BY ASHLEY IGRISON
Contributing writer
Boy Scout Pack 126 has a long history in Clarkston.
Independence Township Firefighter Michael Fahrner knows all about it. He was there when it was founded in the early 1960s.
Scouts gathered with their families March 1 for the 2007 Blue and Gold Event at Clarkston Elementary.
Capt. Fahrner said he remembers the pack’s first meetings in 1966 inside a church, which is now the home of Clarkston Mayor Sharron Catallo.
Be proud, no matter what anyone else says, he told the scouts.
‘You’ll have people in middle school asking if you’re going to Boy Scouts tonight,? Fahrner said. ‘Just say, ‘Yes I am?? you will learn (from the memories and experiences) and remember them for years and years. That’s something you’ll never have taken away from you.?
Building and maintaining structure and funds were very challenging during the beginning stages of the organization, but sufficient support was received through the schools as well as Clarkston Methodist Church.
Some forty years later, Pack 126 is still rooted in CMC and Clarkston Elementary, utilizing the buildings to hold events and participatie in different programs to help raise funds.
Even 40 years into the organization, funding continues to be one of their biggest challenges. The boys sell popcorn to help pay for the group events.
Popcorn sales support the entire pack for outings such as the annual trip to the Fridge, hayrides, and Pinewood Derby.
Money earned through popcorn and fundraising not only goes towards trips and events, but also towards books and materials essential to Pack 126.
‘Clarkston has been very generous? said Pack Leader Steve Cartier. ‘We’ve been very blessed.?
The boys of Pack 126 participate in activities such as archery, fishing and tobogganing. All the while, their lives are being enriched through strong bonds of friendship and leadership. Involvement in the scouts is a great way to start off in life, said parent Kris Klima.
Most of the leaders of Pack 126 began as scouts themselves, including Cartier, he said.