In August, local high school students traveled to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) to test their merit on a 6-day trek across northern Minnesota and Canada. 

Scouts from Troop 888 in Dunlap, Illinois, spent the year preparing for this adventure, including a 10-mile paddle down the Hennepin Canal earlier this Spring. Even with practice, nothing could prepare them for the lessons they would learn. 

The first lesson came within minutes of casting off from the shore.  The canoes held three individuals, each with an important job. 

Though it was still morning, the crews had to learn to work together quickly in order to reach their first campsite on time.  Some crews melded faster than others.  All were in synch by lunch and ready to push forward.

On the second day, students started to comment on how they felt more relaxed and less burdened.  They were surprised to find that they could keep paddling with relative ease, despite their tired arms.

By day three, the scouts could choose a heading, paddle for 10 miles, locate a primitive site, and set up camp (including hanging bear bags) all by lunchtime.   Each scout remained critical to the success of the trip, and with each challenge they surmounted, they became more confident and more capable.

Upon return to base camp, the young ladies reflected on the past week. It was agreed that everyone had grown both mentally and physically. The most significant growth was in their ability to learn to lead from very different roles and vantage points. As one young lady commented, "I learned the leader doesn't always have to be the one in front."

The scouts look forward to implementing their new skills as school returns this fall.

For more trip details and photos, please visit here.
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Victoria Rowan is not just your average high school freshman. She is an honor student and an athlete, can fluently speak more than one language, and, in her spare time, just wrapped up her Eagle Scout project.

Over the past three years, Victoria has been working diligently to acquire skills such as first aid, CPR, emergency preparedness, citizenship, and more than 20 other topics as part of her journey to becoming an Eagle Scout.  

For her project, she identified a need at the OSF Children's Hospital. To fully understand what would do the most good, Victoria met with the hospital's staff and even some patients. 

After developing a vision and creating a detailed project plan, Victoria organized more than 500 hours of volunteer labor and then delivered the items in a timely manner.  She was delighted to have the opportunity that same day to hand off a blanket to the first patient recipient.

On their Facebook page, OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois wrote, " Victoria poured her heart into creating thoughtful, comforting items for those in our care. Her generosity and dedication are making a real difference, one blanket at a time. Thank you, Victoria, for living out the spirit of service and bringing warmth to so many lives."

W.D. Boyce Council Scout Executive Ben Blumenberg added, "We're always inspired by the projects our Eagle Scouts take on, but even more so by the lives they live and the impact they continue to make."

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Last weekend, youth from around central Illinois gathered at OSF's Jump Simulation Training Center to compete in the W.D. Boyce Council annual First Aid Rally. The event, hosted by Scouting America, enables young leaders to demonstrate life-saving skills and practice hands-on techniques in real-life scenarios. Volunteers included area medical students and professionals as well as adult Scouting leaders.

Competing for the second year in a row, Dunlap Troop 888 garnered attention by achieving high scores for both accuracy and timeliness.  To prepare for the event, the girls spent weeks reviewing first aid skills, interviewing local paramedics, and creating a robust Troop First Aid kit.

Their efforts were definitely noticed, and they were thrilled to take home the 3rd-place award. After the event, the girls celebrated by sharing the exciting news with fellow scouts and proudly adding the ribbon to their Troop flag. 

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With several local Troops for both boys and girls alike, Dunlap students are choosing Scouting now more than ever.   The program, which started in central Illinois more than 100 years ago, continues to thrive.

Scouting offers students opportunities that are not otherwise available in our community, according to Dunlap Troop 888 Scoutmaster Laura Hartman.   "The girls in our Troop join for reasons that are as varied as they are.  Some join for the leadership training, others love to get outdoors, nearly all will say they join for the friends they make."    She went on to add, "For students who have clear areas of interests, Scouting offers a deeper dive and hands on opportunities with mentors.   For those who are unsure of their interests, Scouting has nearly 140 merit badges to explore.  Our Scouts like that they will graduate high school with a better idea of the careers that are available to them as well as connections within their prospective field."

Last Monday, more than 60 boys and girls from Dunlap schools gathered in the gymnasium at Northminster Learning Center for their weekly meeting.  Attendance can vary week to week as most of the Scouts are also involved in other school activities.     With it's combination style of classroom experiences and self-paced learning, Scouting's flexibility allows students to learn and grow without giving up their favorite sport or music program.

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More than 700 Scouts, Venturers, volunteers and area families pitched their tents for the weekend along the Ottawa riverfront to celebrate native W. D. Boyce, a founder of the Boy Scouts of America.

The weekend’s Forward with the Founder Celebration Camporee was the hallmark event in a series of activities over the last year marking the W. D. Boyce Council’s 50-year history in central Illinois. The BSA’s W. D. Boyce Council was formed in 1973 from the merger of three regional councils. The council’s name recognizes William Dickson Boyce, the Ottawa newspaper publisher who brought the Scouting movement to America and incorporated the Boy Scouts of America in 1910.

Cub Scout packs, Scouts BSA Troops and Venturing crews from across the state are gathered along Ottawa’s riverfront Friday and Saturday to celebrate the BSA’s origin story. Participants toured Ottawa’s Scouting Heritage Museum and honored W. D. Boyce’s contribution to Scouting in a memorable procession. The camporee also featured a daylong of programs and fireworks display Saturday night along the Illinois River.

“Post COVID, Scouting continues to grow as parents seek extracurricular opportunities that will make the biggest lifelong impact for their children,” said W. D. Boyce Council Scout Executive and CEO Ben Blumenberg.

For the full story, click here.

On Sunday, Scouts from local Troops 88 and 888 in Dunlap cleared brush and weeds from the Dunlap Middle School as part of their annual efforts to improve the school grounds and give back to their community. 

Scouts also helped with spreading mulch and improving drainage.  Even the pouring rain couldn't stop the fun.  Modeling the concept of cheerful service, the Scouts were joined by parents and leaders alike.  The event not only helped beautify the school grounds, but extended learning outside the school walls as Dunlap students learned the importance of hard work and how many hands can really make a difference!

Four Scouts and an adult leader from Dunlap Troop 888 challenged themselves to achieve new goals and overcome personal fears while attending the BSA National Jamboree in West Virginia.  The 11-day journey included learning new skills and leadership techniques while challenging themselves to work outside their comfort zones.     

More photos and posts about their journey here.

By Emily Ries, Jon Schoenheider and Victoria Williams for 25News Now
For the first time since 2017, thousands of Scouts will gather for the National Scout Jamboree, including Troops from Central Illinois.

Excitement was in the air as 63 Scouts from the W. D. Boyce Council contingent gathered in East Peoria Tuesday morning to leave for their 10-day adventure.

The Scouts are on their way to the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, which they’ll arrive at Wednesday after spending the night camping in Friendship, Ohio. They’ll be joined by 20 more Scouts from Champaign’s Prairielands Council.

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By Isabela Nieto for WCBU

 The 2023 Scouts BSA National Jamboree will be the first Jamboree in Scouts history to include troops of all-female Scouts from around the country for the week-long outdoor gathering.

The Jamboree will take place at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia. Every four years, the National Jamboree hosts thousands of Scouts from around the country.

The W.D. Boyce Council, which is the governing body of the Central Illinois district of Scouts BSA, will send nearly 80 scouts to this year’s Jamboree.  

Read full article here.

By Isabela Nieto for WCBU

Scouts depart on July 18th for 10 days of fun and adventure with 15,000 Scouts from across the country at The Summit Bechtel Reserve, the adventure base of the Boy Scouts of America near Mount Hope, West Virginia.

2023 will be the first National Jamboree to include Scouts BSA female participants since Boy Scouts was renamed Scouts BSA with the introduction of female participation in 2019.

Listen online here.

On Tuesday, nearly two dozen scouts from the Peoria area will join dozens more from Central Illinois to head east for the Scouts BSA National Jamboree for an 12-day adventure.

Celeste Saul, 20, who was the area’s first girl to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, said it’s about having new experiences and seeing new things.

Her brother, Carson, 15, said it was about meeting people from across the country and seeing things that you can’t see here in Illinois like whitewater rafting or a massive zip line or a tent city for thousands upon thousands of teenagers.

Full article available here

A half century of giving back to Central Illinois

Last night, the W. D. Boyce Council was recognized with a special proclamation from the County Board for its work with central Illinois families.  Scouting has been a part of Illinois' history since  the movement  began  in 1910.   For the last 50 years, the W.D. Boyce Council has been at the heart of this region's ability to deliver quality programming and leadership training to the leaders of tomorrow. 

Scout Executive Ben Blumenberg and area Scouts received the Proclamation on behalf of the Council.

Scouting In Central Illinois Is Way More Than Square Knots And Campfires

William Dickson Boyce is rarely included in lists of great leaders from central Illinois. This apparent oversight doesn’t take into consideration Boyce’s role in the founding of the Boy Scouts of America.

Full article available here.

What a difference a year can make!  This month, Troop 888 celebrates it's one year anniversary! 

It's hard to believe that only 12 months ago this Troop was just a vision.     Sure, there have been stumbling blocks and hurdles to clear, but with your help and the help of Troop 88 and Northminster Presbyterian, we have soared past them with relative ease.

As we wrap up our inaugural journey, take some time to look back at all that we have accomplished.  

• Conducted First Crossing Over Ceremony

• Recruited 5 girls to form the Tricky Trash Panda Patrol

• Attended first week of Summer Camp at ISR

• Attended 4 Merit Badge Clinics and earned more than 30 merit badges

• Went on 8 campouts and spent a collective 92 nights camping

• Served our Charter Organization, our community, and our fellow scouts

• Four scouts advanced in rank (more than once)

• First Order of Arrow elections completed

• Second patrol formed

Each week has brought us new firsts and created new traditions.   As we move into our second year, we are excited to see our first patrol thrive and ready take on another round of young ladies poised to be change leaders.  

Scouting continues to prepare cutting edge leaders for the future

The Greg and Dan Show welcomes W. D. Boyce Scout Executive and CEO Ben Blumenberg and Scouts Isaac and Ella Hartman to discuss the upcoming World Championship Robotics Competition in Houston from April 19th – 23rd.

Isaac and Ella note the Troop’s route to get to Houston, the structure of the competition, and the importance of coding.

In addition, Blumenberg touches on the core values of Scouting and how to register for Scouts BSA.

Empathy is one of many skills youth practice in Scouting

Just before the holidays, Troop 888 in Dunlap  served their local community by providing for a child through the Northminster Presbyterian Angel Tree mission.  Each scout brought money to pool together and shop for clothing/presents for a less fortunate girl their age. 

It was heartwarming to watch the high level of care and thought used when choosing the gifts.   As the girls imagined what it would be like to live in a shelter, a van, or maybe just sleeping on a different sofa each night.  They decided that what would make them feel safe and loved in that situation would be to have a warm blanket and a night light you could take with you.   They were also thrifty with their resources and were able to purchase some small toys, a new coat, hat and gloves.

It was a wonderful way to share another perspective on the holiday season and a lesson they won't soon forget.