Milpitas Rotary Joins In With Boy Scouts

Three local Boy Scout leaders visited the Milpitas Rotary Club meeting at Brandon's Restaurant to update Rotarians on scouting.

The program -- presented by local Scout Leader Neal Osborn, Committee Chair Ed Linggi, and Scoutmaster Hilton Hoyt on noon Monday -- was in response to Milpitas Rotary taking over sponsorship of their Scout Troop 163 and Cub Pack 163. Past Milpitas Rotary President Don Peoples will serve as liaison. 

Scouting came out of England from the Boer War (1899-1902) as the game of scouting that spread across the Atlantic Ocean to America, said Neal Osborn.

Boys ages 11 to 18 are eligible to join what he calls a leadership laboratory. Explorer Scouts, which can be co-ed, are open those up to age 21, he added.

Cub Scouting serves boys age 6 to 10. Pack 163 Cub Master is Tony Lucani. Committee Chairman Ed Linggi said that Troop 163, established in 1993, has 15-20 Scouts. From around 150 Boy Scout members over the last 21 years have achieved the coveted Eagle Scout rank, he added.

An Eagle Scout project can take 60 hours to complete. A Life Scout Project takes six hours, according to Hoyt. Linggi continued that Troop 163 is involved in community service with The Food Pantry, Relay For Life, and The Family Giving Tree, the same community organizations assisted by the Milpitas Rotary Club.

Their boys attend Boy Scout Summer High Sierra Camp near Pinecrest. Scoutmaster Hoyt added that Troop 163 meets weekly at Rancho School and that Cub Scouting helps serve as a feeder to Boy Scouting. 

Their interesting presentation was followed by questions to the speakers. Rotarians were pleased with their new scouting relationship.