Teaching good boys to be great men one adventure at a time

Local Boy Scouts gathered at the Lodgepole Valley Youth camp Tuesday to sign up for the new year. Nearly 20 boys and their parents signed up at the event, which is part of a drive to offer scouting to more boys.

Boys first grade through the age of 18 have gathered together to participate in Boy Scouts of America since the early 1900s.

The mission of Boy Scouts is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling them with the values of the Scout oath and law. Boys are encouraged to live by the Scout promise and the law of the pack.

There are two different groups with in the association, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Cub Scouts is for boys in first through fifth grades while Boy Scouts are the remaining age groups to the age of 18. After a boy turns 18 he may become a scout leader in an adult leader role.

Seventy-five percent of Scouting is "outings." Scouts spend a majority of their time camping, hiking and participating in outdoor activities.

According to cub scout leader and parent Beth Jallen, in past year's scouts have participated in anything from camping trips in Colorado and Cabela's campgrounds to box car racing, caroling, participating in food drive for community, pick up trash, campfire cookouts, and popcorn sales.

"It's is a great opportunity to get boys together outside of school and get them involved in the community," Jallen said.

Sidney Boy Scouts will continue accepting boys and volunteer leaders all year. There is a membership fee, but if you have financial difficulty this may be waved.

For more information or to join Scouts, email [email protected] or call Robert Potts at 406-702-0221.