The Boy Scouts of America will observe the 100th anniversary of the youth organization this year, and that brought Jim Paulsen, of the Caddo Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, to the Hope Rotary Club recently to explain Scouting.
Paulsen explained the different divisions of Boy Scouts, how they are funded, and different activities that boys can become involved in.
“A Boy Scout troop can be organized by a church or a non-profit organization and it becomes its own unit,” Paulsen said. “The council helps guide the troop.”
The Caddo Area Council consists of eight counties in Southwest Arkansas and two counties in Texas, Bowie and Cass Counties. The council is, according to Paulsen, a mid-sized council and serves approximately 8500 young people.
“Cub Scouts are boys who are in first through fifth grades and there are several levels within that category,” he said. “Boy Scouts are from 11-18 years of age; the Venture Program is a coed program for youth from 14-20 who participate in an expanded outdoor program. The Venture Program utilizes the Boy Scout camps around the state.
“We also have the Learning for Life Program, which is an in-school program designed to teach life skills and enhance community-based involvement. We also have another high school program which is called the Career Insight program, which explores different careers and the student’s interests.”
Although the council is incorporated with its own board of directors, there are always expenses.
“We have no outside financial support from the government, and our annual operating budget is about $1.3 million,” Paulsen said. “We have a trust fund that generates funds and United Way assists us, and that helps a lot.
“The Boy Scouts have several fundraisers that they are famous for, one being the popcorn sales they stage every year. The Boy Scouts sell the popcorn and receive a portion of the sales.”
Paulsen also said that the Boy Scouts sell candy bars and the troop here works at the Hope Watermelon Festival to raise funds.
The council recently hosted the Order of the Arrow banquet.
“The Order of the Arrow promotes camping and Native American dancing,” Paulsen said. “We also have Eagle Scout celebrations. The Eagle Scout is the highest rank a Boy Scout can go to, and it is quite an honor to achieve that rank.
“The Boy Scouts of America is celebrating its 100th anniversary on February 8, and we hope to keep it going strong for a long time to come.”
