Troop 200 started as Troop 207 at Mount Paran Central which is located on Mount Paran Road in Northwest Atlanta. The Troop moved to Mount Paran North in Marietta during the winter of 1990. The Troop had nowhere in Mount Paran North to meet initially, so it held meetings in the “registration hall” which is the first floor hallway by the Watkin’s Chapel. In October 2011, Troop 200 moved to Eastside Baptist Church.
Troop 200’s first fundraiser was firewood. The Troop spent all day splitting firewood and made approximately $200 for their work. The Troop’s first pinestraw sale was a modest one. Three-hundred bales were sold and delivered from a Committee member’s truck. When another Committee member took charge of the sale a few years later, half a trailer was sold. The troop worked up to two trailer loads in successive years. In the early years, bales were delivered using borrowed and volunteered pickup trucks. In 2011, Troop 200 held its 18th annual pinestraw sale and sold 5-6 tractor trailers full of pinestraw, and delivered them using rental trucks. Rory Sanderson, Troop 200’s current Committee Chairman, had a major role in most of those annual fundraisers.
The first Eagle Scout produced by Troop 200 was Michael McCray. At the time the Troop Committee were new to Scouting and did not know to hold an Eagle Court of Honor. They learned quickly, though, as the program grew. As of spring 2011, Troop 200 has generated 32 Eagle Scouts.
Individual Troop 200 Scouts have been to the three main BSA high adventure bases: Philmont, Florida Sea Base, and Northern Tier. As a group, Troop 200 went to Northern Tier in 2005, here is a photo:
In the Troop’s early years, a yearly family campout was held at Lake Lanier. The traditional dinner was ‘hobo stew’. The Troop purchased ground beef and Italian sausage as the meats and each family would bring a large can of a vegetable to put in it. One time a family even brought canned peaches, but the stew still tasted nice.
These are the Scoutmasters who have served the Troop:
Michael O’Neil
James McCray
Vernon Howard
Jim King
J. Mark Walker
Brian Campbell
Jorge Valdes
Kevin Grady
Albury Gardner
Wesley McLendon
David Farmery (Current)
Information compiled by: Travis Adams, Troop Historian, 5/7/2011. Updated 10/5/2011.
Special thanks to J. Mark Walker (MPN COR) and Brian Campbell for their memories.