2023 Council Annual Report
The Hoosier Trails Council of Scouting America was founded in 1973 to provide support to local Scouting programs in 18 counties in south-central Indiana.
The Hoosier Trails Council provides programs for youth ages 5 to 20.
MISSION STATEMENT – It is the mission of Scouting America 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.
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.
SCOUT LAW – A Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.
OUR VISION – To be south-central Indiana’s foremost youth program of instilling positive character traits and developing values-based leaders.
Diversity & Belonging Policy – The Hoosier Trails Council, Scouting America promotes a culture where each youth, volunteer, and employee feels a sense of belonging and builds communities where every person is respected and valued.
We lead by example and encourage each other to live by the values expressed by the Scout Oath and Scout Law. We welcome members and employees of all backgrounds to help prepare young people to serve as successful members and leaders of our nation’s increasingly diverse communities.
Scouting America is one of the nation’s largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. We deliver programs to our area youth that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of citizenship, and develops personal fitness. For over a century, Scouting America has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. Our experience demonstrates that helping youth is key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.
Scouting America is organized through collaborations with community-based organizations that receive national charters to implement the Scouting program as a part of their youth programming. These groups, which have goals compatible with those of the Scouting America, include school groups, churches, civic clubs, fraternal and business organizations, among others.
Cub Scouting – A family and home-centered program for boys and girls in Kindergarten through fifth grade. Cub Scouting’s emphasis is on quality program at the local level, where the most youth and families are involved. Fourth and fifth-grade (or 10-year-old) youth are called Webelos and participate in more advanced activities that begin to prepare them to become members of Scouts BSA.
Scouts BSA – A program for young men and women 11 through 17 designed to achieve the aims of Scouting through a vigorous outdoor program and peer group leadership with the counsel of an adult Scoutmaster.
Venturing – Venturing is for young men and young women ages 14 to 20. It includes challenging high-adventure activities, sports, and hobbies for teenagers that teach them leadership skills, provide opportunities to teach others, and give them an opportunity to learn and grow in a supporting, caring, and fun environment.
Great Scouting occurred in 2023, as there were great leadership training courses conducted, life-changing programs delivered (including a National Jamboree), and 64 Scouts earned their Eagle Scout Award, Scouting’s highest honor.
We were proud to grow our membership by 6%, and have an 8.5% gain in Scout units.
Our STEM afterschool Cub Scout programs were a tremendous success and we reached more than 900 youth through these programs, which also made our member much more diverse.
Our organization continued to struggle from results of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple revenue streams fell short of the targets, and the ending result was a $172,032 deficit in the operating budget. Primary shortfalls were experienced in Friends of Scouting, Popcorn Sales, Camping & Activity Revenue, and Participation Fees.
Plans were developed to overcome these challenges in the coming year.
