There are lots of great programs which strive to help boys and girls grow up to be decent, productive citizens of the world. Some are newly founded programs, others have been around for many years. Scouting is one organization that is available in most communities, where kids can socialize with others their own age while learning everything from archery to first aid to cooking. And Scouting isn’t all about learning to do new and different things. Scouting also teaches manners, courtesy, politeness, consideration, cleanliness, honesty and responsibility.
Although boys and girls both can join the Scouts, the troops are separated by gender. When the Boy Scouts were first created, the objective was to teach boys to hike, camp, fish, hunt and build, while the Girl Scouts focused on teaching the girls how to cook, clean and sew. Although they still do teach many of these categories, some of the limitations that were first set upon the girls have been removed. Girls are now involved in outdoor activities the same as the boys, but troops still have not accepted co-ed policies within the packs.
To become a scout, days gone by required several towns to come together to form one troop. Nowadays, there’s a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Brownies and a Girl Scout troop in almost any town. The Scouts are divided between Cub Scouts for younger boys and Boy Scouts for the boys; Brownies for little girls and Girl Scouts for the older females. The packs are divided into age groups with seven to ten year old boys or girls joining the Cubs Scouts or Brownies, respectively, and eleven to seventeen year olds signing on with the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts.
You might have already seen a sign where your local Scouts meet, or seen the local packs selling Christmas trees or cookies. If not, the Chamber of Commerce should be able to provide information about local troops and numbers to reach those in charge. The Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts are usually listed in the phone book or you can ask any member to give you more information about joining.
Usually the Scouts announce the invitation to join during the beginning of the school year to local schools, for those who are interested. Or a current member and fellow classmate might invite you to attend a meeting. You’re under no obligation to join when you visit and can visit several times before joining, to see if it’s right for you.
Now you can go online and find the nearest pack to your house. Just put “Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Brownies or Cub Scouts” into the search engine and you’ll find plenty of places that offer a search to find a local pack.
There is a small cost for joining the scouts, paid yearly. The fee is considered “dues” and goes towards purchasing snacks and such during meetings. The cost is extremely minimal, usually less than a dollar a month. The children are responsible for other purchases, like uniforms, badges, camping gear, travel bus fees and contributing towards food for camp-outs.
