Adventures of Local Scouting

Scouting America Troop 38 and Troop 638 have had a busy season and provided an update on their activities.

In March, the troops explored Penn Caves with a fun boat ride, then hiked at Poe Valley State Park. The highlight was a cooking competition for the best dessert.

In April, they held their annual roadside cleanup on Route 17C in Owego. They picked up 13 huge bags of trash and an assortment of car parts. This bi-annual cleanup teaches the scouts to be good stewards of the community and to NEVER litter.

The April campout was to the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, New York, and a hike to the waterfalls at Letchworth State Park. The scouts had a great time. The tour guides are also WWII reenactors, making the tour fun and exciting. The scouts thought the best part was their walk through the legendary C-47A Whiskey 7 aircraft that “led the second wave of paratrooper drops over Normandy on D-Day.” What a piece of history.

The May campout (our last monthly campout for this scout season) was their high-adventure backpacking trip in the Adirondacks. Memorial Day weekend did not have the greatest weather, but the scouts are used to inclement weather and persevered.

There were three groups of scouts. One was the girl troop (Troop 638) which had its own Adirondack adventure planned. Another group was the base camp group (for the less adventurous hikers), and the last group was the high peaks group, which is always up for a challenging hike. Fun was had by all, despite the rain.

In June, troops have a couple of fun events happening. First is the annual end-of-year scout picnic. This is a potluck event held on Sunday, June 7 beginning at noon at Hickories Park in Owego, Pavilion #5. All Troop 38 and Troop 638 alumni are invited to attend.  

Then on Saturday, June 20, the troops will host their annual Owego Strawberry Festival booth. Look for them on Front Street near Riverow Bookstore. They announced that they also voted on a new shortcake recipe that will replace the biscuits they have had for years. Stop by their booth and check out the new, freshly baked shortcake recipe with freshly cut strawberries. They will also feature two sizes of strawberry coolers this year.

The Owego Strawberry Festival is their biggest fundraiser, helping the troops offset the cost of some of the more expensive campouts they attend. They also utilize their festival profits to provide camperships for scouts to attend summer camp, which for 2026 will be the first week of August at Camp Tuscarora in Windsor, New York. The scouts are looking forward to the fun that “Tusky” is preparing with their Detective Agency-themed summer camp this year.

They would like to thank their charter organization, the First Presbyterian Union Church on North Avenue in Owego, for their continued support. They would also like to give a huge shout-out to the many dedicated leaders that make scouting possible and to the Owego Elks Club and the Owego community at large, that have always supported our troops throughout the years.  

If interested in joining, they meet on Mondays, from 7-8:30 p.m., September through May, at the First Presbyterian Union Church. For more information, email scouttroop38+scoutmaster@gmail.com.