The history of Troop 21 is not just a story of one Scout troop but also a profile of the Scouting movement in the Mid Valley area and in our nation's history. This story begins at Saint Mary's Visitation Church rectory in February 1928 when Chester Golinski and Monsignor Stanislaus Szpotanski filed an application for a troop charter. At the time, the only Boy Scout council in the area was the Scranton Area Council, headquartered in Scranton, so the application was filed there. Chester Golinski was the first Scoutmaster. The first committee included Atty. Leo Knoll as chairman, with Joseph Parchinski and Anthony Zalewski as committee members. Fourteen boys were listed as members on the 1928 charter application. By the time of its 1929 charter renewal the troop's roster included thirty-seven boys. The troop's regular meetings were originally held at 7:30 PM on Fridays at St. Mary's School. The regular meeting night remained the same until 1942, when it was changed to our current meeting time of 7:00 PM on Thursday nights.

Since the troop was the first to register in Dickson City, it was originally assigned the designation "Troop 1." In January 1931, the Mid Valley Boy Scout Council was organized, and Troop 1 transferred registration to the local council. In the process, its number was changed to "21." By this time, several towns in the new council had troops numbered "1," "2," etc., so to distinguish among them it was decided that troops from different towns would add prefixes. For example, Dickson City's troops (there were already three at the time) added a "2" prefix, Olyphant's troops added a "3," and troops from Throop added a "7."

The Mid-Valley council started with 265 boys in 12 troops and grew to include over 1300 boys in 56 troops and packs in a region covering Carbondale, Forest City, Gibson, Eynon, Archbald, Mayfield, Peckville, Jessup, Throop, Dickson City, Olyphant, Blakely, and Mt. Cobb by 1961. During that time Troop 21 worked hard to train boys in Scouting, promote Scouting to the community, and support council activities. Troop 21 was host unit for the Mid Valley Council's annual Scouter Dinner at St. Mary's school in 1933, in 1946, and in 1960. In 1937, Troop 21 and St. Mary's school hosted a Council-wide Merit Badge Exposition.

Over the years, the troop and its meeting place (St. Mary's Visitation School) were very supportive of first aid meets. The troop hosted the Coal Streams District's 1970 First Aid Meet, the Lenape District's 1986 First Aid Meet, and in 2004 and 2005 it revived and hosted the Appalachian District's First Aid Meets. It also hosted the 2013 First Aid Meet for the Dan Beard District. Troop 21's members helped establish other Scouting programs in the Mid Valley area. In 1935 Chester Golinski, Edward Rudalewicz, John Michalczyk, Frank Yerka, Ignatz Sosnowski, and Peter Bielinski set up a Sea Scout Ship, the "S.S.S. Swan." The Ship disbanded in 1941 as its members joined the Armed Services to fight in World War II. In 1938 our troop helped St. Mary's set up another troop, Troop 24. That troop was originally dedicated to serving the Polish immigrant population in the Mid-Valley area. Troop 24 was active through the 1940's at St. Mary's Parish, and then transferred its charter to the Dickson City Fire Hall in the mid-1950's. With help from Troop leadership, Cub Scout Pack 21 was founded in 1939. The photograph at the left was taken in 1939 in front of Saint Mary's School. It shows Troop 21 and Troop 24 (top 5 rows) and Pack 21 (bottom 2 rows), right after the pack was founded. Today Pack 21 is an active force in the region's Cub program and is the longest-operating Pack in the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council. Troop Committee Member John Chesnaky became the first advisor for Explorer Post 21 when it was established in 1954. The Post was active through the 1960s and early 1970s.

In addition to promoting Scouting locally, members of the troop also contributed toward the promotion of Scouting nationally. Stanley Pashko, a youth member from the 1930s, became a writer of books and articles for youth. From 1946 to 1977 he wrote many articles for Boys' Life magazine, the Boy Scouts of America's official magazine for its youth members. In addition to being a writer for Boys' Life, Mr. Pashko served as an editor for the magazine from 1956 to 1977. His experiences as a youth in the troop and as a youth growing up in Northeastern Pennsylvania were an inspiration for several of his stories. More recently, Rico Galassi, a youth member from the late 2000's, placed third in the Boy's Life national competition for a video showing what scouting would be like in 2110.

When our nation has called upon its citizens, Troop 21 members and leaders have not hesitated to use their Scout training to serve their country. In World War II, several of Troop 21's members and leaders served in the military, including Eugene Anuszewski, John Chrzan, Leonard Grabowski, John Kucharski, Walter Kushner, Joseph Levandoski, Joseph Matistic, John Michalczyk, David Nelson, Joseph Nelson, Thomas Niemierski, Stanley Puchalski, Charles Ratkowski, John Regish, Joseph Sieracki, Charles Struzekiewicz, Col. Frank Srebro, Conrad Wojciechowski, Joseph Woznarski, and Emeryk Zenty.

Soon after earning Eagle Scout rank in 1942, Zenty entered the military in 1943. He gave his life for his country in 1945. Three other members - Eugene Anuszewski, John Chrzan, and Joseph Levandoski - also made the ultimate sacrifice. These four members are remembered on our Troop's flag with memorial gold stars. Also during World War II, Troop 21's youth members took active part in aluminum drives and waste paper drives for defense. The Mid Valley Council collected 220 tons of waste paper in the "General Eisenhower Campaign." The "Eisenhower Medal" was awarded to each boy who collected 1000 pounds of paper. Three hundred and fifty Scouts in the council, including several from Troop 21, received Eisenhower medals recognizing their work. John Krol, a youth member in the early 1940's and Robert Panasevich, a youth member in the late 1940's, served our nation in the Korean War. Robert Saikowski, a youth member in the late 1960's, was an army lieutenant colonel who served our country during the 1990 Gulf War in Operation Desert Storm.

Today, troop alumni are serving in the United States Reserves, including Michael Wiktor and Joseph Laneski, who were youth members in the late 1960's. Mr. Laneski has served as commander at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA. Jamie Shotto, a youth member in the mid-1980s, is a sergeant in the National Guard who served in Iraq in 2004 during the War on Terrorism. Troop 21 is proud to have contributed to the development of two US generals. Lieutenant General Frank Wiercinski, a troop member in the late 1960's and early 1970s, led campaigns in Afghanistan in 2002 and 2007 during the War on Terrorism. He served his country as Commander of the US Army in the Pacific from 2009 to 2013, and is now retired. Major General Michael Terry, a troop member in the late 1960's and early 1970s, served in Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf's staff in 1990 during Desert Storm and participated in campaigns in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served as Commanding General of the 8th Theater Sustainment Command, which supports US military operations across the Pacific. He also retired in 2013. Both men have worked for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.

Twice in its history Troop 21 has experienced mergers of its home council. In 1962 the Forest Lakes Council was formed by a merger of the Mid Valley Council and the Dan Beard Council (Scranton area). In 1990 the Forest Lakes Council was merged with the Penn Mountains Council (greater Wilkes-Barre area) to form the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council. Over its history the troop has found itself in the Black Diamond District, the Coal Streams District, the Lenape District, the Appalachian District, the Iron Horse District, and the Dan Beard District. As our troop moved into larger fraternities of units, its members and leaders continued to give noteworthy service to their new councils and districts.

In 2023 William Kropa was recognized by Territory 13 with the Silver Antelope award, the highest honor the National BSA Council can bestow on a volunteer to recognize distinguished service to Scouting at the Territory level.

In 1950 the Mid Valley Council awarded Scoutmaster Chester Golinski the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor the National BSA Council can bestow on a volunteer to recognize distinguished service to Scouting at the Council level. The Silver Beaver Award was also presented to Scoutmaster Nick Rocco in 2013 and to Committee Member Dr. Frank Klassner in 2017. Committee Member Bill Kropa was recognized by the Minsi Trails Council with the Silver Beaver Award in 2021.

Committee Members William Fallat and Edward Slimak were awarded the District Award of Merit by the Coal Streams District in the Forest Lakes Council in 1971 and 1974, respectively. The award is the highest a council can bestow to recognize distinguished volunteer service at the district level. Assistant Scoutmaster David Srebro and William Kropa received the District Award of Merit for service in the Appalachian District in the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council in 1998 and 2006, respectively. Nick Rocco was recognized by the Dan Beard District with the Award in 2014. Dr. Frank Klassner and Committee Chair Leonard Kalinowski received the District Award of Merit from the Dan Beard District in the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Assistant Scoutmaster Jeff Allan and Scoutmaster Jeff Zellers were recognized by the Dan Beard District with the Award in 2015 and 2019, respectively.

Committee Member Jack Evanik was recognized in 2008 for his dedicated service to the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council as a workers union member with the George Meany Award. William Kropa has also received the Award.

The St. George Award is bestowed by the US Committee on Catholic Scouting to recognize service to Catholic scouting. Chester Golinski was recognized with the Award in the 1950s. David Srebro and William Kropa have also been recognized with the St. George Award.

In 2005 Scoutmaster Nick Rocco was named a James E. West Fellow in recognition of his service to Scouting at several levels.

Over the years, Troop leaders have served Scouting in the local region in professional and volunteer capacities. Mr. Slimak served as Coal Streams District Commissioner 1967-1970. Mr. Srebro served as Senior District Executive of the Appalachian District 2002-2005, a region including much of the original Mid Valley Council. Mr. Srebro, who also was a youth member throughout much of the 1980's, became Program Director for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council in 2006. Mr. Kropa, who was a youth member in the early-to-mid-1980's, served as Appalachian District Commissioner 2005-2009, and serves on the BSA's national alumni committee. Mr. Rocco served as District Chair for the Dan Beard District in 2013-2015. Gerald Ephault, a youth member of the troop in the late 1950s and early 1960s, served as President of our Northeastern Pennsylvania Boy Scout Council from 2010 to 2013.

The first two Eagle Scouts in the Troop -- Edward Rudalewicz and Clarence Matyjevich, who earned their rank in 1931 -- were also the first Eagle Scouts in the Mid Valley Boy Scout Council. In 2006 our 22nd Eagle Scout, Dr. John J. Michalczyk, a professor at Boston College, became the first Eagle from the Mid-Valley and its successor councils to be named a Distinguished Eagle Scout by the National BSA Council. This recognition has been bestowed upon fewer than 1 in 1000 Eagle Scouts. Two Eagle Scouts from the Troop, Atty. Larry Malski and Dr. Frank Klassner, were recognized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council as Eminent Eagle Scouts in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Committee Member Mr. Kropa was recognized by Minsi Trails Council as an Outstanding Eagle Scout in 2021. In 2019 Eagle Scout Matthew Minner was presented with the Council-level Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year award and nominated for the Region-level Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year for his veterans memorial in St. Mary's Cemetery.

Troop 21 has a strong history of outdoor camping activity - a hallmark of Scouting that separates it from most other youth organizations. Scoutmaster Golinski and Troop 21 members attended the first National Boy Scout Jamboree held in 1937 at Washington, DC. They also attended the 1939 New York World's Fair, working in the service camp as volunteers to help run the event. In 1950 the Scranton-based Dan Beard Council sent a council troop to the National Jamboree in Valley Forge, PA. The Mid-Valley council sent a "half-size" council troop that accompanied the Scranton troop. Mr. Golinski was one of the two leaders who supervised the Mid-Valley troop. And, for those astute observers, the picture at the right from that Jamboree does indeed show the anthracite archway that is now at Goose Pond Scout Reservation. Troop 21 members participated in the 50th Anniversary National Boy Scout Jamboree at Colorado Springs, CO in 1960, in the 1964 National Jamboree at Valley Forge, PA, in the 1997, 2001 and 2010 National Jamborees at Fort A.P. Hill, VA, and in the 2019 World Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, WV.

Mr. Rocco led council troops to Sea Base in 2000, 2002, and 2004. Each time members of Troop 21 participated. While at Sea Base, boys participate in the coral reef sailing program, which gives them the opportunity to go sailing, snorkeling, and fishing for a week in the Florida Keys. Between 1990 and today, Troop 21 has participated in Traveling Council camporees held in Boston, Niagara Falls, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, and Gettysburg. The pictures here show troop members at Boston and at Sea Base in 2002.

 

In addition to national and regional campout activities, Troop 21 offered its boys many camping experiences year-round at the troop level. Prior to the construction of Wegman's in the early 1990s, hikes to the Cold Springs behind the Circle Drive-In were commonplace from the start of the Troop's history, as the photo from 1929 shows. Many veteran troop members can recall fun-filled summer camp weeks during the 1940s, 50s and 60s and Fall/Spring weekend campouts in the 1970s and 1980s at Camp Edward, the council camp for the Mid-Valley Council. After the 1962 council merger, Troop 21 began its long camping association with Goose Pond Scout Reservation. The photo below on the left shows the Troop in January 1965 during a winter campout at Goose Pond. The overnight temperatures dropped to 21 below zero, Fahrenheit. Except for the color film in the camera, not much seems to have changed between then and the Klondike Derby winter camp photo on the right, taken in January 1988 at Goose Pond, twenty-three years later. Six scouts from Troop 21 have served as staff at Goose Pond's summer camp program: Frank Sobkowiak, Jr., Joseph Piela, David Srebro, Thomas Ziman, Nicholas Arnold, and Josh Zellers.

  

Since 1928, over 1200 boys have benefited from at least one year's membership in the troop. Their projects have served St. Mary's parish, St. Mary's school, Dickson City, and the greater Scranton area. Troop 21's scouts have grown up to make a variety of contributions not only to Pennsylvania but also to the country. Their vocations have been many -- medical professionals, legal professionals, educators, priests, servicemen, military officers, BSA professionals, researchers, radio broadcasters, journalists, engineers, finance professionals -- but they all approach their work with the Scout Motto's dictum to "Be Prepared." After marking 95 years, our Troop looks forward to continuing the Scouting story and to helping shape the next generation of leaders with the timeless values of the Scout Oath and Law.