Submitted by Alexander Thomas, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
In February 2019, the first Scouts BSA girl troop for Chatham, Madison and Summit will begin meeting. Scouts BSA Troop 280 will be girl-only, for young women ages 11-17 to have the same great program that Boy Scouts have had for years.
Scouts BSA Troop 280 will be chartered to Stanley Congregational Church in Chatham Borough. It will meet weekly on Wednesdays and have an outdoor activity monthly (such as camping, hiking, canoeing, shooting, climbing, etc.). As the Troop grows, the meeting day may adjust accordingly. An Open House will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 23rd at 7:00-8:00 p.m. at Stanley Church, 94 Fairmount Avenue, Chatham Borough, for all girls age 11-17 with potential interest in joining.
Incoming Scoutmaster Daniele Basralian will provide guidance to the Scouts BSA but Troop 280 will be a girl-run troop. One of the key features of the Scouts BSA program is the interaction between older and younger Scouts BSA. The older Scouts BSA get leadership experience at weekly meetings and during activities. The younger Scouts BSA get the experience of being led by older youth who accept them as equal members in the troop and as friends.
Along with outdoor activities, Scouts BSA Troop 280 will prepare its members for life by learning skills while earning merit badges, interacting with their Scoutmaster and other adult leaders, learning about their role as citizens, public speaking experience at troop meetings, and service projects that teach them to help others.
For information about Scouts BSA Troop 280, contact Scoutmaster Daniele Basralian, troop280chatham@gmail.com. For information about Scouts BSA in other towns, contact Patriots’ Path Council, BSA, Senior District Executive Al Thomas, al.thomas@scouting.org
(above) Future Scouts BSA attended a training weekend in October 2018.
