| R 293 |
| 2024 -- H 8278 Enacted 05/15/2024 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| WELCOMING THE NARRAGANSETT COUNCIL, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, TO THE RHODE ISLAND STATE HOUSE AND JOYFULLY CELEBRATING SCOUTING MONTH IN FEBRUARY |
Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Ackerman, Phillips, Kennedy, Tanzi, Shallcross Smith, and Ajello |
| Date Introduced: May 15, 2024 |
| WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council BSA, like the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), was |
| founded in 1910, is one of the largest scouting and youth development organizations in the |
| region, with thousands of youth participants. Since the BSA’s beginning, approximately 130 |
| million Americans have participated in its programs nationwide, to the great benefit of our nation. |
| Through the years, countless youngsters have developed leadership skills and character, learned |
| how to be self-sufficient, as well as life-saving and career enhancing skills and have selflessly |
| served their local communities and made positive differences in the lives of countless people. In |
| celebration of Scouting month, a group of Narragansett Council Scouts and leaders are visiting |
| the Rhode Island State House today; and |
| WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council serves the entire State of Rhode Island along with |
| cities and towns in neighboring states, and tirelessly endeavors to be accessible to all Rhode |
| Islanders, regardless of their income or social status. In particular, they work to include |
| disadvantaged families within our State’s urban communities. In 2023, 1,398 new Scouts and |
| their families joined programs offered by the Narragansett Council; and |
| WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council makes a positive impact in the lives of countless |
| people within every single Rhode Island community. In 2023, 5,355 Scouts and their leaders |
| donated 25,197 community service hours, and 150,652 pounds of food were collected through |
| "Scouting For Food" and given to local food pantries; and |
| WHEREAS, Camping and environmental education have always been vital and integral |
| parts of the scouting experience. In 2023, at the nationally renowned Camp Yawgoog, run by the |
| Narragansett Council, there were 4,565 campers, with 133,072 meals served and 15,443 merit |
| badges earned. There were 239 boy troops and 54 girl troops attending Camp Yawgoog last year; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council also operates the highly successful Adventure |
| Base Camp at Camp Champlin in Cranston; and |
| WHEREAS, Camp Champlin’s year-round “Adventure Base Camp” delivers the youth |
| development, life skills, and leadership development programs of Scouting not just to thousands |
| of Scouts every year, but to all Rhode Island youth and families, focusing on unique outdoor |
| adventure program experiences; and |
| WHEREAS The Scouts are proposing a new, state-of-the-art “Leadership and Program |
| Center” at Camp Champlin that will serve youth and families statewide, positioning the Scouts to |
| augment the existing outdoor programs with an additional programs and training facility to |
| expand offerings year-round, especially during inclement weather; and |
| WHEREAS, The new, modern facility will feature large meeting space for up to 250 |
| people, a “Wet Lab” for STEM and environmental science programming, a video & tech lab as |
| well as the new headquarters for Narragansett Council for which the Scouts are seeking federal |
| funding to make improvements to water, sewer, and roads; and |
| WHEREAS, Throughout the year, the Narragansett Council offers many enriching, |
| rewarding and educational programs including Fire Explorer’s Academy, Law Enforcement |
| Explorer Academy, and Police Explorer Stations Day. All of these programs offer young people |
| the opportunity to participate in practical hands-on activities that explore possible career choices; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, Each year, the Narragansett Council also offers training classes on a variety |
| of important topics including Youth Protection Training, Leave No Trace & Outdoor Ethics |
| Classes, National Youth Leadership Training, and Introduction to Leadership Skills; and |
| WHEREAS, Since girls were officially welcomed into the Boy Scouts of America in |
| 2019, the Narragansett Council has enrolled 799 girls in Scouting as of December of 2023; and |
| WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council's more than 5,300 youth, and their families, |
| highly value the positive experiences and enriching educational opportunities the Narragansett |
| Council provides for them as they help to prepare their children to lead successful and rewarding |
| lives and to make a positive impact within their communities; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| welcomes the Narragansett Council, Scouts BSA to the Rhode Island State House, joyfully |
| celebrates Scouting month during the month of February and thanks the Scouts and their adult |
| volunteer leaders for all the good they do on a daily basis in the State of Rhode Island; and be it |
| further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Tim McCandless, Scout Executive and |
| CEO of the Narragansett Council BSA. |
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| LC004513 |
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