Troop 74 is an extremely active, boy-run, high adventure troop from Chelmsford, MA.  Our troop has been chartered for more than 40 years and is sponsored by Central Congregational Church in Chelmsford, which is where we meet every Monday night of the school year at 7PM. 

Any boy aged 11-17, Webelos Scouts, their parents and leaders, or anybody interested in the Scouting program can visit us during our weekly meetings.  Click Here for a map.  Parents and leaders are also invited to join us at our Troop committee meetings.  The Troop 74 committee usually meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month in Fellowship Hall at the church.   For more information, please email our Committee Chairman, Tom Eagan at TEagan@BleckDesignGroup.com.

Over the years, our troop has developed an amazing support structure of parents, friends, alumni and volunteers.  More than 80 registered adults help serve a group of 40 boys.  A large percentage of those adults are quite active in our weekly meetings, troop committee meetings and/or campouts.  Many of those registered adults are men who grew up in the troop and earned the rank of Eagle Scout (including Scoutmaster Brian Acheson).  Since our first Eagle in 1969, Troop 74 has produced more than 60 Eagle Scouts.

As stated above, Troop 74 is extremely active.  Events are planned for every month of the year.  While the adults help steer the direction of the troop activities, it is ultimately the boys who plan the troop calendar every year.  The Patrol Leaders' Council (PLC) decides of what types of activities they want to do throughout the year and when necessary, they pass off the in depth planning to the camping committee.  Day trips that often occur during the harshest winter months (this is New England after all) are routinely planned almost entirely by the boys. 

The summer is always one of the most exciting times of the year for the troop.  While we don't have weekly meetings when school is not in session, the troop participates in two momentous events.  Troop 74 attends summer camp for two weeks at the Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation located on Northwood Lake in Northwood, New Hampshire. This long-term camping experience, under the direction of the Troop adult leadership, lasts for two weeks but Scouts are encouraged to attend camp provisionally for up to six weeks. Scouts have the opportunity to develop Scout skills, work on rank advancement requirements, earn Merit Badges and develop new friends in a nurturing environment. Troop 74 normally attends summer camp during the second and third week in July.

Troop 74 offers boys and their parents and adult leaders a special opportunity each summer to participate in a High Adventure experience. These week-long trips usually take us to the backwoods of Maine or New Hampshire, the mountains of New York or Vermont, or the rivers and streams of northern New England and Canada. The High Adventure program is different each year and rotates between canoeing, cycling, and hiking themes. Participants learn to deal with the challenges of the outdoors while developing bonds with the other people in the group. When you ask Troop 74 Scouts what they like most about the program they invariably say "camping". When you ask Scouts what camping trip they enjoyed the most it is always a High Adventure trip. In 2006, the troop will be embarking on a canoeing High Adventure.

Much of what Troop 74 has become would not have been possible without our former Scoutmaster Tony Bacchi.  Tony passed away in March of 2001, but will never be forgotten.  A special tribute page to him can be found here.