Washington C.H. Pack 112 has proudly announced that they have joined BSA’s new Scout Me In campaign, and now has a linked female pack.
On May 2, BSA made history by enrolling both girls and boys in grades K-5 in its iconic Cub Scout program.
“Cub Scouts is a lot of fun, and now it’s available to all kids,” said Stephen Medlicott, nation group director of Boy Scouts of America. “That’s why we love ‘Scout Me In’- because it speaks to girls and boys and tells them, ‘This is for you. We want you to join!’” (Cub Scout’s POV)
On Sept. 11, nine adventurous young ladies from Fayette County became the first females in the area to meet under the new Scouts BSA title. So far 112 SMI Pack has learned fire safety, basic first aid, leader lead hiking, campfire cooking without using pots, campfire safety, camp area selection, basic tent pitching, and classic BSA campfire programs. Our Arrow of Lights (fifth graders) and WeBeLos (fourth graders) also learned basic knot tying and their knife handling “Whittling Chip.”
“I started in Cub Scouts as a parent when my oldest of three sons started as a Tiger when he was invited by a friend to check Pack 112 out,” explained Cubmaster Mikki Lehr. “My oldest son has Asperger’s Syndrome so I was worried that he wouldn’t be accepted into the established peer group. Those fears were laid to rest quickly. The Scouts are taught to be ‘Kind’ and ‘Courteous’ as a part of their Scout Law, and they accepted not only my oldest son, but our family with open arms. My husband Brandon Lehr now serves as the committee chair for Pack 112, and all three of my sons enjoy BSA on the troop level. I was so excited when I learned that at our ‘Scouts Talks’ or Scouting Recruitment Talks, this year, I would be able to extend that inclusivity to all kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. I couldn’t agree more with the statement with in the press release I received from BSA when it said, ‘This is historic! By welcoming boys and girls into Cub Scouts – and into our older youth Scouting program scheduled for February 2019 – even more young people will have access to the character development and values-based leadership that will prepare them for a lifetime of success. It’s time to celebrate!’” (SMI Press Release)
Vanessa Thomas, grandmother of WeBeLos Scout Madison Rhoads, feels that, “Scout Me In enables the girls to do the outside activities that the boys are usually seen doing, like camping, learning fire safety and daily first-aid that all should be learning, not just the boys.”
Brandonn Arnold, father of WeBeLos Scout Amyah Arnold and Tiger Scout Detrick Arnold, said, “We love it because the kids can do their separate things as boys and girls, yet have activities together as a pack and a family. It’s also a plus for us parents to attend one thing instead of trying to be in two places at once.”
Amyah Arnold said her favorite thing is “learning about the outdoors and meeting new friends.”
Detrick Arnold said he “just loves everything about it, including last year when he was in kindergarten.”
The SMI Pack meets at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church of WCH, located at 214 N. Hinde St. in Washington C.H.
Pastor Gray Marshall, pastor of our charter organization, the First Presbyterian Church of WCH, had this to say about the program, “We are so excited that scouting will now be inclusive to all members of the family, making the scouting experience accessible to even more kids. I hope that the ‘Scout Me In’ campaign will encourage more families to take part in the fun and joy of scouting.”
Work Cited
“The BSA Launches Historic ‘Scout Me In’ Campaign Inviting Girls and Boys to Experience Adventures Through a Cub Scout’s Point of View.” Cision PR Newswire, 2 May. 2018, prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-bsa-launches-historic-scout-me-in-campaign-inviting-girls-and-boys-to-experience
-adventures-through-a-cub-scouts-point-of-view-300640729.html
“Scout Me In Says Count Me In!” Boy Scouts of America, scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Scout-Me-In-and-Scouts-BSA.pdf Accessed 11 Nov. 2018
