Scouting Survives in Idaho

They’ve been memorialized in paintings and film.  They were as American as the flag.  They became leaders and many saved the world in two wars.  Then the Boy Scouts of America hit a rocky patch.  A series of scandals and some cultural changes caused many kids to leave scouting.  Others never joined.

There is more competition for the time of our children, more activities and some large churches created their own programs.

Scouts BSA, as it was re-christened, also created programs for young girls, although.  These aren’t co-ed as some parents may have feared.  A dramatic drop in membership forced the Snake River Council into a merger with a neighboring council representing the Treasure Valley and portions of Oregon.

Now the dust has settled.  Scouting continues for several hundred kids in the immediate region.

So, what’s next for scouting in the Magic Valley?

Bret Belnap joined us on Magic Valley This Morning.  Having raised several scouts in his own family, he explains there are leadership skills young people very much need.  They can find these in a scouting uniform.  He says, despite some of the cultural changes that came with the force of a sudden earthquake, scouting remains centered on the Almighty and duty to country.

He believes the future of our civilization still depends on forming future generations who’ll carry on with traditional values and beliefs.  The challenge now is to find young people with a willingness to sometimes stand apart from their peers and offer an example in the face of contemporary distractions.
You can hear our conversation by clicking on the YouTube video below: