Our History
We are guided by the principles set forth by the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout Motto, Scout Slogan and the Outdoor Code. It is our responsibility to help the youth of today become responsible young adults of good character for themselves, their community, and the world around them. We enjoy practicing our youth leadership skills as we camp on a monthly basis nearly year-round, plan and attend community service projects, fundraisers, weekly meetings, and day activities.
Troop 597
Celebrating 90+ Years
The story of Troop 597 is one of resilience, adventure, and service. Officially recognized by our Council with an unbroken charter since 1942, our roots dig even deeper. Despite a devastating flood that destroyed many early records, evidence reveals continuous operation dating back to 1929—nearly a century of shaping young lives through the values of Scouting. That’s nearly a century of shaping young lives through the values of Scouting.
It all began in Amityville, Pennsylvania, where the troop was first chartered by the Amity Consolidated School, also known now as River Rock Academy or the Amity Primary center, with Arthur Heist serving as the troop’s first Scoutmaster. Even in those earliest years, the Scouts of Troop 597 embraced the outdoors—hiking into the wilderness, building their own campsites, and learning self-reliance. Despite the upheaval of World War II, including the drafting of several adult leaders and causing a transition to a new Scoutmaster, George Thompson Sr., the troop continued to endure. Scouts collected scrap metal to aid the war effort, attended their very first National Jamborees (1950) at Valey forge, and helped christen Camp Shikellamy during its opening year.
As the troop grew, so did its reputation. Membership reached 25 Scouts, and adventures stretched beyond campgrounds—boys hiked trails, served their communities, and made the pilgrimage to Philmont Scout Ranch and other national destinations. A new chapter began when the troop found its long-standing home at St. Paul’s UCC Church, which still supports the troop today. Through the years, national restructuring saw our unit rebranded from Troop 1 to Troop 197 in 1959, and finally, to Troop 597 in 1968, the number we proudly carry into the future.
The mid-1970s brought a brief dip in momentum, but the troop bounced back with the return of a previous scoutmaster—steadily maintaining an average of 25 active Scouts. But by the early 2000s, broader societal shifts made recruitment harder. Sports, technology, and packed schedules began to pull boys in other directions as spare time slipped away and the influence of scouting wasn’t enough to outweigh the other activities. Faced with dwindling numbers and a fading program, a small but determined group of adult leaders stepped in around 2008–2010 to tear the program apart and rebuild it from the ground up for a new group of boys in a new era of scouting.
Luckily, their efforts paid off. The revitalized program exploded with new energy as membership climbed, participation rose, and troop culture came alive. Scouts began planning their own calendars and leading their own adventures—camping at closer locations like French Creek state park, travelling to and exploring Washington D.C., touring through Luray Caverns in Virginia, rafting the Youghiogheny River outside of Pittsburgh, and even touring an active nuclear submarine in Connecticut. Youth leadership blossomed as the scouts planned the trips they wanted—museum tours, Scoutmaster Surprises, District Klondike Derbies, hikes, biking treks, backpacking adventures, and trips with our Cub Pack. Membership peaked at 75 youth, with attendance often exceeding 70%.
This period of time in Troop 597 could be considered a golden period or Renaissance of the scouting program in the Troop as more than 200 youth went through this newly developed program learning to become the young men that would one day shape the world as its leaders. Dozens of scouts got added to the Troop 597 Honor roll of Eagle scouts while their projects worked to benefit and improve our community. Eagle Scout projects flourished—leaving a lasting legacy across parks, schools, nonprofit buildings, and township facilities. From benches and signs to utility protection and historical restoration, to honoring our veterans and our country’s pride, these projects demonstrate the real-world impact of Scouting. These scouts worked hard to do things even their parents and other adults did not possess the capabilities to do as the led this massive troop, coordinating meals, planning trips, creating schedules, planning fundraisers, project management, and so much more all while only being in their early to mid-teens. An impressive feat by any metric. As the new decade approached, we embraced a new chapter in Scouting when in 2019, girls were officially welcomed into Scouts BSA program in order to offer to girls the same important skills that the boys had been learning for over 100 years.
Covid and Beyond
Then came March 2020—and the world changed, though not for the better. The COVID-19 pandemic brought Scouting—and much of life—to a standstill across the nation as travel restrictions and social gathering bans were enacted in order to preserve the health of the nation making camping nearly impossible. But Troop 597 refused to give up under these exceedingly challenging conditions not yet faced by Scouting. Under careful leadership—many of whom had helped rebuild the troop a decade earlier—Scouts gathered for socially distanced “day-outs” to maintain friendships and skills while maintaining social distancing, worked on merit badges with leaders and parents of the Troop, and kept the spirit of Scouting alive, even while stuck in isolation. While many units struggled to maintain their membership and participate in outings due to their charter organizations rules or parental trust in leaders keeping their scouts safe, our troop remained strong in the face of this unprecedented situation.
Emerging from the pandemic with fewer bruises than most, though not unscathed, Troop 597 helped lead the way as Scouting released a preliminary pilot program to create co-ed troops, following in the footsteps of Cub scouting, Venturing, and the Sea Scouts, rather than leaving them as separate boy and girl troops. What started with three first-time Scouts, a female AOL scout, a transfer scout from another troop, two volunteer leaders, and a couple of experienced mentors from Troop 597, our sister troop, Troop 597G, was born. The two units camped together in the first months, fundraised together, and learned skills together though the challenge remained on how to keep the much smaller girl troop thriving despite registration requirements from council and national. So, when the BSA’s co-ed pilot program was announced, it was an easy decision: Troop 597B and 597G merged into one united troop, becoming stronger together than they ever were apart.
Now, as we approach the middle of the 2025-2026 Scouting year, Troop 597 stands proud with 40 active Scouts—including six girls and thirty-four boys. Our membership is currently hovering and holding steady as many of our larger crossover groups from pre-pandemic times are finding their way into aging out of our troop and moving on to new journeys in their lives. Many of whom are aging out by joining our legacy which includes 95 Eagle Scouts, with more on the way—and high hopes of celebrating our 100th Eagle Scout in the coming year.
As we look to the future, the spirit of Troop 597 continues to burn bright. Scouts are planning their next big adventures—Summer Camps, National Jamborees, Sea Base, Philmont, Northern Tier, NYLT, and a revitalization of cool trips to travel to. They’re ready to take on new challenges, create lifelong memories, and grow into the leaders our world so desperately needs.
Troop 597 is, and always will be, more than just a number. It’s a living legacy—nearly 100 years strong—and still going.