Troop History

Troop 701 was formed on September 24, 1979, when five boys and Scoutmaster Mark Reinbrecht met at Chapman Elementary School for the first weekly Troop meeting.

The following summer marked the first trip to summer camp, when Mr. Reinbrecht and a small group of Scouts traveled to Clendening Scout Reservation. The Troop attended summer camp at Clendening until 1988, when they moved to Heritage Scout Reservation in Farmington, PA, where they continue to return each summer.

While the Troop started small, it did not take long for it to grow, and by 1990, it was up to about 60 members.

In the fall of 1994, Mark Reinbrecht retired as Scoutmaster, with Assistant Scoutmaster Doug Dittman taking over the reins. Under Mr. Dittman’s leadership, the Troop grew to more than 90 members. He served as Scoutmaster until the fall of 2001, when Don Young accepted the position. In the fall of 2010, Scott Horan, the Troop’s 53rd Eagle Scout, became Scoutmaster. In January 2015, Jeff Tirey became the fifth Scoutmaster of Troop 701. In the spring of 2019, Wes Kent, the Troop’s 26th Eagle Scout, became Troop 701’s sixth Scoutmaster.  All six Scoutmasters, along with their assistants and troop committee members, have maintained the philosophy of a youth-led troop, providing youth members with the opportunity and responsibility to plan and carry out the majority of the program.

While the trip to summer camp is the highlight of the Troop 701 Scouting year, the Troop’s high adventure treks never disappoint. These trips are reserved for the more experienced Scouts in the program, who have demonstrated exceptional levels of leadership, advancement, and positive attitude. On these trips, Scouts have had the opportunity to go whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, wild caving, high elevation backpacking (14,000+ feet), shotgun shooting, kayaking, tubing, and sailing. In addition to attending prestigious BSA high adventure bases including Philmont Scout Ranch, Florida Seabase, Tinnerman Canoe Base, and High Knoll, our Scouts have also traveled to Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Minnesota, Maine, West Virginia, New Hampshire, and even as far as England. The Troop’s 2022 high adventure trip to the Berkshires was featured in the August 2023 edition of Scout Life Magazine.

One of the areas on which Troop 701 prides itself is service to the community. Every year, our Scouts, leaders, and other volunteers average between 1,500-2,000 hours of service to the community, assisting in programs such as litter cleanup on the Royalton Road and I-71 entrance/exit ramps, erecting flags on the Strongsville Commons for federal holidays, and donating time and materials to places like Camp Cheerful, the Strongsville Historical Society, and the Strongsville Emergency Food Bank. In addition, Troop 701 takes the lead in organizing the Strongsville “Yard Charge,” a yearly event where all of the Scouting units in the city gather to rake leaves in the yards of senior citizens.

Eagle Scouts are known throughout the world for their strong work ethic and devoted adherence to the ideals set forth in the Scout Oath and Law. Troop 701 is very proud of all of their Scouts who have earned this distinguished Scouting honor. An honor roll of Troop 701’s Eagle Scouts is located here. All of these young men have contributed greatly to the success of the Troop 701 Scouting program, and are a shining example not only to the other members of the Troop, but to all of those with whom they come in contact. Earning the rank of Eagle Scout is an honor that is a part of you for the rest of your lifetime: Once an Eagle Scout, always an Eagle Scout.