Scouting continues to bless boys
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When Brad Allen considers the state of Scouting in the Church, his thoughts drift to the countless troop camp-outs, den meetings, Eagle projects and courts of honor happening almost daily throughout the United States.
Scouting's future will always be determined by the strength of those individual units found in Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops and Varsity teams, acknowledges Brother Allen, director of Scouting's National Council of LDS Relationships.
As Scouting once again celebrates its February anniversary, Brother Allen said the organization's 93-year-old relationship with the Church continues to grow. Scouting is experiencing an upsurge in the Church, he added, "and not just in (Utah's) Wasatch Front, but clear across the nation."
The Church was the first religious organization to embrace Scouting almost a century ago. It remains Scouting's largest chartered body, Brother Allen said.
Last year, 396,152 youth were chartered in LDS Scouting units. More than 35,000 units (that includes Boy Scout troops, Cub Scout packs and Varsity teams) were operating in Church wards and branches in 2005 — again, the largest number of units found in a chartered organization.
Perhaps most impressive is the number of adult Church members participating in Scouting. Almost 200,000 adults are serving in wards and branches as Scoutmasters, den mothers and in other official Scouting capacities.
Such involvement in local Scouting units reflects the involvement of general Church leaders in the Scouting program. President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, remains the longest-tenured member of Scouting's National Executive Board. President Monson was appointed to the board in 1969, succeeding President Ezra Taft Benson in that position.
Charles W. Dahlquist — the Church's Young Men General President — serves with President Monson on the National Executive Board. Brother Dahlquist's two counselors, Dean R. Burgess and Michael A. Neider, also serve on national Scouting councils, as do Sisters Cheryl C. Lant and Margaret S. Lifferth of the Primary General Presidency.
"Their input is very well respected, their voices are heard," said Brother Allen of the influence of Church leaders in Scouting.
The general youth leaders have also been active in the past year training local Church leaders at Scouting's Philmont Camp in New Mexico and at open houses in Salt Lake City prior to general conference. The entire Young Men General Presidency has participated in Scouting's Wood Badge leadership training, along with several members of the Young Men General Board.
The past year has been eventful for LDS Scouting. Last July, some 5,000 LDS Scouts and their leaders participated in the National Scout Jamboree in Ft. A.P. Hill, Va.
Tragedy marked the event when Michael La-Croix, an LDS Scoutmaster from Alaska, was killed in an electrical accident along with three other Alaskan Scout leaders while setting up a large tent for the Jamboree. A second Alaskan member, Larry Call, was also injured in the accident. Brother Allen said he was touched by the support Church members felt from their fellow Scouters at the historic Jamboree.
Comfort was found days after the accident when President Monson presided over a massive, open-air sacrament meeting. There President Monson shared words of comfort and counsel to Scouts saddened by the tragedy.
Over the past year, Scouting's life-altering moments often happened behind the scenes. For example, about 50 Church members joined an effort Feb. 17-20 sponsored by Scouting's North Florida Council to clean up the Salmen Scout Reservation near Perkinston, Miss. Much of the reservation's timber and some of its camp buildings and other structures had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
The camp had been deemed unsafe for use, and because of priorities on other relief work, had not been the object of volunteer work until now.
Scouting remains prominent in the lives of American boys. A record number of Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Badge in 2005. Such high achievement is certainly found among LDS Scouts, Brother Allen said.
The Church's Duty To God program continues to work well in conjunction with Scouting, he added.
Brother Allen looks for Scouting to touch more lives in the coming year as Scouts worldwide prepare for the 2007 World Jamboree in England, Scouting's birthplace.
E-mail to: jswensen@desnews.com
