Elizabethtown townlively.com
JANUARY 24, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXIV • NO 50
A sense of community matters to new police chief BY CATHY MOLITORIS
Members of Scouts BSA Troop 51 at a recent meeting
Troop 51 celebrates 60 years BY CATHY MOLITORIS
Whitney is curious to learn more details about its history. “I know we ’ve had different char ter organizations and meeting locations throughout the years,” she said, adding that she has been part of the troop since 2018. “I have found a roster from 1974. I believe they had 25 Scouts on that roster. We would love to know more from anyone who has been a part of our troop’s past. We have an Eagle book, but it only goes back to No. 73, so we would love to know the rest.” At the celebration, the current Scouts will display information and memorabilia they have collected about the troop, and they will share stories of the troop throughout the years. Light refreshments will be served. No registration is needed to attend the party. For more information on Troop 51, search for “Boy Scout Troop 51” on Facebook or visit www.etowntroop51.org.
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earned the award the same night only about an hour apart,” Whitney recalled. “I let them decide who would do their Board of Review, the last step for achieving Eagle, first since I knew it would mean who was 100 and who was 101. Graham graciously stepped aside and let Matt go first. That felt like a very Eagle Scout thing to do.” O u t i n t he i r com mu n i t y, members of Troop 51 have participated in events, including the Memorial Day parade and GE AR S Holiday Parade and Wreaths Across America. “Many of our members are part of the Order of the Arrow, which is like the honor society of Scouts BSA,” Whitney said. “We enjoy different types of monthly outings like climbing, whitewater rafting, lock-ins, hiking trips and really anything else the Scouts want to try.” As the troop marks 60 years,
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ooking at a uniform from Scouts BSA Troop 51 recently, Elizabeth Whitney noticed something about the Elizabethtown-based Boy Scout troop. “I noticed it was established in 1964, so I did the math and realized that this is year 60,” said the committee chair of Troop 51. “So, we decided, ‘Hey, let’s celebrate.’” T h e t ro o p w i l l m a r k t h e milestone with a party during its Winter Court of Honor on Monday, Jan. 29, beginning at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 398 N. Locust St., Elizabethtown. The troop invites anyone who has been a part of Troop 51 in the past or anyone who just wants to celebrate with the group to attend the party. “If you’ve been a part of Scouting in our troop or not, come out and help us remember what the
Scouting community means,” Whitney said. “We currently are a small troop, but we have great Scouts.” In fact, the troop recently reached its 100th and 101st Eagle Scouts. “The pandemic gave the troop some unique challenges, but it did help us add 12 new Eagle Scouts,” Whitney said. “This is quite the accomplishment as only around 6% of all Scouts earn this accomplishment. We have had Scouts build benches, drain and clean lakes and create garden spaces for their projects.” The troop’s 100th Eagle Scout, Matt Kerin, built and installed food shelves for the ECHOS shelter. Graham Warburton, the 101st Eagle Scout, built and installed different styles of birdhouses and an owl house at the Old Trolley Line Park and created a butterfly garden. “ These two Scouts actually
Derek Koch, the new chief of police for the Elizabethtown Police Department, is looking forward to serving close to home. “I’ve worked in the law enforcement field for over 27 years,” he said. “However, I never worked directly in my home community. My family and I reside in Elizabethtown, and as a result, I have a vested interest in the community and its citizens. The opportunity to serve the Elizabethtown community as its chief of police provides me with a direct way to help make Elizabethtown a safer, better place to live.” Koch was sworn in as chief on Jan. 2. He said he has two main goals for his new position: to ensure the members of the Elizabethtown community are provided with exemplary, professional service, and to help improve the overall quality of life within Elizabethtown Borough. Koch grew up in Pine Grove in Schuylkill County. He and his wife moved to the area in 1999 for his first assignment with the Pennsylvania State Police in Lancaster. He has served with the Dauphin County Probation and Parole Department, with the York City Police Department and most recently as a troop commander with the Pennsylvania State Police. Additionally, he has supplemented his law enforcement