so around this time last year may
remember that the Boy Scouts of America
announced that it would start welcoming
girls into the organization the decision
to make the iconic programs available to
both boys and girls was a result of
input from current and prospective
scouting families now one local
seven-year-old heard the news and
decided she wanted to be a Cub Scout
Mary young is now the first girl on the
First Coast to join a den she joins us
this morning along with Jack Sears who's
CEO of the Boy Scouts of America North
Florida Council Mary's mom go ahead wave
it's okay Mary Mary's mom Candace who is
a volunteer leader and her son and
Mary's older brother Gavin who is also a
Cub Scout good morning how's it going
give everybody a wave alright Mary was a
little nervous and we want her to feel
relaxed here this morning Jack let me
start with you first of all you know yes
you are okay so I don't know if Candace
came to you how explained this process
how you found out that of course that
Mary wanted to join and what was the
reaction and what kind of feedback are
you getting so it kind of eat doubt when
our national organization made the
decision last fall to welcome girls into
Cub Scouting and in only girl dens and
when the young family heard about that
they were anxious to get enrolled so on
June 1 when it was the official date
they were right on our doorstep with an
application in hand ready to sign up and
what kind of feedback are you getting
we're getting real positive feedback
right now we have 80 Cub Scout packs
throughout our 17 counties on the First
Coast that have agreed to enroll girls
and dance and we're like 700 plus girls
and girl only Cub Scout dense all right
so Mary what made you want to join the
Cub Scouts well I I heard about camping
and everything so I wanted to go camping
and things and so I did fantastic and
Candace what was your reaction when you
heard that your daughter wanted to be a
Cub Scout not necessarily a Girl Scout
it was her choice the whole way I was
thrilled to have her aboard and she's
been there honestly the whole time he's
been a Cub Scout um Cub Scouting has
always been a family program and so
she's been right on his heels the entire
time but now she gets to wear the
uniform and get Wrecking
and it's a delight to have her do you
find because she is so young that she
realizes how historic this is I'm not
sure yet I'm not sure yeah but it is
quite the milestone they're still
processing it right Gavin what do you
think about having little cysts there by
your side in the Cub Scouts well I think
that she deserves to be a Cub Scout
alongside me what a sweet sweet big
brother so Mary what are you looking
most forward to doing as a Cub Scout
that maybe you couldn't do as a Girl
Scout I'm looking for to just you know
like going camping and doing other
things like hiking and fun stuff right
right and so what do you think about
having your big brother kind of showing
you the way it's good it's good so you
guys get along right so Jack um are you
finding in terms of with the Girl Scouts
that there is a amicable relationship
then and that you know because I know
that the Girl Scouts were a little
surprised about this decision and they
often promote their own programs I know
that my daughter is in the Girl Scouts
and she does camping and hiking as well
yeah we think the Girl Scouts is a great
organization for families to consider we
think Cub Scouts is a great organization
there are so many good options for
parents today if they're looking for
character development citizenship
training and physical fitness program
for their for their girls or their boys
what we're doing in Scouting is just
providing another option a single gender
option that has traditionally not been
available to girls in Cub Scouts is now
available for families who want to
consider all of the great options just
like the Girl Scouts out there
yeah and Candice it's interesting too
because we have a boy and a girl and
you're trying to shuffle them to
different programs does this make it a
little bit easier and what kind of
reaction are you hearing from you know
Gavin's age group and and and even
marries as well in the Cub Scouts I've
been a leader for about four years now
and as a busy mom our schedules are
tantamount to making sure that
everything runs smoothly I found that
having a
canary stop just one more thing to put
on the schedule was kind of hampering
things a bit so when we were able to
come together and do this together it
was perfect it fit together beautifully
and as far as hearing from other kids in
the feedback we've heard nothing but
positive things our boys are happy to
have them along and it's just been one
adventure after another
Mary have the boys been nice yes they
have well good we hope that continues
without a doubt thank you all for being
here jack Thank You Gavin merry thumbs
up way to go
Oh crafty now if you would like to learn
more and to engage in Scouting programs
you can visit be a scout org or you can
call the North Florida Council at three
eight zero five nine one and we'll put
all that information along with this
interview on our website news for Jax
comm later this morning