Batavia Boy Scout fundraisers brighten seasons with Christmas trees, flags

BATAVIA – Making many seasons of the year more spirited are Batavia’s Boy Scouts, with two troops’ fundraisers in the spotlight.

Scout Troop 12 has about 60 years of experience selling Christmas trees. And Scout Troop 6’s Flags Over Batavia program is a holiday gift suggestion shared by Don Nallenweg, chaplain of the Batavia American Legion Post. For $25, Scouts will display a 2-by-3-foot flag in front of one’s home during daylight hours on Loyalty Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

“It would make a nice gift for someone who would love to have a flag out on holidays, but is unable to do it themselves,” said Monica Barth, who coordinates the program with her husband, Bob.

Scouts from Troop 6 install a PVC pipe on the parkway near the curb, flush with the ground so it will not interfere with lawn mowing or lawn care, she said.

“Our troop loves this program,” the Barths wrote in an email. “While it is our only fundraiser, we love it because the flag is so integral to scouting. Flags Over Batavia has really helped foster a sense of community, and gives people a means to express their patriotism and community pride. We’ve been so touched to receive so many wonderful, heartfelt comments from participants. We especially love hearing from participants that tell us about loved ones who served our country, were lifelong scouters or supporters of scouting, or those for whom the flag meant so much.”

To learn more about Flags Over Batavia or to sign up for the service, visit flagsoverbatavia.weebly.com. The troop is associated with Bethany Lutheran Church.

A different decoration for people’s homes is the live evergreen trees that annually fly off the lot on Route 25 just south of downtown Batavia. The lot is operated by the Scouts of Troop 12.

One thousand trees are sold each year through the fundraiser, said Dan Kendell, committee chairman emeritus.

“It gives the boys opportunities to learn leadership and citizenship skills,” he said.

Working at the lot on a recent Saturday was Ryan Baxter, an eighth-grader at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia who said he’s done shifts at the tree lot for the past few years. Parents are on hand, but the enterprise is run by the Scouts.

“I like that people not just from Batavia, but from many different parts of Kane County come here,” he said. “All the money goes to Scouts and scouting.”

Kendell said it supports programs, including monthly weekend campouts as well as High Adventure experiences at sites such as Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

The tree lot is the main fundraiser for the troop, said Corrinne Ellis, the chartered organization representative for the troop, which is affiliated with Immanuel Lutheran Church.

She said the money helps subsidize some of the special outings such as canoeing or ski trips or zip lining.

“We ask that our Scouts participate at least a couple of nights selling so that all the Scouts participate [and] all the Scouts get the benefit,” she said.

Ellis said the Scouts learn real-world lessons about salesmanship, hard work and how to work with people.

The trees come from Badger Farms near Wausau, Wis.

“A big huge truck comes loaded with 800 trees on tree lot setup day,” Ellis said, praising the longtime collaboration with the tree farm. “[The Scouts] work from 8 in the morning until every last tree is off the truck, and then set the lot up.”

At the lot, Scouts navigate customers through the selection process, can do a fresh cut of the trunk, and also bale the trees and tie them onto vehicles.

Among the troop members is her son, Jacob Ellis, 16, who is about to move into the rank just before Eagle Scout. As an assistant senior patrol leader, he works with the senior patrol leader, Eamon Samsami.

“Eamon … works closely with the scoutmasters to make sure everything that needs to get done gets done,” Corrinne Ellis said. “I think we have a really great troop and a great group of leaders.”

The tree lot is open seven days a week on the east bank of the Fox River near the skate park at 411 S. River St. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 24 or when trees are sold out. To learn more, visit bataviatroop12.org.