Headquarters Washington, Missouri Founded 2006 (2006) Commissioner Sue Pesznecker | Country United States Membership 80 Groups | |
Affiliation World Federation of Independent Scouts | ||
The Baden-Powell Service Association (BPSA) is a traditional and inclusive co-ed scouting organization in the United States that takes its name from the Scouting movement founder, Robert Baden-Powell. The BPSA is a member of the World Federation of Independent Scouts (WFIS).
Contents
History
The BPSA formed with an adult-only component, Rovers, in 2006. David Atchley, an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, joined up in 2008, after being asked to leave his local Greater St. Louis Area Council after attempting to create a non-discrimination policy for the Cub Scout pack he was Cubmaster for. He started forming youth units. In 2009, Atchley became commissioner.
By 2011, the association had a handful of units. BPSA reincorporated in 2012 plus added 35 more groups between then and July 2013. In January 2013, a chapter was founded in Portland, Oregon with 80 members and 30 registered leaders while a 45-member strong group, the 5th Brooklyn Scouts, was found that same year. In 2014 after a Seattle, Washington United Methodist Church’s troop charter was revoked for having a gay leader, the troop moved to be chartered by the BPSA.
Today the BPSA consists of 80 groups, with over 1,000 scouts in 35 states.
Program
The BPSA is part of the world-wide Traditional Scouting movement designed to return Scouting to the basic principles laid out by Baden-Powell in 1907. BPSA Otters and Timberwolves use a two finger salute same as Cub Scouts.
A BPSA scout group is composed of up to four sections as follows:
Each section is led by a section leader and assistant section leader (who are also Rover scouts themselves), and the group is led by a Group Scoutmaster (also a Rover) and supported by an Auxiliary Committee, which assists the group in matters of finance, registrations, acquiring equipment, finding community-service opportunities, publicity, and so on.
BPSA's highest award for Pathfinders is the George Washington Scout Award. The highest award for Rovers is the Baden-Powell Award.