Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
So far the only patches on the new district executive's uniform are the U.S. flag on the right shoulder and one depicting the Anthony Wayne Area Council on the left.
"I haven't had time to sew them all on," said Cora Ruth Northrop, who was hired as the Kosciusko District Executive for the Boy Scouts of America about a month ago.
Northrop, 26, lives in Huntington. She replaces Nick Christine, who accepted a forestry position in New Jersey.
The 80-year-old Kosciusko District is one of 11 (designated by county) served by the Anthony Wayne Area Council.
It's been a long time since a female executive was hired by the council and the district has never had one before.
Executive directors are salaried employees of the council and their job is to promote Boy Scouts of America in all its aspects.
Northrop, a former Venturers member who went on to become a troop's assistant scoutmaster and summer camp counselor, loves scouting because of its lessons.
"It teaches ethics and family values in an outdoor setting," she said of the organization.
Scouting has been good to Northrop in more ways than one. She met her husband of two months, J.H., a former Eagle Scout, through the program.
Northrop's eyes really light up when she talks about Venturing, the co-ed program geared for 14- to 20-year-olds. That's where the camping is primitive, survival skills are taught and the activities are a little tougher.
There are 15 members in three district Venturer units.
"It's hard to retain teens because of all their other interests, in sports, in band, as they prepare for college. Venturers is a great program, and they're missing out on it.
"They go caving, rock climbing, rappelling down cliffs, whitewater rafting. We may travel to Fort Wayne, Canada, Virginia - whatever the crews want to do."
Learning for Life, a co-ed, in-school scouting program, stresses life and career skills. Learning for Life has 415 participants.
It's the traditional all-boy programs, Cubs and Scouts, however, that remain the core of the organization.
Scouting works toward three aims: growth in moral strength and character, citizenship and fitness.
Men who were Scouts for five or more years as boys are more likely than men with no Scouting experience to graduate from high school, graduate from college and earn more than $50,000 annually, according to Boy Scout surveys.
In Kosciusko County, there are 33 units with 707 kids. They are still accepting members. Northrop's goal is have a total of 888 boys involved in Scouting this year. She intends to visit more classrooms soon.
Locall,y Ken Locke has the head volunteer position of district chairman and Cheryl Merchant is district commissioner.
Kosciusko County district committee has 25 members.
Many people will remember Jim Molebash, Kosciusko's district executive for more than 20 years. He continues to Scout as as the council's field director.
Although the tents may be the pop-up kind and automatic fire starters have replaced matches, neither the Scout Oath ("On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law. To help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight") nor the Scout Law ("A Scout is: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent") have changed since 1910.
The Anthony Wayne Area Council toll-free telephone number is 800-272-2922.
On the Net: www.bsa.scouting.org or www.awac or www.bsaawac.org
BSA is an United Way agency.
