Alums - if you find us and would like to stay in touch , please send us a quick hello - as well as any information you would like to share with us and the other alums!!!
The scout farthest to the right with his hand on his knee is
Tom Smerke
Scroll to the bottom to see another of him back then - and one 55 years later .........
More news from David Crow
see also below
email: CFI@aol.com
Troop 72 1964-1966
Troop 72 Alumni, I have a heart-warming Scouting
story to share. Inspired by the warm fellowship of those Troop 72 Alumni who
gathered with their families and Scoutmaster Tom Smerke at the Resica Falls
50th Anniversary party at the camp this summer, I researched the whereabouts
of our Philmont Crew Advisor for the Valley Forge Council Trek Crew 710G9 in
1967. My notes gave his name as Robert E. Buck. I remembered him as a great
leader putting up with a lot of youthful energy in hiking all over the North
Country of Philmont. That year we went by train from 30th Street Station to
Chicago to Denver and bussed to New Mexico.
I found 133 Robert Bucks still in Pennsylvania phone
directories but isolated it to two closest to the old Valley Forge Council
Wissahickon District. I left voice mail for both homes in August. Just this
week a return call came. Success. I had a very nice conversation with Mr.
Buck. He still lives in Skippack, PA but lives from May to November in Maine.
He went on in both Scouting and as a 28 year volunteer Fireman. He is 91,
remarried after the death of his first wife of many years, to a lovely Widow
who travels with him north in the summers. He remembered his rambunctious 1967
Philmont Crew, the Flash Flood at Indian Writings and waiting for us to tackle
Baldy without him. His Doctor said no altitudes above 10,000 feet and Baldy is
12,441 feet.(http://www.peakware.com/peaks.html?pk=1993), It turned out that
his photos from the trip never came back from the processors, so 40 years late
I am printing him a set of my slides from that wonderful trip.
His patience paid off and inspired me. I have been back
to Philmont five times since. Took courses at Philmont Training Center (PTC)
(in Waite Phillips' Villa Philamonte home) twice (1995, 2003), trekked with my
Eagle Son and two Girl Scout Gold Award Venturer daughters and my wife in 2002
and 2004, and taught at PTC in 2005. Several of us Slightly Older Scouts are
planning to take a slower paced Fall Philmont Trek in 2008 or 2009.
Contact me if you are interested and I will pass
you to the organizer. Attached is the photo of the 1967 Crew 710G9. Help me if
you know any of the missing names, Identification so far is: Front Row Seated
(L to R): unknown; Bill Frey T72; Robert E. Buck; Ranger ??, T30x (not from
PA); unknown T1 Back Row Standing (L to R): unknown; Bill Griffin T72; unknown
T237; Ed Hayes T48 Glenside; unknown T237; David Crow T701/T72; unknown T237;
Randy Sage T72; unknown T343; Mark Frey T72 Hopefully Mr. Buck has the
complete roster and we can fill in the names. If you know any of the T72 alums
put them in contact with me so that they can call Mr. Buck before he leaves
for Maine in May.
Yours in Scouting,
David Crow Eagle 67 Troop 701 Edge Hill, PA T72 Alumni 1864-1966
Monmouth Council #347 NJ Executive Board
__________________________________________
From: Werntz, John E - Merrifield, VA
john.e.werntz@usps.gov
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:19 PM
Subject: Hello from Virginia - John Werntz - Eagle #35
Great to find the Alumni page for Troop 72. I was the 35th Eagle Scout in
1971. I live in Woodbridge Virginia and work for the US Postal Service
Engineering center in Merrifield VA.
John E Werntz USPS Engineering
703.280.7144
Bob Owen
Bob Owen (Eagle #16- 1965)
8700 Bellwood Road, Bethesda, MD 20817-3033
301-767-0365
ScouterBobOwen@msn.com
6/28/06: Since my last report I have gotten older and taken over even more
Scouting jobs. I am now District Chairman of the Great Falls District and on the
Executive Board of the National Capital Area Council
(for the second time), an active ASM (I recently passed on my SM post to a
successor-yeah!), ADC, a Pack and Crew Chairman, merit badge counselor, active
in the OA lodge, etc. I have been a Cubmaster and Scoutmaster, led crews to
Philmont and Sea Base, and held all District jobs at one time or another. Mostly
I am a Council instructor now- I have been teaching for several years at our
annual University of Scouting, our Commissioner College, our Cub Scout Pow-Wow,
our Key Scouter Workshop (for District officers), and in Wood Badge courses. I
have always tried to keep up my service in units, as a Commissioner, with the
OA, and with the District/Council. (As you can see, I am a true believer in
Scouting.)
My son, Alex, 16, got his Eagle in 2003 (and six subsequent palms,) and after
being SPL for a year became a JASM in the troop. He is also the President of a
high adventure crew and Area Chief for the OA Lodge. He is about to complete his
Venturing Gold, Silver, and Ranger awards, so he will pretty much have run the
table on that stuff. He'll be a senior next year and captain of the football
team, so I think he may be done for now. I suspect he will be back in Scouting
later. I am still practicing law, but with less enthusiasm. My Dad, who was a
former Scoutmaster and lived in Abington, has passed away now, so I don't get
back there, but if you ever have that big blow-out to honor Smerke, let me know.
It is men like that who make it all possible.
The best of luck to Troop 72 and its leaders- a great Scouting tradition!
Yours in Scouting,
Bob Owen
__________________________________________________________
Dave Anders
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
My name is Dave Anders -- # 45 on your list of Eagles!
Just wanted to get in touch and provide my contact info: Dave Anders
Andersd@pjm.com (work) Danders11@aol.com
(home)
I'm currently Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 23 in Downingtown, PA, where my
work is primarily centered on program, leadership training and the PLC. I
recently attended Wood Badge and am working my ticket. I was a member of the
"ghost staff" (adult leaders) for the Chester County Council JLT
Conference, I am currently the Assistant Course Director for Program for CCC's
first Powder Horn course to be delivered in August and September, and will be
the Course Director for a new Patrol Leader Development course for CCC this
fall.
My wife, Caren, and I have two kids - Rachel (11) and Joshua (13). Josh is a
newly minted Life Scout with four merit badges and his project left for Eagle
(he already has enough non-required merit badges for his first Palm). We're
planning our Philmont expedition for next June already - after that, he has
his sights set on National and International Jambos, Northern Tier, and staff
at CCC's Camp Horseshoe along the way - an ambitious young man! I'd love to
hear from any of the 70's era Scouts that might still be in touch, and from
Mr. Smerke as well. I still can't say enough about his influence
on the lives of so many young men. Heaven has a special place waiting for
him.
Thanks, Dave
__________________________________________
Bob Owen
8700 Bellwood Road, Bethesda, MD 20817
703-769-1347 (w) 301-767-0365 (h)
rjo@alpha2.cesmith.com, or Robert.Owen@charlesesmith.com
Bob Owen is Troop 72's 16th Eagle Scout!!!!!
3/00 Bio & Update:
I graduated from Bucknell University in 1974 and Harvard
Law School in 1977, and have practiced corporate and securities law since
then, first with a law firm and now in-house with a large public real estate
developer. I have a wife, Linda, a Girl Scout leader, and two children, Alex,
10, and Elizabeth, 8, both scouts and great kids. In Scouting I have been a
District Finance Chairman (advice: never do this), an ADC, a Cubmaster
(advice: do this), and am now an Den Leader Coach for Pack 255, a Committee
Member for Pack 817, a Unit Commissioner assigned to resuscitate failing
units, an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 233, and Vice Chair- Program (and
currently acting Chair) for Potomac District, NCAC. I am going to the Philmont
Conference Center this August, and have applied for the 2001 National Jamboree
staff (my son will be there.) Just call me "scout." The things I
learned at Troop 72 have been useful to me throughout my life, and I
appreciate the time and dedication of Scouters like Tom Smerke more with each
passing year. Character counts, and the Boy Scouts have it!
PS My dad, also Bob Owen, and a former Scout and Scoutmaster himself,
still lives at 1539 Marian Road, Abington
___________________________________
David Crow
email: CFI@aol.com
Troop 72 1964-1966 submitted 10/13/02
Wow - how great to see that Troop 72 has survived the merger however
many redistricting events that eliminated the old Wissahickon District.
Where to start... Mr. Smerke was our Scoutmaster. I feel like I
must have been in the Troop when Bob Owen was, as our paths have so nearly
criss-crossed since Troop 72. I would have been a Troop 72 Eagle but
right as I was getting my Life Badge we started a new Troop 701 in Edgehill,
Pennsylvania on the other side of York Road in Abington. I was their
first Eagle Scout in 1967. I took my OA Ordeal at Resica Falls and went
to Philmont with the Valley Forge Council in 1967. 3 or 4 Troop 72
Scouts were in my Crew when we went over Baldy (12,441').
I graduated from University of Maryland in 1974 and Mount Saint Mary's College
MBA School in 1989, and have been in the electronics, computer and insurance
businesses since then. I have a wife, Peggy, a Girl Scout leader, and three
children, Gregory, 17, Stephanie 15, and Jennifer, 13, all scouts and great
kids. Live on the Jersey Shore. My office was four blocks from
Ground Zero.
In Scouting I have been a Unit Commissioner, a District Commissioner (Francis
Scott Key District in National Capital Area Council), a Cubmaster, Assistant
Council Commissioner, Assistant Scoutmaster, District Vice Chairman, Lodge
Adviser (Na Tsi Hi Lodge 71), Scoutmaster and am now on the Monmouth Council
(New Jersey) Executive Board, a COR for Pack and Troop 8 and Advancement
Chairman for Troop 125. I went to the Philmont Conference Center in 1995
with my family. They liked it so much four of the five of us went this
summer and completed a 65 mile Trek, avoiding the largest forest fire in New
Mexico history. Wife and daughter were in Venture Crew and new Eagle
Scout son Gregory and I were trying to keep up! I served on the 1993,
1997 and 2001 National Jamboree staff (my son attended in 1997.) Just call me
"scout." (like Bob Owen). The things I learned at Troop 72 have been
useful to me throughout my life, and I appreciate the time and dedication of
Scouters like Tom Smerke more with each passing year. Character counts, and
the Boy Scouts have it!
PS My dad, Jack Crow, and a former Sea Scout, still lives in Hawaii.
David Crow
email: CFI@aol.com
__________________________________________________
Jim Schreiber
Submitted July 05
Contact Info :
251 Scott Ave. Mountjoy, Pa. 17552 granitedude@comcast.net
____________________________________________________
Top row right is Tom Smerke, again!
And here he is in 2007
