TROOP 499 HERITAGE MODULE

St. Robert Bellarmine
Troop 499 History
1994-2003

Bob Brang became Scoutmaster in 1994. High Adventure lured the troop south to Florida Sea Base where they sailed to and camped on an out island in the Florida Keys. Nearby was another island where the TV series Gilligan's Island was filmed.

Next summer, Troop 499 journeyed north to the Georgian Bay in Ontario, where they canoed and camped along the French River, fighting their way through the raging rapids and hordes of mosquitoes big as B-52s

In 1998, Chris Messink took over the reins as scoutmaster. Summer camps at lost lake and fall and winter camporees were in full swing under his watchful eye. In late summer, the troop traveled down to Port Clinton, Ohio, boarded the ferry in Lake Erie, and went to Put-In-Bay for a campout among the vineyards and storied history of that island.

In the summer of 2000, Troop 499 went on high adventure outing. It was led by Jerry Radtke. They trekked "up to da U.P. eh" where they backpacked and hiked for a week in the Porcupine Mountain wilderness, communing with the mosquitoes and bears.

On September 11th, 2001, Ron Bush became Scoutmaster. Troop 499 continued to summer camp at Lost Lake. They went to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in April of 2002, where new scouts were once again wide-eyed with wonderment at all of the military hardware.

In 2003, Chris Bush, John Gerrity, Matt Grima, and Tim Grima attended the weeklong Junior Leader Training course to become better leaders.

The Troop celebrated their 40th Anniversary Oct 18, 2003. The scouts in the troop at this time were Chris Boyd, Chris Bush, Mike Convery, Scott Convery, Tony Della Mora, David Gerrity, John Gerrity, Matt Grima, Tim Grima, Dillan Holt, Chris Landfair, Steve Landfair, Eric Lewandowski, Mike Martin, Jason Renaud, Colin Robinson, Ian Simcox, Jeff Stevens, and Robbie Wallet.