Military families in Indian Hill, Madeira, Mariemont, Terrace Park and Sycamore Township can now enroll their children in Scouting without paying the $85 national registration fee, thanks to a national Scouting America program that took effect June 1 as part of America's 250th anniversary.
The waiver covers youth from Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard households. It applies automatically at checkout when families register online at BeAScout.org, enter their zip code, select a local unit and complete a military credential verification step.
The Dan Beard Council's Little Miami District directly serves the Indian Hill, Madeira, Mariemont and Sycamore school districts, making the program immediately relevant to east-side village families with a military connection.
"We are just so proud of our military heritage," Rachel Estepp-Ennis, vice president of marketing for the Dan Beard Council, told WCPO on Aug. 4. "We've been partnered with them for over 115 years, so we understand the plight of military families. Kids have to change schools, change churches, change support systems."
What's covered and what's not
The $85 national youth registration fee is fully waived. Individual council and unit fees may still apply, but the Dan Beard Council says those costs can be offset through fundraising activities such as popcorn sales and service projects.
Registration is available only through the online process at BeAScout.org. No end date for the program has been announced.
Council gearing up for fall recruiting
The fee waiver arrives as the Dan Beard Council prepares for a major fall push. The council, which serves more than 30,000 young people across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky with more than 3,000 volunteers, wrapped its summer camp season at Camp Friedlander and Cub World Adventure Camp in Loveland with more than 2,000 youth attending.
Estepp-Ennis said the council aims to reach more than 100,000 children in the region this fall to recruit them into the program.
How to enroll
Families visit BeAScout.org, enter their zip code and find a local unit. The military credential verification and fee waiver are handled during the online checkout process.
Upcoming
- Fall recruiting season: The Dan Beard Council's fall sign-up drive begins this school year across Indian Hill, Madeira, Mariemont, Terrace Park and Sycamore Township schools. Families can find local units and meeting times at BeAScout.org.
- Camp Friedlander Skilled Trades Center: Open year-round for Scouts and community youth at 581 Ibold Road, Loveland.
