Tribune Chronicle / Bob Coupland Tim Ross, at the podium, chairman of Boy Scout Troop 101 Alumni Association Committee, and other members of the committee, thank those who made the new meeting headquarters and equipment and supply building behind them possible at the Blessed Sacrament Parish property in Warren. An official dedication and open house was held Sunday.

WARREN — After a successful two-year fundraising and building campaign, Boy Scout Troop 101 dedicated a new 2,500-square-foot meeting and equipment storage building on the Blessed Sacrament Parish campus.

An official dedication and opening of the headquarters was held Sunday where it was announced the $225,000 building would be named to honor Jim Potjunas, the scout master for the Warren troop which currently has 45 scout members.

Potjunas said the troop started 42 years ago with six Scouts. It met for a while at the Elks Club building in Warren before moving to the church, but lacked a place to store tents, canoes, camping gear and other equipment.

“When you have all these tents and all this gear from when you camp every month out of the year, the only option was to build something. Our alumni association approved the project and people stepped up and raised the $225,000,” he said. Pavers and plaques at the building note the many donors and contributors, he said.

Potjunas said 147 scouts in the troop have completed Eagle Scout projects, with that number expected to hit 150 or more by year end. Some of the projects are on the church grounds, including volleyball and bocce courts, benches, and a shrine for the Virgin Mary.

He said plans are for a display of all the Eagle Scout members for the wall of the building’s conference room.

Tim Ross, committee chairman for the Troop 101 alumni association, said, “This was a significant undertaking that has been in discussion for a number of years. The troop needed a home to keep all the equipment. The parish and Diocese of Youngstown accommodated us.”

Ross said, “There are not many Scout units in the United States that can have a home of their own.”

“This building has been completely funded by the generosity of those associated with the alumni association, their families, their friends,” he said.

He said the diocese allowed space for the building. Architects donated services and builders donated time, Ross said.

Ken Lapolla, representative between the church and the scouts, said changes at the Warren Elk Club in recent years found the troop moving in 1999 started to Blessed Sacrament. Potjunas said the troop has had as many as 70 active members at one time.

Scouts, who were showing visitors the different rooms in the building, exuded excitement with the building.

“This means we have all the resources we need in one place that will help us to continue to grow. That is a great investment,” Scout Cullen Faulk of Howland said.

“As a quartermaster, it is important to have a place to keep all of our equipment and resources and also a place to meet. This does that,” Scout Ken Zerefos of Warren said.

Other plans are for a flagpole and to finish the lawn around the building.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com