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Everyone has heard the saying “Be Prepared” and most
of us have wished we followed it more closely. As
nearly everyone knows, this legendary motto comes to
us courtesy of the Boy Scouts of America, a
community-based leadership organization for boys. I
recently had the pleasure of meeting with many
scouts from Maine and I would like to commend them
on their integrity and leadership in their
communities.
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was founded more
than 90 years ago to teach boys moral and ethical
values through an outdoor program that challenges
them and teaches them respect for nature, one
another, and themselves. The term ‘Boy Scouts’
originally denoted the organization that developed
and rapidly grew up during 1908 in the wake of the
publication of Scouting for Boys by Lord
Robert Baden-Powell. After returning to England a
hero following military service in Africa,
Baden-Powell found boys reading the manual he had
written for his regiment on stalking and survival in
the wild. He then rewrote the manual as a
nonmilitary skill book that he entitled Scouting
for Boys. This book rapidly gained a wide
readership and both England and the United States
and ultimately became the foundation for the Boy
Scouts of America.
Scouting as we know it evolved during the early
1900s through the efforts of many people dedicated
to providing opportunities for youth. These pioneers
of the program conceived outdoor activities that
developed skills in young boys and gave them a sense
of enjoyment, fellowship, and a code of conduct for
everyday living.
The Boy Scouts now serves more than 4.1 million
young people between the ages of 7 and 20 years and
has more than 300 councils throughout the Unites
States and its territories. Two of these councils
are located in Maine. The Pine Tree Council oversees
18,000 Scouts in Southern Maine while the Katahdin
Area Council covers the Scouts of Northern Maine.
Maine residents can see the work of Boy Scouts
across our State. Some of you may have observed
community service projects run by the scouts or
passed by a summer camp and seen them practicing
their outdoor skills. They also have a new facility
in Portland, close to the Portland International
Jetport.
I recently met with Boy Scout troops from all over
Maine who were visiting Washington, D.C. Indeed, the
halls of Congress were filled to the brim with
uniformed and animated Boy Scouts. This is because
for 10 days every four years, the Boy Scouts hold
their National Scout jamboree in Caroline County,
Virginia. This year it was held from July 25th
through August 3rd and was attended by
approximately 35,000 Boy Scouts and leaders. The
jamboree celebrates the 95-year Scouting tradition
and it allows Scouts to come together to participate
in activities, meet other scouts, and explore
Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Maine was well represented at the jamboree. My staff
arranged tours of the Capitol for 120 Scouts and
leaders from Maine and I met with 160 others on the
steps of the Capitol. I was incredibly impressed by
their organization and politeness. And of course, I
am always thrilled when I get a chance to meet with
young people who come here to explore Washington,
D.C. and its rich history.
The Boy Scouts of America is a truly
American organization, representing the best in
leadership and community spirit. The organization
itself has positively influenced countless
generations of young men and continues its important
work on a daily basis. Each and every one of us
could learn from the Boy Scouts and the example they
serve, especially by following their slogan to “Do a
Good Turn Daily”.
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