The Boy Scouts of America’s Grand Canyon Council (GCC), an independent nonprofit organization chartered by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in Ariz., is celebrating an amazing milestone – 100 years of scouting! The organization has been supporting Scouts in Arizona since 1921.
Three fun-filled Centennial Celebrations will be offered this year and are open to everyone, not just Scouts. The schedule kicks off Saturday, July 24 with a community picnic at Camp Geronimo. Located north of Payson in the Mogollon Rim on nearly 200 acres of forest and meadows, Camp Geronimo is a special, scenic spot. The festivities begin at 11 a.m. with exciting activities, including swimming, shooting and hiking local trails.
“This anniversary is a major accomplishment; for 100 years GCC has been supporting the future leaders of Arizona, providing outdoor adventures, teaching them outdoor skills and instilling the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law,” said Andy Price, CEO and Scout Executive of GCC. “Our centennial celebrations give us an opportunity to show appreciation to our Scouts and the community at large.”
Scouting in Arizona started with a handful of troops scattered across the state and has grown over 100 years to serve thousands of young men and women. Since the institution of BSA in Arizona, more than 48,000 young men have become Eagle Scouts. Just this year, the first groups of young women also earned their Eagle Scout designation; BSA all-women troops launched in 2019.
The celebrations continue on November 20 with the Centennial Pow-Wow, sponsored by the Order of the Arrow and held at the Heard Scout Pueblo. The Pow-Wow will showcase displays and host activities centered around the history of scouting.
The Heard Scout Pueblo will also host the Holiday Celebration, complete with luminaries, historic displays and more outdoor activities. Attendees can snack on smores and sip hot chocolate and ciders, while strolling a trail illuminated by holiday lights, then head inside to check out recent accomplishments of Arizona Scouts and play games with the whole family.
Centennial celebration activities are open to the public. They do require registration, but there are no fees to participate; to register visit www.grandcanyonbsa.org. Youth looking to get involved with BSA can visit www.BSAscout.org to learn more.
The Grand Canyon Council, Inc., Boy Scouts of America is a legally and financially independent nonprofit organization chartered by BSA to deliver Scouting programs throughout most of central and northern Arizona, a small part of southern Utah, and a small part of southwestern New Mexico. Their mission is to prepare young people make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
The Boy Scouts of America Programs
- Cub Scouting is a family and home-centered program for boys and girls who are in kindergarten through fifth grade.
- Scouts BSA is for boys and girls ages 11-18 and is designed to achieve BSA objectives through a vigorous outdoor program and peer group leadership with adult counsel. The Motto, “Be Prepared” is recognized worldwide.
- Venturing is a coed program that focuses on outdoor and hobby activities as well as peer leadership.
- Exploring is for young men and women, ages 14-20, that provides real opportunities to explore career choices and other vocational opportunities. This is accomplished in association with business and community partners as well as local school systems.
