Baden-Powell Service Association (United States)

The Baden-Powell Service Association (BPSA) is a co-ed scouting organization in the United States that takes its name from the Scouting movement founder, Robert Baden-Powell.[5] The BPSA is a member of the World Federation of Independent Scouts (WFIS).[4]

This article is about the present-day Scouting organization. For similarly-named defunct group that operated in the United States from 2002 to around 2010, see Baden-Powell Scouts' Association.
Baden-Powell Service Association
HeadquartersPortland, Oregon
CountryUnited States
Founded2006 (2006)[1]
FounderCraig Brown[2]
Membership80 Groups[2]
Chief CommissionerKristen Klever[3]
AffiliationWorld Federation of Independent Scouts[4]
Website
bpsa-us.org

History

The BPSA formed with an adult-only component, Rovers, in 2006. David Atchley, an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, joined up in 2008, after being asked to leave his local Greater St. Louis Area Council after attempting to create a non-discrimination policy for the Cub Scout pack he was Cubmaster for. He started forming youth units. In 2009, Atchley became commissioner.[1][6]

By 2011, the association had a handful of units.[5] BPSA reincorporated in 2012 plus added 35 more groups between then and July 2013.[7] In January 2013, a chapter was founded in Brooklyn, New York with 45 members, while a group in Portland, Oregon with 80 members and 30 registered leaders was founded that same month.[8][9] In 2014, after a Seattle, Washington United Methodist Church’s Boy Scout troop charter was revoked for having a gay leader, the troop moved to the BPSA.[10]

As of April 2016, the BPSA consists of 80 groups, with over 1,600 scouts in 35 states.[2]

Program

The BPSA is part of the world-wide Traditional Scouting movement designed to return Scouting to the basic principles laid out by Baden-Powell in 1907.[5] BPSA Otters and Timberwolves use a two finger salute same as Cub Scouts.[8]

A BPSA scout group is composed of up to four sections as follows:[1]

  • Otters (ages 5 to 8)
  • Timberwolves (8 to 11)
  • Pathfinders (11 to 17)
  • Rovers (18+)

Each section is led by a section leader and assistant section leader (who are also Rover scouts themselves), and the group is led by a Group Scoutmaster (also a Rover) and supported by an Auxiliary Committee, which assists the group in matters of finance, registrations, acquiring equipment, finding community-service opportunities, publicity, and so on.

BPSA's highest award for Pathfinders is the George Washington's Scout Award.[11] The highest award for Rovers is the Baden-Powell Award.[12]

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References
  1. Schremp Hahn, Valerie (6 December 2012). "Baden-Powell Service Association brings inclusiveness to scouting". Monterey Herald. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  2. "From the Campfire Ring - Episode 1". Soundcloud (Podcast). Baden-Powell Service Association. 23 April 2016. Event occurs at 8:40. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  3. @@BPSA_US (February 22, 2018). "On this #FoundersDay and #WorldThinkingDay , the @BPSA_US -is proud to introduce our new chief commissioner, Kristen Klever. Her two year term begins today. #traditionalscouting #scoutingforall" (Tweet). Retrieved June 26, 2018 – via Twitter.
  4. "Members". WFIS Americas. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  5. Hallowell, Billy (18 February 2013). "9 Faith-Based (and Secular) Alternatives to the Boy Scouts of America Amid Furor Over Gay Ban". The Blaze. AP. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  6. Thakkar, Neal (14 August 2012). "Take Five: David Atchley creates 'non-discriminatory' alternative to Boy Scouts". STL Beacon. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  7. Connor, Tracy (28 July 2013). "Wiccans, earth-lovers, do-gooders: There's a 'scouting' group for your kid". NBC News. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  8. Wollan, Malia (3 June 2013). "Earning Merit Badges and Learning Knots Under New Flags". The New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  9. McDonough, Katie (11 January 2013). "Brooklyn dad welcomes girls, gay members to new scouts troop". Salon.com. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  10. "Boy Scouts' change of course is good news for local chapter". The Seattle Times. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  11. "Pathfinder". BPSA-US. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  12. "Rover". BPSA-US. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
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