Mission Statement

We had University of Scouting this last weekend, where I spent quite a bit of time with our new Council Commissioner, one of the Assistant Council Commissioners, another commissioner from the other side of the state, and even a little bit with the new Council President (who all happen to be LDS). We had some interesting discussions about programs and how to help units and how to bring more youth into Scouting.

Something I heard more than once from them was to use the mission statement of the BSA. I have been pondering for a while about how to help people better understand what Scouting is all about, how it's not just a camping club, how it's about building character and leadership. It's a message I feel we need to get out both to parents in the Church who don't understand why the Lord picked this great program for their sons, and people in the community who have not yet discovered Scouting for their kids. These brethren taught me that what I was looking for already exists in one simple statement:

"The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."

I am going to see how I can put it to better use.