ABOUT US

A Few Facts

Troop 514 consists of two separate and unique Troops:

• Troop 514B, a boy only Troop, founded in 1999

• Troop 514G, a girl only Troop, founded in 2019

Both Troops are chartered by the Discovery Bay Lions Club, and serve youth, ages 11 to 18, in Discovery Bay and the East Contra Costa County area. We are connected with Pack 514, which serves youth in Grades K-5th and Venture Crew 514, which serves older youth ages 14-21. Participation in Cub Scouts is not required in order to join Scouts BSA.

For more information, come visit us at one of our regular Troop meetings, held on Mondays at the DB Community Center from 6:00-7:00pm, or by email at info@troop514bg.org

Membership

We balance activities with advancement to create a fun and well-rounded program for scouts. Our activities are funded primarily through our annual Christmas Tree Pickup Fundraiser. Additional donations are received through community service, such as volunteering at the Lions Club Crab Feed and Knights of Columbus Fish Fry held every year at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Byron, CA. Dues (approx. $100/year) pay for council fees, rank and merit badges, and recognition awards.

Troop Specifics

"Scout led" means that the scouts plan and run the meetings and the outings. The Scouts get an opportunity to plan, prepare and implement the Troop activities, with mentoring from trained adult leaders. Lord Baden Powell, the found of the scouting movement, strongly emphasized that development of leadership skills is a key aspect of the scouting experience.

• Troop 514B was chartered in 1999. Troop 514G was among the inaugural girl Troops chartered on February 1, 2019 . We have around 10 registered boys and 7 registered girls, with about 80% attendance at any given event.

• Troop 514 is all about having fun while following the Aims & Methods of Scouting within a supportive parent community.

• The Troop goes on 9-10 outdoor outings a year (one a month during the school year), not including a week-long resident summer camp at Camp Wolfeboro, located in the high Sierra Nevada mountains (usually in late June/early July).

• The Troop is involved in a variety of community service projects, including the town Easter Egg Hunt, Summer Jam Concerts, Big Cat Poker Run, and Parade of Lights, to name a few. The Troop also performs service projects for the DB Community Center on an as needed basis.

Parent Community

The parents of Troop 514 Scouts are highly involved and supportive - some of their activities include, serving on the Troop Committee, helping plan and organize outings, leading merit badge classes, handling a variety of troop communication and administration etc. Parent participation is required. The Scouts count on the parent community to enhance the whole scouting experience. We have also learned that when parents are engaged their sons and daughters also tend to go further and get more out of Scouting.

Communications

The scouts, their parents, and the leaders all keep in touch through Scoutbook (Scoutbook.com). There are separate accounts for each Troop (Boy and Girl), individual scouts, parents, and adult leaders.

Meetings

We meet weekly on Mondays at the Discovery Bay Community Center from 5:30-6:30pm. Please email us for meeting locations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Interested in Joining?

Scouting is for boys and girls who are 11 years old, or have completed the fifth grade, or earned the Arrow of Light Award as a Cub Scout and is at least 10 years old, but is not yet 18 years old. Scouts experience a vigorous outdoor, peer group leadership, and service program with the counsel of an adult Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters to achieve the BSA's objectives of developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness. Camping, fun with friends -- and more. It’s the adventure of a lifetime. Give your son and/or daughter a valuable gift by encouraging them to join Scouts BSA today. The time you invest today will make a difference in the person he or she becomes tomorrow.

Come visit us during a regular Troop meeting or email questions to info@troop514bg.org

Adult Leadership

Troop 514B Scoutmaster: David Block

Troop 514G Scoutmaster: Jennifer Block

Committee Chair: Jim McKenzie

Assistant Scoutmasters

Chris Morel

Darcy Dolnick

Todd Sulser