Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis chartering Boy Scout troop

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. The Kiwanis Club of Dover-Foxcroft is involved in a variety of projects that involve fundraising, community service, and assisting children locally and worldwide, and now the group is serving as the charter organization for Boy Scout Troop 61.

“We just took on the charter within the last 30 days,” Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis President Marilyn Hartford said after the first Court of Honor for Troop 61 under the new arrangement on the afternoon of Sunday, March 4 at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church.

Hartford said the local Kiwanis club had chartered Boy Scout Troop 100 previously before the troop dissolved. She said that Troop 61 — which had been based in Parkman — Scoutmaster Arne Halvorsen was aware of this fact and last month he spoke to Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanians about the club becoming the new troop charter organization.

“It’s such a wonderful thing,” Kiwanis member Gary Young said, saying Halvorsen mentioned a number of historical figures who earned the highest honor in Boy Scouts, the rank of Eagle Scout, during their youth in his presentation.

“We are thrilled to charter this group,” Hartford said, as the troop fits within the mission of Kiwanis.

“This is our first Court of Honor, our next will be in June hopefully,” Halvorsen told five troop members, one Weblo 2 Scout, parents and family members, three Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis members and others in attendance. “We plan to do these every three months.”

“Our new charter organization is the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis,” the scoutmaster said, mentioning Troop 61 will be meeting Sunday afternoons at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church.

Halvorsen said the inaugural ceremony would feature the presentation of several merit badges and a pair of promotions for a pair of troop members. “That’s really the whole point of a Court of Honor, to recognize,” he said.

Several scouts were formally presented with the rifle shooting merit badge and another received the sculpture merit badge. The newest troop member was honored for attaining the rank of Scout and another moved up from Scout to the rank of Tenderfoot.

Tenderfoot is the first of five ranks Boy Scouts earn after being a Scout as they work toward becoming Eagle Scouts.

“I would like every one of you to set the rank of Eagle Scout as your goal in Scouting,” Halvorsen said.

Boy Scout Troop 61 meets from 1-2:30 p.m. on Sundays, and Halvorsen said anyone interested is invited to come to a session at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church to learn more. The scoutmaster can be reached at 717-5559 for additional information.

He explained the troop takes part in a number of outdoor activities, including with other troops, especially in the summer but also in the winter. Troop 61 recently participated in the 2018 Klondike Derby at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine and the Katahdin Area Council’s Chillout at Camp Roosevelt in Eddington.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
D-F KIWANIS-CHARTERED BOY SCOUT TROOP 61 — Boy Scout Troop 61 held its first Court of Honor since being chartered by the Kiwanis Club of Dover-Foxcroft on March 4 at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church. From left are Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis President Marilyn Hartford, Kiwanian Gary Young, Webelo 2 Scout Trenton Doherty, troop members Jorgen Halvorsen, Johan Halvorsen, Tyler Libby, Scoutmaster Arne Halvorsen and troop members Nick Sudsbury and Joshua Oldham.