Just prior to the start of my formal career with the Boy Scouts of America, I was approached by our Vice President of Camping; A motivated individual who felt strongly that our camps’ programs were stagnate and not focusing on our customer base. Recognizing that the primary customer in the Scouting movement are the young adults (kids), the Vice President reached out and asked for my input on camp program. Especially because I was only a youth at the time, I was inspired by his action and have tried to follow his lead throughout my life.
As I moved into the scouting movement professionally, I had the opportunity to continue working with that same Vice President; he established a motto: “Where the memories of the past meet the dreams of the future.” This is a powerful statement. It recognizes the history of our program and our desire to not lose that history, while also not being afraid to implement programs for the new generation of customers.
Through research, it was determined that our program lacked a focus on the older Scouts. Working with volunteers, we established and implemented a variety of programs, including:
- All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) program
- SCUBA Experiences & Training
- Welding
- S.T.E.M. Programs
- Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP)
- Advanced Shooting Opportunities
Christopher H. Collins 