More Than 75 Years of Adventure, Leadership, and Service

In 1949, the world was entering a new era. World War II had ended only four years earlier, Harry Truman was President of the United States, and the Philadelphia Athletics played baseball at Shibe Park. In the small community of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, another chapter was beginning.

Hatboro Troop 3 was chartered in 1949 by Hatboro Baptist Church.

What began with a small group of Scouts and leaders would grow into one of Hatboro’s enduring community traditions—a Scout troop built upon leadership, outdoor adventure, service, and the belief that young people can accomplish extraordinary things when given the opportunity. For more than 75 years, generations of Scouts have worn the Troop 3 patch, learned the lessons of Scouting, and carried those traditions forward.

The Beginning of Troop 3

Troop 3 was the third Boy Scout troop in Hatboro to receive a charter from the Boy Scouts of America, giving the troop its name.
Originally chartered in the Valley Forge Council, Washington District, the troop carried the national designation of Troop 446. Following the merger of the Valley Forge Council and Philadelphia Council in 1996, the troop became part of the newly combined council. Through all of those changes, one thing remained constant:

In Hatboro, it was always simply Troop 3

From its earliest days, the troop established a reputation for active Scouting, strong leadership, outdoor adventure, and pride in the organization. Those qualities would become hallmarks of Troop 3 for generations to come.

Leaders Who Built the Tradition

The history of Troop 3 is inseparable from the men and women who have given their time and energy to its Scouts. The troop’s first Scoutmaster, Len Henryson, helped guide Troop 3 through its formative years. Even during its first year, the young troop was already making its mark, winning the Delmont Olympics—a competition combining Scouting skills and athletic ability—during its inaugural summer camp experience. Over the decades that followed, Troop 3 was guided by a succession of dedicated Scoutmasters, each leaving his own mark on the troop.

Among the most influential was C. Stoy Weaver, a legendary Scout leader in Hatboro and the surrounding area. Weaver was deeply involved in Scouting at the district and council levels and was known for his love of hiking, camping, and the outdoors.
Another memorable leader was Jesse Burnett, whose enthusiasm for camping and high adventure helped inspire generations of Scouts to explore places far beyond Hatboro.

And then there was Bob John. A Troop 3 alumnus and Eagle Scout, Bob John became Scoutmaster in 1972 and served for an extraordinary 40 years, retiring in 2012. His tenure remains the longest in Troop 3 history. For generations of Scouts, Bob John was more than a Scoutmaster. He became a symbol of Troop 3 itself—an example of dedication, leadership, and service. His influence extended well beyond the troop through his work with the Washington District, Valley Forge Council, and Scout camps and programs.

Following Bob John, Stuart Gentry served as Scoutmaster from 2012 to 2015, succeeded by Bob Waeltz, who brought valuable experience from his time as Assistant Scoutmaster and head of the New Scout Program. Keith Grimes next took the helm, navigating the troop through the COVID-19 pandemic by swiftly moving meetings online and ensuring the Scouting community remained strong and united. In 2026, Jamie Johnstonbaugh stepped up to carry the tradition forward as Scoutmaster.

Together, these leaders—and the many assistant Scoutmasters, committee members, parents, and volunteers who supported them—helped create the continuity that has allowed Troop 3 to thrive for more than seven decades.

A Tradition of Adventure

If there is one word that has consistently defined Troop 3, it is adventure. Camping has always been at the center of the Troop 3 experience. Over the years, Scouts have traveled throughout Pennsylvania and across the Northeast, camping at Scout reservations and state parks, hiking historic trails, paddling rivers, exploring battlefields, and discovering places far beyond their hometown.

Troop 3 adventures have included backpacking the Quehanna Trail, whitewater rafting on the Lehigh and Youghiogheny Rivers, canoeing, hiking in the White Mountains, exploring the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, and visiting historic destinations such as West Point, Annapolis, and Gettysburg.

The troop has also traveled to destinations including New York, New England, Virginia, Maryland, and beyond. For many Scouts, these trips became some of their most treasured memories—not simply because of where they went, but because of what they experienced along the way.

High Adventure

Troop 3 has always encouraged Scouts to go a little farther and challenge themselves a little more. The ultimate expression of that philosophy has been the troop’s long tradition of high-adventure scouting. Troop 3 Scouts have made multiple treks to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, one of the premier high-adventure programs in Scouting. Other high-adventure experiences have included trips to the Mount Washington in New Hampshire, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Maine, and the Appalachian Trail.

These trips demand preparation, teamwork, perseverance, and leadership. They also create the stories Scouts remember long after they return home.

Troop 3 and the Eagle Scout Tradition

Troop 3 has always believed that advancement is about more than earning badges. The Scout rank system provides a path for young people to develop skills, accept responsibility, serve others, and become leaders. Over the decades, Troop 3 Scouts have risen through the ranks and earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.

But the significance of an Eagle Scout goes beyond the badge itself. Each Eagle represents years of effort, perseverance, leadership, and service—and each becomes part of the continuing legacy of Troop 3. The troop is proud of every Scout who has taken that journey.

A Tradition of Service

Adventure may bring Scouts together, but service gives Scouting its purpose. Throughout its history, Troop 3 has worked to make a difference in the Hatboro community and beyond. Scouts have participated in service projects, supported community organizations, assisted with local events, and stepped forward whenever there was work to be done. The lesson is simple:
A Scout does not simply belong to a community. A Scout serves it. That spirit of service has become one of the defining characteristics of Hatboro Troop 3.

A Troop Supported by a Community

No troop reaches 75 years without the support of an entire community. Since 1949, Hatboro Baptist Church has provided an important home and foundation for Troop 3. Parents and families have contributed countless hours as Scout leaders, committee members, drivers, cooks, coordinators, fundraisers, and volunteers. Local residents and supporters have helped through pancake breakfasts, ham and turkey suppers, camp and adventure card sales, and other fundraising efforts. Many of these contributions happen quietly and behind the scenes. But they are essential.

Every camping trip, every service project, every advancement ceremony, and every Scout who reaches Eagle represents the combined efforts of Scouts, families, leaders, and a community that believes in the value of Scouting.

The Legacy Continues
More than 75 years have passed since the first Scouts gathered as Hatboro Troop 3. Generations have come and gone. Scout uniforms have changed. Camping equipment has changed. Technology has changed. Hatboro itself has changed. But the heart of Troop 3 remains remarkably familiar.

A Scout still learns to pitch a tent.
A patrol still works together around a campfire.
A Scout still accepts responsibility.
A young leader still stands before his patrol and learns what it means to lead.
A Scout still reaches out to help someone else.

And somewhere along the way, a young person discovers that the lessons learned in Scouting are not really about camping, knots, badges, or uniforms. They are about becoming a person others can depend on. That is the legacy of Hatboro Troop 3.

Since 1949, Troop 3 has been building character, developing leaders, serving the community, and creating memories that last a lifetime.

The Scouts who came before us built the tradition. The Scouts of today carry it forward. And the Scouts of tomorrow will write the next chapter.

Hatboro Troop 3 – More Than 75 Years of Adventure, Leadership, and Service – The tradition continues.