$8K worth of supplies stolen from boy scout troop
By Rachel Whelan
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FAIRFIELD, Ohio (WLWT) — An Ohio Boy Scout troop is working to rebuild after thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment was stolen.
Roger Noe, the scoutmaster of Troop 902, said he got the call last Wednesday that the troop’s trailer had been broken into outside the Optimist Club building in Fairfield.
“At first, I was hoping it was an April Fool’s joke,” Noe said.
But when he arrived, it was clear it wasn’t.
The troop’s trailer had been forced open, and nearly everything inside was gone — about $7,500 worth of camping and cooking equipment, including tents, lanterns and stoves.
The loss hits especially hard because of how the gear was purchased.
“They fundraised for a year and a half to buy these new tents, and now they’re all gone,” Noe said.
The equipment supports everything the troop does — from fish fry fundraisers to camping trips and backpacking adventures for kids ages 10 to 17.
“It’s all to teach kids,” Noe said. “Camping, being outdoors, working together — those are life lessons.”
Noe said breaking the news to the scouts wasn’t easy.
“Kind of broke my heart,” he said.
The troop had just moved into the Optimist Club building in Fairfield weeks earlier, hoping to grow their program and reach more kids in the community.
Instead, they’re now starting over.
But just days after the theft, the community stepped in.
Members of the Fairfield Optimist Club presented the troop with a donation of more than $3,000.
Club president Dennis Tingley said the decision came quickly after members learned what happened.
“We had a brief discussion, passed the hat, and were able to raise the funds,” Tingley said.
Tingley said many members felt a personal connection to the cause.
“A lot of us were scouts too, myself included,” he said.
While the donation doesn’t cover the full loss, it’s a major step toward getting the troop back on track.
For Noe, the goal goes far beyond replacing equipment.
“Growing up is camping … hanging out with your buddies … sleeping under the stars,” he said. “That’s the memories I want to create for these kids.”
The troop has set up a GoFundMe to help replace the remaining equipment ahead of their summer camping plans.
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