By John Whitford

Membership Chair, Oneida District

February marks the anniversary month for Scouts BSA. As of February of 2019 with the admission of girls to all BSA programs the official name is now Scouts BSA. This marks the 110th year for the Scout program and the 90th anniversary of the Cub Scout Program.

Founded in 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell in England, the program came to America in 1910. Today, Scouting is in 216 countries with more than 31 million members. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Locally, families join Scouting for the values while kids join Scouting for fun. No child ever joined to have their character developed, but that is what happens as they make friends, have adventures, work on their advancement badges and participate in citizenship and service activities. Kids with positive adult role models spend weekends and longer together camping and learning to appreciate each other and the outdoors. They learn conservation and enjoy hands-on activities that extend their classroom lessons into real-life lessons.

Today, girls can finally do all the wonderful things that their brothers have done in Scouts for the past century. They can advance through Cub Scouts, through Scouts and Venturing. They can earn the coveted Eagle rank, hold all leadership positions and be elected into the honor of the Order of the Arrow. Unless you have been involved in Scouting, much of this may not mean a lot but for those that have followed that path, the rewards are very real and last a lifetime.

The new co-ed program (girls inclusive) allows for the whole family to participate in strong, values based, fun adventures. It’s a one stop shop for leadership training, character and citizenship that everyone can enjoy.

For ‘old-timers’ reading this, there is a wonderful 2,500-square-foot Scouting museum nearby. The Hillcourt Scout Museum is located at Camp Woodland off of Kibbie Lake Road in Constantia. The museum is free to the public and is open and staffed by volunteers most Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The public is welcome. Come and see uniforms, handbooks, equipment and insignia that spans more than a century. History comes alive at Camp Woodland.

For families that would like to check out Scouting, you can contact the local Longhouse Council office at 315-463-0201. Cub Scouts is open to any boy or girl grades K through 5; Scouts is open to all youth age 11 or grades 6 to age 18.

The Longhouse Council maintains a camp and high adventure trek program at Camp Sabattis at Long Lake in the Adirondacks. Scouts attend weeklong camps there in the pristine wilderness. A highlight for many Scouts and Leaders is a hike to the top of Graves Mountain to see the stunning view and find the marker left there by Verplanck Colvin often called the father of the Adirondack Park system.

Studies show kids in Scouts do better in life, stay in school longer, do better in studies and are less likely to get into antisocial behaviors such as bullying, drugs and crime. Children that go through the Scouting program have opportunities to discover new interests and skills. In Scouts through the merit badge program, many young people discover an early interest that often leads to a lifelong career or hobby.

As a personal testimony, I can say that my first aid training back at the age of 12 actually saved my life 25 years later and there have been multiple occasions where I used my training to render help including setting a badly broken arm. Virtually every person in Scouting over the past century has their own stories.

Another program of the BSA is Career Exploring. A number of fire departments and EMTs sponsor these programs to introduce teens to both service and to potential future careers. If your fire department is interested, contact the council.

Scouting is always seeking to partner with service, civic groups, churches and educational and patriotic groups to serve as partners in delivering the values of Scouting to young people. If you are an interested parent or involved with an organization that would like to hear more about how you and your group can help, give the council a call.

Our vision: Not every youth will be in Scouting; but every youth should have the opportunity to be in Scouting. We imagine a world where schools and Scouts work side-by-side to promote not just learning itself, but a lifelong passion for knowledge and education.

For families seeking a local pack or troop, visit beascout.scouting.org and enter your zip code. Local packs (serving the Liverpool and North Syracuse school districts) include 32, 92, 117, 157, 175, 180, 208, 209, 218, 620 and troops include 116, 117, 139, 150, 157 (all-girl troop), 203, 204, 333, 620.