Building Adventures with Friends

St. Andrew's is blessed to host several thriving Scout groups, including Cub Scout packs for boys and girls ages 5–11, and a Scout Troop for youth ages 11–14.   But there is another exciting and lesser-known program at our church.  Venturing Crew 584, part of Scouting America, offers a dynamic opportunity for older high school, and even college-age youth ages 14–20.

Venturing is a co-ed program designed to help young people grow in leadership, character, and service while having a truly great time along the way. It is one of the most flexible and engaging youth programs available today. And as an integral part of the Scouting program, our members live and honor the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Our Venturers participate in a wide variety of activities shaped by their own interests—from outdoor adventures like camping, hiking, and water sports, to meaningful community service projects, leadership development, and learning new life skills. Because the program is youth-led, members don’t just participate—they lead. They plan activities, administer their own program, and develop confidence, teamwork, and communication skills that last a lifetime.

Scouting America Venturing Crew 584 in action enjoying outdoor activities and learning leadership skills.

Our Crew meets Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center-Room 309. Over the past year, our crew has actively served St. Andrew's through activities such as Scout Sunday, The Food Pantry, The Pumpkin Patch and Granny's Attic, as well as other community events throughout Brandon and the greater Tampa Bay area.

One of the greatest strengths of Venturing is its welcoming, energetic, and inclusive environment. Young men and women work side by side, build strong friendships, and encourage one another to grow in confidence, purpose, and faith. It’s a place where youth can truly discover their strengths, take on real challenges, and make a lasting difference—while having a lot of fun doing it.

Scouting America Venturing Crew 584 offers dynamic opportunities for young people ages 14–20.

Venturing Crews are encouraged to design programs that reflect the interests of their members, and our crew does something especially unique. Most of our youth also serve as summer camp staff at nearby Scout camps, gaining tremendous leadership experience for older teens that few other youth programs can match.

We welcome new members ages 14–20, and prior Scouting experience is not required. Some of our members had never been in Scouts before joining our crew. 

If you or your teen is curious about Venturing Crew 584, we'd love to hear from you. Please reach out to Earl Richardson, Scout Leader at Earlr1488@gmail.com with any questions—and come see what Venturing all is about!

Earl Richardson, Scout Leader

St. Andrew's UMC-Brandon

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