These Boy Scouts are Always Prepared
Troop 100 stays busy in community service

By Sherrie Norris
Boy Scouts in Troop 100 representing the Deep Gap community are always prepared – whether climbing the

ladder of scouting success or scaling mountains and caves in Virginia.

Their involvement in a wide range of team building activities, personal achievement opportunities and community service is amazing, according to their scout master, Bob Rochelle.

“These boys work really hard at whatever they are doing,” Rochelle said. “They take scouting seriously and do a lot of good for a lot of people.”

Chartered in 1971, this particular troop has a long history of good deeds from its early days sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Boone. For the last 18 years, the troop has made its home in Deep Gap, its meetings and activities based at the Deep Gap Volunteer Fire Department.

For the last five years, Rochelle has led the group, and with less than a dozen on the current roster, three have just completed their Eagle rank and will be receiving “the honors” in a formal upcoming ceremony.

“Scouting teaches boys to be young men through leadership and community service,” Rochelle said. “They work hard for their merit badges, they learn a variety of skills, and they enjoy meeting new people and experiencing new things along the way.”

Joining the troop with his son, Daniel, now a third generation Eagle, Rochelle sees scouting as a great way for parents to interact with their sons.

“It’s not just a dad thing, either,” he emphasized. “We like to see the mother-son relationship develop though scouting, as well, and we see a lot of great women leaders involved these days.”

As one of three Boy Scout troops in Watauga, Troop 100 recently sponsored a blood drive at the Holiday Inn Express of Boone, one of two it hosts each year. “They enjoy greeting donors and being a part of a life-giving service such as this,” Rochelle said.

The Rochelles, assistant scout master Steve Williams, his son Aaron, and new Eagle Scout Tony Potter, were taking shifts as greeters and servers at the drive’s refreshment table, assisting the donors before and after they gave blood. At one point, the younger Rochelle, donned in Red Cross mascot attire, hit the pavement, waving in potential donors.

At 11, Aaron Williams is the newest member of the troop, already racking up five merit badges in about one year of service. Summers are busy for the scouts, they all agree, with a long list of special projects to do. With their most recent blood drive considered one more success, they will most likely be repeating some of last year’s fun events, such as whitewater rafting, rock climbing, caving, camping, etc.

With community service always on their minds, they are to be commended for work already done – replacing the roof of the picnic shelter at Parkway School; constructing a school volleyball court, sponsoring a food drive for the Hunger and Health Coalition that netted more than 500 pounds of goods; helping the Deep Gap Ruritan Club set up and take down tables, chairs and equipment during the club’s annual fundraising dinner every first weekend in June, as well as lending assistance to other causes.

As members of the Old Hickory Council’s Blue Ridge District, Troop 100 is already anticipating a week of summer camp at Camp Raven Knob, during which the third week of July will not only offer fun in the sun, but a time of fellowship, adventure and growing together with scouts from across the region.

Serving Northwestern North Carolina’s young people and families with a program of fun, excitement and outdoor adventure for almost 100 years, the Old Hickory Council strives to achieve character development, citizenship training and physical and mental fitness through a program of challenge, personal achievement, leadership training and association with positive adult role models – all while having lots of fun. By the looks of Troop 100, it’s working well.