Welcome to Troop 508
Troop 508 is located in at Menlo Church, 20455 Herriman Avenue, Saratoga, CA, where we normally meet. We are in the Polaris District of the Santa Clara County Council of BSA.
We are a Scout-led troop of approximately 30-40 scouts ranging from 11 to 17 years of age. Our focus is to have fun and live by the Scout Oath and Law. We encourage all Scouts to achieve First Class rank and offer strong support to those who want to pursue rank advancement to Eagle.
Outings
Each month we try to have at least one camping trip or event. Fun activities we like to do are camp, hike, cook, kayak, mountain bike, explore, build, and try new adventures like snow camping, skiing/snow boarding, river rafting and rock climbing. Our troop provides opportunities for our scouts to explore new interests, learn new skills, master the art of survival in the outdoors, volunteer for leadership positions, and perform service projects.
Typical trips are weekend camping at local state and county parks, in the Sierras, and in the desert (Mojave, Owens Valley, Death Valley). We also attend at least one Boy Scout camp each summer, such as Camp Hi Sierra, Camp Wente, and Camp Cherry Valley. The older scouts have the opportunity to also attend one the Boy Scout High Adventure camps at Philmont, Northern Tier, Summit Bechtel Reserve, or Seabase.
Each fall our troops hosts a camping trip at Dillon Beach (to which we invite all those interested in joining our troop). It is one of our scouts' favorite places to camp. The dunes are very fun to play in. Plan to join us for this event! We also invite Webelos and guest to go on a hike with us in the fall, as well, so watch our site for the date.
Please continue tp check out our website to see up upcoming planned activities.
Joining
If you are interested in joining our troop, let us know. We'd love to meet you!
You can just come to one of our meetings as a guest - no appointment is needed (but do confirm that we are meeting on the Monday you plan to attend, since our calendar can vary) and of course, feel free to contact us via email at scoutmasters@troop508.org if you have any additional questions.
History
Troop 508 was founded in Saratoga by our founding Scoutmaster Dr. R. Maurice Tripp, a member of the National Council of the BSA and a leader in the "White Stag Youth Leadership Development" program.
We received a mention in the Saratoga News, August 7, 2015.
Additional Facts
In general, we meet Monday nights at 7:30pm:
The official schedule is below, but months may get altered to match school holidays, etc.*
Patrol Leaders Council/PLC (the scout leadership team)– Usually the 1st Monday of the month.
Troop & Parent Committee – Usually the 2nd Monday
Patrols - Usually the 3rd Monday of the month, at the homes of our patrol leaders
Troop Meeting: Usually the 4th Monday of the month.
5th Monday? When it happens, the troop meets and has Game Night.
* Check our troop calendar and emails for the most up to date meeting schedule
Troop Web Page: www.troop508.org
Main Email Address: scoutmasters@troop508.org
Troop Committee Chair: Mrs. Vidya Tiru
Scoutmaster: Dr. Everett Lam
Mehran Aminzadeh - ASM
Dale Olsen - ASM & New Member SM
Maneesh Rai - ASM
Janet Shaw - ASM
Sameer Vaidya - ASM
Samantha Xu - District Commissioner
Advancement Chair: Mr. Cliff Ludwig
Membership Chair: Mrs. Kristi Ralston
Co-Membership Chair: Manisha Jain
Webmaster: Mrs. Varsha Khandelwal
Scoutmasters Emeritus: Mr. Roy Lagemann