Today, at its national annual business meeting, the nearly 1,400 voting members of the Boy Scouts of America voted in favor of a resolution that eliminates any membership restriction for youth members related to sexual orientation. The Garden State Council welcomes and applauds this decision to deliver Scouting to all young people.

Over the past three months, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has engaged in the largest listening exercise in the organization's 103-year history. Through this listening exercise, input was solicited from the over 2 million families currently enrolled in local BSA programs, individuals currently not associated with BSA programs, and national and local organizations that the BSA collaborates with to deliver the Scouting program.

During this listening exercise, parents, adults in the Scouting community, and teens alike tended to agree that youth should not be denied the benefits of Scouting. The Garden State Council also conducted a local survey of the council's membership, and 76% of respondents indicated that they supported changing the membership policy. The council voted in favor of the passed resolution.

The Garden State Council proudly serves nearly 13,000 youth annually throughout Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties, plus the communities of Buena Vista Township and Buena Borough in Atlantic County. The council remains committed to making its programs available to all youth who want to be a part of Scouting. The Garden State Scouting family will continue to work to maintain an environment where people who may disagree on a variety of topics can still work together to achieve life-changing benefits to youth by remaining focused on that which unites us - reaching and serving young people to help them grow into good, strong citizens.  For more information on Scouting programs in the Garden State Council, visit the council's website at www.gardenstatescouting.org.

Garden State Council, BSA  

Rowan Scout Resource Center                                                 

693 Rancocas Road    

Westampton, NJ  08060   
(609)261-5850

Loren S. Riggins Jr. Scout Center

4468 South Main Road