Boy Scouts of America has two Explore posts, fire and police, in Albert Lea. These programs are open to 14- to 20-year-olds.

There are three Cub Scout packs (grades 1 through 5) and three Boy Scout troops (grade 6 through 18 years) in Albert Lea.

In the Southern Trails District, there are 40 scouting units: 19 Cubs, 15 Boy Scouts, two venturing and four explorer posts. That translates to 777 members and 292 volunteers.

Boy Scouts recruits year round. If it doesn’t work in September, when troops and packs typically have the big recruitment, they can still join now.

Two Cub camps are held in Albert Lea yearly. Last year, day camp at Edgewater Park had 80 youths and 41 adults attend. Fun with Son, an overnighter also held at Edgewater, had 46 pairs of Scouts and adults attend.

Webelos camp is held at Cedar Point near Fairmont and at Camp Cuyuna near Brainerd. Boy Scouts also own Camp Norseland near St. Peter.

Seventy-two Boy Scouts attended summer camp at Cuyuna this last year. There are Cub camps in Fairmont, Mankato and St. Peter and Webelos in Fairmont and at Cuyuna.

One of the most unique aspects of Scouting is related to community service. In Scouting, food is collected every spring with the Scouting for Food project to benefit those in need here in our area. This will be in March. Also every year, many additional community service hours are through Scouts as they advance to the next rank. Some have lasting value when done as an Eagle project, Scouting’s highest rank.

The Twin Valley Council had 36 Eagle Scouts last year; eight were in the Southern Trails District.

For over 99 years the BSA has been providing values and character education to young people throughout south central Minnesota. Scouting continues to be a positive vehicle designed to help young men and women grow up into good American citizens and responsible adults. In 2010 Scouts will celebrate their centennial.

What happens to a Scout? For every 100 boys who join Scouting, records indicate that:

Rarely will one be brought before the juvenile court system.

Two will become Eagle Scouts.

17 will become future Scout volunteers.

12 will have their first contact with a church.

One will enter the clergy.

Five will earn their church award.

18 will develop a hobby that will last through their adult life.

Eight will enter a vocation that was learned through the merit badge system.

One will use his Scouting skills to save his own life.

One will use his Scouting skills to save the life of another person.

Scouts also account for:

26 of the first 29 astronauts.

Every man to have walked on the moon was an Eagle Scout.

80 percent of the graduates from all U.S. military academies were Scouts.

There are more than 30 Eagle Scouts in the U.S. Congress.

Famous Eagle Scouts: Henry Aaron, Neil Armstrong, Willie Banks, Gerald Ford, Steven Spielberg.

Other famous scouts: George W. Bush, Walter Cronkite, Harrison Ford, Bill Gates, John F. Kennedy, Paul McCartney, Eddie Rabbitt, Howard K. Smith and George Strait.

Kids are out having a good time climbing, hiking, and camping while leaders sneak in the values and education that will continue to influence them throughout their lifetime.