Welcome to the Troop 64 Website!

Okemos, Michigan

Troop 64 was first chartered on February 2, 1937 and has been continuously serving youth for the past 70 years. Today we have 18 registered Scouts who range in rank from “Scout” to “Life” and range in age from 10 to 17.

The Troop is chartered by the First Baptist Church of Okemos. We meet at the church on Monday nights from 7:00 – 8:15 p.m. Generally, the last Monday of the month is the Patrol Leaders Council meeting where the activities for upcoming months are planned. This meeting is attended by the Senior Patrol Leader and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, all Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders, other scouts in leadership positions, Scoutmaster, and Committee Chair.

The Troop has one Scoutmaster and seven Assistant Scoutmasters, many of whom have completed Boy Scout Leader Basic Training. Three Assistant Scoutmasters have participated in Boy Scout Leader Wood Badge Training (advanced leader training).

The Troop Committee currently has seven registered members. These members are parents of the Scouts who take an active part in supporting the activities of the Troop. The Troop committee meets on the last Monday of each month at 7:15 p.m. at the church. We welcome all parents to take an active role in the Troop. A strong, active Troop Committee is essential to a healthy troop.

Troop 64 is committed to the BSA philosophy of a “boy run program.” The Scouts conduct an annual planning conference where they evaluate the past year’s goals, set new goals for the coming year, and plan the troop calendar. The Troop Committee reviews the annual plan, makes suggestions for change if needed, and then votes to support the plan.

The troop maintains an active, year-round program. In addition to spending a week at Summer Camp, the Troop plans weekend activities each month. Many times during the year, the scouts plan a purely fun night, such as bowling, laser tag, or a corn maze. Past activities have included:

Backpacking/Hiking Trips – Philmont Scout Ranch, Pinckney Waterloo, Tahquamanon Falls, and South Manitou Island

Other Activities - Wright Patterson Air Force Base; biking; Gettysburg; Mackinac Island Honor Guard, Northwoods, YMCA Lock-in; Lugnuts overnight camping; Pinewood Derby; USS Silversides; dogsledding; luge; canoeing; winter camping, and skiing.

Day Trips - In addition, Troop 64 has taken a number of day trips, including visits to the Ford Rouge Car Plant, the Kalamazoo Air Museum, and the Cranbrook Institute of Science, and swimming and biking trips.

Service Projects - Troop 64 has conducted a number of service projects, including gathering food for and distributing Thanksgiving baskets, serving dinner at the Lansing Rescue Mission, building and installing birdhouses for a nursing home facility, making cards and decorations for nursing home residents, planting flowers, and assisting at the MSU flower sale

2007 Calendar - Our tentative calendar for 2007 includes Northwoods for summer camp, and a rafting and canoe trip. Our calendar is available on our website at: www.okemostroop64.com. Pictures of some of our recent trips and activities are posted on the website as well.

The Troop has most equipment needed for camping: Tents, Stoves, Dutch Ovens, Lanterns, Dining Flies, Cooking Kits, etc. Each Scout is expected to provide his own personal gear (e.g., sleeping bag, flashlight, water bottle, etc.)

The Troop conducts various fund raising projects to support the outdoor activities of the Troop. The fundraising projects allow the troop to purchase additional equipment and fund individual accounts for Scouts to help defray the costs of summer camp and other trips. In the past we have sold popcorn, picked pumpkins, held a car wash, and picked up Christmas trees.

The Troop dues for each Scout are $50.00 annually. This amount is prorated for the time of year at which the boy joins. The dues cover National Registration fees, advancement awards, merit badges, etc. Any family needing financial assistance should contact our scoutmaster.

Although we attempt to keep all costs to a minimum, there are additional costs for camping and other outings. In general, a local weekend camping trip would cost between $15 and $25. Costs for other trips and events depend on the length of time, distance, cost of the event (such as campsite, entry or ticket fees), and travel (for instance, airfare or ferry costs).

Troop 64 has a “Uniform Closet,” where Scouts donate outgrown clothing. The outgrown clothing is then recycled for use by other Scouts within the Troop. If you are in need of uniform items, feel free to contact the Scoutmaster.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact either individual listed below.

This website is a work in progress. It was born on October 18, 2004. Please send suggestions and corrections to the webmaster at okemostroop64@sbcglobal.net.