Be a Part of the Scouting Experience

The remote islands and atolls of the Pacific are overwhelmed by poverty and limited opportunities. Scouting on these islands provides a substantial resource in the development of young lives and the young people living there. As we look for more and more ways to better serve our youth in the Pacific, we ask assistance from our entire Scouting family on behalf of these future leaders.

There are so many ways that individuals or groups can help these young boys and girls. Individuals who are interested can be Island Commissioners, adopting and visiting an island periodically to help run our Scouting programs; Venturing crews or patrols can spend their annual high adventure experience in the islands learning about new cultures and running summer camps; people or groups can adopt an island financially to help support its annual Scouting program; or districts, units or individuals can help collect donated uniforms to send to the different islands. Many of our youth have never had a new shirt in their life. Imagine what a Scout uniform would do for these young men.

Chief Scout Executive visits the Pacific Basin

Chief Scout Executive, Robert Mazzuca, and a contingent of national, regional and local Scout leaders, toured parts of the Pacific region in March to celebrate the success of Scouting in the Pacific. The group visited the islands of Guam, Saipan and Majuro, with special stops in Kosrae and Ebeye.

During their visit CSE Mazzuca helped award five Awards of Merit on several islands and the Silver Beaver to Jerry Kramer in Majuro, Marshall Islands. Jerry is a long-time Scouter and founder of Troop 454 in Majuro. He is the head of PII and annually donates the resources needed for our summer camp on Enemanit. This marks the first time a Scouter in the Marshall Islands has received this prestigious award. Additionally, on a very short stop-over in Kwajalein, the Chief attended an Eagle Scout presentation for two Scouts, along with the Base Commander Col. Reid.

The highlight of the trip was in Majuro where the group dropped in on a camporee on the small islet of Enemanit, a part of the Majuro atoll system. The camporee was attended by about 400 Scouts from several of the neighboring islands. The Chief and his party traveled to the islet using a traditional Marshallese outrigger canoe, called a korkor. They spent the day participating with the youth in traditional activities like fire-starting, basket weaving, coconut husking, and fishing. At the end of the visit, as the group was boarding the boat, they were treated to a sight of 400 youth lining the dock and singing farewell.

2008 PBS Summer Camps

Summer Camp programs were held throughout the Pacific this year, with over 1,000 youth attending camps in Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Majuro. Cub Scout Day Camps were also held throughout the islands. The need for Scouting becomes so clear when even girls from the local villages show up for our annual camps and events.

The summer camp experience is used to help build a knowledge of personal culture along with Scouting skills. In place of materials like reed or raffia, Scouts learn to weave with local materials like coconut and pandanus leaves. But many traditional Scouting skills, knot-tying, orientation, first aid, etc. are also taught to the boys. One of the favorites among the islanders is hiking or marching along trails and roadways. As they hike through villages they will sing the Scouting songs they have learned and yell their troop and patrol cheers.

Special thanks must be given to those organizations that contribute many resources to help these camps become a reality; groups like Triple-J Enterprises, Pacific International Inc., Lions Club of Pago Pago, Do It Best Hardware and the various government and private agencies that support our Scouting efforts.

Welcome to PBS

Pacific Basin Scouting

Aloha and welcome to the Pacific Basin Scouting Weblog, published by the Aloha Council, BSA.

Scouting in the Pacific, under the direction of the Aloha Council, consists of an area expanding across six time zones, both sides of the International Dateline, and North and South of the Equator. It includes American Samoa, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Kosrae, FSM - The Sleeping Lady

Through this blog we hope to share the story of Scouting in these areas, highlighting the uniqueness of the program and needs of the youth we serve. This will be a place where photos, news and information will be posted and where Scouters can contribute to help the overall needs of the program.

Our blog will be updated regularly with occasional updates for special projects or events. We will also maintain a quarterly news digest with articles posted to this site. So, please join us and be a part of the largest Scouting effort in the BSA and the World.