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83-570: Minsi Trails Council is a council of the Boy Scouts of America that serves Scouts in the Lehigh Valley and the Pocono Mountains regions of eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey . In Pennsylvania, the council serves five counties: Lehigh , Northampton , Monroe , Carbon , and Luzerne . In New Jersey, it serves Warren County . Minsi Trails Council serves nearly 10,000 youth through

166-451: A Whit Monday fair: "On the village green an inclined string, down which, clinging the while to a pulley-swung handle, one could be hurled violently against a sack at the other end, came in for considerable favour among the adolescent..." Some sources attribute the development of zip-lines used today as a vacation activity to the Tyrolean traverses developed for mountaineering purposes. In

249-450: A Board of Review (with the exception of Scout Rank). To obtain a rank you must first acquire the rank previous to it, with the exception of Scout rank in which a Scout can earn at anytime once they have completed the requirements for it. The ranks are in the following order: Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star Scout, Life Scout, and Eagle Scout. An increasing number of merit badges, as well as being in troop leadership positions,

332-528: A Canadian citizen who moved to Costa Rica in 1992, around the same time that a scene in the film Medicine Man incorporated the treetop rides, with the goal of using canopy tours to help raise awareness for reforestation, education and socio-economic development in the surrounding areas. In October 1998, the Costa Rican Patent Office granted patent No. 2532 for an "Elevated Forest Transport System Propelled by Gravity, Using Harness and Pulley Through

415-820: A Scouts BSA camp, over 1,200 acres (5 km2) in Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania . Camp Minsi is on the shores of the 314-acre (1 km) Stillwater Lake in Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania. The camp was donated to the Boy Scouts in 1949 by Samuel Rubel of the Pocono Mountain Ice Company. The camp was formerly owned by Bethlehem Area Council prior to the establishment of Minsi Trails Council in 1969. Camp Minsi encompasses 1,200 acres (5 km) of relatively flat Pocono woodlands, and holds over 20 miles (32 km) of hiking trails and varied wildlife. A central feature of

498-472: A Simple Horizontal Line" to Hreniuk. The patent was later annulled, bringing uncertainty to zip-line businesses, before being reinstated after twenty years. A canopy tour (sometimes called a zip-line tour) provides a route through a wooded, and often mountainous, landscape, making primary use of zip-lines and aerial bridges between platforms built in trees. Tourists are harnessed to a cable for safety, and many are restricted to adults. Heights vary from near to

581-480: A central headquarters and service center in Allentown, Pennsylvania . The service center includes offices, conference rooms, and a council Scout shop. A copy of the R. Tait McKenzie sculpture The Ideal Scout stands outside the center. The council is divided into five districts divided by county and school district boundaries based on geographic location and size. Minsi Trails Council owns and operates Camp Minsi,

664-619: A council-provided Kodiak leadership training program Order of the Arrow members may attend the National Leadership Seminar, run multiple times each year by each region. The Boy Scouts of America operates a National Camping School program which trains people how to run various departments or areas at the Scouts BSA summer camps . Some online training is offered, but most areas require an in-person week-long training program at one of

747-436: A larger challenge such as a hike or ropes course . A type of pulley with a grooved wheel known as a sheave is used in zip-lines, and the pulley turns as it travels along, thus reducing friction and enabling greater speed than would otherwise be possible. The zip-line trolley ("zipliner") is the frame or assembly together with the pulley inside that run along the cable. Zip-lines also have some kind of device to allow

830-588: A method of transport in some mountainous countries for more than 2,000 years, possibly starting in China, India and Japan as early as 250 BC, remaining in use in some remote areas in China such as Nujiang (Salween) valley in Yunnan as late as 2015 before being replaced by bridges. Not all of these structures were assisted by gravity , so not all fitted the definition of the zip-line. Various technological advances in Europe in

913-571: A participant's spiritual welfare to the individual Unitarian Universalist congregation. The MOU also specifically includes within Unitarian Universalist chartered troops humanism as an acceptable form of spirituality as well as Earth-centered religions. In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale that Boy Scouts and all similar, private voluntary organizations have

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996-513: A person's sexuality. Gay rights groups hailed the decision, but vowed to press on until all gay members were accepted. Some churches and conservative members threatened to quit the Boy Scouts in response. On June 12, 2013, the Southern Baptist Convention passed non-binding resolutions urging the BSA not to change their policy. In September 2013, a new scouting group called Trail Life USA

1079-431: A series of tests of strength, agility, coordination, and problem-solving, individually and within groups. Scouts see nature as an adventurous place, and it is expected that when they get older the experience from their youth will make them nature lovers. Scouts envisage nature as a heritage. "On breaking up camp leave two things behind you: 1. Nothing. 2. Your thanks." — Lord Baden-Powell in 1919. The National Council

1162-441: A small, one-room building with a wood-burning stove , still stands, as well as other parts of the original camp. Akelaland had a swimming pool, shooting ranges (for archery and BB guns ), an 18-hole miniature golf course, health lodge, trading post, dining hall, parade field, shower houses, and an activities field. The camp also has a waterfront for boating and fishing at Lake Trexler. Settlers Camp, Trexler Scout Reservation

1245-521: Is Wood Badge , focused on helping participants develop leadership skills while participating in an outdoor program over five days. Some councils offer high-adventure training for adults using the Powder Horn program. Leaders can also take the Seabadge advanced leadership and management course. Scout youth leaders may attend the unit-level Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops. Local councils offer

1328-651: Is a gathering of Scouts and Venturers from across the US. It is usually held every four years, with some adjustment for special years such as the 2010 National Scout Jamboree that celebrated the BSA centennial. The first jamboree was held in 1937 at the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. There were 27,232 Scouts and Leaders present at the first National Jamboree. In 1950, the Boy Scouts of America hosted their second National Jamboree at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania . The event

1411-625: Is required for the latter 3 ranks, plus other requirements. Certain ranks require specific merit badges and leadership positions. Eagle Scout is the highest rank one can receive in Scouts BSA. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than two million youth. Requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges and demonstrating Scout Spirit through the Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership, all before or by age 18. This includes an extensive service project that

1494-564: Is required on almost all courses of any size. All zip-line cables have some degree of sag, so the proper tensioning of a cable is important and allows tuning the ride of a zip-line. The world's longest zip-line that opened on 28 September 2024 is the K3 of the SA Forest Adventures in Caledon , South Africa . It is a single cable of 3.2 km reaching speeds up to 120km/h. From 31 January 2018 it

1577-638: Is strongly encouraged to complete a general overview training called This is Scouting , and a Fast Start training specific to his/her program level. Position-specific training is required for all direct-contact leaders. Upon completion of basic training, a leader may wear the Trained emblem on his/her BSA uniform. Supplemental skill-specific training is also available to BSA volunteers to gain knowledge in outdoors skills including camping, hiking, first aid, Leave No Trace, swim safety, climbing safety, hazardous weather, and other skills. The highest level of BSA training

1660-725: Is the second-longest span, with "El Monstruo" at Orocovis in Puerto Rico coming in third, at 2,530 m (8,300 ft). The Skywire at Bluewater in Kent is the longest in England at 725 metres (2,379 ft). The longest zip-line in Europe, at 2,300 metres (7,500 ft), is the Sternsauser in Hoch-Ybrig , Switzerland. The Zip World Bethesda line in Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda , Wales holds

1743-754: Is the corporate membership of the Boy Scouts of America and consists of volunteer Scouters who meet annually. The day-to-day operations of the National Council are administered by the Chief Scout Executive and other national professional staff. National Council members include volunteers who are elected national officers and executive board members, regional presidents, the local council representatives, members at large, and honorary members. The national headquarters has been in Irving, Texas since 1979. Zip-line Ropeways or aerial cables have been used as

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1826-430: Is to "prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." Youth are trained in responsible citizenship, character development, and self-reliance through participation in a wide range of outdoor activities, educational programs, and, at older age levels, career-oriented programs in partnership with community organizations. For younger members,

1909-452: Is usually done by simply pushing or pulling it via a short wire back to the top of the hill on foot. Longer and higher rides are often used as a means of accessing remote areas, such as a rainforest canopy . In the 1970s, wildlife biologists set up zip-lines as a way to study and explore the dense rainforests of Costa Rica without disturbing the environment. The business idea for zip-line canopy tours developed from these. Darren Hreniuk,

1992-472: The 2013 National Scout Jamboree . The Boy Scouts of America operates several high-adventure bases at the national level. Each offers a wide range of programs and training; a typical core program may include sailing, wilderness canoeing or wilderness backpacking and camping trips. These bases are administered by the High Adventure Division of the National Council. Current high-adventure bases of

2075-787: The Ladakh region of India. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in the use of aerial ropeways for transporting cargo, partly due to their low energy requirements and environmental impact. Gravity-fed types, i.e. zip-lines, have been built in Nepal , Latin America and India. Ziplines have also been used as a means of transporting items in Australian regions in the past. These may include ammunition, weapons, tools, food, and mail. Zip-lines may be designed for children 's play and found on some adventure playgrounds . Inclines are fairly shallow and so

2158-473: The Middle Ages improved the power-line's ropeways, some of which were still assisted by gravity. The first recorded use of the zip-line as a form of entertainment was possibly in 1739, when Robert Cadman , a steeplejack and rope slider , died when descending from Shrewsbury's St Mary's Church when his rope snapped. In literature, one appears in H. G. Wells 's 1897 novel The Invisible Man as part of

2241-549: The Red Cross , Little League Baseball , and the National Academy of Sciences . The federal incorporation was originally construed primarily as an honor; however, it does grant the chartered organization some special privileges and rights, including freedom from antitrust and monopoly regulation and complete control over the organization's symbols and insignia, though it neither implies nor accords Congress any special control over

2324-1044: The Scout method is part of the program to instill typical Scouting values such as trustworthiness, good citizenship, and outdoors skills, through a variety of activities such as camping, aquatics, and hiking. To further these outdoor activities, the BSA has four high-adventure bases : Northern Tier ( Minnesota , Manitoba , and Ontario ), Philmont Scout Ranch ( New Mexico ), Sea Base ( Florida Keys , US Virgin Islands , and Bahamas ), and Summit Bechtel Reserve ( West Virginia ), as well as nearly 100 camps and reservations dedicated to scouts. The main Scouting divisions are Cub Scouting for ages 5 to 11 years, Scouts BSA for ages 10 to 18, Venturing for ages 14 through 21, and Sea Scouts for ages 14 through 21. The BSA operates Scouting by chartering local organizations, such as churches, clubs, civic associations, or educational organizations, to implement

2407-409: The Scout method , with variations that are designed to be appropriate for the age and maturity of each membership division. Cub Scouts wear a uniform that gives each Scout a level of identity within the den, the pack and the community. The Scouts learn teamwork by meeting and working together in a den of four to ten boys or girls under adult leadership. They learn and apply the ideals codified in

2490-754: The Woodcraft Indians started by Ernest Thompson Seton in 1902 in Cos Cob, Connecticut , and the Sons of Daniel Boone founded by Daniel Carter Beard in 1905 in Cincinnati , Ohio. , two notable independent scouting predecessors of BSA within the United States. In 1907, Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in England using elements of Seton's works among other influences. In 1909, Chicago publisher W. D. Boyce

2573-423: The 1,400-member BSA National Council voted to remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation while emphasizing that any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is not allowed. The resolution went into effect on January 1, 2014, but Scout leaders who were "open and avowed homosexuals" were still prohibited. The policy specifically states that BSA does not inquire into

Minsi Trails Council - Misplaced Pages Continue

2656-555: The Anthracite Scouting Organization joined the lodge. This was a result of the organization becoming a new district in the Minsi Trails Council. In 1994, Witauchsoman re-established chapters. Each of the council's five Scouting districts operates a chapter. Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America ( BSA , colloquially the Boy Scouts ) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of

2739-647: The Arrow . Witauchsoman means "to be in fellowship with somebody". In 1928, thirteen years after the introduction of the Order of the Arrow into Scouting, Minsi Lodge #5 emerged. The Minsi Lodge served the Lehigh Council that operated Trexler Scout Reservation at the time. In 1936, the Pohopoco Lodge #44 replaced the Minsi Lodge. For thirty-three years the Pohopoco Lodge acted as a pilot lodge, helping to start new lodges in

2822-488: The Australian outback , zip-lines were sometimes used for delivering necessities to people working in or on the other side of a valley, and they may have been used in conflicts by Australian troops to deliver food, mail and even ammunition to forward positions. Yungas , Bolivia, features a system of zip-lines used for transporting harvested crops, mainly coca , across a valley 200 m below. They can also be seen in

2905-473: The BSA announced that girls would be allowed to become Cub Scouts, starting in 2018, and be a part of the Scouts BSA Program, starting on February 1, 2019. BSA's religious requirements of its members have been controversial and inconsistent. Many volunteers within the BSA organization believe that atheists and agnostics are welcome, and because of this, in many troops they are. However, in 2018,

2988-472: The BSA's Learning for Life, membership in the regular BSA programs had been more restricted and controversial. Until the late 2010s, Cub Scouting or the program then-named Boy Scouting was open to boys only, but girls were permitted to join the Venturing, Sea Scouting, and Explorers programs in 1970. Women could also serve as adult volunteers in all programs in approximately the same time frame. On October 11, 2017,

3071-542: The BSA's mission: "Each generation as it comes to maturity has no more important duty than that of teaching high ideals and proper behavior to the generation which follows." The current mission statement of the BSA is "to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." At its peak, Boy Scouts had an active membership of over 4 million youth in 1973. Today, popularity in outdoor events has waned and membership has dropped. However, BSA remains

3154-595: The BSA, which remains free to function independently. Boy Scouts of America uses four primary programs to achieve its aims in Scouting: There are about 100,000 physically or mentally disabled Scouts throughout the United States. Anyone certified as disabled "may enroll in Scouting and remain in its program beyond the regulation age limits. This provision allows all members to advance in Scouting as far as they wish." The Boy Scouts of America offers several other programs and subprograms beyond regular membership: Unlike

3237-406: The Boy Scouts of America include Philmont Scout Ranch , Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases , Florida National High Adventure Sea Base , and The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve . The BSA offers a wide variety of mandatory and optional training programs in youth protection, outdoor skills and leadership. Every adult leader must complete Youth Protection Training , and then

3320-454: The Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board "reaffirm[ed] its unequivocal commitment to the Declaration of Religious Principle as a fundamental component of the mission of the Boy Scouts of America". At the same meeting, it also stated that "[t]he recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgement of His favors and blessings are necessary to

3403-505: The Boy Scouts of America announced that girls would be welcomed into Cub Scouts beginning in late 2018, with an early adopter program beginning on January 15, 2018, in councils that wished to participate early. The announcement included the statement that girls in Cub Scouting will simply be called "Cub Scouts". The flagship program of Boy Scouts of America, previously known as "Boy Scouting", became known as Scouts BSA on February 1, 2019, when

Minsi Trails Council - Misplaced Pages Continue

3486-538: The National Camping Schools. After successfully completing a week-long program, a person is entitled to wear the National Camping School patch. The regular-size patch may be worn on the right breast shirt pocket, in the temporary patch spot. National Camping School certification is valid for five years. COPE, which stands for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience, is a program that consists of

3569-701: The Northeast presented a resolution that "would allow individual units to accept gays as adult leaders". However, in July 2012, at the culmination of a review started in 2010, an 11-person committee convened by the BSA reached a "unanimous consensus" recommending retaining the current policy. Intel , UPS , and Merck cut financial ties with the BSA over the policy decision. Within the BSA National Executive Board, members James Turley, CEO of Ernst & Young , and Randall Stephenson , CEO of AT&T and who

3652-803: The Poconos by the readers of the Pocono Record in the newspaper's 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017 "Reader's Choice" contests. The camp was featured in Scouting and Men's Health magazines in 2015.            Until 2023, Minsi Trails Council owned and maintained the Trexler Scout Reservation, which opened in the late 1920s. Akelaland ( Cub Scout ) camp and Settlers Camp (Scouts BSA camp) shared this 900+acre (3.6 km2) Scout Reservation in Jonas, Pennsylvania. In 2022,

3735-580: The Scout Law, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight." -Scout Oath "A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent." -Scout Law The objectives of the BSA are referred to as the Aims and Methods of Scouting : Character, Citizenship, Personal Fitness, Leadership. The BSA pursues these aims through an informal education system called

3818-565: The Scout Oath and the Scout Law through an advancement system using age-based ranks earned by completing required and elective adventures. Some advancement is done in the home and is intended to involve the entire family and many Cub Scout activities include family members. In the Scouts BSA program, Scouts learn to use the ideals spelled out in the Scout Oath , the Scout Law , the Outdoor Code ,

3901-591: The Scout motto ("Be prepared"), and the Scout slogan ("Do a good turn daily"). They wear a uniform and work together in patrols of four to ten Scouts with an elected patrol leader, who then appoints an assistant patrol leader. Scouts share responsibilities, apply skills learned at meetings and live together in the outdoors. The advancement system provides opportunities for personal growth and self-reliance. Scouts interact with adult leaders who act as role models and mentors, but they are expected to plan their own activities within

3984-465: The Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. Eagle Scouts are presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes the accomplishments of the Scout. Additional recognition can be earned through Eagle Palms, awarded for completing additional tenure, leadership, and merit badge requirements. Upon the introduction of girls into Scouts BSA in February 2019, a temporary time extension for Eagle rank

4067-697: The Scouting program for youth within their communities. Units are led by volunteers appointed by the chartering organization, who are supported by local councils using both paid professional Scouters and volunteers. Additionally, Learning for Life is an affiliate that provides in-school and career education. In 2019, the Boy Scouts of America renamed its flagship program, Boy Scouts, to Scouts BSA to reflect its policy change allowing girls to join separate, gender-specific troops. In 2023, BSA agreed to pay $ 2.46 billion to settle claims by some 82,000 former Boy Scouts who said they had been sexually abused by BSA officials and volunteers. On May 7, 2024, BSA announced that

4150-546: The US, Boyce was inspired by his experience and incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910. Edgar M. Robinson and Lee F. Hanmer became interested in the nascent BSA and convinced Boyce to turn the program over to the YMCA for development in April 1910. Robinson enlisted Seton, Beard, Charles Eastman , and other prominent leaders in the early youth movements. Former president Theodore Roosevelt , who had long complained of

4233-525: The Venturer to teach what they have learned to others, thereby returning the skill and knowledge back to the community and enabling the Venturer to master those skills. In October 2012, the National Council announced that, as a result of the findings and recommendations of a select committee made up of volunteer Scouters, the Cub Scout and Venturing programs would transition to use of the Scout Oath and Law, and in

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4316-686: The advanced National Youth Leadership Training and the National Council offers the National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience conducted at Philmont Training Center. The Boy Scouts of America also offers the NYLT Leadership Academy which trains youth staff members from across the country for council-level NYLT courses. Venturers and Sea Scouts may attend the unit-level Introduction to Leadership Skills for Crews or Introduction to Leadership Skills for Ships. Crew officers can attend Crew Officer Orientation, and then

4399-730: The area. The other lodges were the Tunkhannock Lodge #476 of the Bethlehem Area Council operating Camp Minsi, and the Ah'Pace Lodge #58 of the Delaware Valley Area Council operating Camp Weygadt. The tri-merger of the councils and their lodges resulted in Witauchsoman Lodge #44. The totem of the lodge is three peace pipes (symbolizing the three predecessor lodges) strong on a bow. In 1980, a new chapter that formerly served

4482-513: The best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members" . This position is inconsistent with the fact that the BSA has had Buddhist troops since 1920, and Buddhism is a nontheistic religion which does not assert belief in a creator God . The BSA also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Unitarian Universalist Association in 2016 which specifically gives ultimate authority over

4565-738: The camp is Stillwater Lake. The lake provides opportunities for swimming, small-boat sailing, canoeing , rowing , kayaking , fishing , standup paddleboarding , boardsailing , blobbing and other aquatic activities. Camp Minsi's first-year camper program is known as the Trail to Adventure (TTA). The camp's ScoutCraft area teaches outdoor skills - while the unique Minsi Village and Voyageur Outpost areas provide hands-on living history with focuses on primitive outdoor skills, blacksmithing , woodsmithing , lumberjacking , Native American culture , archaeology , pioneering , branding , games, crafts, and cooking. The camp's Handicraft area allows Scouts to experience

4648-438: The cargo or rider to attach to the pulley system. This could include a harness, seat, a cabin or often just a handhold in smaller playground applications, that attaches to the pulley by a pivoting link or carabiner which secures the load, allowing the person or cargo to travel down the line. To be propelled by gravity, the cable needs to be on a fairly steep slope. Even then, the rider or cargo will often not travel completely to

4731-402: The case of the Venturers, the Boy Scout three-finger salute and sign as well. The Venturing change occurred in May 2014; and the Cub Scout change in mid-2015. There are seven ranks that a Scout in the Scouts BSA program may attain (note that Eagle Palms are not considered ranks ). To obtain a rank, a Scout must complete the requirements for that rank, as well as have a Scoutmaster Conference and

4814-405: The constitutionally protected right under the First Amendment of freedom of association to set membership standards. In 2004, the BSA adopted a new policy statement, including a "Youth Leadership" policy that disallowed members to continue in leadership positions in the event they were to hold themselves out as "open and avowed homosexuals. At the Scouts annual meeting in April 2012, a leader from

4897-435: The council announced it would sell the property in order to raise needed funds. On May 25, 2023 it was announced that the Trexler Veterans Initiative would be purchasing the property. The former Trexler Scout Reservation was located on 900 acres of land in Jonas, Pennsylvania. This tract of land was parceled together and donated by noted WW1 General and Lehigh Valley philanthropist Harry C. Trexler with Scouts first enjoying

4980-1099: The crafts of woodcarving , leather crafting , basketry , pottery , art , textiles and model building . The camp's Ecology-Conservation area offers environmental programs and nature studies. The Shooting Sports area allows Scouts to shoot rifles , shotguns , and bows and arrows . Other program areas include programs focused on citizenship and communications, health and safety, trade skills, sports and athletics, and adult leadership training. In addition to its traditional Scouts BSA program areas, Camp Minsi offers high adventure programs for Venturers and older Scouts. High adventure offerings include whitewater rafting , mountain biking, horseback riding , treetop adventures and zip-lining , and other activities both on, and off, site. Camp Minsi has over 20 buildings, 11 established troop sites, 10 primitive outpost sites, four freshwater springs, miles of trails and several historical and natural points of interest. The camp has been named "Best Campground", "Best Non-Profit", "Best Fishing Trip", "Best River Rafting / River Trip", and "Best Kayaks" in

5063-541: The decline in American manhood, became an ardent supporter. In January 1911, Robinson turned the movement over to James E. West who became the first Chief Scout Executive and Scouting began to expand in the US Among other programs in the US, the Woodcraft Indians and Sons of Daniel Boone, eventually merged with the BSA. The BSA's stated purpose at its incorporation in 1910 was "to teach [boys] patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred values." Later, in 1937, Deputy Chief Scout Executive George J. Fisher expressed

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5146-422: The early 20th century. With the migration of families from farms to cities, there were concerns among some people that young men were no longer learning patriotism, self-reliance, and individualism. Several groups attempted to fill this void. The YMCA was an early promoter of reforms for young men with a focus on social welfare and programs of mental, physical, social and religious development. Others, included

5229-408: The end (although this will depend on the load ), and some means of safely stopping the car at the bottom end is usually needed with the larger zip-lines. Users of zip-lines must have some means of stopping themselves. Typical mechanisms include: There are certain precautions that can be taken. Riders are physically attached to the cable by a harness which attaches to a removable trolley. A helmet

5312-510: The ground to near the treetops. Canopy tours are largely marketed under the banner of ecotourism , although the environmental impact of any type of zip-line is a disputed topic. The terminology varies (canopy tour, zip-lining, flying fox), and the distinction between using zip-lines for ecotourism and zip-lining as an adventure sport is often not clear. Zip-line tours are now popular vacation activities, found both at upscale resorts and at outdoor adventure camps, where they may be an element on

5395-485: The largest scouting organization and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants and about one million adult volunteers as of 2021 . The purposes of the corporation are to promote, through organization, and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in scoutcraft , and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues, using

5478-417: The largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including 176,000 female participants. The BSA was founded in 1910; about 130 million Americans have participated in its programs, which are served by 477,000 adult volunteers. BSA became a founding member organization of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1922. The stated mission of the Boy Scouts of America

5561-449: The leadership of 5,000 adult volunteers. The council was formed in 1969, after the merger of the Bethlehem Area Council, Delaware Valley Area Council, and Lehigh Council. The council consists of six districts and maintains two camping properties: Camp Minsi in Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania , and Trexler Scout Reservation in Jonas, Pennsylvania . Combined, these camps serve more than 4,000 campers annually. The Minsi Trails Council maintains

5644-545: The matter to the National Executive Board. On July 27, 2015, the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board voted to lift the organization's blanket ban on openly gay leaders and employees. Local chartering organizations are still permitted to set their own standards based on religious principle for selecting the adult volunteers for their unit. On January 30, 2017, the Boy Scouts of America announced that transgender children who identify as boys would be allowed to enroll in boys-only programs, effective immediately. Previously,

5727-449: The methods that were in common use by boy scouts on June 15, 1916. 36 U.S.C.   § 30902 The BSA holds one of the comparatively rare congressional charters under Title 36 of the United States Code . On behalf of the BSA, Paul Sleman, Colin H. Livingstone, Ernest S. Martin, and James E. West successfully lobbied Congress for a federal charter for the BSA which President Woodrow Wilson signed on June 15, 1916. One of

5810-420: The organization will change its name to Scouting America . While the name change will officially go into effect on February 8, 2025, on its 115th anniversary, all are encouraged to use the name immediately. The Scout Oath, Law and program will remain unchanged. The uniforms will also remain the same but will be embroidered with the new name. The progressive movement in the United States was at its height during

5893-409: The principal reasons for seeking a congressional charter was to deal with competition from other Scout organizations including the United States Boy Scouts and the Lone Scouts of America . The 1916 statute of incorporation established this institution among a small number of similarly chartered patriotic and national organizations, such as the Girl Scouts , Civil Air Patrol , the American Legion ,

5976-461: The program opened to girls. Members of Scouts BSA are known as "Scouts BSA" or "Scouts". On November 6, 2018, the GSUSA filed a federal trademark lawsuit seeking to block the BSA from rebranding itself simply as "Scouts"; this is not the first time the two organizations have legally contested the use of the term scout . "On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty, to God and my country, and to obey

6059-413: The property in 1926, and in 1928 the camp held its first official BSA summer camp program. Akelaland was a Cub Scout resident camp located within Trexler Scout Reservation. Formerly it was the "Pioneer Camp", Minsi Trails Council's rustic Scout camp which encompassed over 200 acres (81 ha) of the reservation. In the mid-1980s, the camp was converted to a Cub Scout resident camp. The Pioneer building,

6142-505: The sex listed on an applicant's birth certificate determined eligibility for these programs; going forward, the decision would be based on the gender listed on the application. Joe Maldonado became the first openly transgender child identifying as a boy to join the Scouts on February 7, 2017. In 2016, he was rejected from the Boy Scouts for being transgender, but the policy was changed after his story became nationally known. On October 11, 2017,

6225-452: The speeds kept relatively low, negating the need for a means of stopping. The term "flying fox" is commonly used in reference to such a small-scale zip-line in Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland. With playground equipment, the pulleys are fixed to the cable, the user typically hanging onto a handgrip underneath, but occasionally including a seat or a safety strap. Return of the grip or seat

6308-715: The troop and to participate in community service. Venturers are expected to know and live by the Scout Oath and Law. Before May 2014, members of the Venturing program followed the now discontinued Venturing Oath and Venturing Code . Venturers associate and work directly with adults advisors, but the crew is led by elected youth officers who are given opportunities to learn and apply leadership skills. Venturers plan and participate in interdependent group experiences dependent on cooperation. An emphasis on high adventure provides opportunities for team-building and practical leadership applications. A series of awards provide opportunities for recognition and personal growth. Each award requires

6391-753: Was allowed for up to 2 years for all scouts who were older than 16 but not yet 18 years of age on February 1, 2019. Of the 21 merit badges Eagle Scouts are required to earn, 14 of the badges must include: First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Citizenship in Society, Communication, Cooking, Personal Fitness, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science OR Sustainability, Personal Management, Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling, Camping, and Family Life. The National Scout Jamboree

6474-457: Was created, in support of what founders call "traditional, Christian" scouting. Subsequently, some Christian denomination congregations replaced their Boy Scouts of America troops with those of Trail Life USA. In May 2015, Boy Scouts of America President Robert Gates said it was time to end the ban on gay leaders. Gates said it "cannot be sustained" any longer. On July 10, 2015, the Boy Scouts of America Executive Committee agreed, and referred

6557-712: Was the 'Jebel Jais Flight' from one of the peaks of the Jebel Jais mountain in Ras Al Khaimah , United Arab Emirates, with a single unbroken span of 2,831.88 metres (9,290.9 ft). The ride was temporarily closed pending the outcome into an investigation into the crash of an Agusta 139 rescue helicopter on 29 December 2018, killing all on board. It is believed to have clipped one of the cables. The ride has since re-opened. The "Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre" at 2,545 m (8,350 ft) in Copper Canyon , Mexico,

6640-513: Was the Scouts BSA resident Camp portion of the Reservation. It contained three separate ranges, a rifle, a shotgun, and an archery range, a Disk Golf Course, a Gaga Ball Pit, eight program areas of activities, a developed Aquatics program at its Waterfront on Lake Trexler, and a fully featured C.O.P.E./High Adventure Action Center Area. Minsi Trails Council is home to the Witauchsoman Lodge of the Order of

6723-502: Was then "on track to become president of the Scout's national board in 2014" and later was, publicly opposed the policy and stated their intention "to work from within the BSA Board to actively encourage dialogue and sustainable progress" in changing the policy. On January 28, 2013, the BSA announced it was considering rescinding the ban on homosexuals, allowing chartered organizations to determine local policy. On May 23, 2013, over 60% of

6806-432: Was to commemorate the organization's 40th anniversary. Since then, jamborees have been held in varying locations. From 1981 until 2010, the jamboree was held at Fort A.P. Hill , Virginia . A permanent location owned by the BSA was sought in 2008 for future jamborees, high adventure programs and training. The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve near Beckley, West Virginia , is now the permanent site beginning with

6889-567: Was visiting London, where he encountered a boy who came to be known as the Unknown Scout . Boyce was lost on a foggy street when an unknown Scout came to his aid, guiding him to his destination. The boy then refused Boyce's tip, explaining that he was a Boy Scout and was merely doing his daily good turn. Interested in the Boy Scouts, Boyce met with staff at the Boy Scouts Headquarters and, by some accounts, Baden-Powell. Upon his return to

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