By Sara Withee
(July 10, 2026) – Not every Scout Troop reaches 100 years. But Troop 2 in Ayer will celebrate this special milestone this Fall and is inviting the community to come and enjoy.
“We want this to be a community party. It’s not just Troop 2 celebrating 100 years; the community is celebrating,” said Maggie Durand, who serves on the leadership committee for Troop 2 (ages 11-17).
The celebration will be held on Oct. 17th from 1-4 p.m. at the Ayer Gun & Sportsman’s Club. This will be an afternoon of scouting demonstrations, snacks, vendors and entertainment. She invited vendors who are interested in attending to reach out.
Getting the History Room Ready
Maggie and her husband are working to set up a history room for the event. While Troop 2 has a website with many photos, this is their first time setting up and sharing the materials and stories in a public setting. They are hoping to have members of the community and former scouts of Troop 2 come look through the photographs and help identify the people in them and bring together people who may not have seen each other in 10, 20, or even 50 years.
She is currently working through a few collections of photos, including projector slides that belonged to the late Bob Hammond, who was active in Troop 2 for nearly 60 years. Another collection belonged to her late father, who served as a troop leader from 2009-2019.
Can You Help?
Maggie has a special request for residents and those who have participated in Scouting in Ayer. Visit https://www.troop2ayer.com/troop-2-history.
- Please look at the photos on this webpage and let her know if you can identify anyone.
- Please let her know if you have any Troop 2 photos or memorabilia you want to share.
Click image to visit website or follow link: https://www.troop2ayer.com/troop-2-history
Scouting in Ayer: Two Troops and a Cub Scout Pack
Maggie shared some background on the town’s Scouting history. Ayer had a Troop 1 for a brief time. Troop 2 was established in 1926 as part of the Fitchburg Area Council, then became part of the Nashua Valley Council in 1965. In 2018, the councils merged once again and are currently operating under the Heart of New England Council out of Rutland, Massachusetts.
Moore’s Lumber & Hardware is the charter organization for Troop 2. But if you want to find the troop, they meet weekly at the Ayer Gun & Sportsman’s Club (and they keep an active website and Facebook page). Facebook is another place to tune in; she is also posting some of the old photos from trips and activities there.
There is also Scouts BSA Troop #3 Ayer, which the Ayer Fire Department supports.
Children ages 11 to 17 can participate in Scouts. Many of the Scouts who participate in Ayer live in town, but some also come from other communities. If you are younger, there’s Ayer Cub Scout Pack 32, for grades K-5.
“Ayer is really amazing in that it has such a strong Scouting culture for such a small town,” Maggie said.
As for Troop 2, at this point, she said the Scouts are busy focusing on their camping trips, hiking and projects, not the celebration.
“I think the 100th anniversary is more exciting for the adults,” she said. “When the current Scouts are older and look back, I think it’s going to be really cool for them to see what they were part of.”
100th Anniversary Event Flyer
Here is the official event flyer, with the contact information for Troop 2.
