Dear Scouting Families,
We hope that this email finds each of you well and still Scouting at Home.
Over the past few months, Laurel Highlands Council has been evaluating all aspects of the Scouting program. Work has been and is still being done to research all Boy Scouts of America councils to review their best practices. From our research, we found that many councils have elected to implement a program fee for their youth and adult participants.
On Friday, June 26, 2020, the Board of Directors of Laurel Highlands Council approved the implementation of a program fee beginning January 1, 2021. With this new program fee, we have kept our Scouts, parents, and leaders in mind. Our Scouting families are devoted to our programs, and because of this, we want to ensure your Scouting dollars are serving you and your Scouts in the best possible manner. We want to ensure that all leaders are trained, that Scouts are taking advantage of events and activities offered at council and district levels, and of course, that all Scouts and Scouters are covered under the BSA insurance program.
The new program fee is as follows:
$48.00 All Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA & Venturing youth. (Excludes Exploring). Only $4.00/month per Scout.
$12.00 All registered adult leaders (excludes those registered as Merit Badge Counselors only). Only $1.00/month per adult leader.
Included in the new Laurel Highlands Council Program Fee are the following:
- Free Basic Leader Training – including Cubmaster and Scoutmaster specific trainings, Introduction to Outdoor Leaders Skills, Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO), and Trainer’s Edge. (Wood Badge, National Youth Leadership Training, Wilderness First Aid, and special trainings will not be included).
- Scouts will benefit from a FREE “Signature” Cub Scout or Scouts B.S.A. event each year, i.e. Scout Day at the Zoo, Fishing Derbies, Fall/Spring Camporee, Area Camporee, etc.
- Elimination of in-person Family Friends of Scouting unit presentations during unit meetings and events.
- Cover all Scouts and adult leaders with Accident and Sickness Insurance.
As stated previously, we have worked to keep all our Scouts, parents, and leaders in mind. Frequently Asked Questions regarding the implementation of the Program Fee can be found here. This document will be updated frequently as questions are submitted.
We thank each and every one of you for all that you do for Scouting in the Laurel Highlands Council. Without our volunteers, we would not be able to offer many of the events and activities that our Scouts look forward to participating in each year.
For questions not mentioned in the FAQ, please contact Alan Parks at Alan.Parks@scouting.org.
