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Posted on 01/02/2014 3:45:09 PM PST by SeekAndFind
An organization formed in the wake of the Boy Scouts of America's decision to allow openly gay members officially launched on New Year's Day.
Trail Life USA now has nearly 500 troops that have either entered the pre-charter process or are fully chartered and are already registering members, according to Mark Hancock, the organization's chief operating officer. Most of the troops are chartered to churches, he told The Christian Post, though some are chartered to Christian homeschool associations, camps and other organizations that agree with Trail Life's faith values.
Troops are being organized in at least 42 states, Hancock says, and estimates suggest there is an average of between 25 and 30 boys per troop, though Trail Life does not have precise numbers at this time.
"We purposefully have not been focused on numbers," he says. "What we're really focused on is building a quality program for families to help their boys become good, godly men."
It was never voiced, Hancock says, but he believes Trail Life's leaders all expected a vast majority of the new troops to be former BSA troops. About 40 percent of them, however, are being chartered to churches that did not previously have a Boy Scout troop.
The most challenging part about starting Trail Life, Hancock says, was how quickly it was put together.
At the end of June a group of about 50 people met in Louisville, Ky., and agreed to start a new organization, and from that meeting a six-person steering committee was formed. Approximately two months later 1,200 leaders gathered for the organization's first national convention, and the program officially launched on Jan. 1.
"There's an expectation that we've put on ourselves to be all that we're used to. And to do all that in six months has been challenging, but it's amazing the progress that has been made," he said.
The organization currently has "hundreds" of volunteers across the country and is shipping handbooks to members and leaders, says Hancock.
Trail Life programs are divided by age group. The Woodlands Trail program includes Foxes (grades K-1), Hawks (grades 2-3) and Mountain Lions (grades 4-5). Other programs include Navigators (grades 6-8), Adventurers (grades 9-12) and Guidon Units (ages 18-25).
The BSA began accepting openly gay members on Jan. 1, though a ban on openly gay leaders still exists. Scouts are permitted to acknowledge their own sexual orientation, according to one BSA document, though in doing so they may not "reach the level of distraction, which may include advocacy, promotion, or the distribution of information of a sexual nature." They are also not permitted to use scouting to push a political or social agenda.
Trail Life affirms that any sexual activity outside of a marriage between one man and one woman is sinful, according to the group's membership standards. The organization accepts "adults and youth who do not engage in or promote sexual immorality of any kind, or engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the program" as members.
The organization is also "undergirded by biblical values and unapologetically reflects a Christian worldview," though it accepts boys as members regardless of their religion, race, socio-economic status or national origin.
Hancock says Trail Life's attitude toward the BSA is to "honor their legacy," but the new organization wants to "raise the standard" in 2014. BSA troops have become groups that "meet in a church," he says, though Trail Life leaders hope their troops become an "extension of the church."
"We want to be the type of organization that parents want to enroll their sons, because they like the character and the leadership development, and boys really want to be a part of because they love the adventure," he said.
Let me guess, not one mention of this in the “news” media.
bookmark
That is a good thing IMHO. I think it is best to let the organization grow quietly for a while. If too many leftists know about this they will try to strangle the organization in its crib.
Our first official Trail Life USA meeting is this comng Monday. I was at the Nashville convention and have been pumped up ever since. It’s going to be great.
Okay. Just never cottoned to the guy.
And his foray into talk radio to "moderate" Limbaugh's influence didn't help.
The scouts were not victums of the gay agenda.The leadership was corrupt and if the parents have any brains they have long since removed their children from said corrupt organization.
“Lord, please bind the hands of the ACLU all all like them, and deal with them, and destroy them, before they can destroy any more organizations.”
I stepped down after 15 years as an adult leader once the BSA announced their decision.
As the old saying goes, “Follow the money.” During the fight, one of the overriding concerns in the BSA upper echelons was the maintenance of corporate donations which largely support the scouting bureaucracy and some of the upkeep of the properties owned by the BSA (e.g., High Adventure Bases). Very little of that money ever reaches the local councils or troops as they are too far down in the organizational structure. With an increasing number of coporations falling into the “diversity” snare, the BSA was essentially given a choice: Follow the guidelines of the donors or say good-bye to the cash. As we know, the bureaucrats elected to sacrifice scouting to save their jobs.
At the time, I predicted that the impact of the decision would first be felt at the council level as businesses and individuals who disagreed with the change would stop making donations. It appears I was right—I’ve received several calls from my old council during the last quarter of 2013 literally begging for money (I suggested that they contact GLAAD); and just last week I read a story about how the Tampa area council is facing a $75,000 shortfall.
Hopefully, this new organization will steer clear of the temptation to seek corporate support (and the strings that come with it).
My son took our 7 year old grandson out of the Scouts and their church (Catholic)in northern Virginia has begun sponsoring a Trail Life group for boys. The Boy Scouts are finished...over...history....
You ruined it with Huckabee…..
There was a massive ground swell for Chick Fil A bubbling up out there…and I’ll admit that Huck gave it a specific day, and it took off….but not a damned person was out there because of Huckabee…..it was because of the issue.
His picture on this turned me off to this scout replacement…..
Actually, the ACLU did us a favor in this situation…..helped point out the hypocrits…..
But they are worthy of being despised...
Good luck to them five hundred troops is an impressive numbet and I hope they continue to grow rapidly.
Unfortunately, they lost their way and it is about the money and not the kids. Sad.
Yes, companies I worked for made it mandatory to donate to the United Way which in turn funded the Boy Scouts. Border line extortion and definitely a “money machine.”
” Yes, companies I worked for made it mandatory to donate to the United Way which in turn funded the Boy Scouts. Border line extortion and definitely a “money machine.” “
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My company wanted 100% participation too.
About 20 years ago I refused to contribute. My poor boss was also a good friend of mine. She pleaded for me to donate one dollar and I refused to do it.
I wrote a check to a local Boy’s Club and mailed it right away. The Club got 100% of my donation.
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INCORRECT - there is still a ban on adult homosexuals in leadership, the only change was for youth members. It's still wrong and the BSA has lost my long-time support but let's be accurate on the specifics. I also have no doubt that it will not be long before the homo lobby is successful in getting the leadership ban removed, too.
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I congratulated them on FB though I probably won’t be directly involved.
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There are a number of alternatives to the Boy Scouts.
Boy Scout Alternatives
http://tamarawilhite.hubpages.com/hub/Conservative-Boy-Scout-Alternatives
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