Embedded Files
HOW THE TROOP FIRST STARTED
During the late spring of 1972, several members of the Cub Pack 409's Pack Committee met with representatives of Daniel Webster Council and a member of the Barron School Together In Education group to organize a Boy Scout Troop into which to graduate their Webelos Scouts. This meeting laid the groundwork for the beginning of Troop 409. During the next few months the search for a Scoutmaster was conducted. After several candidates were interviewed, Dr. Bart Solomon, who was the head of the Chemistry Department at Merrimack College, was chosen to fill the position. He recruited one ofhis post-graduate students, Jerry Murphy, to serve as Assistant Scoutmaster. Some of the Pack Committee members left to make up the nucleus of the new Troop Committee. On November 20th of that year, the Barron School T.I.E. received its charter as sponsor and Troop 409 was born. During the early part of 1977, after Troop 160 became inactive and folded, Bill Brown of the Salem Lions Club approached us with a proposal that they takeover as sponsor of our troop. In March of 1977, after reaching an agreement with the T.I.E., the Salem Lions Club became the sponsoring organization of Troop 409.
THE FIRST TROOP ROSTER
November 20, 1972
Sponsored by the Barron School T.LE. (Together In Education) - Marylou Brienza, President
LEADERS
Scoutmaster - Dr. Bart Solomon
Assistant Scoutmaster - Jerry Murphy
Institutional Representative - Sallijane Silva
Unit Chairperson - Don Bohnwagner, Sr.
Committee Member - Fred Cross, Jr.
Committee Member - Joe Shank, Sr.
Committee Member - Dave Stikeman
It is important to recognize the efforts of Joe Miele, Jr. and Ralph Stein in organizing the troop. While they both remained with Cub Pack 409 as Unit Chairperson and Cubmaster respectively, they insured the continuity of the pack and provided a vital liaison between both units.
SCOUTS
Don Bohnwagner, Jr.
Dave Jacobs
Joe Shank, Jr.
Mark Stein
Our first activity was a visit to the Lone Tree Council Klondike Derby. We traveled to that event in style thanks to Jerry Murphy who was a Supply Sergeant in the Army Reserve. He arranged for us to be transported by a 2-1/2 ton army truck, needless to say we had everyone's attention when we arrived at the activity and the scouts piled out from the back of the truck.
Troop 409 has had approximately 400 scouts over the last 50 years. Don Bohnwagner, Sr. served as Scoutmaster from 1975 to 2022 and passed the torch to Dustin Dufour after his retirement party from the troop in November 2022.
Troop 409G
Troop 409G was an idea formed in early 2023 at a committee meeting by then 409B Scoutmaster Dustin Dufour to boost the numbers of the troop. The decision was made to form a linked troop that would essentially form a coed Troop 409 with B and G patrols, and share a single committee following the linked troop rules established by BSA. On April 30, 2023 a meeting was held between the leaders of Pack 160, Troop 267 and Troop 409 about how we can grow scouting in Salem. As part of that meeting, Mr Dufour announced that we intended to start 409G by the next recharter in the fall and we needed 5 girls and a new Scoutmaster to start. August 7, 2023 at a Troop 409 parent meeting held in the Salem Library basement to discuss the upcoming year, the idea of Troop 409G was discussed again. Cynthia (Cindy) McMullen volunteered to be Scoutmaster and Melanie Demers as her Assistant Scoutmaster. Cindy and Melanie were leaders in Pack 160 and both had boys in Troop 409. In the fall of 2023 we received overwhelming support from our Chartered Organization (American Legion Post 63) representative Pat Hargreaves, Post 63 Commander John Ryan, and the general membership of Post 63. With the help of Arrowhead District Commissioner Josh Ratty and Daniel Webster Council's James Thomson, the leg work to establish the troop was done to formally form the Troop 409G Charter. On February 19, 2024, the Troop 409G Charter was signed by Pat Hargreaves (Chartered Org Rep), John Ryan (Post 63 Commander), and Jennifer Bradley (Committee Chair). Troop 409G became official with the Daniel Webster Council.
Troop 409G Originals
The first 2 members of 409G, Jackie Bradley and Audrey Dufour, joined Pack 160 in August 2023 as Arrow of Light Webelos. These girls joined Cub Scouts to train in preparation of crossing over in February 2024 into Scouts BSA and join their brothers. They recruited some of their school friends and a Troop 409B sibling to form the Original 6. The Original 6 had their first meeting on March 5, 2024 and will forever be legends of 409G.
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