Troop able to replace trailer with support of greater community
Thousands of Scouts from all over the Midwest flocked to Springfield, Ill. April 27 to attend the 73rd Lincoln Pilgrimage including members of Elkhorn’s Troop 243, which camped on the side of serene Lake Springfield.
The purpose of the Pilgrimage is for scouts to learn about the life of the 16th President, the struggles he endured on his journey to the White House and the tumultuous state of the country that he stabilized during his presidency.
Scouts worked as a cohesive unit to set camp and cook meals throughout the weekend. On that Saturday, they went to the New Salem site and participated in activities before heading into Springfield to visit the Lincoln Presidential Museum, the Old State Capitol and Lincoln’s home.
After packing up the camp on Sunday morning, the scouts went back into Springfield to visit Lincoln’s tomb at Oakridge Cemetery and then participated in the parade into town.
This was the first official outing for the local troop’s new trailer, which was generously funded by the Elkhorn Lions Club, Lake Geneva Jaycees, Troop fundraising activities and other generous donors.
The Lake Geneva Jaycees worked with the troop to help them purchase a new trailer. At the May 1 meeting, the Jaycees donated $1,000 to the Troop 243, pausing for a photograph in front of the new Troop trailer, which has been fully outfitted by the troop to meet the rigorous demands that will be placed upon it as it hauls their gear to events all over the Midwest.
The Troop extends “a huge thank you to the Lake Geneva Jaycees, the Elkhorn Lions Club and other donors who enabled us to replace the aging trailer with a larger and more suitable one for the expanding group,” Michael Walton said.
The inside of the trailer has been outfitted with shelves for equipment and solar powered lighting, which proved priceless at the campout in Springfield, Ill. as scouts had to set up camp in the dark as they arrived late in the evening.
A central walkway in the trailer provides additional storage space for scouts to stow sleeping bags, clothing and other personal items during transit.
Boy Scout Troop 243 offers a year-round adventure-based program designed to offer and encourage effective character, citizenship and leadership training for boys 11 to 17 years old to help them make ethical and moral choices over their lifetime.
For more information or to inquire about a son with interest in joining the Troop visit troop243elkhorn.org.
More photos from the troop’s recent trip can be found in the May 24 Elkhorn Independent.
