From left: Jim Van Meter, Eagle #8, Doug Clarke, Eagle #17, Ron Skinner, Eagle #111, Troop Founder, Tom "Pop" Clarke, and Steve Skinner, Eagle #93.

On Saturday, August 27, 2011, at Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church in Moraga, Boy Scout Troop 212 celebrated its 50th anniversary. Over 400 Eagle Scout and leader alumni, family members, and current troop members of the troop were in attendance. Celebrants came from all parts of the country, as far away as Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico and Washington.
The celebration involved a Court of Honor ceremony, time for scouts, past and present, to visit and reconnect, and opportunities to view the almost 200 posters that Cam Teasdale of Moraga had prepared and posted on the walls of the church's Fellowship Hall, completer with pictures of the troop's Eagle scouts and information about their lives after they "graduated" from the troop.
The Court of Honor ceremony featured keynote speaker Rick Cronk, of Lafayette, California. Rick was one of the troop's first Trekmasters and a founder of the troop's outstanding High Adventure program. Since then Rick has served as the National President of the Boy Scouts of America in 2006-2008, and as Chairman of World Scouting in 2008. Rick spoke about the importance of Scouts learning and living the values of Scouting, and the role that plays in developing good character, citizenship, leadership abilities, and life skills.
Troop 212 was started in Moraga in 1961 by Tom "Pop" Clarke, who served as its scoutmaster until 1974, when he resigned and Tom "Mac" McIntosh took his place. Mac served until 2009, when he resigned and Rainer "Rhino" Del Valle, of Lafayette, CA, replaced him. McIntosh says, "I am honored that Rhino was able to take over for me. I was the rookie scoutmaster when Rhino was a rookie scout in the Troop, and Rhino is one of the first Eagle scouts who went from start to finish under my leadership."
In its 50 years of scouting, over 1,000 Lamorinda youth have been involved in the troop, and 355 of them earned the Eagle Award. Troop 212 has developed many traditions, including its outstanding High Adventure program. It conducts a one-week summer camp at Camp Timberwolf, in the Plumas National Forest.
The troop's High Adventure program includes backpack treks, bike treks, and canoe treks across the US and Canada.
For more information about Troop 212 visit the Troop's website at www.bsa-troop212.org, or contact Scoutmaster Rainer "Rhino" Del Valle at scoutmaster@bsa-troop212.org.

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Copyright Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA