Scouting in the Lowcountry

Building Leaders, Strengthening Beaufort

story by JENNIFER BROWN CARPENTER          photo by SUSAN DELOACH and courtesy of SCOUTING AMERICA

You would have to live under a rock to not be familiar with Boy Scouts and the wonderful things the organization provides to both young people and adults. Now under a new and more inclusive name, Scouting America has been an amazing part of Beaufort’s history, and Troop 1 will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in May 2028. This is a major milestone for any troop.

In Scouting, the Coastal Carolina Council stretches from Hilton Head Island to Myrtle Beach. It encompasses 9 counties, including the Lowcountry District, which includes Beaufort, Hampton, Allendale, and Jasper. In the Coastal Carolina Council, there are 172 units and over 6,000 scouts. In the Lowcountry District, there are 326 scouts and 128 adult leaders. Richard Norris and Scott Trezevant serve on the District Committee, along with 10 others, including Dr. Julian Levin, District Chair. Eric Spruce is the District Executive and “scout professional,” according to Richard Norris. “We had been without a district executive for several years, and Eric has us back on the road to recovery when it comes to Scouting. Eric can really get the word out that Scouting is still the best thing going for youth and adults.”

Cub Scouts are for children ages 5 to 5th grade, and Scouts are 11 years old to 17 years old. Troop 200 in Beaufort is a family unit, which means that both young men and young women are able to participate in the same troop. “It has actually worked really well. Some of our young ladies have been following their brothers around as they have done Scouting, and now they have the chance to actually really participate,” says Richard Norris.

Scott Trezevant says that the obvious benefits to the youth are that they are being built into good leaders and good citizens of our country. For adults, Scott says, “I think it’s very rewarding to see these kids grow. We get to get away and have free time where we are watching these kids grow and learn.”

For both Cub Scouts and Scouting America, the ability to grow and progress is based on the maturity level and determination of the young person. They are able to pass through their ranks, not dependent on their ages, but on their hard work and leadership skills. They earn merit badges that help them learn valuable life skills, such as cooking safety, emergency management, family life, and more. There are 142 merit badges at this time. There are 13 required badges to reach Eagle rank (the highest Scouting rank), and then an additional 8 badges they can choose from in order to reach a total of 21 badges. Some of the required badges are Personal Fitness, First Aid, Communication, Cooking, and Personal Management. All of these are preparing young people to be great leaders, in their families, occupations, and communities. Many of these youth take what they have learned and become leaders in their patrol groups, preparing lessons and running the daily duties. The adults are able to guide and supervise them, but the kids are able to apply what they are learning in their little worlds.

“Right now, the Scouts are fundraising with popcorn, and if you go to Lowe’s, Walmart, or Grayco in Beaufort, you’ll see a young person out there. An adult is there to oversee what is happening, but the young people are asking the questions and guiding the conversations,” Richard Norris says. “It’s a donation with a snack, and the folks in Beaufort have been very generous.”

“Most of the men my age have been impacted in some way by Scouting. Scott’s mom, Ms. Grace, was a cub leader back in the day. Thank goodness for people like that,” Richard says. “Back in the day, we called them den mothers, and they had a pin they wore. I found some of those old pins, and I gave one to Richard. We both wear them in remembrance of my mom and the difference she made for my neighbor friends and me,” Scott says. Quite a few influential people in Beaufort have been involved in Scouting, including Henry C. Chambers, Bill Harvey, Dr. Ed Wise, and many more. “I would be willing to bet that most adults who are involved in Scouting today could tell you the names of both their Cub Scouts and Scouting leader. That is how big of an impact those people make,” Richard says. “We know what Scouting has done for us, it made us into the people we are, and we want to give back to that.”

For a long time, Scouting America was solely available for young men. “We were behind the curve when it came to allowing young ladies into Scouting. I thought they could just join Girl Scouts, but that is a totally different type of experience,” Richard Norris says. “Girl Scouts is a whole different organization, and it is a quality program, with different missions and visions. We are all focused on creating good citizens, we just do it in different ways,” Scott Trezevant says. It all comes down to the individual child and whether Girl Scouts or Scouting America is a better fit. For the Trezevant family, Scouting America has provided them the opportunity to have all 3 of their children in Scouting. “The girls wanted to do the camping, working, and building that their brother was doing. They are very integral parts of our troop now,” Scott says.

“Being a part of Troop 1 here in Beaufort was a huge part of my life growing up,” Dr. Julian Levin says. “Scouting was really important. The goals of Scouting have not changed throughout the years. The leadership, the values, all of those things are still as they were 60 years ago. I think that is the reason why older guys like me stay involved. There is really no other organization right now that exposes the youth to the types of things that Scouting allows them to learn from. I used to tell my Scouts that if everybody lived the Scout Oath and the Scout Law, this would be a much better world.”

“We can see every week how quickly these young people are learning and growing. It gives us perspective as adults, that these kids are growing up and will graduate college and succeed,” Dr. Levin says.

Being involved in Scouting as a volunteer takes time and money. There is a great return on the investment because spending your time and your money on the next generation not only serves to benefit your own personal life, but also the community as a whole. Giving back is an important thing to demonstrate to young people and to practice as adults, especially in our self-serving day and age.

Cub Scouts is not a drop-off program, which is the beauty of the program. “It is oriented around the family,” says Ashleigh Whitmore, Cubmaster of Pack 1. “It can be a bit of a shock to parents who are used to leaving their kids at sports or other activities, but they quickly realize just how fun it is. We have close to 50 kids in Pack 1 and some of them are siblings, which is great. These 50 Scouts represent almost every elementary school in northern Beaufort County. This means that kids are spending time with other kids that they otherwise might not ever know.”

“I truly believe that in Cub Scouts, the parents benefit so much from being with their children and participating in the program. They get to go camping with their kids. It gives good excuses for family bonding. It is very special,” Ashleigh Whitmore says.
“I tell people that Scouting is the best thing going for young people and adults in Beaufort. Between the life skills and the fun stuff, you cannot find a better program,” Richard Norris says.

District Executive Eric Spruce says, “Scouting America is one of the quiet engines of Beaufort’s strength. It gives our young people real opportunities to lead, to serve, and to discover what they’re capable of. In a community that values history, character, and connection, Scouting helps families grow together and prepares youth to become the kind of citizens who keep Beaufort thriving.”