Westchester-Putnam Council Boy Scouts of America Registers First Girl Den in Yorktown
The Westchester-Putnam Council Boy Scouts of America has its first official girl den. Six girls, ages 9 and 10, have been registered and will form a single gender den of “Webelos” as part of Pack 164, Yorktown Heights.
The girls, many of whom have been unofficially participating in Cub Scouting with their families for years, will now be able to officially earn rank advancement. They all had their own reasons for joining. Kelly G. said “It’s a brand new opportunity that I am one of the first to experience.”
When asked what made her want to join Cub Scouts Keira M. said, “I’m most looking forward to doing the activities and not just helping out.” Chloe O. added, “I want to try what the boys do and see how it’s different than Girl Scouts.”
Elaine Griffiths, the Den Leader for the new girl den, pointed out that three of the six girls are in the Girl Scouts and will continue to do both.
The goal of the Westchester-Putnam Council is to provide a program that the entire family can participate in. “Scouting is about family and our Mission is to help young people become better adults. Including girls into our program allows us to continue and expand our Mission”, Rich Stockton, Scout Executive.
Family Scouting, as it’s known, is being introduced in response to overwhelming requests from families with daughters interested in the Cub Scout program. Research shows 90 percent of parents are interested in getting their daughters involved in a program like Cub Scouts.
The new den is part of an early adopter program aimed at addressing logistical issues prior to the official launch of the Family Scouting program in the fall.
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