Cub Scout Pack 55 presented the colors to begin the Elmbrook Rotary Sunrise Meeting this past Friday, followed by a presentation by Paul Schwartz.
Paul is the Executive Director of the Potawatomi Area Scout USA Council; he shared the history and current challenges of scouting today. For the past 113 years, the twelve principals of the Scout Law; a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent have been the foundation of the program.
The Potawatomi Area Council is...
one of 248 Councils divided into 16 territories, with 14 councils in our area. Our council is tied for first for youth protection standards, number 2 in density served, and is seventh in having a 80% retention rate.
Through his 27 years of being a member of scouting, Paul has witnessed many changes, especially the impact and challenges Covid 19 has had on the program. Pre-Covid the council had 6,104 scouts with a post-covid loss of 2,626 scouts. Today the council has 4,134 scouts in the program. In time, the hope is that the program will return to pre-Covid numbers.
Inflation is impacting the Long Lake Summer Camp program with:
- Food costs up 36% - $38,673.
- Insurance 27% - $12,134.
- Fuel costs - $9279.
- National BSA Fee Increases 32% - $42,000.
- Council Contributions to the National BSA Bankruptcy Victim’s Fund - $561,000.
- For a grand total of $102,086 expenses annually.
One big change within the last few years is the addition of girls into the Boy Scouting Program. In recognition of this change, the program name was changed to Scouts BSA in 2019. Today girls have the same great program opportunities as the boys serving within their own troops.
Thank you, Scouts, for posting the colors, and Paul for an excellent presentation. For more information on Scouting and how to join, volunteer, or donate to this worthy organization, visit www.pacbsa.org
