2007: YEAR IN REVIEW
The Boy Scouts of America is an
organization committed to making a
difference in the lives of young
people. Through the efforts of almost
1.2 million dedicated volunteers and
the support of religious and
community organizations, the BSA
reached more than 2.8 million youth
in 2007 with its traditional program
of citizenship, mental and physical
fitness, and character development.
Our Programs
Cub Scouting. Cub Scouting, for boys
in the first through fifth grades, was
serving 1,687,986 Tiger Cubs, Cub
Scouts, and Webelos Scouts on
December 31, 2007. Continued
emphasis on providing increased
opportunities for outdoor activities
resulted in almost 585,000 Cub Scouts
participating in a day camp, resident
camp, or family camp during the year.
Boy Scouting. Membership in Boy
Scouting, for 11- to 17-year-olds, was
913,588 on December 31, 2007. The
Eagle Scout Award, the highest rank a
Scout can achieve, was earned by a
record 51,742 young men. The promise
of outdoor adventure continues to
attract young men to the Scouting
program. In 2007, 49 percent of all Boy
Scouts and Varsity Scouts participated
in a long-term camping trip.
Venturing. This high-adventure
program for young men and women
ages 14 to 20 was serving 254,259
members on December 31, 2007. In
2007, Venturing began implementing
plans to celebrate 10 years of enabling
young adults to make ethical choices,
experience a fun, adventurous, and
challenging program, and acquire
leadership skills through high
adventure, sports, arts, hobbies,
religious life, and Sea Scouting.
High-Adventure Bases. Whether
canoeing the boundary waters of
Minnesota at the Charles L. Sommers
High Adventure Base, exploring the
Florida Keys at the Florida National
High Adventure Sea Base, hiking the
mountains of northern New Mexico at
Philmont Scout Ranch, or route
finding across the Double H Ranch in
central New Mexico, the BSA’s highadventure
bases provide young
people with the opportunity to put
the values of the Scout Oath and Law
into practice. More than 53,000 Scouts
and Scouters visited these magnificent
camps in 2007.
Awards
The National Court of Honor
presented the prestigious Silver
Buffalo Award to 11 distinguished
citizens for their exemplary national
service to youth. In 2007, recipients of
Scouting’s highest commendation
were Bray Bruce Barnes, S. Truett
Cathy, Dennis H. Chookaszian, Charles
W. Dahlquist II, L. B. Eckelkamp Jr., E.
Archie Manning III, Hector A. “Tico”
Perez, Mary Anne Rounds, Joe W.
Walkoviak, Gary E. Wendlandt, and
Dr. Harold A. Yocum.
The Honor Medal With Crossed
Palms was awarded to five Scouts
and Scouters who demonstrated
unusual heroism and extraordinary
skill or resourcefulness in saving or
attempting to save a life at extreme
risk to self. Other awards for lifesaving and meritorious action were
presented to 310 Scouts and Scouters.
The BSA’s Young American Awards
recognize exceptional achievements
of young people ages 15 to 25. The
2007 recipients were Fernando Aran,
Daniel Cayce, Michael Hayoun,
Michael Nguyen, and Logan Skelley.
Good Turn for America:
Continuing to Address the Needs
of the 21st Century
The Boy Scouts of America was
founded on the premise that to be a
good citizen you must do for others.
For nearly 100 years, Scouts and
volunteers have committed to serving
others at all times with sincerity and
conviction.
In 2007, the Boy Scouts of America
continued serving others by
specifically addressing the issues of
hunger, inadequate housing, and poor
health through the Good Turn for
America initiative. From January 2007
to December 2007, 5,915 units
(approximately a quarter million youth
and adults) contributed more than
1.4 million hours to 15,246 service
projects.
Celebrating the Past—Preparing for the Future
In 2007, the Boy Scouts of America
continued fulfilling the goals of its
National Strategic Plan, titled “2010:
When Tradition Meets Tomorrow.” The
special emphasis for the year was
ensuring every council has a strong
financial foundation to enable council
leaders to focus on long-term plans to
best serve their communities. In 2007,
the Boy Scouts of America
experienced a 6 percent increase in
total fund-raising compared to the
prior year. In addition, the collective
surplus of local councils in 2007
increased by more than $3 million.
The Boy Scouts of America is strong
and will continue to recruit quality
leadership, adequately fund programs,
invite eligible youth from all
backgrounds to join, offer a fun and
exciting experience, and help young
people become extraordinary adults
who make ethical choices over their
lifetimes because of values instilled in
them by the Scout Oath and Law. |