Have you heard the term "Court of Honor"?  Are you wondering what it is?  If so here is a quick description that will hopefully clarify things.

Courts of Honor are when Scouts, Families, and Friends come together to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Troop members.  Courts come in two flavors...

Troop Courts of Honor

Troop 437 holds "Troop Courts" are held three times a year.  One in the Fall, One in the Winter, and one in the Spring.  Troop Courts are where Troop members are recognized for their achievements such as Rank Advancement, Merit Badges, Leadership, and other accomplishments that have been completed since the last court.  Troop Courts take the place of a regular Thursday evening Troop meeting and end with "pot luck" style refreshments.  Look for notices in the e-blast newsletters about upcoming Troop Courts.

Eagle Courts of Honor

Obtaining Scouting's highest rank of Eagle Scout is a major accomplishment and as such the Troop hosts a special "Eagle Court of Honor" whenever we have a new Eagle Scout to recognize.  Eagle Courts are planned and scheduled as needed throughout the year and might honor a single scout or multiple scouts as appropriate.  Invitations are sent out electronically announcing the Eagle Courts with a requested RSVP deadline.  All families and scouts from the Troop are encouraged to attend the Eagle Courts to help celebrate the accomplishment - even if you do not know the scout it is still important to participate.  Scouts from the Troop will be asked to arrive before the ceremony to help with set up and preparations.

Regardless of the type of court, be it Troop Court or Eagle Court, all Troop families are encouraged to attend.  If you have any questions, please feel free to let a scoutmaster know.

Outing: Quechee Gorge, Vermont Camping Trip 2-nights

Arrive: Friday, June 20 2025 after 2:00 PM  at Quechee State Park

Depart: Sunday, June 22 2025 before 11:00 AM

Details will follow next week.

Hello,  The Order of the Arrow lodge will be at this week's Troop meeting (5/22) to conduct OA elections.  We have 3 girls and 8 boys who have met the requirements for membership in the OA.

To conduct the elections, we need 50% of each Troop (Girls and Boys) to be present.  Please plan on attending so you can support your fellow scouts!

The Order of the Arrow (OA) is Scouting's National Honor Society, recognizing Scouts who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. It is a brotherhood of cheerful service, focused on promoting camping, developing leadership skills, and providing selfless service to their troops, councils, camps, and communities. Election to the Order of the Arrow is by their peers in the Troop, acknowledging their demonstrated commitment to the ideals of Scouting. Participation in the OA offers Scouts unique opportunities for advanced leadership training, engaging in meaningful service projects, building lasting friendships with like-minded Scouts from across the council, and deepening their overall Scouting experience.

Once elected to the Order of the Arrow by their peers, candidates need to complete a designated camping and service weekend with the Order to become a full member.  For more membership information, please see: Membership | Order of the Arrow

Camping at Wanocksett, Iron Chef Competition, and Day Hike on Mt. Monadnock 

The May trip will be tent camping at Camp Wanocksett Scout Reservation followed by a Sunday hike. This campout will be a great opportunity for our new cross-over scouts to join in all the fun of camping with Troop 437.  

The patrols will start the weekend with an Iron Chef cooking competition!  Does your patrol have what it takes to wow and delight the judges with your culinary skills and teamwork?  All patrols will be required to utilize a challenge ingredient in their dinner meal.

Sunday morning patrols will make breakfast, cleanup, pack up and then start up Mt. Monadnock, the most hiked mountain in the U.S.A.  The hike will be tailored to the Scouts on the hike.  In the event of serious weather, we'll depart mid morning

Start: Depart from Stonybrook Middle School parking lot (9 Farmer Way, Westford) 2 PM on Saturday, May 17 

End: Pickup at the Stonybrook Middle School parking lot mid-afternoon on Sunday, May 18

Cost: $20 for overnight camping, Iron Chef dinner, cracker barrel, Breakfast & Lunch on the trail (and bring your own trail snacks)

Sign-up deadline: May 15th