Troop 695 is a high-adventure scouting unit based in Irvine, California which has consistently earned BSA's Gold "Journey to Excellence" Award. Within the structure of our Troop, we offer the option for boys & girls (aged 14-20) to join our Venture Crew and attend all outings & events. We boast award-winning, trained leaders in such areas of expertise as rock-climbing, mountian biking, shooting sports, and aquatics. In fact, our own Scoutmaster Jason Perkins is the only Level 2 Lead Rock Climbing Instructor for the Rancho San Joaquin District, and both he and his wife have received the prestigious Silver Beaver Award & Distict Award of Merit for their outstanding leadership! Additionally, Scoutmaster Fukuda has completed the lengthy Woodbadge Leadership Training. Our Troop & Crew regularly sends scouts to BSA's High-Adventure Bases such as the Philmont Scout Ranch in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico. We have monthly Troop/Crew meetings at Turtle Rock Park Community Center, and offer monthly outdoor outings, community service events, and rank advancement opportunities. We are a Troop of approximately 80+ scouts, and have produced over 100 Eagle Scouts since the year 2000!
On the beautiful morning of November 28, 2020 a group of scouts and a few parents gathered at the Turtle Rock Nature Center for conservation service project. The nature center has been closed since last spring due to the pandemic and there were a lot of leaves and branches on the trails and some areas were overgrown with invasive species. Scouts learned to stay safe on the trails by identifying and avoiding poison oak and stinging nettle. They raked the leaves and branches, and removed the invasive, non-native Brazilian pepper trees. The group had a wonderful time out in the nature and the trails look clean and nice now! A big thank you to Mr. Kabeer and Mrs. Liem for joining the boys, and to Mrs. Graham for organizing this event.
On Thursday, November 5, 2020, Andrew S. became Troop & Crew 695’s newest Eagle Scout! He wanted a service project that would make a difference for others but, like so many candidates, Andrew had to work hard to come up with a good idea. The origin of his chosen project actually began three years ago when he successfully completed another service project fundraising over $1,700 and purchased 65 new backpacks for students in a low-income area. The beneficiary, Caritas Communities, a non-profit which manages affordable housing developments suggested a need in one of their mobile home properties in Brea. So, Andrew led his team of scout volunteers to design and build two bookcases. Once completed, he also donated hundreds of used books, thereby creating a mini-library so that residents in that community can come to read. His plans were made more complicated given the pandemic but Andrew made special accommodations and supplied PPE so that his volunteers could stay safe while working on the project. Andrew used every bit of his leadership skills that he learned in scouting.
