About Troop 279:  Boy Scouts of America, Troop 279, founded in 1953, is chartered by the Point of Rocks Ruritan Club and has been in continuous charter since 1954. It is a member of the Appalachian Trail District within Frederick County, and is also part of the over-all National Capital Area Regional District.

Meeting Times: Troop 279 meets every Wednesday night from 7:15-8:30 p.m. at the Point of Rocks Community Center.  Our sponsoring organization is the Point of Rocks Ruritan Club. Troop Committee meetings (leaders and parents) are held approximately every 4 months on a Wednesday evening.  About every two months we have a “fun event” chosen by the boys that replaces the regular meeting.

Troop Leadership: Jim Becker is the troop’s Scoutmaster, along with Tom Wheatley who is Assistant Scoutmaster and Appalachian Trail District Commissioner.  Tom heads up the high adventure program for the troop as well as for the district.  Rounding out the adult leaders are Assistant Scoutmasters Mike Crone and Virginia Strnad, Rick Rogers who is a Committee Member, Marnie Wheatley who is treasurer, and Brigitte Beauclair who serves as the troop’s Committee Chair.  Troop 279 strives to be a “boy-led” troop and the scouts select their own leaders about every six months.  Eagle Scouts frequently come back to help the troop. 

Scouts from Troop 279 have about a 75% rate of attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, as opposed to about a 4 to 5% national rate over-all.  This is a direct result of many of our boys staying in the troop, despite the numerous other different activities associated with high school.  Boys who stay in the troop beyond three years are much more likely to attain Eagle Scout rank.

There are many opportunities for leadership for boys in the troop, including Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, and Quartermaster.

Fun and exciting activities that our scouts have participated in

• attending nationally known high adventure camps Philmont and  Double H in New Mexico.
• hiking and biking on the C&O Canal towpath
• hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail
• attending other regional camps at Goshen Scout Reservation in Virginia, Sinoquipe in Pennsylvania, and camps Airy and Greentop in Maryland
• tubing on the Potomac River at Harper’s Ferry
• skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing
• camping at many nearby locations

The troop also participates in service to the community, including the annual Scouting for Food, collecting and helping the Marines sort Toys for Tots, and helping to complete numerous Eagle Scout projects that benefit the community.  Scouts also participate in Christmas tree sales, and help out at the annual local Shetland Sheepdog dog show right in Point of Rocks.

• Growth in moral strength and character,
• Development of physical, mental, and emotional fitness, and,
• Becoming a good citizen.

To accomplish these aims, we use eight methods:
1.      Ideals – Scout Oath, Law and motto;
2.      Patrols – having responsibilities within a patrol;
3.      Outdoors – how to get along with others, take on responsibility, use what they have learned;
4.      Advancement – overcomes challenges and receives rewards which leads to self-confidence;
5.      Adult Association – learn from the example set by adult leaders;
6.      Personal Growth – as they achieve their goals, participation in community service projects;
7.      Leadership Development – through positions in the troop;
8.      Uniform – shows a commitment to the aims and purposes of scouting.