Island Park may lose its Boy Scouts

Island Park Boy Scout Troop 312 has been an active part of the community for many years. They have carried the colors proudly at many community events, helped clean up the beachfront and the sidewalks, worked with young children and seniors, won numerous accolades and awards and helped many boys earn their Eagle Scout badge.

But now Troop 312 may lose its charter because it does not have enough members. There are plenty of youngsters who are Cub Scouts in Pack 312 earning badges and hoping to one day become Boy Scouts. Scout leaders are afraid when the Cubs are old enough there won’t be a troop to advance to in Island Park.

Boys need to be 10 years of age, and have completed fifth grade. Scouts continue until they are 18.

Boy Scouts were incorporated in 1910. Over the years they have racked up some impressive statistics. The First Eagle Scout was Arthur R. Eldred who achieved that rank in 1912. The one millionth Eagle Scout was Alexander Holsinger in 1982, and the two millionth Eagle Scout was Anthony Thomas in 2009. There are 114,304,329 Scouts and 33,364,261 adult volunteers. 181 Scouts have become astronauts.

Scouts can earn a variety of badges including; first aid, swimming, camping, cooking and citizenship.

There is impressive list of college scholarship programs available to Scouts including three academic funds, one merit fund, six religious and two civic funds. In addition there are college specific scholarships including Adelphi University and Long Island University, C. W. Post Campus.