During the summer season, families make vacation plans with a singular aim: to get outside. And it’s little wonder why. In a culture where the day-to-day business is conducted inside and dominated by devices offering synthetic experiences, Americans are recognizing the value in genuinely connecting with people and the world around them.
This lack of engagement with the natural world is taking a particular toll on boys. The statistics are sobering. Over 75% of juvenile court cases involve boys. Seventy-four percent of teens in drug and alcohol treatment programs are boys. Men account for four out of five suicides in America, and the most rapidly growing suicide rate demographic is boys between the ages of 10-14.
Trail Life (TrailLifeUSA.com) CEO Mark Hancock stated, “That is why Trail Life USA has launched The Campaign to Rescue America’s Boys, our efforts must go beyond preparing them only to survive these challenges. We must take on the greater challenge: to engage a generation, calling them forth as a remnant that will be equipped not only to survive the overwhelming rising tide, but to reverse the tide itself.”
Trail Life is the largest Christ-centered, boy-focused scout-type organization in the country. In a world that diminishes the power of boyhood, Trail Life celebrates what makes boys unique and provides boys with a safe space to explore the concept of masculinity while building relationships, learning leadership skills, and exploring the great outdoors. MORE
The LGB………..+ won’t allow this.
Another reason why I hate this culture so much; I look at these pictures and the first thing that enters my mind, where are the minority boys?
This a great idea, much needed, an alternative to the culture that says boys are toxic, especially white boys. But I hope there is a concerted push to outreach within the inner-cites, to reach those boys that do not have a father in the house, a father that can be a role model, an example of what being a man is, his responsibilities and duties not only to the family but society.
Boys, of all races, need an environment that does not look down on them, blame them, or view them as dangerous and unnecessary.
When my scoutmaster founded my troop in 1947, 17 years before I was born, he took full advantage of the BSA program – but he ran the troop on his own terms. 10 years after founding the troop they went to the National Jamboree, and won every competition. BSA asked them not to compete any more. Because they motivated boys to be their best??? Just an early sign of BSA’s wokeness, although there were and are thousands of troops and adult scouters who continue to be connected to the ideals set by Baden-Powell.
But the BSA program has deteriorated to where it is nearly impossible to run a non-woke program. I don’t mean allowing girls (in separate troops) – I always wanted girls to have access to the same program as boys – but I do mean the DEI/ESG/LGBTQ… social conditioning that we currently see everywhere.
I will have to look into this. My troop is now 2,700 miles away so all I have is the occasional visit, but I wouldn’t mind helping with a Christ-centered scouting organization.
Boy Scouts are hooked up with the Mormon Church. I sent my 2 children to a Christian camp throughout their childhood. They tell me that it was the best time of their childhood. Sadly the camp burned down 2 years ago. They also had family camp which we also attended with our kids. I was in Girl Scouts, but the lesbians have taken over that. I feel like there’s no place safe for kids these days. I don’t trust anyone. There’s plenty of churches around with children’s programs, but do you trust them?
@Goldenfoxx – the Mormon church quit BSA a few years ago, I guess they saw what was coming. They had about 1/3 of the troops in the country, although troop sizes were typically smaller. I believe they run their own program now, don’t know how close it is to scouting.
Anything that promotes christian conservative values will not be allowed to exist.
The attacks on the Boy Scouts is a prime example. Catholic churches in Cali are taking out bankruptcy with the flood of abused children lawsuits.
Blaming the Boy Scout or the church, doesn’t actually address any of the issues. Individuals should be arrested and charged, not the institutions. And when they go to prison, the other inmates should be informed of their charges.
Evil has infiltrated everything.
I used to work with Christian Service Brigade. It sounds a lot like this. I thoroughly enjoyed when I was a camper and then when I was a counselor and on unpaid staff in So. Cal. from the early 70’s to mid 80’s. This sounds like it will be an awesome program. My health issues preclude me from helping, otherwise there is a troop not far from me and I’d volunteer in a heartbeat.
Left Coast Dan — I just spent the past 45 minutes perusing Trail Life’s website. I tried to find a troop in the Seattle Area and all I could find was a FB (private) page for their Puget Sound area organization.
My first (late) husband was active in the BSA his entire child/boyhood. His father was also active and received the Silver Beaver award when he was about 60. My late husband achieved both Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow, and proudly wore his ES ring as an adult. Theirs was the Chief Seattle Council.
I just looked up the Chief Seattle BSA website and most of the pictures are of girls. There is a big DEI exclamation and probably a badge associated with it. And the BSA has turned GSA-ish with their national popcorn sales; tables set up outside grocery stores, selling popcorn.
You would make a great leader for a local chapter of Trail Life. I hope you look into it.
LCD- My daughter is in a separate girl’s troop and dealing with some of the issues. One of the parents is absolutely a broken adult but also leading alot of the troop aspects (merit counselor) since she is female and available to do all that extra work. The higher counsel does not care of the noted problems and luckily we parents have screened most of her crap. But kids are not dumb, they see it but just want to do the “fun” stuff Scouts allows. hopefully we can lead out of this at our level but parents have to be involved and not assume others will follow “duty to God” as a core aspect of scouting. And we need to model how to deal with others that may be “struggling”. Not just walk away
Golden- we used to be in GS, but they are so broken it is horrible. between the crappy programs and activities, LGBT type leadership everywhere, and their global org being for abortion on demand, we pulled away from that along time ago.