Rotary Boosts Urban Scouting
Posted by Pat Korb
on Feb 24, 2016
L to R: Hazleton Rotary Club President Ron Avellino, District Executive Joshua Tosi and Senior Development Director Lisa Finkelstein-Minsi Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America.
A Hazleton Rotary Club “Service Above Self“ Community Service Grant of $2,000.00 has been donated to Minsi Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America. These funds are to be used to support Urban Scouting programs in Hazleton, West Hazleton, and Weatherly.
Urban Scouting provides the opport...unity for inner city, at-risk youth to participate in the Boy Scout program by eliminating barriers that prevent them from joining. Meetings are held immediately after school, at the school, to eliminate transportation concerns. Youth are provided with registration in Boy Scouts of America, Scout uniforms, handbooks and achievements to eliminate financial concerns.
“We currently have Scoutreach units at the Castle, Heights Terrace, West Hazleton, HIP and Weatherly. There were 99 registered Cub Scouts in the program at the end of 2015.” explains Joshua Tosi, District Executive, Minsi Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America. “Scouts meet weekly and have the opportunity to learn new skills and develop leadership. Scouts perform community service in their own school and collect food during the annual Scouting for Food Campaign. We look to this program to help make Scouting an important part of the solution to the hurdles, such as gang activity, that our area youth face today.”
He continues, “We are very thankful to the Hazleton Rotary Club for selecting our program as one of the grant recipients. I know how hard Rotary club members work to earn the money to fund such grants and programs. Who knows, when some of these Scouts grow up maybe they will become members of the Rotary Club and reach out to help other Greater Hazleton Area children in the future. That would be so awesome!”