Scouts celebrate 60 years of service

Paradise Valley Boy Scout Troop 441 has taken the scout law of loyalty to heart.

On Feb. 11, the troop celebrated its 60th anniversary, making it one of the longest-running troops in Arizona. Troop 441 is a part of the Boy Scouts of America’s Grand Canyon Council.

“It is an amazing accomplishment,” said John George, the troop’s legendary advisor and longtime director of Boy Scout Camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island.

The party took place at Valley Presbyterian Church, where the troop holds meetings every Tuesday night, sells greens each Christmas, and participates in the church’s annual Memorial Day service.

Nearly 100 people attended the event, which featured the opening flag ceremony, silly scout skits, and remarks from current and previous scoutmasters.

In the beginning, was Winius

Troop 441 founder, Walter Winius, 91, was on hand to talk about the troop’s history.

“I was new in town, only 31, and I was an Eagle Scout. There were no other Eagle Scouts around so, by default, the task of forming a group fell to me,” explained Winius.

Troop 441 started with just eight boys and quickly grew to 100. Winius established an endowment fund (through Christmas wreath sales), which sustains the troop and provides scholarships.

For his six decades of dedication, Winius was given a scout-designed scarf which was signed, sewed and delivered by the entire troop, explained Joey Spadafore, the troop’s current scoutmaster.

Spadafore, father of scouts Joseph and Gio, was an unlikely leader for the troop. The burly Italian, who plays the drums with local bands, was not a scout as a young man. Now he wears his large uniform with pride.

“When I was a kid, it (the Boy Scouts) was not cool,” Spadafore said. “But I was invited on my first hike and I had a blast.”

Friendships and fun trump cool deficit

The fun factor is key to the success of the boy-led troop. Monthly hikes, frequent campouts, ski trips and more keep scouts active and involved while cultivating important life skills and life-long friendships.

Each summer the boys spend one week at Camp Geronimo near Payson and another at Camp Emerald Bay. Every four years, the scouts travel to Philmont Scout Ranch, where they participate in a 70-mile hike and backpacking adventure through the 14,000-foot peaks in New Mexico.

Troop 441 scouts have also served the community by renovating multiple trailheads, painting women’s shelters, building leaning chairs for children with ADHD and more.

Strong leadership skills are a by-product of the development of Eagle Scouts. Troop 441 is known for producing a record number of Eagle Scouts, nearly 260 over the years.

This badge of honor opens doors and gives many an entree into selective universities.

Max Martinez, 16, has been with Troop 441 for more than five years. For his Eagle Project, the former patrol leader built cages to house injured birds of prey.

“Being with Troop 441 has given me the opportunity to be a part of the cycle of the Boy Scouts. I’ve learned from older members of the troop and as I grew as a scout, I have been able to share what I learned with the younger scouts,” Martinez said.

“It has been an experience I will never forget.”

Dolores Tropiano is a Phoenix-based public relations professional.