Tuesday April 4, 2000
Boy
Scouts of America Welcomes Its 100 Millionth Member Since Its Establishment
90 Years Ago
12-Year-Old New Yorker Helps Boy Scouts Reach Historic Membership
Milestone
IRVING, Texas, April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boy Scouts of America
announced today that the 90-year-old organization officially
reached a historic membership milestone with the addition of
its 100 millionth member. Mario Castro, a 12-year-old from Brooklyn,
N.Y., became the 100 millionth member of the Boy Scouts of America,
the premier youth-serving organization in the country. Castro
joined Troop 986, sponsored by St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church
in Brooklyn.
"Reaching this milestone proves how valuable and enduring
the lessons provided through Scouting are to our society and
our youth," said Jere Ratcliffe, Chief Scout Executive of
the Boy Scouts of America. "The Boy Scouts of America has
prepared 100 million youth and adults for life through effective
character, citizenship, and personal fitness training, and we
are dedicated to preparing 100 million more."
Castro, who emigrated from Mexico City
with his family 10 years ago, said, "Joining the Boy Scouts
of America and being the 100 millionth member is very exciting.
Now, I'm eager to
go on adventures with my troop and share with my family and friends
what I have learned."
Scouting evolved during the early 1900s through the efforts
of several men dedicated to bettering 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 of
America was incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by
Congress in 1916.
With more than 4.9 million youth and supported by more than
1.2 million registered adult volunteers, the Boy Scouts of America
fosters the philosophy of duty to God, country, and self, and
a commitment to others through a comprehensive program of outdoor
adventure and service projects. The Boy Scouts of America program
includes an active, year-round set of activities for boys and
young men ages 7 through 18, available through 318 local councils.
The BSA program includes Cub Scouts, for boys in the first through
fifth grades, Boy Scouts for ages 11 through 17, and Venturing,
a new program for 14- to 20-year-old boys and girls.
SOURCE: Boy Scouts of America
16525 Sherman Way, C-8
Van Nuys, CA 91406
tel: (818) 785-8700
fax: (818) 901-4888
© 2005 Western Los Angeles
County Council, B.S.A. |
