Greenville hosts first Boy Scout Camporee since 1969

By Jason Agrell
Special to The Observer

At 9:30 a.m. on Sunday Sept. 27, the steam whistle atop the historic steamship Katahdin blew as she disembarked for a special tour. Aboard the vessel were over 200 Scouts and their leaders from various packs belonging to the Boy Scouts of America Katahdin Area Council.

CAMPOREE HOSTS — Representing Boy Scout Troop 120 of Greenville were, from left, front row: Dustin Freethy-Poiss, Dominick Murray, Dallyn Ryder, Ethan Pratt, Matthieu Adrien and Jesse Poiss. Back row: Jorgen Halverson, Connor DiAngelo, Johan Halvorsen and Noah Pratt. Not pictured are John Watt, Tom Watt, Jonathan Goodwin, Ian Blackstone and Wyatt Blackstone.

The cruise aboard the Katahdin was the final event of this year’s Camporee — a weekend full of scouting activities, community service, and fellowship with many different packs from all over the state. For the first time since 1969, the Camporee was hosted by the Penquis District of the Katahdin Area Council, and more specifically, Troop 120 of Greenville.

The Boy Scouts is an organization that is well known for its service to the community.  This cruise on the Katahdin was an opportunity for the local community to come together and support their Scouts.

Joe DiAngelo, Scoutmaster of Troop 120, contacted the Moosehead Marine Museum earlier this summer about hosting the Scouts for a one-hour tour aboard the Katahdin. Director of the museum, Liz Cannell, was eager to work with the Scouts. When she was asked by DiAngelo about the cost of the cruise, she looked to two businesses in the community to sponsor the Camporee event. Cannell approached Camden National Bank and Bangor Savings Bank, who each contributed $500 to cover the cost of the cruise.

“I think that it’s an excellent example of the kind of community-based partnership that can happen,” Cannell said.  “Here we’ve got two competing banks that are willing to partner with each other to make something really great happen for the Boy Scouts.” Employees from both banks also volunteered to help staff the boat and serve breakfast to the Scouts onboard.

The Scouts were very grateful for the opportunity that their community helped to provide.

Adam Briggs, executive of the Katahdin Area Council’s Penquis District said, “The Scouting program is all about community and doing for the community. We’re trying to develop our boys into good citizens and people, and exposing them to things like this is how we do that.”

Contributed photo/ Brandon Raymond

COMMUNITY SUPPORT — Greenville Scoutmaster Joe DiAngelo thanks Camporee volunteers Alicia Kronholm, left, of Bangor Savings Bank, and Peggy Phillips of Camden National Bank.

READY TO CRUISE — Representing the St. Paul the Apostle Parish Troop 17, based out of Bangor, were, from left, Dan Reed, Hunter Pelkey, Cameron Ashe, Mark Jarvis and Erik Jarvis

ALL HANDS ON DECK — Several members of Brewer BSA Troop 1, from left, Collin Averill, Spencer Proctor, Daniel Loftin and Ethan Anderson, survey Moosehead Lake from the deck of the steamship Katahdin.