TodayTroop 965 meets at St. Juliana every Monday night at 7:00 in the Gym or School Hall. If you would like more information about joining us please call Scoutmaster John Pelrine at (773) 206-7160 or Contact Us. New Scouts (Boys 10 1/2 years old and up) are always welcome.
Meet the Committee |
History
Scouting came to the United States in 1910. St Juliana came to Edison Park in 1927 and Scouting came to St Juliana in June 1932. Father Thomas Hogan was the parish’s founding pastor and the pastor at the time Troop 965 was first chartered.
Harold Patrick Donovan was selected as Scoutmaster. Mr. Donovan, born in 1889, was a bachelor who devoted the next 23 years of his life as Scoutmaster. He unfortunately suffered an untimely and fatal heart attack on 3/19/58 at a Norwood/Edison Park Council Planning Meeting. The Assistant Scoutmaster Greg Lang took over the troop out of respect to the memory of Harold Donovan. Mr. Lang ran the Troop until the return of a former Troop 965 Scout from the eastern United States.
Edward Dell enthusiastically took the helm. Mr. Dell continued the Troop’s strong emphasis on camping. Photos provided by Mr. Dell show the troop and its leaders at Owasippe as far back as 1949. Mr. Dell ran the Troop until 1961. Mr. Dell has said that the strong bonds forged in Scouting continue even to today. He still gets together regularly with Troop 965 Alumni.
Gene Bock, father of several Troop 965 Scouts took over the reins after Mr. Dell. Mr. Bock ran the troop for about a year until turning the leadership position over to Vince Zegers. Mr. Zegers had been active with his sons in Cub Scouting and as a Troop Committee member for years. Very involved with the boys, he was also a member of the Big Brother Program. Vince Zegers also became St. Juliana’s Parish’s first Permanent Deacon.
Vince’s trail name was Chief, and the Scouts respected and endeared the Chief of our tribe. Long after his son Joe left the Troop, the Chief continued on as Scoutmaster.
In the early 60’s the Troop ranks swelled to over fifty Scouts and camped in small three-boy tents custom made for the Troop by a local canvas seamstress. The Leaders slept in large wall tents with rows of Scout tents flanking the sides. A few of the campgrounds the Troop stayed at like Lazy K in Spring Grove and Fish Lake in Volo have now become subdivisions. We hiked to Camp Fort Dearborn, which is located on the Des Plaines River at Higgins Road and has since closed. Gear was stored in the basement of the Chief’s house and on camping weekends the Scouts would gather to load tents, stoves and other gear into father’s cars and then return them to the basement afterwards. Summer meetings were held at Bunker Hill Forest Preserve with large games of capture the flag. Normal weekly meetings were held in the school hall because the Church stood were the Parish Activity Center now stands. The Troop would sell Sunday papers after Mass and used the proceeds to purchase a red van that could carry Scouts and gear to camping trips. Another way the Troop raised money was collecting old newspaper (this was before recycling was the norm). Along with Cub Scouts, the Troop recycled two semi trailers full of old paper a few times a year and used that money to support the Scouts through the camping season.
Summer camping offered Owasippe for a week to work on advancement and a week in Kettle Moraine State Park at Mauthe Lake. Mauthe was less structured but allowed Scouts an extended camping experience. Boys planned their own meals and were responsible for purchasing and cooking their own food. With a lake a short hike away, buddy Scouts could swim, canoe or hike on their own as long as they signed out and informed the Senior Patrol Leader of their itinerary.
The Vietnam War affected the Troop in 1967 when a former Scout, Greg Kasper, was killed in the war. A few other Scouts, including Mike Reese and Larry Biasi, also served in Viet Nam. That military tradition continues through today with Mike O’Connell joining other former Scouts Jim Grish and Tom Mulvenna to name a few.
In the 70’s as those small tents wore out, the Troop shifted to large wall canvas tents that allowed more Scouts to sleep in less space. The Scout camp at Yorkville was renamed Hoover Scout Camp and the Troop started camping further west at places like Silver Springs near Plano, Lake Le-Aqua-Na and Mississippi Palisades. Along with places like Rock Cut and Chain-O-Lakes, the Troop camped almost monthly. Summer meetings moved to Field Park in Park Ridge where monster softball games were staged. Although the Troop placed camping above advancement, some Scouts succeeded to Eagle. Les and Tom Dombai were among the earliest to achieve the highest rank in Scouting. Another pair of brothers, Carl and Fred Palfy, followed them, and Victor Jacobellis received his in 1989.
In the early 1980’s a group of older Scouts planned our first trip to the Boundary Waters to start high adventure in the Troop. White water rafting followed that, cross-country skiing at the Indiana Dunes and those trips continue to the present.
As Vince Zegers advanced in age, Pete Schmidt stepped in as Assistant Scoutmaster and ran outings, then meetings and with Tom Cotter, kept the Troop healthy into the 90’s. After thirty years, the Chief retired and in 1991, Mike Reese became Scoutmaster. The Troop returned to camping in small tents and purchased it’s first Timberline, the tent we are presently using.
In October of 1993, Vince Zegers passed away at the age of 84. He was like a second father to the Scouts of Troop 965. He is still remembered by the older Scouts in their thirties through fifties at annual camping reunions when closing prayers are started with “May the Great Scoutmaster of all good Scouts be with us till we meet again”. Although in the prayer The Lord God is the Great Scoutmaster, the prayer allows some older Scouters to think of the Chief.
Mike Frey joined the Troop with his son, Ryan, and took High Adventure to a new level. The older Scouts climbed Mt. Washington in New Hampshire (where the 4th and final generation Scout van died) and biked over 130 miles from St. Juliana to Mauthe Lake to name a few. The Troop built a trailer to carry gear on trips. Jack Donoval became Scoutmaster in 2000 and helped increase the Troop’s roster from a low of 3 boys to over 30 and focused the Scouts on advancement. The Troop was honored with another Eagle from Anthony Niles and three more from Mike O’Connell, Rob Perkins and Pat McGonagle. High adventure trips continued for the older Scouts with trips to the Boundary Waters, Sea Base, where Scouts and Leaders scuba dove in the Florida Keys, and Philmont Scout Camp. The Troop purchased a trailer to carry gear on trips and it gets a real workout.
John Pelrine became Scoutmaster in 2003 and is presently our current Leader. Bill Gehrling, Dan O’Connell, Brian Pelrine, Dan Stolarski and David Oulvey received their Eagle rank in unison, with Will Dombai (2nd generation) and Tom Hanusiak achieving the Eagle rank in 2007.
Harold Patrick Donovan was selected as Scoutmaster. Mr. Donovan, born in 1889, was a bachelor who devoted the next 23 years of his life as Scoutmaster. He unfortunately suffered an untimely and fatal heart attack on 3/19/58 at a Norwood/Edison Park Council Planning Meeting. The Assistant Scoutmaster Greg Lang took over the troop out of respect to the memory of Harold Donovan. Mr. Lang ran the Troop until the return of a former Troop 965 Scout from the eastern United States.
Edward Dell enthusiastically took the helm. Mr. Dell continued the Troop’s strong emphasis on camping. Photos provided by Mr. Dell show the troop and its leaders at Owasippe as far back as 1949. Mr. Dell ran the Troop until 1961. Mr. Dell has said that the strong bonds forged in Scouting continue even to today. He still gets together regularly with Troop 965 Alumni.
Gene Bock, father of several Troop 965 Scouts took over the reins after Mr. Dell. Mr. Bock ran the troop for about a year until turning the leadership position over to Vince Zegers. Mr. Zegers had been active with his sons in Cub Scouting and as a Troop Committee member for years. Very involved with the boys, he was also a member of the Big Brother Program. Vince Zegers also became St. Juliana’s Parish’s first Permanent Deacon.
Vince’s trail name was Chief, and the Scouts respected and endeared the Chief of our tribe. Long after his son Joe left the Troop, the Chief continued on as Scoutmaster.
In the early 60’s the Troop ranks swelled to over fifty Scouts and camped in small three-boy tents custom made for the Troop by a local canvas seamstress. The Leaders slept in large wall tents with rows of Scout tents flanking the sides. A few of the campgrounds the Troop stayed at like Lazy K in Spring Grove and Fish Lake in Volo have now become subdivisions. We hiked to Camp Fort Dearborn, which is located on the Des Plaines River at Higgins Road and has since closed. Gear was stored in the basement of the Chief’s house and on camping weekends the Scouts would gather to load tents, stoves and other gear into father’s cars and then return them to the basement afterwards. Summer meetings were held at Bunker Hill Forest Preserve with large games of capture the flag. Normal weekly meetings were held in the school hall because the Church stood were the Parish Activity Center now stands. The Troop would sell Sunday papers after Mass and used the proceeds to purchase a red van that could carry Scouts and gear to camping trips. Another way the Troop raised money was collecting old newspaper (this was before recycling was the norm). Along with Cub Scouts, the Troop recycled two semi trailers full of old paper a few times a year and used that money to support the Scouts through the camping season.
Summer camping offered Owasippe for a week to work on advancement and a week in Kettle Moraine State Park at Mauthe Lake. Mauthe was less structured but allowed Scouts an extended camping experience. Boys planned their own meals and were responsible for purchasing and cooking their own food. With a lake a short hike away, buddy Scouts could swim, canoe or hike on their own as long as they signed out and informed the Senior Patrol Leader of their itinerary.
The Vietnam War affected the Troop in 1967 when a former Scout, Greg Kasper, was killed in the war. A few other Scouts, including Mike Reese and Larry Biasi, also served in Viet Nam. That military tradition continues through today with Mike O’Connell joining other former Scouts Jim Grish and Tom Mulvenna to name a few.
In the 70’s as those small tents wore out, the Troop shifted to large wall canvas tents that allowed more Scouts to sleep in less space. The Scout camp at Yorkville was renamed Hoover Scout Camp and the Troop started camping further west at places like Silver Springs near Plano, Lake Le-Aqua-Na and Mississippi Palisades. Along with places like Rock Cut and Chain-O-Lakes, the Troop camped almost monthly. Summer meetings moved to Field Park in Park Ridge where monster softball games were staged. Although the Troop placed camping above advancement, some Scouts succeeded to Eagle. Les and Tom Dombai were among the earliest to achieve the highest rank in Scouting. Another pair of brothers, Carl and Fred Palfy, followed them, and Victor Jacobellis received his in 1989.
In the early 1980’s a group of older Scouts planned our first trip to the Boundary Waters to start high adventure in the Troop. White water rafting followed that, cross-country skiing at the Indiana Dunes and those trips continue to the present.
As Vince Zegers advanced in age, Pete Schmidt stepped in as Assistant Scoutmaster and ran outings, then meetings and with Tom Cotter, kept the Troop healthy into the 90’s. After thirty years, the Chief retired and in 1991, Mike Reese became Scoutmaster. The Troop returned to camping in small tents and purchased it’s first Timberline, the tent we are presently using.
In October of 1993, Vince Zegers passed away at the age of 84. He was like a second father to the Scouts of Troop 965. He is still remembered by the older Scouts in their thirties through fifties at annual camping reunions when closing prayers are started with “May the Great Scoutmaster of all good Scouts be with us till we meet again”. Although in the prayer The Lord God is the Great Scoutmaster, the prayer allows some older Scouters to think of the Chief.
Mike Frey joined the Troop with his son, Ryan, and took High Adventure to a new level. The older Scouts climbed Mt. Washington in New Hampshire (where the 4th and final generation Scout van died) and biked over 130 miles from St. Juliana to Mauthe Lake to name a few. The Troop built a trailer to carry gear on trips. Jack Donoval became Scoutmaster in 2000 and helped increase the Troop’s roster from a low of 3 boys to over 30 and focused the Scouts on advancement. The Troop was honored with another Eagle from Anthony Niles and three more from Mike O’Connell, Rob Perkins and Pat McGonagle. High adventure trips continued for the older Scouts with trips to the Boundary Waters, Sea Base, where Scouts and Leaders scuba dove in the Florida Keys, and Philmont Scout Camp. The Troop purchased a trailer to carry gear on trips and it gets a real workout.
John Pelrine became Scoutmaster in 2003 and is presently our current Leader. Bill Gehrling, Dan O’Connell, Brian Pelrine, Dan Stolarski and David Oulvey received their Eagle rank in unison, with Will Dombai (2nd generation) and Tom Hanusiak achieving the Eagle rank in 2007.