Service to America

Press Releases

(For distribution to local media, council newsletters, and lodge newsletters)

 BOY SCOUTS PLEDGE COMMUNITY SERVICE

     At the Presidents' Summit for America's Future in April of 1997, the Boy Scouts of America committed 200 million hours of community service by the end of the year 2000. It is a goal that can be easily accomplished if each Scout completes a minimum of 12 hours of service.

     One of the fundamental objectives of the Presidents' program is "to provide youth with the opportunity to give back through community service." Scouting was founded on principles of civic service. The community service projects conducted by Scouts foster a spirit of citizenship through service to others. The Service to America plan, as it is called by the Scouts, goes into effect immediately. In addition to the service already being provided by local Scouts and their leaders in the ___________ Council, additional projects will be planned and organized to give further service to our community.

(Add any specific stories of local service projects already completed or planned in the community.)

 (Add the following to local council and lodge newsletters)

     The Order of the Arrow, Scouting's Brotherhood of Cheerful Service, is proud to have been asked by the national council to provide the leadership and manpower to promote the Service to America plan to every pack, troop and team in local councils across America. To achieve the BSA's community service commitment, the Order will need the support and assistance of each of the 339 lodges nationwide. During the fall of 1997, each lodge will be asked to form Community Service Promotion Teams. These teams will attend Cub Scout and Boy Scout Roundtables during the first quarter of 1998, 1999, and 2000 to explain the BSA's commitment, to share service project ideas and to explain how packs, troops, and teams will report their project hours and participant numbers. Lodges will also be asked to promote the community service commitment while conducting OA elections with troops and teams. They will also be asked to attend cub pack meetings once a year to promote community service.

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