The Reverend Cole, a retired Methodist minister living in San Mateo, told of the success the Boy Scout movement had in many churches he served. At that meeting Dick Bettinger, Vice President of the Methodist Men, appointed a committee of three to look into starting a troop.

Following the summer organizational efforts, a meeting was held with parents of interested boys on September 11th to “Get acquainted with Scouting”. At this meeting the following appointments were made: Dick Bettinger, Institutional Representative; Gerry Green, Scoutmaster; Tom DeHaven, Assistant Scoutmaster; Stuart Early, Chairman of the Troop Committee; Bill Carlon and Ken Gary, Committee members.

The first meeting of the boys was held the following week on September 18, 1951, with eight boys present. Two patrols of four boys each were formed, the Eagle Patrol and the Skunk Patrol. The first hike was taken on October 20th, in the Belmont Hills, with the first Buried Treasure hike in November. By the end of 1951 the troop had grown to 16 members. The first Charter was presented on December 19, 1951, by Earl Schmidt, then Assistant Scout Executive.

By July 1952, the Troop had grown to 24 members, 18 of whom spent 10 days camping at Camp Pomponio. Many new activities began in 1952, some of which continue today. These included participation in Scout-o-Rama, a Gold Rush Day, Newspaper Drive, and a father-son fishing trip. In June 1952, under the leadership of Charles Wallick, an Explorer unit was formed within the Troop. This later became Post 27. The Troop started its tradition of wilderness summer camps in the High Sierra in 1956.

In 1979, under the leadership of John Kretchmann and Bruce Wilson, the Instructor Corps was formed as part of the Troop, giving the older Scouts a more challenging adventure. The ICs continue to participate in high adventure activities, including, for the last several years, survival snow camping with a ski patrol training group. They build and run our wilderness summer camp, and coordinate the Treasure Hunt.

In 1999 former Scoutmaster Gary Aden was instrumental in forming Venturing Crew 27, an affiliated unit to which many of our ICs belong. V27 allows boys and girls ages 14 to 21 to participate in high adventure activity such as rock climbing, whitewater rafting, wilderness survival and hiking. V27 members participated in an international Scouting experience, NordJamb 2000, in Iceland. Three of our V27 members are among the first in the Western Region to have earned their Venturing Ranger, Bronze, Gold and Silver awards.

NordJamb isn’t the only elaborate trip the Troop has taken. In 1990, the Troop went to Pupukea Boy Scout Camp in Hawaii, where members dealt with a Man-of-War attack and a giant shellfish skeleton. In 1995 a group went to the Florida Sea Base Scout Camp where they perfected their snorkling. A few years ago a small contingent attended the Council’s summer camp at Oljato, in addition to the Troop’s wilderness camp. Naturally, we won awards for our cooking skills at Oljato.

Our current troop is very active and highly competitive! We fielded three patrols at our district Camp-o-Ree in April and were rewarded by one taking First Place and one taking Second Place. This year, for the second year in a row, one of our patrols won Best Patrol at the competition at Scout-o-Rama. We continue the tradition of picking up litter at the local Highway 280 Vista Point where we planted trees in the past. We have overnight trips every month, and on New Year’s Eve we have an “Up All Night” party.

Through the years, Troop 27 has concentrated on an active, outdoor program of hiking, canoeing and camping, with lots of opportunities for boys to learn leadership skills and advance in rank. During our fifty-year history, the Troop spent 1,171 nights camping and has had 18 scouts participate in National Jamborees. As has been true in prior years, we have many scouts who are members of the Order of the Arrow. We have had 181 scouts achieve their Eagle rank, and have had approximately 620 boys join our membership since 1951.

Several former members shared their fond memories of Troop 27 in their responses to the reunion invitation. A few are included below:

Tobogganing, treasure hunts and newspaper drives… Campfires, singing and telling stories… The “branding ceremony” (this tradition has been discontinued)… The Green Brothers Cow Camp… Summer camps at Walker Meadows… Mr. Horton and Mr. Merrihew… Rappelling down cliffs, terrified, then rushing back for more… Accidentally hiking into a creek over the scout’s head because the creek was covered with duff… Canoeing and bike hikes… Gold rush hike, with its tour of the historic gold country… A forest fire during advance party of summer camp; the scouts helped put out some smoldering remains… Fruit fights at Navarro and cannonball (dodge ball) games… Gerry and Fern Green; their dedication to “their boys”… Completing a 50-mile back pack trip followed by the one week summer camp… Winning the troop knot championship… A 15-20 mile hike after summer camp and the cold watermelon reward upon completion… Jumping off cliffs into the lake at summer camp… King’s Canyon camping trip… Mr. Horton’s trees, including the nursery in his backyard… Leading the Panther Patrol to win one of 6 blue ribbons in a District competition against 300 other patrols… Snowshoeing and snow camping… Backpack trips… Catching a limit of fish… Building rope bridges at summer camp, the gold rush auction and horseback riding… Christmas tree cutting at Lake Almanor… Beating Troop 7 at Camporee… Whitewater canoe trips (including one where a scout earned the Boy Scout Medal of Merit for Lifesaving)… Scoutmaster Setser’s stories… Our station wagon headed off with canoes on top of it in the pouring rain… Lightening strike near summer camp – a simultaneous flash and BOOM which scared the newer scouts half to death… no comment as to the adults… Parent Nights and Courts of Honor… The friendships developed in the Troop and with the Explorers…