Troop 4049 in Marlton gives Scoutmaster Alan Amato opportunities to relive the good memories he made as a kid, especially when it comes to seeing the Scouts work together on their daily activities.
“What most broadly applies to the Scouts is living by the Scout law: being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent,” Amato said. “That will set them up for success …
“It’s really encouraging to see the broad age difference between the Scouts and see them come together,” he added. “It’s not the adults teaching the skills to the Scouts, but they learn from each other.”
A Marlton resident, Amato is an Eagle Scout himself. Originally from the Houston area, his parents found a troop affiliated with their local church they thought would be good for the young Amato. He’d always loved outdoor activities and experiencing new things, so Scouting has stuck with him.
Amato got more involved when his two sons were old enough to join the Cub Scouts. He’s been the Scoutmaster of Troop 49 since 2020 – and it’s all been a matter of timing, he noted. One of the things Amato loves about the role is that he can provide young men with experiences they may not otherwise have or imagine doing.
“In the end, they really enjoy doing it, and seeing the joy on their faces is really cool,” he explained. “A couple of years ago, we took a camping trip to Washington, D.C., with pre-arranged tours of the White House and the U.S. Capitol, and we were able to get 24 Scouts and chaperones into the White House. Some of the adults … had never been inside …
“So that was a cool thing to do in getting these kids who have never seen the … Capitol before or have never been to Washington before, and being able to experience that with them was very cool.”
Troop 49 meets weekly throughout the school year at Marlton’s St. Joan of Arc School. Every July, members go to summer camp and pitch tents; work on merit badges; swim and sail; and make memories, according to Amato. Monthly camping trips take place on weekends 10 months out of the year.
The troop has camped at Gettysburg National Military Park and Valley Forge, touring battle grounds to learn about what took place during the Civil War and Revolutionary War, respectively. During the winter months, they may go skiing in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains.
The goal of troop activities is to keep Scouts engaged and occasionally take them out of their comfort zones.
Boy Scout Troop 49 is chartered by the St. Joan of Arc and is under the Garden State Council, a local chartered council of Scouting America, formerly the Boy Scouts of America. Since Scouting America was first awarded in 1912, more than two million young men have achieved the program’s highest rank of Eagle Scout.
Scouts can be no younger than 11 to join a local troop and have until the day before their 18th birthday to achieve the Eagle rank.
Parents and guardians interested in learning more about Troop 49 can contact Amato at marltonscouting@gmail.com.
Boy Scout Troop 4049 in Marlton is chartered by the Church of St. Joan of Arc in Evesham Township and meets throughout the school year.
