Scouting at St. Andrew

Troop 648, established in 1988 by the members of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, is a member of the Spirit Lake District.  

Troop 648 is currently a “Boys” Troop but is starting a linked “Girl’s” Troop chartered by St Andrew Lutheran Church. Soon, there are expectations that the separation between “Boy's” and “Girl's” Troops will no longer exist, and all Scouts will simply be Scouts.

Many of our Scouts are involved in extracurriculars outside of Scouting. Sports, Church, band, and other activities are encouraged and supported to help develop well-rounded experiences for our youth. We strive to make Scouting an enjoyable learning experience for youth aged 11 – 18. We encourage adult volunteers to become involved to help our young people.

Some of the activities in and outside of Scouting that Troop 648 takes part in during the year are:

  • Campouts – one per month: District Camporee, Canoe Trips, Super Weekends, Winter Camp, Horseback outings, snowshoeing, hiking, bicycling, and many more

  • Summer Camp: 2025 at Camp Meriwether on the Oregon Coast

  • Community Involvement: Winter Hospitality Overflow (WHO), Walk-n-Knock, Veterans Day Parade, Evergreen Memorial Gardens Memorial Day Weekend, Christmas Tree pick up, and more.

  • Troop 648 offers numerous fundraising opportunities throughout the year, including Memorial Gardens maintenance, popcorn sales, meat stick and candy sales, wreath and poinsettia sales, flag posting services on four national holidays, car washes (in partnership with St. Andrew Youth Ministry), and various other events to support our scouting activities.

More information about Troop 648:

  • Trail to First Class Rank and Trail to Eagle Rank Advancement programs with assigned Assistant Scoutmasters to help.

  • 73 Scouts (and counting) have achieved the Rank of Eagle, the highest rank in Scouting.

  • Merit Badge Counselors within the Troop for over 120 of the 148 total Merit Badges available

  • Consistently (over 15 years when Scouting started the program – including 2024) a “Journey to Excellence” Gold Unit, which recognizes growth, advancement, and training completed by both Scouts and adults.

  • Multiple Scouts attend National Youth Leadership Training each year.

  • Many of our Scouts and Adult Leaders work as Staff at one of our 4 Council Camps each summer.

  • Many Scouts and Adult Leaders are actively involved in the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s national honor society, with several of our Scouts, past and present, serving as local and regional Leaders of the organization.

For more information about Troop 648, visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1996562083947063, email Scoutmaster Eric Gillins at gillins@yahoo.com, call or text him at 360-607-7362, or contact Troop directly at bsa648vancouver@gmail.com.