Jump to content

Partnership Opportunities Between BSA and AHG


Recommended Posts

Cub Scouts could be described as a "character development and activities group" but how many would join based on that description?

 

"She said she enjoyed the outdoor activities as well."

 

That gives a sense of where the emphasis is... daddy-daughter dances and mother-daughter teas. How about Yucky Brother campouts? This doesn't sound like an activity that is going to hold a lot of girls' interest bast age 11 or 12.

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 80
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

We never had "mother/daughter teas", thank goodness. Daughter was never a big fan of tea. Maybe the cookies/sweets, but not tea.

 

Daddy/daughter dances were the property of our Catholic parish elementary school, not the Scouting program. While not a lot of dancing was done by dad, silly photos with daughter was always a big hit. Most of the evening was the girls dancing with each other while the dads chatted.

 

Our local GSUSA council held a Leader/Daughter camping weekend every year that our girls liked to attend.

 

One of my daughter's favorite memories of Girl Scouts was not teas, or dances, it was (aside from the regular camping/hiking/horseback riding/canoeing) of the summer she teamed up with her Leader/Dad to do a series of space themed council camps. She still has photos of her dad, and other leader dads (note - Men CAN be GSUSA leaders), saving the Girl Scout camp from Klingons.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

"One of my daughter's favorite memories of Girl Scouts was not teas, or dances, it was (aside from the regular camping/hiking/horseback riding/canoeing) of the summer she teamed up with her Leader/Dad to do a series of space themed council camps. She still has photos of her dad, and other leader dads (note - Men CAN be GSUSA leaders), saving the Girl Scout camp from Klingons. "

 

That sounds like the GSA activity that only a "Dad" could come up with! :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Too many "ifs" for me. Some posters who seem to be afraid or resentful of the AHG have stated that they have no personal knowledge or contact with any AHG troops, yet they speak like they know what they're talking about. Stick to facts and what you know personally. Here's my thought. Both BSA and AHG units are owned by the charter partner. If the charter partner wants to merge the programs in some fashion, that's their choice... not yours or mine. I doubt that many would marry the two together, but that's up to the charter partner and the families who choose to participate. Seems like a nice option for some families. For others, it may be way off base. If so, simply join a different unit. Personally, I like the idea of choice.

BDPT00

Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't know about partnership opportunities, but I noticed that several American Heritage Girl troops will be attending the Washington Jamboree this weekend. The Jamboree is sponsored by the local BSA council. 3,000 scouts are attending. I am attending with my Cub Scout and his sister. She is a Girl Scout. I really like it when the Cub Scout program invites siblings to tag along. Something happened at Fall Camp this year, and my daughter didn't get the chance to shoot arrows. Now she will get that chance. BB-guns, too! Of course, what she really wants to do is ride a horse, but that will have to wait until next summer when we go to Gilbert Ranch, the local Webelos camp. They offer one week for girls, same program as the boys.

Link to post
Share on other sites

First time poster,

My 3 daughters started Girl Scouts in a Home-School troop. They met during the day and I entertained the brothers. Our GSA leader asked if I would be interested in starting a Home-school Den that would be part of the Pack at the church. We spoke with the BSA leaders and they were receptive. Our CS Den and the GSA Troop meet at the same time at the church, then we do Pack events with the rest of the dens. Both the Troop and Den has grown in size. We now have 2 Dens and a Juniors and Cadette group. We offer "one stop shopping" for the family. We do a lot of activities together and it works for us.

My older daughters are now looking at Venturing because they feel GSA is girly and they want more high adventure. I personally am tired of buying all the journey and badge books.

I see the inclusion of AHG in the scouting program as an answer for younger girl activities before they are Venture age. I think BSA going Co-Ed like their "over seas" counter parts would be a positive and offer much more family friendly events.

-Tim

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Bottom line is the complaint that the BSA views a number of Gods and religious beliefs are ok. Divorce or marital status is not judge at the national level.

 

Locally LDS units only let LDS boys join.....We have troops the same way, only boys from the catholic school can join.....But that is a local decision...

 

 

While the Anti gay and atheist things line up......The rest does not.....

 

 

Just that simple.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"BSA specifically states that gays and atheists are not eligible to be members. At all, in any way."

 

*** Not true. I know some gay members, and I wouldn't doubt that you do too. Specifically not eligible in any way? Not.

BDPT00

Link to post
Share on other sites

>

 

 

Around here, LDS units are making an effort to recruit non LDS families into their Scout units. Not to convert the non LDS families, but just to increase the size of their units to improve the program.

 

The LDS church pays the cost of BSA membership and program fees for LDS and non LDS Scouts and Scouters.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

It wouldn't surprise me if the LDS started opening their units to non-church members to improve their program. Based on the BSA's 2011 end of year membership breakdown, Mormon units average 11 members per unit. Yes, they are first in members in the BSA (420,977) but they also have the most units (37,882) which gives them the lowest average number of Scouts per unit. But I think most of us recognize that it's hard to sustain a good, quality program with low unit membership numbers (and please note, for those that are working with small units now my use of the word SUSTAIN - I recognize that small units can have a good, quality program - but we should also recognize that small units are more likely to fold after a few years and they drivers of the unit leave).

 

The next highest numbers of members is through the United Methodist Church (3741,491) - but with only approx 50,000 fewer total members than the Mormons, they still have an average of 33 members per unit (only 11,078 units).

 

The next lowest average members per unit is the Baptists, but even they are at 25 members per unit average.

 

The highest average number of members per unit at 42? PTA's and PTO's. The second highest average at 41? Parent Groups other than PTA's and PTO's.

 

If I were to try to take something away from this, I think I'd be looking at the average number of Scouts per unit for PTA's and PTO's and trying to figure out what I could do to make it easier and allowable for more PTA's and PTO's to charter a scout unit.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...