We Can’t Afford to Lose BSA

The demise of Scouting would be a loss for our nation, for our families and for our youth. There is no other institution serving American youth that for more than 100 years has combined training in practical skills, respect for the environment, teamwork, civic engagement, leadership and personal values. No sports team, marching band or school club, or any youth organization such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, even comes close.

Regardless of how far a boy or girl progresses on the trail to Eagle Scout, they are likely to benefit from Scouting in some lasting way. Long after she’s forgotten how to tie a clove hitch or apply a tourniquet, a Scout often retains something more meaningful, whether it’s respect for others gained through community service; self-confidence achieved by serving as a patrol leader, or an appreciation of modern conveniences from roughing it on camping trips.

More than 50 years after I last wore a Boy Scout uniform, the 12 Points of the Scout Law continue to influence my daily decisions, in ways that are far more tangible than any lessons from 16 years of Catholic school education or from decades of listening to Sunday sermons. There are tens of thousands of men with similar stories, whose lives, families and communities have benefitted in meaningful ways from their Scouting experience.

My personal debt to Scouting includes an incident that occurred nearly 10 years ago. Two of my grandsons were caught in a sudden squall while swimming in the ocean far from shore. Using the lifesaving skills and personal values he had learned in Scouting, my 16 year-old grandson saved the life of his 10 year-old brother and himself. For me, my grandsons (shown in photo) are two living reasons why Scouting is important.

Parents looking for an organization that’s prepared to help them to instill strength of character and practical life skills in their son or daughter would be well served to measure Scouting’s potential with a clear and balanced lens; and to discount the media vitriol generated by critics who often know little about Scouting.

At a time when our nation needs to focus on values, personal responsibility and concern for others, we cannot afford to lose the Boy Scouts of America.

Submitted by: Gordon Andrew of Califon, New Jersey