EL DORADO — “I like to call it an investment in our future leaders,” said Ted Woodlock, the new scout executive for the De Soto Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. “Other people may call it expenses — but we are investing in our youth who will be contributing members of the community.”
Woodlock spoke to the El Dorado Kiwanis Club Wednesday on his history with the program and on some of the changes made in the scouting world over the years. A native of Fredonia, N.Y. and graduate of Missouri Valley College with a degree in human service agency management, he began his scouting career at the Northwest Suburban Council in Mount Prospect, Ill. Scouting then brought him to councils in Delaware, Ohio and Washington before he accepted the position in El Dorado. “It’s great to be here in the De Soto Area Council,” he said. “I started here on May 1st so I’m a few months in now. It’s a very exciting time to be in scouting.”
Since its inception in the early 1900’s, the Boy Scouts of America has had to evolve with the times. “We’re always looking at new things and trying new things,” said Woodlock. He attributes the recent rise in membership to some of the changes made and new programs being offered. In previous years, cub scouts had an oath and law separate from the boy scouts. He said “We don’t have that anymore. It’s just one oath and law now. There’s no learning something different anymore when going from cub scouts to boy scouts.”
In addition to the more familiar cub scouts and boy scouts, new programs have been added and old programs have been revived. Varsity scouting is an athletic-based program that still follows the traditional rankings but scouts have the opportunity to receive a varsity letter and pin. Venture scouting is a new “old” program of the Boy Scouts of America. Originally part of the exploring division, it has become a program focused on providing positive experiences to help scouts mature into responsible and caring adults, according to the Boy Scouts of America website. Woodlock said that the De Soto Area Council currently has cub, boy and venture scout programs but is looking forward to the