At day camps run by the Boy Scouts around East Tennessee this, girls were part of the fun ad game after the Boy Scouts of America’s board of directors voted unanimously to allow girls into the iconic Cub Scout program.
Nearly two dozen girls attended Cub Day Camp in several areas around Knoxville and East Tennessee this week. Boys participated in one den, while girls had their own separate den.
“I’ve been doing it for a long time with my brother,” said Hannah Claire Betts. “I’ve technically just been hanging out with them.”
Hannah Claire doesn’t have to hang out with her brother she’s now officially part of the pack.
The historic decision last year to include girls in Cub Scouts beginning this month came after years of receiving requests from families and young sisters to include girls in scouting.
Kate Brewer has three older brothers and has been tagging along with them to meetings since she was a toddler.
“Cub Scouts is very family-oriented which we like,” said Stefanie Brewer, a Cub Scout leader. “We like to do things as a family. So Kate doesn’t distinguish if it’s a boy thing or a girl thing. It’s just something we’ve always done together.”
Since announcing the decision to welcome girls into Scouting, more than 3,000 girls across the nation were enrolled in the Early Adopter Program beginning in February.
“Family scouting is a one-stop kind of event for families, whole families can take their kids to cub scouts. The boys and the girls can participate in Cub Scouts,” said Randy Ross, another Cub Scout leader.
“I think it’s really an amazing experience for me,” said Avery Steill, a Webelos scout. “My brother has been in Cub Scouts for a really long time. I always thought it sounded really fun. I like doing outdoor stuff.”
Families today are busier and more diverse than ever. The expansion by the Boy Scouts of America to serve families and to welcome girls into Scouting made the program more appealing for the whole family/
The games, crafts, and fun events for Cub Scouts in their individual dens will remain the same, as will the core values of scouting: character and leadership development. Except now, it’s a promise for boys and girls alike.
