The holiday spirit for a local Boy Scout troop in Murfreesboro was dampened after nearly 100 Christmas trees were stolen from their annual fundraising lot. Boy Scout Troop 197, which relies on this event as their sole fundraiser for the year, faced a major setback when thieves targeted their lot at Fellowship United Methodist Church, as reported by WKRN.
The theft occurred on a Sunday night, forcing the troop to grapple with a significant loss of approximately $12,000. "What a disappointment for young men learning moral values and service to all," the troop lamented, emphasizing that the incident happened despite not raising prices in these economic times. Phillip MacDonald, associated with the troop, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of community support following the incident, per statements obtained by WKRN. Security measures have been heightened in response to secure the remaining trees on the lot.
In a heartrending reveal, a 14-year-old scout named Tyler Witt voiced his appeal, "Give [the trees] back," according to an interview by NewsChannel 5. The theft not only represents a fiscal deficit, but it also cuts deep into the experiences and adventures that shape these scouts, as the funds are critical for supporting their activities including camping and summer camps.
Despite this challenge, the troop remains hopeful to break even as they continue to sell the remainder of their Christmas trees until December 20th, or until sold out. "Never in the history of 19 years have we had almost 100 trees go missing from us," Assistant Scout Master Culann Brown stated, as covered by NewsChannel 5. The community is encouraged to support the scouts by purchasing a tree or by making donations in person or via Venmo at @treasurer197, as efforts to recover from the theft commence.
The Murfreesboro Police are investigating the theft, meanwhile, the scouts hold onto hope and determination to not let this act dampen their holiday season or the valuable lessons of service and character building that are central to the Boy Scout experience. For those who wish to contribute or purchase a tree, the lot is located at Fellowship United Methodist Church, 2511 New Salem Hwy, Murfreesboro, TN 37128, as reported by WGNS Radio.
