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| Isabella Messer takes the ceremonial crossing |
At
12:01 a.m. on Friday, there were a group of girls from Windham, Raymond and
Naples who were bringing down the house at Camp Hinds in Raymond. In a non-traditional
ritual that made history, the girls ceremonially crossed over from Cub Scouts
into Scouts BSA. The newly formed Raymond troop 851 is the first group to make
this crossover.
“This
is monumental as it's the first time in the history of Boy Scouts of America
that girls can join the program formerly known as “Boy Scouts,” stated Alissa
Messer, wife of Scoutmaster, Jeff Messer.
Scouts
in Raymond’s Troop 851 will now begin their journey towards earning merit
badges and the rank of Eagle Scout. And, as their websites states will be among
the many former
Scouts who “sit on the boards of global corporations, walk the halls of the
White House and have been known to occasionally go hiking on the moon.”
Jeff Messer explained
that the girls, ages 10 to 18, started out as a co-ed group before the
crossover into Scouts BSA took place, but now the troops will remain separated among
boys and girls. “Scouts BSA is not a co-ed group,” Jeff explained further.
“There must be an all-female and an all-male troop.”
Jeff also shared how the newly-formed
Troop 851 named their group. “The new troop is linked to troop 800, thus the
number 8. They were also once a part of Pack 51 and the girls wanted to pay
homage to that, and thus the Raymond Troop 851 number was assigned.”
The Raymond Village
Community Church agreed to be the troop’s sponsor and will be the location
where they will hold their weekly meetings.
Briefly, the Council was
organized in 1919 and was known as the Portland Council. In 1933, the councils
in southern and central Maine merged to formally become the Pine Tree Council
with York county joining the organization in 1937. The Scouts BSA mission is to
prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by
instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
And for the first time
in its 100+ year history, the Boy Scouts of America is open to both young men
and young women. Scouts BSA is a year-round program for boys and girls in fifth
grade through high school that provides fun, adventure, learning, challenge,
and responsibility to help them become the best version of themselves.
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| Newly formed Raymond Troop 851 |
A
traditional ceremony of Raymond Troop 851’s crossover was held on Sunday,
February 3 in Raymond, at Camp William Hinds.
To
learn more about this troop or to become a member of the Pine Tree Council, go to
their website at www.pinetreebsa.org
or call 797-5252.
