Troop 26 holds annual banquet

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TORRINGTON – With balloons, sloppy joes and paper airplanes, Cub Scout Troop 26 celebrated the Blue and Gold Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 26.

The kids, their families and their leaders gathered together

The Blue and Gold Banquet is an annual Cub Scout tradition to celebrate the anniversary of the organization. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was founded on Feb. 8, 1910, making this year the 112th Blue and Gold Banquet.

The scouts kicked off the banquet with the flag ceremony, carrying the American flag and the pack flag with respect to the front of the room. The caller (a sixth-grade scout) led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Scout Law and Oath.

The kids ran through a practice ceremony before the real thing, taking direction from leaders on holding hands at their sides instead of in their pockets and keeping the flag off the ground, all signs of the kids’ determination to perfect the ceremony.

Before presenting any awards or achievements, leaders led the kids in building paper airplanes and lifting a small wooden house off the ground using balloons. Although the house struggled to lift off the ground — at least until they pulled out the leaf blower — the kids’ paper airplanes flew across the room, all aimed for hitting Webelos Leader Howard Sinclair on the other side.

In recent years, BSA has changed its rules to allow young girls meeting all other requirements to join their local troops. Troop 26 in Torrington has seen several young girls eagerly sign up to join, so much so that troop leaders hope to be able to form an all-girls troop soon. Troop leaders presented the bobcat badge to three girls at Saturday’s banquet.

Leaders presented other scouts with the belt loops and achievements they had earned. They also presented each other with certificates, recognizing each other’s work in leading the kids’ scouting efforts.

“I really love watching the kids grow and watching them change,” Cubmaster Billy Norton said in an earlier interview with the Telegram. Norton was unable to attend Saturday’s banquet.

Troop 26 meets every Monday night at 6:15 at the Wyoming First Presbyterian Church on Torrington’s Main Street. Anyone interested in joining is welcome to sit in on an activity and meet the leaders and other scouts.