Sorry neighbors for the tardiness of this post, but back on Saturday November 23, 2013, Glendale Troop 125 of the Boy Scouts of America celebrated its 75th anniversary with a gathering of current and former Scouts and families at the Joe Bridges Clubhouse at Glenoaks Park. Representatives from the Verdugo Hills Council of BSA were there to acknowledge the milestone as were alumni from the recent and less recent past.
One of the most wonderful surprises was the attendance of the Hay brothers – Doug, Don, Jim and John -- who are all Eagle Scouts from the Troop and served under their father, Scoutmaster Ed Hay, in the early 1960’s. In fact, they were in the Troop when it celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1963. They travelled here from Salinas, Palm Desert, Eagle Rock and Monterrey, Mexico, with a treasure trove of memorabilia including a slide show of Troop activities from days past.
Former Scoutmaster Carl Nelson related the story of the founding of the Troop in 1938. An interest in forming the Troop began when a physician with boys at the age appropriate for starting off in Scouts floated the idea among his neighbors in Glenoaks Canyon. An interest sprang up among residents, and they approached the then-San Rafael Council of the Boy Scouts of America for a charter application. They were tentatively assigned Troop number 24 and the paperwork to complete and return to the Council. The paperwork required a designee as Scoutmaster but the physician was too busy to fill that role. The boys then went door-to-door seeking an adult to lead the Troop. Eventually, they found a willing soul in the person of the Troop’s first Scoutmaster, J.M. Dunlap. By the time they returned the paperwork, the Council had given away the number 24 thinking they would not be coming back. Thus, the Troop was assigned number 25. This was changed in 1967 to number 125, which the Troop bears to this day.
The Troop is 36-boys strong at present with committed adult leadership. In addition to boys from Glenoaks Canyon, there are boys from Chevy Chase Canyon, La Cañada and other parts of Glendale who attend Glenoaks Elementary, Wilson and Rosemont Middle Schools, Glendale High, La Cañada High and St. Francis High Schools, to name a few. The Troop meets regularly Wednesday evenings at the Clubhouse where they have met for all their existence, except for the Clubhouse’s 2008 renovation. They go on regular camping trips all over Southern California and sometimes, points beyond.
The Troop notably provides service to the canyon and the greater Glendale community in collecting food for food banks, canyon clean-up and various projects by the Scouts seeking to become Eagle Scouts, the highest honor in Boy Scouts. Contributions to the troop's campership fund are welcome and can assist attendance at summer camp for those less able to pay. Inquiries as well as donations can be sent to Treasurer and Committee Chair Laura Keen laurakeen@sbcglobal.net or by contacting Scoutmaster John Martin 818-502-6550 jpma1119@yahoo.com