Small Boat Sailing, Space Exploration (model rocketry), Engineering and Sports. These survey style courses provide insight for scouts to discover new talents that may stick with them for the rest of their lives.
In the 50+ years of Troop 513's existence, we have had over 100 Eagle Scouts pass through our ranks!
The Adventure at the Peak . . .
The culmination of all these experiences, all the training, camping, and meetings comes in the achievement of the coveted Eagle Scout Award. It is not an award earned by the timid or the meek, but an award earned by those who stand for all the ideals of Scouting and have climbed the “Trail to Eagle” to its summit and can look both back to where they have been with cheerful memories, and forward to a bright future where they will be able to expect the unexpected.
Of all Scouts that join Scouts BSA across the country only 4% earn this award. Among them are leaders like Neil Armstrong, Gerald Ford, and Steven Spielberg. The Leaders and Scouts of Troop 513 cordially invite you to join us any Thursday for an introduction. Perhaps you will start the greatest adventure of your teenage years and beyond . . .