By DAVID CRARY AP National Writer Jul 7, 2021 Barry Bedlan I AP
In this June 10, 2021 photo provided by Barry Bedlan, members of Troop 298 of Frisco, Texas are among the first to embark a 12-day trek across the Philmont Scout Ranch, outside Cimarron, N.M. Boy Scout and Girl Scoutsâ leadership say their summer camps are full, special events are sold out, and theyâre expecting many thousands of families â some new to scouting, some who left during the pandemic â to sign up now that activities are occurring in-person rather than virtually. Americaâs most iconic youth organizations the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the USA â have been jolted by unprecedented one-year drops in membership, due partly to the pandemic, and partly to social trends that have been shrinking their ranks for decades.