Troop 991 was established by the development of a community need. There was no Boy Scout Troop on the Hill. Pack 991, which has existed for over 40 years, needed a place to send its graduates. Cubmaster Tim Blum was ready to move on and with a gang of parents and 12 graduating Webelos, reformed Boy Scout Troop 991.

Reformed? Yes, Troop 991 has existed of and on for the past 40 years also. It last appearance was in 1983. With the reformation came a great deal of growth. The boys were all 10 1/2 to 11 years old. No one, adults included, had ever run a Troop. Training and experimenting, reading and talking got us through the first year. A new group of Webelos graduated and our count went to 22. We found that we needed a program, but we had no one to create it, so we dug our heals in and got to work.

Thanks to the efforts of Aziz Shariat, Mike Verducci, Tim Blum, Doug Gehrels and a few other adults we started getting real organized and by the end of the second year, we looked like a Boy Scout Troop. Looks were deceiving though. The adults were running the show and the boys had little to no say in the program.

It was during the third year that Boy Scouts Nariman Shariat and Andrew Blum were sent to leader camp. It was also during the third year that the Troop went to camp. Both of these events led to the creation of a Boy-run Troop. As the fourth year progressed the Boys were taking on more of the administration and the adults were just supervising and fitting in as necessary.

Now if you look at the Troop 991, we can say that we are Delivering the Promise. The program includes advancement, fun, camping, community service, fun backpacking, Scout Camps, Junior Leader Camps, hiking, bicycling, fun. We are growing in size and strength. Our Junior Leaders can be put up with the best in the Council. Our adult leaders are constantly being trained and bringing that training to the Troop.

Mike Verducci and Tim Blum hold positions outside the Troop in District and Council jobs. These positions bring more work and ideas to the Troop. That is the Promise. Read the Boy Scout Oath and Law. Look at the young men in Troop 991. They learn new things, they gain friendship, they advance and turn around and help others advance, they are what every community wants to see.