After a year of challenges, BSA Troop 34 celebrated three new Eagle Scouts in 2023

As with many organizations, the COVID-19 shutdown greatly affected BSA Troop 34 in Wheaton.

Although many Scout activities are outdoors, early in the pandemic, campgrounds were closed they were unable to conduct their weekly meetings at their indoor meeting space at St. Michael Parish School in Wheaton.

It forced them to constantly shift gears to keep the programming active and fun for Scouts. Things were looking brighter as they were emerging from the pandemic in early 2022.

Then in the summer of 2022, the troop learned they would lose their charter as the Joliet Diocese was no longer chartering youth organizations with overnight events.

They scrambled to find another organization and were fortunate that the VFW Post 2164 in Wheaton would step in as their new chartering organization. It has proved to be a good fit with the Scouts assisting the veterans with projects and fundraisers at the post and the veterans supporting Scout programming.

As a result, the troop has continued to thrive, grow in numbers, and help 2-4 young men each year to reach the rank of Eagle Scout.

2023 proved to be another successful year for Scouts achieving the rank of Eagle in BSA Troop 34 in Wheaton.

While Connor Smylie completed his Eagle project in 2022, his achievement was celebrated in a ceremony, an Eagle Court of Honor, in 2023. Both he and fellow Scout, Peter Dey, were honored at the Eagle Court of Honor with a joint ceremony, where their achievements were celebrated.

With the help of his fellow Troop 34 Scouts, Connor built a wood shed at St. John the Baptist Church in Winfield. The shed is utilized by the church men’s group and the Knights of Columbus who frequently meet around a bonfire at the church. Connor is a senior at Wheaton North High School where he participates in marching band. He has plans to attend college this fall, to pursue a career in civil engineering.

For his project, Peter Dey constructed a mud kitchen at Morton Arboretum, which will benefit children who are enrolled in the “Little Trees” program, a nature-based early learning program for 3- to 5-year-olds. The program helps children develop a deep and meaningful relationship with the natural world, a theme that strongly resonates with Scouting.

For his project, Peter custom-made a table that stands 26 inches from the ground in order to accommodate the 3- to 5-year-olds and their creativity with mud. Peter is a sophomore at Wheaton North High School where he is a member of the junior varsity golf team and boy’s volleyball team. In addition, he is a member of a travel volleyball club and can be found caddying in the summer for a local golf club in Wheaton.

Eagle Scout Peter Talbot wasn’t sure that he wanted to pursue the Eagle rank, as playing music and participation in a home-school band took priority. Scouts need to earn the rank prior to their 18th birthday, after which they age out of Scouting.

With his 18th birthday looming, he decided to push forward and was able to complete his project, a little free library, patio and bench located outside of the VFW Post 2164 in Wheaton.

The library forges a connection between the VFW Post and the surrounding neighborhood, as it is accessible to members of the community. Peter Talbot is now a freshman at University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota where he is majoring in English with a minor in music. He plans on having his Eagle Court of Honor ceremony when he is home from college this summer.

Since its inception in 1911, only 4% of Scouts earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest rank attainable for a Scout. Troop 34 received its original charter in 1921, making it one of the longest continuously chartered Boy Scout troops in Illinois.

Troop 34 has approximately 15-20 Scouts at any one time, and draws boys from Wheaton, Warrenville, Winfield and surrounding communities.

Despite its smaller size, Troop 34 has helped over 115 Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout since 1980. They meet weekly, camp monthly, and attend a full week of summer camp in Rhinelander, Wis., annually and is always open to new Scouts joining. Youth can join Cub Scouting from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Older youth can join Scouts BSA between the ages of 10-17 years old and need not have been a Cub Scout to join.

For more information about BSA Troop 34, visit www.wheatontroop34.org.