Boy Scout Troop 259

Read about some recent activities below. Older news articles are available here.

 

 

Eagle Project for the Chinese Community Church



Michael Wong selected the Chinese Community Church as the beneficiary for his Eagle Project. The project provides new landscaping at the church entryway, and helps beautify the property. Michael planned his project after discussing needs with a church member and a former scout parent. The project involved removing the existing landscaping and installing landscape rock to match the facade, and also planting new shrubs with laying drip irrigation to conserve water. As with any project, difficulties sometimes occur. On Michael's project, the landscape rock wasn't delivered for the installation portion. He was able to purchase the material from a different location and still complete the project to meet a church deadline.



Backpacking in the Forest, by Alex W.



On September 15, Troop 259 went on a backpacking trip in Marin Sierra in the Tahoe National Forest on the slope of Sierra Nevada. This was the first backpacking experience for many younger scouts. The scouts went on a five mile hike, and although it was a struggle for some, the destination was worth it as they got the opportunity to swim in the river. Many of the younger scouts learned how to purify water. At the end of the hike, the scouts got to enjoy volleyball and relax at their campsites. Backpacking is a good exposure to a new type of camping. Many of the scouts had a wonderful time, and others got the new experience of hiking in the mountains. See our Facebook Page for more photos of this adventure.


 

 

Summer Fun, by Alex W.


 

1-Mile Orienteering Course

On July 2nd, Troop 259 conducted an orienteering course at Sutterville elementary. Orienteering improves map reading and navigation which are important skills that scouts need to know whenever they go camping, because they are able to navigate their way through different areas. This is also a First Class requirement that can be used as a real-world skill you could use if you get lost anywhere. Many of the younger scouts were able to pick up a new skill that they are able to use in the future. The scouts worked on their ability to work with compasses and counting paces. It took them around 40 minutes to complete the entire course. Orienteering is a crucial part of being a scout and can be helpful in many different situations.

 

Marin Sierra Summer Camp

On July 9th, Troop 259 set out for a one-week summer camp at Marin Sierra. Many new scouts got to experience their first summer camp. During the one week they go camping, there are many opportunities that the scouts can explore. Marin Sierra provides the chance to complete or start several merit badges whether it is eagle-required or not. Many of the newer scouts participated in the wilderness survival merit badge where they created their own shelters in the winderness, using natural resources that they found to sleep in for the night.There were several campwide games at the summer camp that the entire camp played, such as kickball open shoot with the staff members and a chess tournament. There were also opening and closing campfires, and at the closing campfire, each troop presented their own skits to the scouts at Marin Sierra. The summer camp was a new experience for the younger scouts and they also got to sleep in their own shelters for a night.

 

White Water Rafting

On August 18, Troop 259 went on a white water rafting campout. White water rafting was a new experience for most of the scouts. They rafted for an entire day and they got the opportunity to go through three different classes for sections of the river. The classes were called rapids in the river. The class three’s were the most exciting and some scouts even fell out of the raft. Some sections you were allowed to swim in but there was only one class three that you were allowed to swim in. White water rafting was an extremely thrilling and entertaining experience and all of the scouts would love to do it again another time.


 

Recent Activities, by Alex W.


 

Serpent Patrol Bikes Down American River Trail

On March 26th 2023, the Serpent Patrol went on a bike ride from the Tower Bridge to Scott's Seafood on the American River Trail. The American River Trail is one of the most popular bike paths worldwide. They had traveled a total of 15 miles, also fixing two bikes along the way. This trail is very popular due to its reputation for being the longest purpose-built trails in the U.S. There are many sights to see on this trail, such as the beautiful river. This bike ride on the American River Trail was definitely a great experience for some of the younger scouts because it provides an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful sights of the trail and the safety of bike riding.

 

Pack 259 Cub Scout Bridging Ceremony

The Boy Scouts have introduced the new generation of scouts during the Pack 259 Cub Bridging Ceremony on April 16th, 2023. These Cub Scouts have accomplished the highest rank of Cub Scouts, The Arrow of Light Award, proving that they are ready to take on the adventures and experiences of scouting. In the ceremony, the cubs cross a bridge, and members of troop 259 award them with their new Troop 259 neckerchief. We would like to welcome the new Scouts of Troop 259.

 

Cinco De Mayo Flag Ceremony

On the 5th of May, 2023, the Scouts celebrated Cinco De Mayo by helping the Elks Lodge do a flag ceremony during their Cinco De Mayo dinner. Seven scouts participated in the flag ceremony, and the scouts were delighted to assist the Elk Lodge in their ceremony. Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla and it is celebrated annually by Mexico and Parts of the United States.

 


 

Sugarloaf Campout, by Alex W.

Troop 259 has recently gone camping at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. The park is the source of Sonoma Creek. It runs through gorge and canyon, and sometimes is surrounded by redwoods and ferns. The scouts also went on a hike to the Robert Ferguson Observatory. The Robert Ferguson Observatory is located around the group campground and is surrounded by hills, decreasing the light pollution from nearby cities. The observatory also has many telescopes to see the night sky that are open to the public. The scouts learned many new things about astronomy and had a great experience.

 


 

Mai Vang Meets with Troop 259, by Alex W.




Mai Vang is a Sacramento city council member from District 8 that recently visited Troop 259 to tell us about her story. Mai Vang is an upstander that has a goal of creating a better youth and taking a step into giving the homeless people shelters. She plans to build a sports complex in the community in order to benefit the children's health and to provide entertainment for the children. She believes that more of the Sacramento budget should be given to the education of youths because only about 2.9 percent of the Sacramento budget is put into there. Mai gave an amazing informational meeting and we all learned something new about our city.

 


 

Indian Grinding Rock Campout, by Alex W.


 

Recently, Troop 259 went on a campout at Indian Grinding Rock. Indian Grinding Rock is located in the Sierra Nevada. The park was created in 1968, with the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America. The Indians used these grinding rocks to crush acorns to provide food for their families. There was rain during the campout and the scouts went on a nature hike to observe the wildlife that Indian Grinding Rock provides. The older scouts taught and assisted the younger scouts in learning how to create a fire. They learned about the stories and history of the Indians that used to live here. Today, Indian Grinding Rock is a State Historic Park that is used for camping, picnicking, and hiking.

 


 

Shaeler Lake Backpacking, by Alex W.


On August 19th, Troop 259 went on a backpacking trip. The scouts went on numerous hikes, they went swimming in the lakes, and also went fishing, though with little success. The hikes were long and reaching the top of each mountain was a difficult, but rewarding experience. Once they worked their way to the top, they took a rest and enjoyed the magnificent scenery above the campsite and all around the forest. This campout was a very relaxing campout and many scouts enjoyed the time around the lake.

 


 

Camp Marin Sierra, by Alex W.



Camp Marin Sierra is one of the many summer camps that Troop 259 has been to so far. Many scouts of the troop attended this summer camp, and it was the first summer camp for some scouts. With many scouts, there were many merit badges to be completed. Troop 259 earned over 100 merit badges in total, and around 20 partials. There was an award called The Baden Powell award which requires the troop campsite to score over 85 points in cleanliness. With Troop 259 scoring a perfect 100, they obtained The Baden Powell award. Camp Marin Sierra held camp wide games that we participated in. The camp wide game is a competition between all troops, in different activities. The activities include tomahawk throwing, kayaking, a sour patch eating competition, and rifle shooting. Marin Sierra wasn't all filled with hard work. During our free time, we participated in many exhilarating activities. A numerous number of scouts fished, did rifle shooting, water activities, and archery. Although the experience at camp was tiring, all the scouts would love to attend the next summer camp in the upcoming future



 

July 4th Pocket Parade, by Alex W.



This year, Troop 259 participated in the July 4th Pocket Parade. This Parade is made up of people who make Pocket/Greenhaven a memorable place. A wide variety of participants including local businesses, youth groups, volunteer organizations, community organizations, school clubs, and musical groups helped create an exciting 1.2-mile walk through Greenhaven. Many spectators lined up along the sidewalks cheering on the walkers. Although the walk was especially tiring, time spent was enjoyed and the scouts would love to walk with the Pocket/Greenhaven members associates in the coming future.




Silver Lake Backpacking Campout, by Alex W.



On July 17th, Troop 259 went to Silverlake Campground to have the first backpacking trip of the year. The Troop backpacked to Granite Lake to set up camp. Once we put up the tents, we hiked on numerous trails around the lake and explored the granite shelves that cover the mountain. The youngest scouts prepared backpacking meals for the entire troop, and prepared the meals for everyone at the campsite. The weather changed randomly ranging from sunlight to snow and the temperature on Sunday morning dropped to 28 degrees. The Scouts also saw fire scarred forests while hiking that was caused by the Caldor Fire. Overall, this campout was a great experience, and was an eye opening experience to all the new backpackers that attended.




Flag Day at the Elks, by Alex W.



On June 14th, Troop 259 assisted the Elks Lodge in their annual Flag Day Ceremony. The Flag Day ceremony consists of a review and explanation of the history of the flag and its contribution to the United States. During the ceremony, patriotic music is played and the lodge chaplain gives a few statements about Flag Day. The Elks Lodge then recites the Pledge of Allegiance to conclude the ceremony. The Scouts will continue to celebrate Flag Day every year with Elks Lodge.



 

Camp Tamarancho Marin County, by Alex W.



Camp Tamarancho was the first campout for many of the new scouts in Troop 259. Many of these new scouts earned the requirements that they needed to obtain their Scout Rank, while also earning their Totin Chit. Troop 259 walked a five mile hike along well traveled mountain biking paths and explored numerous random trails before venturing through dry creek beds. Troop 259 also observed a World War 2 Plane Engine that is a landmark at the campsite. We will definitely look into possibly attending a summer camp here in the future.


 

2022 Spring Camporee, by Alex W.



This year in Camporee, the Serpents and the Electric Rubber Duckies represented Troop 259. 35 patrols with over 600 scouts participated in the events/games that were held in Camporee. The Electric Rubber Duckies placed third in the fire building. Overall, the Serpents earned third place in the event. As a prize, Troop 259 was awarded a cast iron skillet. After the award ceremony, each troop was to present their skits they either came up with or chose. Troop 259 decided to perform “Important Papers.” Overall, Camporee was a fantastic experience and a great way to engage with other scouts. All the scouts learned to communicate better with each other and also created better teamwork.

 


 

Webelos Bridging from Pack 259, by Alex F.



On the 2nd of April the Scouts from Troop 259 welcomed the new Arrow of Lights from Pack 259. They had a Bridging Ceremony, where they were promoted from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. With that ceremony concluded, I am happy to congratulate the 6 new scouts of Troop 259.

 


 

Land Park Cleanup, by Alex F.



On the 2nd of April, scouts from Troop 259 had helped Land Park Volunteer Corps tidy up and clean William Land Park. Before we had even started cleaning. we ran into a problem. On the ground was a young hurt squirrel that had fallen from a tree. We had assisted the squirrel and it was safe and gone when we came back. Our scout were hard at work for 4 hours! And when we came back we enjoyed lunch.

 


 

Campout at Mt. Diablo



Troop 259 headed to Mt. Diablo for a campout where the scouts hiked to the summit to check out the fantastic views of the Bay Area. This campout was in preparation of longer backpacking trips that the scouts have planned to take later in the year. This was a learning curve for most of the group on how to properly pack a backpack for a long trek, and the learning curve was as steep as the hike. To simulate the experience, two patrols each cooked varying forms of dehydrated backpacking food, and everyone had to carry all of the gear they brought. In the end it was a great learning experience, and everyone will definitely make adjustments to their packs in preparation for the next backpacking campout.

 


 

D5 Community Mural Paint Day



Volunteer service is a very important part of scouting, and on December 4 the scouts of Troop 259 had an opportunity to participate in District 5's mural in Hollywood Park. Lead artist Jaya King designed an elaborate mural which reflects elements of nature that is connected to the local area. In a color-coded paint by number system, the scouts were able to paint various parts of the mural to add their mark to a new neighborhood landmark.

 


 

Sacramento Historic Trails Hike



On December 4, Troop 259 completed the Sacramento Historic Trails Hike. This particular award retraces the historic route that John Sutter had cut out from the port of Old Sacramento to Sutters Fort. The scouts passed numerous historical sites including the Sacramento Railroad Museum, Sutters Fort, The State Capitol, The Stanford House, and Crocker Art Museum. The hike is a great way to let kids learn the vast amount of history that City of Sacramento has to offer.

 


 

Indian Grinding Rock Campout



On November 17, 2021 Troop 259 went camping at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park in Pine Grove CA. The park was created in 1968 and preserves a great outcropping of marbleized limestone with some 1,185 mortar holes -- the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America. The troop took a 5-mile hike around the park that had an Indian Museum, recreated bark structures, and hundreds of native plants that you can identify along the self-guided trail. The scouts had an opportunity to work on many requirements that can only be done on such outings.

 


 

Big Trees State Park Campout, by Alex F.



On the 1st of October, the scouts of troop 259 went to Calaveras Big Trees State Park. This campout was the first for two scouts. Also, some scouts had gone to an abandoned shack, played capture the flag and, explore. Next, we had done a mile hike to identify 10 types of plants. We had also made stations to complete requirements. Since we were in bear country a camper had told us they had seen a bear and cub near our site. As a troop, it was another productive campout to get requirements done.

 


 

Community Service at William Land Park



On August 7, 2021, Troop 259 helped the Land Park Volunteer Corps (LPVC) with William Land Park maintenance. The LPVC provides a valuable sertice, helping City Parks staff keep the 160 acre William Land Park looking beautiful. We removed weeds, raked, and tidied up part of the park's Swantston Garden area, which features a fountain and many colorful plants. The LPVC kept us hydrated with ice-cold water and Gatorade, and also treated all volunteers to a barbecued hamburger and hot dog lunch. After lunch, the Serpent Patrol met to plan Patrol Agendas for the next few months.




Wente Scout Reservation Summer Camp,
by Michael W.




On June 11, 2021, Troop 259 went to Wente Scout Reservation for Summer Camp. This particular summer camp was the first summer camp for all the scouts, and was even the first campout for one scout. There were many activities to participate in at the campout including mountain biking, mountain climbing, swimming and even horse riding. This campout was very productive and eventful. During this week long trip, each scout that went got at least 6 merit badges. As a troop the scouts completed 65 merit badges and received 9 partial merit badges. It wasn’t all work however, there were many fun experiences, such as the Wentathelon. The Wentathelon is a camp-wide competition where participants from troops compete in activities to see who can do them the fastest. There was also a time when our Scoutmaster brought ghost pepper hot sauce. Everyone was using the tips of the forks to taste it. Everyone that had it was suffering. Also Wente offered an event called the Wooly Wash where campers could wake up at 6 am to swim in the lake for at least 3 days to receive an award. We had 7 different troop members complete the challenge. There was a lot of wildlife that would roam freely around the camp as well. Our troop spotted deer, foxes, giant squirrels, many lizards, and a sleep paralysis demon. Overall, this trip was a great experience and I hope that the next summer camp will be as much fun as this one. View some of our Camp Wente activities here.




 

Sunset State Beach Campout, by Michael W.



Troop 259 traveled to Sunset State Beach in Watsonville for our first official campout of the year. During this trip, we identified 10 animals on the seven mile hike along the beach. One of the scouts was able to find clams along the hike, and he cooked them for dinner. Also, many of the scouts went geocaching. This activity consists of going to a specified location, and in a certain area, looking for what is called a geocache. This activity was a great way to introduce new scouts to the program. This trip was a lot of fun and was nice to finally get an opportunity to get out of the house.   

 



Garcia Bend Cleanup,
by Michael W.



On May 22, 2021, Troop 259 went to clean up at Garcia Bend Park. 5 scouts and 3 parents participated at the clean up. Together, we were able to clean a total of 8 bags of trash, in a total of 2 hours. We started at the park, and later traversed to the trail. Later going to the levee. Along the way, there were many people that were supportive of the scouts cleaning efforts, and took the time to thank us for our efforts. In the end, it was a good experience, being able to clean up much of the area and I hope we are able to do this again. 



 

Congratulations, Eagle Scout Joshua Watson



Troop 259's newest Eagle Scout is Joshua Watson, in the Serpents Patrol. For his Eagle Project, Joshua and his team constructed a Memorial Bench in memory of First Lady Kay Mitchell, for the Antioch Progressive Church in Sacramento. Deacon Roy Bradley signed off as the beneficiary representative, and also lent a helping hand with construction. Due to Covid restrictions, Joshua completed his Eagle Board of Review via videoconferencing on March 17, 2021. Congratulations to Joshua, the troop's 188th Eagle Scout!



 

Newest Eagle Scout!



Congratulations to Christopher Fong, Troop 259's newest Eagle Scout. Due to the pandemic, Christopher's Eagle Board of Review was conducted virtually, via Zoom on September 30, 2020. He becomes Eagle Scout #187 and is the last of the original Ice Dragon Patrol scouts who bridged from Pack 259. Christopher's Eagle project involved designing and leading the construction of two wood benches, to be located in the sanctuary foyer at the Chinese Community Church. The benches provide the elderly a place to sit and rest while waiting for Sunday service to begin. This Fall, Christopher will study Civil Engineering at Cal State Pomona.

 


 

Welcome New Scouts! - Pack 259 Bridging Ceremony


On July 13, we welcomed Webelos II scouts into Troop 259. Pack 259 conducted an outdoor Bridging Ceremony -- with proper social distancing and face coverings, of course, Cubmaster Julia Hawkinson presented the Arrow of Light awards. The Arrow is straight and narrow, just as the path that scouts should follow throughout their lives. Its tip points the way, the way to success in all that scouts do. It is pointing to the right, a symbol that nothing should be left undone. If it is within your power to do it, see that it is done. And lastly, this is the symbol of the seven rays of the sun, one for each day of the week; this is to remind scouts that every day is a new day, a day to Do Your Best in everything. Each of these boys has blazed his own trail toward the Arrow of Light and now the Arrow of Light will help them remember their promise to keep the Spirit of Cub Scouting alive.

 

After each scout crossed the bridge from Cub Scouting to Boy Scouting, their parent affixed the Troop 259 neckerchief and slide. The ceremony concluded with pictures and ice cream-to-go. Congratulations and welcome to Troop 259! View some photos of the ceremony here.

 


 

Troop 259's Newest Eagle Scout, Anthony Wong


Anthony Wong became Troop 259's newest Eagle Scout on Febriuary 20. Anthony is currently the troop's Senior Patrol Leader, leading his fellow scouts during meetings, campouts, and other activites. His Eagle project involved the design, construction, and installation of two library boxes. The boxes are located in high-traffic areas on Freeport Blvd near the new Raley's project. Neighbors report that the boxes are visited frequently and thus far have been restocked three different times by local users. As a unique feature, the boxes are built with reclaimed materials as a means to demonstrate sustainability.




 

July 4th Pocket Parade


Troop 259, along with Pack 259 marched in the annual 4th of July Pocket Parade. Both groups had excellent floats display the fun and activities of Scouting. The weather was perfect as the parade made its way along Windbridge Drive to Garcia Bend Park, where a community festival and food trucks were located. Thank you to all scouts who participated and distributed Scouting information and stickers to boys and girls along the parade route.