History

The current Troop 287 first started as Troop 54 in March 1954 at the Milham Elementary School by the Milham Mothers Club. In March of that year there were 4 Scouts, April - 8 more, and May - 6 more. When the Troop rechartered in October 1954 there were 26 Scouts and in 1955 it had grow to 43 Scouts. In 1956 the Troop had grown to 56 Scouts. In 1973 the Troop number became a three-digit number - 254. In 1982 the Troop moved to Amberly Elementary School and changed its number to 287 to the same number as the Cub Scout Pack.

During that time period the Council was called the Fruit Belt Area. In 1962 the name changed to South. In 1973 another name change to Southwest Michigan. During those days the telephone number was only 5-digits long. In 1957 the telephone number, began with FI (fireside) with the same 5-digits. Overtime the phone number has become just numbers.

In October 1961, the Amberly School Parent Teacher Association started Troop 287. Between October 1981 and October 1982 the troop was disbanded because of a misunderstanding between the Charter Organization and the Boy Scout Leader

The chartering organization name has changed from the original Milham School Mothers Club to Milham School Parent Teacher Association in 1965. In 1968 there was another name change to Milham School Parents Club and in 1982 to Amberly School Parent Teacher Association. In 1997 the chartering organization became Chapel Hill United Methodist Church.

Meeting place had been 1010 West Milham until the Fall of 1983, then 6637 Amberly until the Fall of 1997. The Troop has meetings now at 7028 Oakland Drive.

Scoutmasters
Troop 254/287 (Since 1954)
Kenneth H Frielink
Henry Ponicki
Leon V Riggs
Gordon L DeRyke
Joesph Bemer
Lewis R Cornell
Fredrick Bindeman Sr.
Dennis G Pond
Paul M Town
Douglas E Brown
Frederick Binderman Sr.
Frederick Binderman Jr.
Larry R Hayden
Richard J Hewitt
James W Cottrell
William K Clegg
Timothy A Ekola
Daniel Bunker