Thirty years ago, I was one of the first three women to join Orange County’s Scouting board. At that time, the board was made of some of Southern California’s most influential business leaders like George Argyros and General William Lyon.
I learned firsthand how the Boy Scouts taught lessons that resonate throughout a person’s life, including character building and values. The number of young Scouts earning their Eagle Scout designation is most impressive and is one of the most recognized achievements for our youth to carry with them.
I’m humbled to become the first female chair of the board. Times have changed for everyone, including the Boy Scouts. We now have 1,500 girls, who began joining Cub Scouts last year and Scouts BSA this year, in addition to 25,000 boys in our traditional Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Exploring programs.
We also serve about 40,000 additional children in our STEM education program for public schools and other youth agencies. We have more than 6,000 adult volunteers and an annual budget of $10.5 million.
Our programs empower children to live a life of responsibility and leadership, preparing them to thrive in a world of uncertainty.
To have the opportunity to affect the future of our youth to embrace what comes before them, to strive to become the best that they can be, to lead others through adversity, to be a positive role model in other’s lives, to create the foundation for living a life of integrity, is a rewarding endeavor for all of us that have the privilege to serve.
Our board’s effectiveness is only realized with the support and leadership of the staff, all of whom passionately live our mission to prepare our young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetime governed by the Scout Oath and Law.
For anyone that knows our impressive legacy, it is a momentous and pivotal time for Scouting and our council. It’s a defining time in our rich and transformative history, as it is across the nation, as the Boy Scouts of America transitions to become a complete Scouting family—embracing all of our communities’ youth through the character enriched programs serving boys and girls in single-gender programs.
The Boy Scouts of America recognizes and believes that we need to not only reflect the contemporary needs of our families’ desire to engage in events and activities with the entire family, but we need to lead the effort to structure our traditional program offerings to fit their busy lives to deliver character development and values-based leadership training in a safe and trusted environment, for boys and girls, alike—maintaining the family unity amidst the competing demands of their time and interests. We welcome youth and leaders regardless of sexual orientation.
We hope girls are inspired to become Eagle Scouts. For those girls who never had the opportunity to earn the nationally recognized, Eagle Scout designation that previously eluded all of us, we can now unite in the future, pending celebration of the next generation of Eagle Scout girls!
In the past five years, we’ve faced several local challenges, such as recovering from the devastating Canyon Fire 2 which caused $3 million in damage to the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center. This month, we will celebrate its 10th anniversary along with opening Adventure Hill and the Anaheim Ducks Quad Zipline. The latter is the largest such facility in the county that includes wheelchair accessible climbing wall and challenge/ropes course.
The Newport Sea Base has expanded its outreach programs to underserved communities along with developing renowned competitive rowing and sailing programs.
Last year, we held the 65th anniversary of the 1953 Jamboree for returning Scout participants including one who brought his tent from that week-long encampment that hosted 50,000 Scouts. For those who don’t know, our 1953 event, held at what is now Fashion Island in Newport Beach, is how Jamboree Road got its name.
Our most important issues going forward are to finish the funding effort for the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center; grow the endowment to expand programs for underserved youth; increase membership through a focus on Family Scouting; develop our board; and continue to build partnerships with public education and other youth serving organizations.
We will hold our council’s centennial celebration next year.
We look forward to the future with an unwavering commitment to focus our resources and energies to create new opportunities for developing life skills through quality program delivery in our traditional Scouting programs and to the broader community through programs at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center, Newport Sea Base, Schoepe Scout Reservation at Lost Valley, and Oso Lake Scout Camp.
Although many may see our programs based on camping, hiking, environmental education, and other outdoor activities, at the heart of all of our character building programs is our focus on leadership development, taking personal responsibility, ethical decision-making and service to others.
In Scouting, we teach our youth that what is important in life is not just what you are against, but what you stand for.
Who leads us is less important than what leads us. I like Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach’s saying: In youth we learn, in age we understand.
Conviction and courage are woven into the fabric of our Scouting programs. I’m honored and proud to serve Scouting and our members as the first female chair.
