MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Local Boy Scout aims to clean up Signal Mountain tennis court
February 15, 2024
Luke Sowa has been playing tennis for the last four years.
When he's not at school, the sophomore often practices at the Fox Run court on Signal Mountain.
"I got into it because my sister, she started playing it before me. I thought it looked fun so then I started playing," he said.
Luke is also a member of his local Boy Scouts chapter, Troop 116 on Signal Mountain. In order to advance to an Eagle Scout, members must complete a number of tasks and earn merit badges. They must also complete a service project.
When deciding what he wanted to do, Luke thought about the tennis court in his neighborhood.
"They're not in very good condition, they have a lot of cracks in them and stuff," he said.
He has already started clearing brush, cleaning leaves and trimming nearby trees. But his plans don't stop there.
"We're going to pressure wash the whole court, repaint it. Fill in the cracks and replace all the equipment and net," he added.
Luke is raising money to help offset the cost through a GoFundMe page. His goal is to raise $2,500 by the end of February to help make the area a nicer and safer place for others.
"This community does stuff for you. So you should give back to it. They gave us this court to play on and stuff. They built it for us, so why not repair it and keep it so other people can use it too," he said.
Perhaps a reminder, we can all use.
If you are interested in helping Luke reach his goal, click HERE!
23rd Annual Friends Of Scouting Luncheon Held Feb. 24
Aiden Castellanet - Student Body President from Signal Mountain Middle High School Interview from CityScope Magazine
The Adventure Begins!
The Original Scout Camp Mascot - Carranza the Mule
Chattanooga's First Scout Camp - Boulder Nook
The Cherokee Area Council's Scout Service Center
The number of new families joining Scouting jumped 148% over the prior year, as parents seek a safe refuge from rising digital risks through authentic outdoor adventures. The number of new families joining Scouting eclipsed the number of those who joined in both 2024 and 2023. Local officials expect that hundreds of boys, girls and families will be welcomed into Cub Scouts as the weather cools. “Every great leader, athlete or innovator can trace their success back to those first, formative steps,” said Jared Pickens, scout executive and CEO of Chattanooga’s Cherokee Area Council, Scouting America. “In Cub Scouts, we empower young people with the courage, curiosity and skills they need to confidently embrace every new challenge and opportunity ahead. And I’m thrilled to be personally involved in the program as both a parent and volunteer.” Cub Scouts is known for offering a fun, welcoming and structured environment where all boys and girls can try new things, build friendships and discover their strengths. It’s more than hiking and camping, it’s about helping kids be prepared for life, Pickens said. Cub Scout programming is calibrated to help kids learn critical real-world skills including teamwork, problem-solving, empathy and perseverance. The program is designed to transform wide-eyed beginners into leaders capable of tackling any challenge with a “can-do” mindset. Over the last year, local Scouts have: ● Delivered 1,874 pounds of food to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank through the “Scouting for Food” drive and over 120,000 pounds of hurricane emergency relief supplies were collected, loaded, and shipped; ● Decorated 58,500 graves of veterans with an American Flag for Memorial Day; and ● Contributed 9,750 hours of community service on their path to Eagle. 58 young people earned the rank of Eagle Scout including 6 girls. Girls now represent 24% of local youth membership. As a parent of a scout, Pickens said he understands that balancing school, sports and other activities can be a challenge. That’s why the organization offers flexible programs that fit into busy schedules. This fall, parents can visit www.BeAScout.org to find a local pack and start their Scouting journey, he said. About Local Scouting Cherokee Area Council, Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost outdoor youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.” Scouting America welcomes all youth into its programs throughout 11 counties across Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. Our goal is to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow with us in a safe environment. Join Scouting today by visiting www.BeAScout.org . https://www.clevelandbanner.com/news/local-families-join-cub-scouts-at-record-rates-for-august/article_331e3fb3-f792-53b0-a4e9-b1b9869422ae.html https://www.chattanoogan.com/2025/9/17/508705/Local-Families-Join-CubScou ts-At.aspx
Troop 10 Scouts out of Cleveland load up and head out onto the open water, ready for the 100 mile trek ahead. The group spends the week before the six-day trip making sure their skills were ready. "All the scouts on the water had to pass a swimming test. You have to make sure everybody is a proficient swimmer to do something like this," Troop 10 Scoutmaster Shannon Ward said. Ward said the troop has been an aquatics-based group for more than 100 years. "A lot of our scouts are scuba certified. They do a lot of canoeing," she added. The group started on the Ocoee, went through the Hiwassee and ended at Brown's Ferry Marina on the Tennessee River. Boston Heier is a youth leader for the group. He said there were times when the water's currents were challenging. "I definitely think going down the Ocoee was the hardest part. At times, whenever I was taking a break or I wasn't paddling for whatever reason, we would actually go backwards," Heier said. Abby Ross agrees, but said the challenges on the water taught her an important lesson in perseverance and teamwork. "We did a lot of miles. That was a little difficult. Sometimes the big boats would drive by and make waves that we would have to go over," Ross said. The older leaders of the group also had to learn how to work with the younger scouts and different experience levels. "Leading them was definitely a challenge and I definitely learned how to cooperate with them and make sure everyone had a good time," Heier said. A ground team of adults made sure the scouts had campsites and food ready at the beginning and end of each day. But Ward said, the overall goal was for the group to overcome and persevere together, building a bond that's long lasting. "The kids, they know that they make or break this troop. It's all about them. It's all about what they can achieve," Ward said. https://www.local3news.com/local-news/making-a-difference/making-a-difference-local-scout-troop-makes-history-with-100-mile-canoe-trip/article_b2ec1fe8-e80a-4430-aa06-c864a7390ded.html
Memorial Day is the day we set aside to honor those who gave their lives in service to this country. Ahead of the holiday, Scouts from the Cherokee Area Council placed over 60,000 flags in Cleveland, Tracy City, Ringgold Soddy-Daisy and the Chattanooga National Cemetery on Saturday. The Scouts were joined in their efforts by both leaders and parents. Scout Executive and CEO of the Cherokee Area Council Jared Pickens explained how this event can teach the Scouts about honoring those who served. "It is truly incredible to see this service provided to our community by these young people," Pickens said. "This is a fantastic learning experience for our Scouts – to respect the service of those laid to rest in these sacred places." Greg Lee, Volunteer Vice President of Program for the Cherokee Area Council, described the importance of getting young people involved early on. "A lot of younger Scouts don't exactly know why we're putting the flags out or what it symbolizes, what Memorial Day is, what's Veteran's Day, what's Armed Forces Day, so we kinda try to educate them on part of that, where Memorial Day is those who have lost their life in defending our country for our freedoms," Lee said. Lee tells us he's been involved with placing the flags for about 25 years, but the view never gets old. "It's really neat to watch as you stand back at the amphitheater to watch up over the hill as the red, white and blue goes in the ground," Lee said. The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is also honoring those who served. Park Ranger Will Wilson said those soldiers are the reason the National Military Park exists. "Park Historian Jim Ogden will be giving a torchlight tour of Chattanooga National Cemetery and telling some of the stories of some of the soldiers that were involved here," Wilson said. Wilson hopes people who attend the torchlight tour leave with more connection to its history. "This is a place of remembrance now and a place that really speaks to us as a nation and who we are," Wilson said. In a release, the Scouting America Cherokee Area Council said they were "thrilled" to honor Medal of Honor recipient Captain Larry Taylor on this year's commemorative patch. "We are honored to serve these local heroes once again this year," Lee said. Starting Wednesday of next week, the Scouts will begin taking the flags back down, Lee said. Those interested in volunteering to help with this can contact the Cherokee Area Council. https://newschannel9.com/news/local/scouts-honor-fallen-heroes-by-placing-flags-in-area-cemeteries-for-memorial-day?fbclid=IwY2xjawKimNVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLSWE3U1ROWW1jUU0zVmRRAR7UO86NlXwM0XqhuHorIYMZBSV2BkmTRPDLapOWnwp7fwexJ-YOnUBE55AThg_aem_mxfJyyX4mPAr0Z3m1jxphA