History of the Troop

In 2019, then Chartered Organization Representative, Bob Jones wrote the following History of the Pack and Troop #431.

A History of Pack and Troop #431

By Bob Jones – Chartered Organization Representative

Pack and Troop #431 both were started in 1968 as a result of a population movement into the western suburbs of Berks County.

The Pack was originally Pack 405 chartered to St. Alban’s church in 1968.  It operated successfully until 1993 until St. Alban’s decided not to re-charter with the Hawk Mountain Council – BSA and a new chartered partner was needed to support the Pack or it would cease to exist.  When St. Peter’s was approached as a possible partner for the program, it made sense to the Scout committee at St. Peter’s to make the Pack a part of the church’s scouting since the troop was already established.  The two units already had a close relationship because many of the boys from Pack 405 continued their scouting with the troop at St. Peter’s.  To further enhance this relationship it was decided to change the Cub Scout number to further this identity.  The membership re-chartered to Pack 431 with 16 boys and 22 adults.

The troop was started in 1968 also to meet the needs of families in the area who were at that time sending their boys to the troop in West Lawn, PA.  There was enough interest in local parents to start a new troop and St. Peter’s U.C.C. stepped up to be the chartered organization.  On December 3, 1968 troop 431 was chartered to St. Peter’s with 9 boys and 5 adults from the West Lawn troop.

The advantages of having both units under one roof have proved to be many.  The most important one is that the transition from Cubs to Scouts is much easier and seamless, both for boys and adults.

In addition, the two committees can work together to ensure that programs occur as they should.  This strength has made it possible for St. Peter’s as a chartered organization to a group of girls from another pack and allow them to form an all girls troop.

While there are any number of ways to measure the success of BSA units, two will be apparent here at 431:

       Tenure – St. Peter’s has provided scouting in this area for 51 years

       Advancement – Troop 431 has been able to produce over 78 Eagles.

       Flexibility – Pack and Troop 431 recognized the opportunity that forming an all

       girls troop and allowing girls to become members of Pack 431.

The leaders of our scouting program and the congregation of St. Peter’s U.C.C. welcome the opportunity to bring new kids and their families into Scouts BSA.  The girls have already enjoyed their first-weekend camping trip as part of our scouting program.

This was written shortly after St. Peter’s U.C.C. officially chartered the Girls Troop on February 14, 2019.  Since then, the Girls’ Troop, the Boys’ Troop, and the Cub Pack have flourished. The Pack has crossed over many AOLs into both Troops helping them add many more Scouts to the Rank of Eagle.  

Scouting America (then Boys Scouts of America) decided to run a pilot program to give Chartered Organizations options to have a mixed troop.  Our troops were selected into the pilot program and as of September 1, 2024, the Troops are one Combined Troop.