Special to the Macomb Journal
Boy Scouts of America Troop 315, Macomb, got a head start on Earth Day with a backpacking campout and clean up of Lake Argyle State Park earlier in April.
The Scouts met at the camp ground at Lake Argyle to set up their base camp and receive the clean up equipment from the rangers at the park. After the Scouts packed their backpacks with the equipment and lunch, the plan was to hike around the lake to the Twin Oaks campground and begin the service project of cleaning up the grounds. 
"The original idea of the campout was to do some training for our Appalachian Trail trip we have planned this summer," said Scoutmaster Paul Kirwan. 
"The Scouts also wanted to do something in conjunction with Earth Day, but with conflicting schedules we had to pick the weekend of April 12-13 to camp. The Scouts then decided that if they could not do an environmental project on the Earth Day Weekend then they would do the project when they were at the park camping and hiking. We really think of Lake Argyle as our home base for camping and use the park at least 5 to 6 times a year.  So what better way to repay our use than to continue a Scouting project that began a few years ago."
The Scouting project involved several Scout troops and crews in an Earth Day clean up and troop 315 has been continuing that project each year since then.
The training for the Appalachian Trail involved loading up a backpack and hiking around the lake and back to the campground for meals and advancement work. 
The troop made good time hiking around the lake on the roadway and after a quick lunch the clean up project began. 
"It was like an archeological discovery or viewing items from a time capsule." commented one of the Scouts. He was referring to the many beverage cans that the troop picked up from the area behind the campsites along the Doe Run Road. The scouts could not at first understand why the beverage cans were all rusty.  After a discussion about how beverages used to be packaged, in steel cans instead of aluminum, a really interesting discovery was made. One of the beverage cans was advertising an "Aluminum SoftTop" and sported the traditional triangular shape of the church key opener. Still the mood was one of disappointment that so many people would have such poor regard for one of the true treasures of our county and of Western Illinois. But with the true scouting spirit the troop filled nearly three 55-gallon trash barrels with the debris and made a pact to return to keep the area clean.
The troop logged nearly 20 miles hiking around the lake on Saturday and Sunday including the clean up project. The weather was a bit wet and cool but that did not stop the Scouts from preparing a good hot meal of soup for Saturday night.  Spirits went even higher when the campfire burst into life and a cheerful way to warm up with friends was created. After dinner, a rousing game of Grey Wolf and a bit of Hide and Seek in the dark was a fine way to generate some heat before turning into a warm sleeping bag for a good nights sleep. And just as the camp settled in for that good nights' sleep than Mother Nature gave a good reason to stay in the tents as a bit of icy rain fell to lull the scouts into slumber.
The Scouts attending the campout and completing nearly three hours of cleanup were Collin Anderson, Scott Knicl, Michael Dofing, Michael Nicholas, Rory Greer and Marschall Hall. Troop leaders Rodney Greer, Steve Dofing, Larry Knicl and Paul Kirwan assisted the Scouts. 
The Wesley United Methodist Church sponsors troop 315.
For information about scouting or to find how to join a Scouting organization please log onto www.illowabsa.org.