BADGE OF HONOR : In an Era of Change, Troop 1’s Continuity Keeps Scouts for Life

HUNTINGTON BEACH — For some who made the pilgrimage to the old cabin Saturday, memories of Troop 1 had grown as faded as the old sash of merit badges tucked away in a long-lost carton in the garage.

For others, this stalwart Boy Scout troop is as real-life as the last white-water rafting trip, rock climbing in Joshua Tree, even the bowls of batter that yielded thousands of pancakes Saturday morning for the troop’s 80th anniversary bash in Lake Park.

There, the cabin still stands, a touchstone for young freckle-faced Scouts and gray-haired alumni alike.

And while some ate pancakes outside, young and old were drawn into the log-walled cabin as if it were a magnet. They scrutinized the old uniforms on display, pored through photo albums and grasped the hands of fellow scouts they hadn’t seen in decades.

“As long as that building is here, as long as Huntington Beach is here, I think this troop will always be here,” said Tony Marotta of Huntington Beach.

Organizers reported that an estimated 700 people had passed through Lake Park by early afternoon to eat pancakes and share memories of the long-lived troop.

Some well-known Troop 1 veterans were among them, including Russ Paxson, 76, of Huntington Beach, who joined in 1933 when he was 12 years old and went on to become an Eagle Scout and later scoutmaster.

He sat inside the cabin, reminiscing, waving at familiar faces.

Compared to the old days, Scouting has to compete more in the activities-filled 1990s to win boys’ time and loyalty. Today, potential recruits can choose Little League baseball, Pop Warner football or sitting at home glued to the television, computer or Nintendo.

“Our lifestyle back then was so much slower,” Paxson recalled. “Kids now are pretty keyed up. You’ve got to have a pretty good activity to hold their interest.”

But Troop 1 remains strong, bringing 30 to 40 boys together every Monday night at the cabin.

Some credit the 73-year-old cabin itself. While some troops must move their flags and memorabilia from closet to church to garage, Troop 1’s cabin was dedicated in 1924 and has served as the anchor of the troop’s traditions.

Others praise Troop 1 for fostering leadership and loyalty, producing a strong corps of adult alumni who help new recruits along.

“This troop has always had an extraordinary number of leaders,” said Scoutmaster Dan Hay. The troop has the backing of the First Christian Church of Huntington Beach, which serves as its “chartered organization,” or sponsor.

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So when young Cub Scouts go looking for a Boy Scout troop, many choose Troop 1.

Recent recruits include Chris Merton, 11, of Huntington Beach, who was speckled with batter after arriving at 6 a.m. to help make pancakes. The sixth-grader chose Troop 1 because it is so organized, and because of the cabin. He’s looking forward to backpacking and rock climbing.

“They treat you the way you’d like to be treated,” added Brad Fleener, 13, who joined a year and a half ago and enjoys camping.

Atop their khaki uniforms, the boys wear distinctive ocean-blue neckerchiefs, hand-stenciled with “Troop 1” by assistant scoutmaster Tim Alvarez, 72, and sewn by his wife, Margaret. He estimates that he has made 60 kerchiefs a year for the past 20 years.

“We only have a few left. We have to start making some more,” said Tim Alvarez. Two of his four sons were in Troop 1. Now he’s anxious for his 8-year-old grandson to get involved in Scouting in the Bay Area.

“I’m going to work on him,” he said resolutely. After all, the training would serve him well as an adult. “When they go out looking for jobs, they’ve learned so much. There’s merit badges for everything, from basketry to atomic energy.”

Once a Troop 1 member, always a Troop 1 member--that was the message in Lake Park on Saturday.

A handful of veterans, in fact, still venture out on a late September camping trip to Jordan Hot Springs. They call it the “gray bar trip”--to distinguish it from the green bars worn by Scout patrol leaders. One veteran must travel to the site on horseback. But the allure of Scouting and camping remains.