Scouts backpack through Canadian Boundary Waters

Sep. 15—GREENSBURG — In the fall of 2023, a co-ed six member "Venture Crew" in search of a high adventure took a wilderness canoeing/backpacking trip in the boundary waters between the United States and Canada.

Putting their canoes in the water at Ely, Minnesota, the group of Ethan Hawkins, Chris Walden, Elizabeth and Alex Walden, Sophie Taylor, Luke Taylor, Izzy Taylor and Tori Gauck, along with supervision and mentoring from Boy Scout tour guides, backpacked for six days in the waterways and wilderness separating the two countries in the Superior National Forest.

Scouting in the United States has undergone some changes from the time there were only boy scouts and girl scouts.

In 1998, Boy Scouts of America (known since May as "Scouting America") began "Venture Crews" for males and females aged 14-21 (or 13 and completed the eighth grade).

The old BSA programs were reorganized and split into two program categories.

All the career-oriented posts were moved to Learning for Life under the name "Exploring," while the rest (including outdoor-oriented posts) became the new Venturing program.

This, along with Sea Scouting, Exploring and Learning for Life, is one of the Boy Scouts of America's four co-ed programs to continue under the new name.

Sea Exploring was renamed Sea Scouting and placed under the Venturing program as well. Venturing retained the forest green uniform of Exploring, as well as a renamed Explorer Code and a new oath.

Venture Crew #2578 is interested in building their crew and are looking for fellow venturers. If you or someone you know might be interested in joining Crew #2578, call 317-714-7700, or look for Venture Crew #2578 on Instagram.

To learn more about "venturing" visit /www.scouting.org/programs/venturing/.

Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-651-0876 or email [email protected].