Local Boy Scouts Have an 8% Increase in Membership

Coming off of a five percent increase in membership in 2011, the local Boy Scouts are on pace to have another year of increased membership in 2012. The Los Padres Council has one of the highest percentage increases in membership in the entire country and the highest in California. Scouting has had more than 100 million members since its inception in 1910 and the number is increasing daily. Boys ages 6-17 can join Scouting year round. Boys who are in Kindergarten and interested in Scouting can join Scouts as early as June 1, 2012. In 2011, 34 local young men achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouting. Many of these Scouts began their Scouting adventure in first grade as a Tiger Cub. 2012 is on pace to be a record year for the number of Eagle Scouts in the South Coast with 14 local young men already achieving the Eagle Scout rank this year.

Troops and packs from all across the South Coast are recruiting boys to join the Scouts year-round. Interested parents can see what pack or troop is closest to them by visiting www.BeAScout.org. Be on the lookout this September as the Scouts will be hosting recruitment events across our community to recruit more young men to be the leaders of tomorrow.

About the Los Padres Council

The Los Padres Council has been serving families in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since 1917. The council is divided into five districts, with the South Coast District serving the southern section of Santa Barbara County. The council’s mission is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. The council served more than 5,000 youth through its Scouting programs in 2011. For more information about the Los Padres Council, Boy Scouts of America visit www.lpcbsa.org follow them at www.facebook.com/lpcbsa or www.twitter.com/lpcbsa.