TROOP 411 Machesney Park

06/16/2026

You guys look at all these future leaders. Youth taking national youth leadership training. Troop 411 is represented on the yellow patrol.

05/26/2026

Been quite the whirlwind lately with eagle projects. Couple weeks back a scout redid the benches and some picnic tables for schoonmaker Park. Replaced most of the boards on the benches. And replaced some boards on the picnic tables and sanded and painted both. Also removed approximately five billion staples from the picnic tables from the hundreds of birthday parties that had stapled tablecloths and decorations. Came out great!

This past week/weekend a scout built a really really large playground for the boys and girls club over on elm. Not only did this scout use his entire holiday weekend on the project it also happened to be his weekend to graduate. So while others were whooping it up at various different parties he was putting in the work to give back to a facility that he's been going to since he was very young.

These projects are awesome in their own right. But what they also signify is how big these two young men are going to be in their communities moving forward. Absolute world changers! Proud of these guys. Well done scouts!

On deck a project to make wheelchair accessible picnic tables for Dennis Johnson memorial Park. After that a young man is working on details for a project to help folks with disabilities. Then three others looking into their eagle projects as well. Going to be one heck of a busy summer but in all the right ways!

05/05/2026

Hey super fans! Exciting stuff going on in the troop. We have two young men working on eagle projects at two of our local parks. One is refurbishing tables and benches for schoonmaker Park and the other is going to build from scratch some wheelchair accessible picnic tables for Dennis Johnson memorial Park. Then we have another young man working on his eagle building a giant playground for the boys and girls club that's going to be awesome when that's finished. Pictures to come soon!

Hey speaking of pictures we always do a fundraiser for mother's Day and this year it fell a little short. We sell flats and baskets from gensler gardens (they are awesome they give us a discount to help the community and the guys) please in the future consider the guys next mother's Day season as these fundraisers help them go to camp, help them go to leadership conferences, help them pay for those awesome eagle projects. I threw in some pictures and video of the awesome stuff we get from them.

03/02/2026

Hey everyone! Couple awesome things this week. First all of my cubs not just two groups decided to do a service project collecting socks for homeless (sealed new socks of any size). We have several socks boxes (say that a couple times fast) at parents/grandparents workplaces and a friend is collecting at their workplace. However we also have a few out at local awesome businesses. The list of businesses you can drop off at for this week from today through Sunday is as follows:

Mac brothers cheesecakes - 7914 Scott Ln, Machesney Park, IL 61115

Hours are weekdays (except Monday) 10-2 then they close for a little bit and are open again from 5-8. Then on Saturdays & Sundays 10-2.

Pig minds brewing co. - 4080 Steele Dr., Machesney Park, IL 61115

Hours are M-Th 3-8 F-SUN 12-9

Confluence individual and relationship counseling - 5005 Hononegah Rd. Unit #1 Roscoe IL 611073

Hours are 6-6 Monday through Thursday and 6-12 Saturday

So go buy three packs of socks. Go get some cheesecake. Go get some food and a brew. Then go get your issues worked out and drop off a pack at each place ;) or if you want to donate money so I just go buy the socks reach out to me.

Next we have the older youth in the troops annual bowling fundraiser at Forest Hills Lanes which is always huge in helping the scouts get to camp and some other awesome stuff. Tons of fun bowling but we also have a bunch of amazing sponsors for silent auctions etc. Got hockey tickets and baseball tickets and gift cards for swimming and paintball tickets and a ton of other cool stuff from restaurants and comic shops and everything in between l. It would be massive to see folks show up for the scouts for that one and really appreciated. Bowling is this coming Saturday 1-3.

Also if you don't mind please share like crazy because I'm trying to show those cub scouts how a little person can make a big difference.

Thanks y'all!

09/17/2025

Great project by one of our guys!

09/15/2025

Hey guys if anybody's interested we are doing games and s'mores at schoonmaker Park tonight at six with cub scouts. Everyone is invited to come visit!

08/05/2025

Come on out and meet some of the guys and leaders as well as kiddos and leaders from the pack. (Whispers there will be ice cream sandwiches until we run out)

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT 2025 💙 🖤 Mark your calendars for August 5! National Night Out is a free, nationwide event that brings communities together with local law enforcement to build stronger, safer neighborhoods.

Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2025
Time: 5p.m. - 7p.m.
Location: Harlem High School

This is a FREE family-friendly event that includes:
🌭FREE FOOD
🚒Local Fire Departments on-site
🎼Music, games & more
🧑‍✈️🧑‍🚒Meet your local law enforcement officers and fire responders

It's all about the fun, food and connecting with those who serve and protect our communities. 🎉

08/02/2025

End of the week of summer camp thoughts at the campfire. "You can move change or change can move you". Phenomenal week of teamwork, fun, working on badges, handing the reigns over officially to new youth leadership. Five 411'rs elected into order of the arrow (think service honor society for scouting). Love being able to be a small part in some young people's stories. Absolute honor to watch them grow and to pass on the knowledge and spirit to other scouts.

07/17/2025

The troop helped the Lions club sort out donated glasses, hearing aids, and some other items at the center for sight and hearing. Between 6:30 and 8:00 these guys rocked it sorting over 10,200 donated items for future use by folks who can't otherwise afford glasses or hearing aids. Always great to help others where we can. Proud of these guys.

05/30/2025

Hey all! The huge drawing is today at 5:30! Excited to see who the lucky person will be!