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the tinley junction | February 7, 2019 | 9
Boy Scouts Troop 237 celebrates 30 years of volunteering, growth
Mary Compton
Freelance Reporter
Thirty years of good
deeds will be celebrated this
month by Boy Scouts Troop
237 as Scouts from both
Tinley Park and Frankfort
reflect on what got them to
where they are.
“It was one of the first
Boy Scouts troops in the
area” said Chief Scoutmaster
Earl Bonovich of Tinley
Park. “It went through a
lot of ups and downs early
on. About 15 years ago the
troop split up. There were a
lot of individuals involved
and they each had their
own ideas for the troop. A
man by the name of Mike
Woehlert stepped in and rebuilt
the troop. It was down
to five scouts and then there
was a turnaround.”
More adults got involved
and took the Wood badge
training which is an adult
leadership training program.
“The troop became
healthy again” explains
Bonovich. “I took over in
2017. Last year we had 56
boys in the troop. Troop 237
is now one of the largest
troops in Rainbow Council.
As we begin 2019, we’re
about to go into the largest
number in our troop which
is 62 boys.”
Scout Nick Ketchen
of Tinley Park said he is
thrilled to be part of Boy
Scouts Troop 237 today.
“I’ve been in scouting
for two years” said Ketchen.
“I’m currently a patrol
leader in the troop. It’s been
great to see my patrol get
out there and volunteering.
It’s a great program and
a high honor to get Eagle
Scout.”
For those who have never
tried Boy Scouts, Ketchen
encourages his peers to try
it.
“Scouting is fun and you
get to do a lot of different
Boy Scouts Troop 237, which has scouts from Tinley Park and Frankfort, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in February. Photo submitted
activities, such as camping
trips an earning merit badges”
he said.
Another scout, Jack Genis,
who is a Frankfort resident
and attends Lincoln-
Way East, is also a Senior
Patrol Leader for Troop.
“I’ve been in scouts almost
four years” said Genis.
“I knew all my friends
were scouts so I wanted to
tag along. I enjoy camping
the best. I’ve learned so
much being a scout, such as
doing a square knot, which
I would have never known
not being in scouts.”
Currently Genis has 14
merit badges and he needs
21 to begin his eagle project.
History of the troop dates
back 30 years ago when it
started with 10 scouts in
Frankfort Square. Scouts
are from ages 11 through
18.
“When they turn 18, they
age out and can become assistant
scoutmasters if they
choose to do so” said Bonovich.
Bonovich said he is
thrilled to continue the
present-day history with the
troop.
“I’m here to support the
boys and to teach them to
be leaders,” he said. “We’re
designed to be youth-led so
the boys run the program,
they choose to the camp
they want to go on and make
a lot of decisions. Community
service is important to
our scouts. We currently
have done 1,500 hours from
the past summer. We also
take part in the high adventure
program where our
older scouts get to camp in
some of the amazing parts
in the country.”
Karen Ketchen, Nick’s
mother, serves as the troop’s
outdoor activity coordinator.
“This is an opportunity to
give back to scouting,” said
Ketchen. “My older son did
so well so I decided to volunteer
my time for seven
years.
“Once the boys decide
where they want to go
camping and what they want
to do, I set that up for them.
The best part is seeing them
come in as 11 year olds and
watching them grow and
take on new things they
never thought they would
do. We have a great group
of parent volunteers who
care about these boys succeeding.
Volunteering is the
core of the program.”
Community service is
a foundation of the troop,
giving back to the Frankfort
Square Park District and
it’s community, and several
other groups that have accepted
the scouts assistance.
“We’re continuing to
grow and provide scouting
in the area,” said Bonovich.
“My joy of being a volunteer
scoutmaster is seeing
these youth succeed. Seeing
these boys step up and becoming
leaders in the community
are the goals that
scouting achieves.”