BSA Troop 74 

Santa Clara

Located in the heart of the Bay Area, Boy Scout Troop 74 has been serving the community of Santa Clara, California since 1956. 

The Troop meets most Monday evenings from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Hope Lutheran Church, 2383 Pacific Drive, Santa Clara CA 95051. Troop meetings consist of activities planned and executed by the Scouts.

We hope you enjoy learning about our Troop, and we look forward to see you at the next meeting!  

About Troop 74

Welcome to the wonderful world of Scouts BSA. At Troop 74, we believe in the core values of Scouting. We are building the leaders of tomorrow by using the BSA Patrol Method which emphasizes Scout leadership and personal responsibility.

Our troop activities are planned and executed by the Scouts themselves, based on their interests and the needs of the troop. The advancement program is supported by troop activities, but the pace of an individual Scout’s advancement is dependent, to a great degree, on their own initiative.The outdoor program offers something for everyone, from events designed for first year Scouts to a full High Adventure program for our older and higher-ranking Scouts.  All of these programs are designed to build the leadership qualities and moral fortitude that our young Scouts will need when they reach adulthood.

Greetings From our ScoutMaster


Welcome!  I am Andy Wissink, the Scoutmaster of Troop 74 and would like to extend a warm welcome to visit us sometime.


Troop 74 has between 20-30 Scouts that come from diverse backgrounds and range in ages between 12-18.  They attend a variety of middle and high schools in and around Santa Clara. Our Troop is Scout-led with activities such as cycling, rafting, orienteering, hiking, and rock climbing, along with overnight camping and backpacking trips at nearby parks.  Many of our Scouts participate in overnight summer camp each year, and some attend epic high country trips such as Yosemite backpacking in the summer of 2023, multi-night backpacking in Point Reyes National Seashore, and a planned 7-day trek to the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico in 2024. 


We pride ourselves on developing youth of high character, instilling leadership skills, and promoting community service.  We have a strong contingent of adult leaders, many of whom are Eagle Scouts.  We are blessed with a supportive community of parents along with the wonderful support of Hope Lutheran Church. 


Please don't hesitate to reach out if you are interested in hearing more about Troop 74.  I ensure you will be welcomed and will have an enjoyable experience.  Please visit sometime: life changing and positive adventures await!


Yours in Scouting,

Andy Wissink

Our 3 teams at the Finish of an Orienteering (navigation using map/compass) meet.

Outdoor Program

Besides our weekly meetings, we generally program 1-2 outings per month to various locations all around California.   As mentioned, outings are usually selected and produced by our Scouts not only to do things they already enjoy, but also to expose them to new activities and develop new abilities.  In the process, they learn the necessary skills to become effective leaders, always with the support and guidance of our adult staff.

Activities vary widely and include options such as car camping, day hikes and multi-day backpacking trips, road and mountain biking, snow skiing, white-water rafting, archery and other shooting sports, orienteering (navigation using just a map/compass) , geocaching, and rock climbing/high-ropes/zip lines, just to name a few.  We have also been to Monterey Bay Aquarium, the USS Hornet aircraft carrier in Alameda, and the USS Pampanito, a Balao-class submarine based in San Francisco.  

We usually offer a summer camp opportunity each year. Summer camp is open to all Scouts in the troop, and is conducted at an established Scout Camp.  Some recent trips include Camp Hi-Sierra and Camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island, and we hope to add visits to the amazing Philmont Scout Ranch to our regular program!  (Scheduled for Summer 2024!)

Join Scouting

If you are interested in joining or learning more, please stop by one of our meetings or send an email to the Scoutmaster awissink@yahoo.com.  Phone inquiries to 408-373-3997.  Our weekly meetings are held at Hope Lutheran Church Santa Clara, CA. We meet Mondays, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM throughout the year. Troop 74 is always welcoming new Scouts, so feel free to drop in!!!