Today marks the official beginning of Scouts BSA. Girls can now join the scouts and earn badges, be part of scouting activities and even earn Eagle Scout awards.
Clark Farrer is the Scout Executive for the Grand Teton Council. He said that involvement for middle and high school-aged girls will be beneficial. He mentioned how his daughters would have enjoyed being in the scouting program.
“I'm a father of three sons and two daughters,” he said. “My kids are all grown, but my daughters would have enjoyed the scouting program as much or maybe more than their brothers did.”
Last May, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that at the end of 2019, it will end its relationship with scouting programs. Until then, the Church will remain engaged in scouting for boys and young men and has encouraged youth, families and leaders to continue their active participation and financial support of the scouting program. That includes help through the Friends of Scouting program, which started today as well.
“We definitely need the financial support and we hope that LDS church members will take the direction from church leadership seriously and continue to support and be fully engaged in scouting and continue to support it financially,” Farrer said.