Boy Scouts of America Troop 1211 for girls will host a Dec. 2 open house in Delmont for young ladies interested in scouting and developing leadership skills.
MaryAnn Fabian, new members coordinator for Troop 1211, said the open house is a good opportunity to not just find potential scouts, but also to clear up some of the confusion surrounding girls being welcomed into the Scouts BSA program.
“Boy Scout troops are not getting girls involved,” Fabian said. “Scouts BSA is now welcoming girls to the program, but there are troops for male scouts and troops for female scouts.
At the Cub level, Fabian said, “there are dens for boys and girls and they’re all in one big pack. Then, when they get to the Scouts BSA level, the boys and girls each have their own troops.”
Fabian said Troop 1211 currently has five members, and will host the open house so community members can find out more about scouting.
“We’re going to have the girls lead some icebreakers and talk about what they’re hoping to do this year in Scouts,” Fabian said. Scouts BSA is designed to be led primarily by troop members rather than adults.
“My job as one of the adult leaders is to help facilitate the plans the girls want to make happen,” Fabian said. “The girls who have already started with the troop have an idea what they want to do, but any new girls coming in will have an equal say as well.”
Scouts BSA is open to girls ages 11 to 17, and the open house will be 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Dec. 2, at Faith United Methodist Church, 305 Freeport Street in Delmont.
Fabian said she looks forward to a growing troop of independent girls.
“It’s all about what the Scouts want to do,” she said.
For more, email troop1211delmont@gmail.com or call Fabian at 412-818-1459.
