Key Peninsula Boy Scoutmaster Diana Smith is concerned about troop membership. Local Troop 220 has just three participating members.
That may not be enough to continue, she said, and there is no Cub Scout troop to grow and fill the ranks. A newly formed troop requires six adults and five youths. A decision by Boy Scouts of America council leaders may determine the fate of the current troop.
Scouts on the Key Peninsula have a long history but an understated presence in the community. One of the most prominent events where they serve is the Aisle of Honor at Vaughn Bay Cemetery on Memorial Day. They set up, take down, and store the hundreds of flags used until the next year’s ceremony. In December, they wrap presents for veterans.
Scouts have provided many structural enhancements to the KP, including building picnic tables, flag poles, fencing, walkways, and more. Scouts also assist with the annual KP Civic Center sale of soil, compost and mulch, providing much-needed muscle for moving hundreds of bags. Scouts were instrumental in making the Maple Hollow Park trails ADA-accessible.
“Our troop is very community-centered,” Scout James Smith, 17, said. “One of our big things is the annual food drives (Scouting for Food). This year we picked up over 2,800 pounds of food and delivered it to the food bank in Home.”
Smith added that scouting is focused on protecting the environment, with “leave no trace” as part of the scout motto. Every trip they take is an opportunity to pick up trash and to “leave things better than we found them.”
Former scout Robert Quill, 24, now an assistant scoutmaster, said “Ten- and 11-year-olds light up when you tell them they will be able to use knives and axes and start fires.” But Quill also said that building leadership skills and learning how to follow and then lead outdoor activities is fun and different for most youth. New friendships are formed through an adventure that creates lasting bonds.
Assistant Scoutmaster Matt Mills, 56, has been involved in scouting since he was a member of the first Cub Scout troop on the Key Peninsula, following his father who had also been a scout. The low number of Troop 220 does not bother Mills, who has seen membership ebb and flow over the years and is confident it will recover.
“Prior to Covid, we had 20 plus scouts, and they got distracted,” Mills said. “Covid shut things down, and people realized, ‘I can just do things at home, I don’t have to be out in the community.’ We are a rural troop and pulling from a pretty broad area. It is a commitment to serve the community. I remind scouts to think of their weekly time commitment like homework, or like practice for a sporting commitment.”
Mills said, “Learning knots and fire building are fun, but it goes beyond that. (It’s) building extra personal skills, with lots of layers; setting goals and timelines with intention for what you want to accomplish, and melding the skills together.”
The Boy Scouts of America is not a religious organization but does adhere to a moral code known as the Scout Law. The Scout Oath, which includes a pledge to God, is recited at each meeting after the Pledge of Allegiance.
Since 2019, both boys and girls are eligible to join BSA. Meetings include both boys and girls, but outings are held separately and include a female scoutmaster.
In an effort to bring new members to scouting, the troop will host a district recruitment night at the KP Civic Center with the intention of starting a new Cub Scout group on the Key Peninsula, Jan. 7 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The troop will host an open house for those interested in scouting for older youth Jan. 28, also from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Anyone interested in scouting may stop by the civic center Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. to observe a regular meeting.
Any adult can volunteer, not just parents. For more information, visit kptroop220.org.
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