Samya H., right, and her brother, Joshua, practice tying knots in anticipation of Samya joining a new girls-only unit her dad is forming. Photo: KREM.com

Kevin Hall’s kids love to camp, tie knots, and spend time outdoors. They also love the thrill of seeing a Pinewood Derby car go flying down the track as part of the activities and experiences offered by their local Cub Scout pack.

But until recently, only one of Hall’s children could officially participate — his son, Joshua.

This left his daughter, Samya, on the sidelines. As he told a reporter with Spokane, Washington’s, KREM 2 News (story featured courtesy of 7KTVB.com) this was unacceptable to his adventurous daughter.

“She loved camping with the family and she was wondering, ‘Why does he get to go to summer camp? Why does he get to do all of these fun things? Why does he get to make those Pinewood Derby cars and race them?’” said Hall, who serves as an adult volunteer.

Thanks to the BSA’s historic announcement last fall that the organization would begin accepting girls into the Cub Scouts program in 2018 and older girls for a new program in 2019, Samya will soon have the option to officially join the program she has been viewing from afar for years.

“Lo and behold, I found out that there was actually discussion happening at the national level for Boy Scouts about that possibility,” Hall said. “And I was like, ‘Oh great! Let me start talking to people and see about getting this started.” To get the ball rolling he organized a meeting for interested parents and their daughters in March, and he is now exploring the possibilities of starting a new girls-only unit.

According to the KREM article, Samya was “overjoyed” when she found out she could join Boy Scouts.

“You know, there are leaders being built, and it’s great to see that the leaders of our country in the future are coming up with the morals and principles of the Scout Oath and Law,” he said.

Read the full story (including a video clip featuring Kevin Hall) on 7KTVB.com. To learn more about how the BSA is welcoming girls into the Cub Scout program, check out the Bryan on Scouting article on that topic.

For the latest updates on Family Scouting, visit www.scouting.org/familyscouting.

The post Spokane Father Looking to Form First Area Unit for Girls appeared first on Scouting Newsroom.

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