100 years ago, an American businessman lost in London was given a helping hand by a young Scout. Now a century after the Boy Scouts of America were founded, young men and women across the U. S. are learning valuable lessons in the great outdoors as part of the Scouting movement.
"It's pretty much living the American Dream, being out there camping in the woods," says Boy Scout Zachary Jones of Troop 19 in Fort Smith.
At a recent meeting, members of Troop 19 were planning their next camping trip. The boys do most of the work, while their parents watch, many remembering when they were in their children's place, earning merit badges and working towards the rank of Eagle Scout.
"There's not a whole lot of the adults making you do certain stuff, you do whatever the Senior Patrol Leader feels like you'll need to do," says John Daniels.
According to Brian Feather, Westark Area Council's Scout Executive, over 54-percent of the adult male population has been involved in Scouting at one point or another in their lives. And after 100 years, Scouting is for more than just boys now. Today, Westark serves 9,000 boys and girls in cub scout packs, boy scout troops, venture crews, and more across 19 counties.
Feather says one thing many people don't realize about scouting is that it's not just about boys going camping.
"We started as a character development program and camping kind of is the classroom that we use to instill character traits in young people," he says.
Fort Smith City Director Gary Campbell knows just how well that classroom works. After serving as a Scoutmaster for 24 years and raising three Eagle Scouts, he's seen many boys learn important lessons, such as the time one scout brought frozen waffles to eat at a campout.
"I said how are we going to cook these?" Campbell remembers. "He said, well at home we put them in the toaster, and I said as soon as we get to the campsite we'll find an electric tree and plug it in. That's when the light went on for him, that you've got to think to the next step on things."
Campbell says even though each generation is becoming more and more saturated with technology, he thinks Scouting has what it needs to be successful for another 100 years.
"The world's becoming more and more challenging, you've got to have self-confidence, take responsibility for yourself, and to look at the big picture, see what the right thing is and then do it," he says, "and that's what Scouting teaches."
Westark Area Council has several events and campouts planned throughout 2010 to celebrate the BSA's centennial, culminating at the National Jamboree in July and August. For a complete list, contact their office in Fort Smith by calling (479) 782-7244, or go to their website at WestarkBSA.org.
"It's pretty much living the American Dream, being out there camping in the woods," says Boy Scout Zachary Jones of Troop 19 in Fort Smith.
At a recent meeting, members of Troop 19 were planning their next camping trip. The boys do most of the work, while their parents watch, many remembering when they were in their children's place, earning merit badges and working towards the rank of Eagle Scout.
"There's not a whole lot of the adults making you do certain stuff, you do whatever the Senior Patrol Leader feels like you'll need to do," says John Daniels.
According to Brian Feather, Westark Area Council's Scout Executive, over 54-percent of the adult male population has been involved in Scouting at one point or another in their lives. And after 100 years, Scouting is for more than just boys now. Today, Westark serves 9,000 boys and girls in cub scout packs, boy scout troops, venture crews, and more across 19 counties.
Feather says one thing many people don't realize about scouting is that it's not just about boys going camping.
"We started as a character development program and camping kind of is the classroom that we use to instill character traits in young people," he says.
Fort Smith City Director Gary Campbell knows just how well that classroom works. After serving as a Scoutmaster for 24 years and raising three Eagle Scouts, he's seen many boys learn important lessons, such as the time one scout brought frozen waffles to eat at a campout.
"I said how are we going to cook these?" Campbell remembers. "He said, well at home we put them in the toaster, and I said as soon as we get to the campsite we'll find an electric tree and plug it in. That's when the light went on for him, that you've got to think to the next step on things."
Campbell says even though each generation is becoming more and more saturated with technology, he thinks Scouting has what it needs to be successful for another 100 years.
"The world's becoming more and more challenging, you've got to have self-confidence, take responsibility for yourself, and to look at the big picture, see what the right thing is and then do it," he says, "and that's what Scouting teaches."
Westark Area Council has several events and campouts planned throughout 2010 to celebrate the BSA's centennial, culminating at the National Jamboree in July and August. For a complete list, contact their office in Fort Smith by calling (479) 782-7244, or go to their website at WestarkBSA.org.
