About
Troop History
Troop 215 was granted a partial charter in October of 1978 with the first official re-charter made in February of 1979. Fr. Frank Moeslin, the founding priest of St. Mark, signed our original charter agreement with the Cape Fear Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Wallace Loyless was the first Scoutmaster of the troop, followed by Dave Moore, Bob Kain, Larry Greer, Brian Barrett, Jim Barnes, Kevin Smith, and the current scoutmaster, Isabel Campos.
Consistent leadership has always been one of the strong points for the success of the troop. Administratively, the Troop Committee has provided guidance and support throughout the years. Larry Greer currently presides as the Troop Committee Chairman. To date, more than 85 young men have advanced to the rank of Eagle Scout during the Troop’s tenure and more than two dozen have earned the religious award for Catholic Scouting, the Ad Altare Dei Emblem. An additional 6 more scouts advanced their Catholic faith by earning the Pope Pius XII award.
In 2012, the Troop rechartered under the Knights of Columbus Fr. Waters Council #12017 of St. Mark Church, however, in 2017 Troop 215 was divested from the nation-wide withdrawal of the Knights of Columbus from chartering Scout Troops, and Troop 215 was re-chartered under St Mark Catholic Church and has been every year since. We have enjoyed the relationship with our chartered organization and expect that relationship to extend for future generations. In addition to active participation with other troops in the Cape Fear Council, Troop 215 interacts with other troops in eastern NC through its long-standing affiliation with the Raleigh Diocese Catholic Committee on Scouting.
Troop 215 Today
Today, Troop 215 has approximately 15 active scouts organized into 2 patrols. We are also fortunate enough to have a strong contingent of adult leaders that help guide our youth at both meetings and on outings. We meet on Thursday evenings from 6:30pm to 8:00pm at St Mark Catholic Church in the Parish Hall or in the back parking lot just beyond the catholic school building.
During our weekly meetings, the primary goal is to encourage and assist Scouts in rank requirements, skills development, and leadership. Our Scouts also will ensure they are ready for the upcoming outing.
Troop 215 has a camping weekend every month during the school year and regularly participates in a summer camp program during each summer. Our Scouts decide on which BSA summer camp to attend so they can participate in merit badge sessions (11-17 years old) as well as high adventure opportunities (14-17 years old).
Service projects are also an integral part of the Scouting experience. Troop 215 participates in Meals on Wheels food preparation, campsite improvements at Camp Bowers, and helping with various St. Mark church events. Our Life Scouts also provide service opportunities through their Eagle Scout Service Projects.
So what is Scouts BSA?
Watch the video below to learn more about the program!