All About the BSA’s
Commitment
by Pete Keppel
Managing Editor
What is “Service to America”?
In April of 1997, the Boy Scouts of America committed to providing 200 million
hours of community service by its youth members, in response to the President’s
Summit for America’s Future. This commits each Scout to a minimum of 12 hours of
community service each year through the year 2000.
“Two hundred million hours is no small untertaking,” stated John W.
Creighton, Jr., volunteer president of the BSA. “However, community service is, and
always has been, an integral part of the Scouting community.”
The 200 million hour commitment does not include service given by adults, either, which
we estimate to exceed an additional 60 million hours, considering that there is an average
of one adult present for every three youth. “Our volunteer leaders are excellent role
models, providing mentoring to the youth they serve,” concluded Creighton.
Utilizing the Order of the Arrow, the council offices are forming Community Service
Promotion Teams that are attending roundtables and training sessions to explain the
community service program and share service project ideas with the Scout Leaders.
What is SCOUTER Magazine doing?
In complete support of these goals, SCOUTER Magazine has come up with some
ideas that may also help in fulfilling our commitment to the President’s Summit,
America’s Promise, and the BSA. We’ve assembled a program that can jump-start
your Scouts and your unit in providing service to your communities.
Within these 6 pages, we’ve identified 12 key areas that a Scout can give service.
Our Ring of Service (see page 10) program is based on each Scout devoting a minimum of two
hours in each of those twelve categories, and offers your unit its own award when at least
60% of your registered Scouts meet the requirements. Your unit and your Scouts also have
the opportunity to surpass these minimums, and gain recognition for achieving even higher
levels of service commitment.
Just to get you started, we’ve put our heads together and come up with over 150
different service project ideas, and listed them throughout the pages of this section. We
also encourage you to visit our website (www.SCOUTER.com)
for more informaion on the Service to America commitment.
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