Working in partnership with Scouting America, American Legion Dexter Allen Post 90 made a little history last week: The post played host to a signing event that chartered the first-ever all girls’ troop in Bulloch County.
Following the changing of the Boy Scouts of America name to Scouts BSA in 2019, the group officially became Scouting America in February. It currently has approximately 1 million members across the nation, including 176,000 girls.
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“I'm pretty sure everybody here knows that what we're doing is kind of a historic moment for these girls because in 2019, girls were allowed to enter the BSA,” said Kate Bupp, the committee chair for the newly established troop. “We had a lot of hiccups along the way. We've had a couple of girls in our Cub Scouts, but we've never had enough girls who wanted to take the challenge to the next level and join (a Scouting America) program in particular until very recently.”
Bupp said she began talking with Post 90 about two years ago, but recent discussions with Post Commander Bobby Godwin picked up the pace of establishing a local girls’ troop.
“You all have been super supportive of what we've been trying to do with scouting in the community,” she said. “We had a recent committee meeting and filled out some paperwork and then next thing I knew we were doing this (official charter signing), which is really cool.”
Following the charter signing Thursday night inside the Legion Post on Rucker Lane, Bupp introduced the first three scouts in Troop 935G and called each up to be recognized with a Founders Patch: Sarah Wallace, Bryleigh Cobb and Sabias Hallisey.
Also Thursday night, a charter for the formation of a Venture Crew was signed in the Legion Hall. Venturing is a part of Scouting America for scouts who are 14-20 years old. It focuses on organizing outdoor “adventures” and events for the scouts, which are mostly organized and led by the scouts themselves.
The Dexter Allen Post is sponsoring both Troop 935G and Venture Crew 935. The American Legion's support for Scouting America began at the Legion’s first national convention in 1919. Legion posts sponsor more than 2,500 Scouting units across the country.
Bupp said charter signings are usually done as part of regular Legion committee meetings, but they wanted the establishment of the Troop and Crew to be “special.”
“We really wanted to make sure that the kids that are involved in getting all of this going is significant,” she said. “So, we wanted to make sure that the kids really were excited and felt our support and our energy for them and what they're about to undertake.”