Scouting turns 100

As local Scouting organizations gear up to celebrate the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America in 2010, boys are joining in numbers not seen before.

“What’s kind of key right now is, every council in the state of North Carolina is showing growth and we are leading those councils at the end of November with a 5.6 percent growth,” said Ray Franks, scout executive for the East Carolina Council.

The East Carolina Council — which is headquartered in Kinston — serves Scouts in 20 Eastern North Carolina counties. It is one of 12 across the state.

Franks said about 2,800 youths have signed up for Scouting council-wide since Aug. 1, and that 20 new units have been established this month.

Some have been set up in far-flung areas such as Ocracoke Island.

“Almost every single activity we’ve held this year, we’ve had a major increase in attendance,” Franks said. “So the economy is not having any effect on the participation of youth is Scouting.”

LaMarr Walker is executive of the Caswell District, which serves Lenoir and Greene counties.

“Everything we do this year will basically be centered around our 100th anniversary,” she said. “Scouting is alive and well and growing in 2010.”

Walker listed a number of events taking place locally, statewide and nationally in 2010 marking the centennial of Scouting.

Those events include a reception at Lenoir Community College on Feb. 21, which will feature a celebration of 100 years of Scouting, along with honors for the local Eagle Scouts of 2009 and the presentation of the “Silver Beaver” award given to adult leaders.

On Feb. 8, 20 Scouts representing each of the East Carolina Council counties will travel to Raleigh and give Gov. Bev Perdue a report on Scouting in the region.

Each Scout must have completed a service project to go on the trip, Walker said.

The theme of the annual Scouting for Food canned food drive, which will take place in late January and early February, is “100 cans for 100 years,” she said. Each Scout is being encouraged to collect 100 cans of food.

“That would be a great thing to celebrate 100 years of Scouting, to give back to our community,” Walker said.

Individual troops and Scouts are also working on obtaining a special 100-year celebration patch, which Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venture Scouts, adult leaders and Scouting alumni can achieve by completing various requirements demonstrating leadership and community service.

“What we’re trying to accomplish in 2010 is, bringing awareness to the community that the Boy Scouts are the premier youth development and leadership program in our country,” Walker said.

“We’ve been around for 100 years developing America’s youth into tomorrow’s leaders.”

David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or danderson@freedomenc.com.

FYI
For more information on local Scouting activities, call the East Carolina Council office at 252-522-1521 or visit eccbsa.org.