Boy Scout Troop 27 presented colors at the City Council meeting as a part of their active participation in civic affairs.

February 21, 2013, Commerce, Texas -- The Commerce City Council meeting on February 19 opened with a presentation of the colors led by Boy Scout Troop 27, a member of NeTSeO Trails Council. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, a proclamation was read by Mayor John Ballotti proclaiming February 2013 as “Boy Scouts of America Month.”

The goal of Boy Scouts of America is to train youth in responsible citizenship, character development, and self-reliance through participation in a wide range of outdoor activities and educational programs. Troop 27 meets every Monday night at 7:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church of Commerce. Boys between the ages of 11 and 18 are eligible to join. The troop currently has members from the cities of Commerce, Cumby, Cooper, and Ladonia.

Troop 27 typically goes camping once a month. Outdoor activities include kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, rappelling, caving and hiking. The troop camps at state parks in Texas and Oklahoma. Some favorite places for the troop are Enchanted Rock, Colorado Bend, Robbers Cave, Beavers Bend State Parks and the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge. In June, the troop attends summer camp at Camp Dierks in Oklahoma.

“My job is to help the boys reach the goals of the Boy Scouts of America,” Bob Stachowiak said. “I couldn’t do it without the help of Warren Dunham and Don Daffron, Jack Marshall, Jason Lee, Michael Rowe and John Naizer, my Assistant Scoutmasters. We all volunteer our time to help the boys grow up to become responsible young adults.”

Boy Scout Troop 71 presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance at the most recent Commerce City Council Meeting. Pictured from left to right are Warren Dunham (Assistant Scoutmaster), Don Daffron (Assistant Scoutmaster), Ty Fitch, Reed Schneider, John Naizer, Michael Elwell, Sammy Elwell, Grant Schneider and Bob Stachowiak (Scoutmaster).

This July, the troop will be attending the Boy Scout National Jamboree. This will be the inaugural jamboree for a new facility located along the New River Gorge in West Virginia. The new area is called The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve. Boy Scout troops from all over the world will be in attendance.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was established on February 8, 1910.  Boy Scout Troop 27 was organized by the First United Methodist Church of Commerce in 1927 with J. W. McCrary as Scoutmaster. Since that time, Eddie Robinson, Ken Ashley and current Scoutmaster, Bob Stachowiak, have served as the Scoutmasters of Troop 27.