From the Chairman
February 2022
One million and growing: Boy Scouts of America (BSA) membership is on the rise: BSA membership exceeded its year-over-year numbers by more than 3% from 2021 to 2022. Around mid-December, the BSA’s youth membership surpassed 1,025,000, which was the organization’s goal for 2022. By the end of the year, the BSA was serving more than 1,042,000 members. Coming off the COVID-19 pandemic and the bankruptcy proceedings, BSA officials knew that the 2022 recruiting numbers would go a long way toward determining the future of the organization. So, they set a lofty goal: 1,042 million members resulted from nine consecutive months of membership growth and a retention rate of more than 70% across the board. One hundred seventy- six (176) councils exceeded their year-end growth, which would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of Scouting professionals, chartered organization partners like The American Legion, the thousands of volunteer leaders, enthusiastic parents, and all of the Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA members, Explorers, Sea Scouts and Venturers who invited their friends to join them on their Scouting adventures. Cub Scout youth membership grew by 10.24% over the year. Most notably, the BSA’s Exploring program grew by 17.35%.
Congratulations to Eagle Scout Hannah Hewett: I had the pleasure of representing The American Legion at January 7, 2023, Eagle Scout award ceremony of Hannah Hewett. Hannah was one of the first girls to join Cub Scouting when membership was extended to them in 2018, one of the first to earn the highest award in Cub Scouts – the Arrow of Light – and part of the first group of young women to achieve the highest rank in Scouts BSA – Eagle Scout! Hannah is the daughter of two veterans and American Legion members, Rick and Julie Hewett, and is their fourth child who has earned the Eagle Scout rank.
Scouters…please begin to consider your Outstanding Post Scouting Program applications. While not due until May, you want to start to document the service, achievements, and post/community involvement by the BSA units that you charter and sponsor between May 1, 2022, and April 30, 2023.
Chris Ragusa
Scouting Chair
scouting@legionmail.org