2024 -- S 3078 | |
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LC004700 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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S E N A T 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 | |
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Introduced By: Senators Acosta, E Morgan, Gu, Felag, LaMountain, Lauria, Gallo, | |
Date Introduced: May 16, 2024 | |
Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration | |
1 | WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council BSA, like the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), was |
2 | founded in 1910, is one of the largest scouting and youth development organizations in the |
3 | region, with thousands of youth participants. Since the BSA’s beginning, approximately 130 |
4 | million Americans have participated in its programs nationwide, to the great benefit of our nation. |
5 | Through the years, countless youngsters have developed leadership skills and character, learned |
6 | how to be self-sufficient, as well as life-saving and career enhancing skills and have selflessly |
7 | served their local communities and made positive differences in the lives of countless people. In |
8 | celebration of Scouting month, a group of Narragansett Council Scouts and leaders are visiting |
9 | the Rhode Island State House today; and |
10 | WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council serves the entire State of Rhode Island along with |
11 | cities and towns in neighboring states, and tirelessly endeavors to be accessible to all Rhode |
12 | Islanders, regardless of their income or social status. In particular, they work to include |
13 | disadvantaged families within our State’s urban communities. In 2023, 1,398 new Scouts and |
14 | their families joined programs offered by the Narragansett Council; and |
15 | WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council makes a positive impact in the lives of countless |
16 | people within every single Rhode Island community. In 2023, 5,355 Scouts and their leaders |
17 | donated 25,197 community service hours, and 150,652 pounds of food were collected through |
18 | "Scouting For Food" and given to local food pantries; and |
19 | WHEREAS, Camping and environmental education have always been vital and integral |
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1 | parts of the scouting experience. In 2023, at the nationally renowned Camp Yawgoog, run by the |
2 | Narragansett Council, there were 4,565 campers, with 133,072 meals served and 15,443 merit |
3 | badges earned. There were 239 boy troops and 54 girl troops attending Camp Yawgoog last year; |
4 | and |
5 | WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council also operates the highly successful Adventure |
6 | Base Camp at Camp Champlin in Cranston; and |
7 | WHEREAS, Camp Champlin’s year-round “Adventure Base Camp” delivers the youth |
8 | development, life skills, and leadership development programs of Scouting not just to thousands |
9 | of Scouts every year, but to all Rhode Island youth and families, focusing on unique outdoor |
10 | adventure program experiences; and |
11 | WHEREAS The Scouts are proposing a new, state-of-the-art “Leadership and Program |
12 | Center” at Camp Champlin that will serve youth and families statewide, positioning the Scouts to |
13 | augment the existing outdoor programs with an additional programs and training facility to |
14 | expand offerings year-round, especially during inclement weather; and |
15 | WHEREAS, The new, modern facility will feature large meeting space for up to 250 |
16 | people, a “Wet Lab” for STEM and environmental science programming, a video & tech lab as |
17 | well as the new headquarters for Narragansett Council for which the Scouts are seeking federal |
18 | funding to make improvements to water, sewer, and roads; and |
19 | WHEREAS, Throughout the year, the Narragansett Council offers many enriching, |
20 | rewarding and educational programs including Fire Explorer’s Academy, Law Enforcement |
21 | Explorer Academy, and Police Explorer Stations Day. All of these programs offer young people |
22 | the opportunity to participate in practical hands-on activities that explore possible career choices; |
23 | and |
24 | WHEREAS, Each year, the Narragansett Council also offers training classes on a variety |
25 | of important topics including Youth Protection Training, Leave No Trace & Outdoor Ethics |
26 | Classes, National Youth Leadership Training, and Introduction to Leadership Skills; and |
27 | WHEREAS, Since girls were officially welcomed into the Boy Scouts of America in |
28 | 2019, the Narragansett Council has enrolled 799 girls in Scouting as of December of 2023; and |
29 | WHEREAS, The Narragansett Council's more than 5,300 youth, and their families, |
30 | highly value the positive experiences and enriching educational opportunities the Narragansett |
31 | Council provides for them as they help to prepare their children to lead successful and rewarding |
32 | lives and to make a positive impact within their communities; now, therefore be it |
33 | RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby welcomes the |
34 | Narragansett Council, Scouts BSA to the Rhode Island State House, joyfully celebrates Scouting |
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1 | month during the month of February and thanks the Scouts and their adult volunteer leaders for |
2 | all the good they do on a daily basis in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further |
3 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
4 | transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Tim McCandless, Scout Executive and |
5 | CEO of the Narragansett Council BSA. |
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LC004700 | |
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