WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)—A local Boy Scout troop is asking for help from the community and law enforcement after a trailer was stolen from the troop’s property last weekend. Scoutmaster John Cook said the church that shares the same property as the troop’s building has no cameras on that side of the building, now there were only questions left and no answers.
Since being founded way back in 1916, Troop One has played a crucial role in the growth and development of young people in Wichita Falls, which Cook says will be a little more difficult to do after a trailer full of equipment is stolen from their property.
“On Sunday morning we discovered our caravan had been stolen. It was a 16 foot aluminum trailer that we had. Luckily, all of our gear wasn’t there, but we had a lot of stuff from our explorer’s hut,” Cook said.
Cook said his troops have spent years raising money to buy the trailer, which originally cost about $6,500, but with inflation, a replacement will cost nearly $10,000, putting a big damper on future plans.
“That trailer we use for all of our campsites. We were going to fly it to West Virginia in July for the national jamboree. We have 41 scouts underway, and that would have carried all the equipment up there,” Cook said.
And nearly five months into their big journey, Cook hopes the community will step up and help.
“So we started a GoFundMe. We started it last night, mainly because, as I said, it’s self-funding here. It’s about two years of self-fundraising to replace it, and we really need a new trailer before June,” Cook said.
Cook said they’ve already started to see donations pouring in, which says a lot about Wichita Falls and the surrounding communities.
“Scouting is supported by our community and right now we are out there selling camp cards. It’s to raise money for the local troops before the jamboree. Everyone is really supportive of scouting, so that’s what makes it possible because every time we do a fundraiser, people support us,” Cook said.
And it’s that continued support that leads Cook to believe the funds will be raised in no time.
If you’d like to help this troop buy a new trailer, click here.
