The Cub Scout Pack 10 and Boy Scout Troop 1 of Harvard have a combined membership of about 100 boys and a large number of volunteer parents and friends. In 2014 we celebrate our 100th year serving the Harvard community. We are proud of our heritage, our boys, and our work. We have never, and will never, discriminate against any youth or adult for race, creed, religion, or sexual orientation. Period.
We have not been on the sidelines of the important national debate regarding discrimination. Harvard’s Scout group belongs to the Nashua Valley Council consisting of diverse communities from Athol to Acton. Recently, over the course of last year, we participated in discussions at Council in which we supported a unanimous decision to reject in its entirety the BSA National organization’s discriminatory policy regarding sexual orientation. These discussions have not been held in the public forum here but have, in our opinion, had more impact at the Council and National level than anything we could have achieved alone.
The Harvard Scouting organization benefits tremendously from having a non-secular chartering organization in Harvard Boy Scouts, Inc. This structure provides greater autonomy than many Scouting groups are allowed. We can and have set our own policies when and where we disagree with the national organization. Those of us involved in the Harvard Scouting group feel good about what we have achieved. We thank those who have supported the organization in Harvard over the years, and we hope those who feel the need to criticize our organization will think to perform the requisite due diligence before publishing.
Bob Thurston, President, Harvard Boy Scouts Inc.
Bob Talanian, Chair, Harvard Boy Scouts Troop Committee
Don Graham, Scoutmaster, Harvard Troop 1
Jon Schoenberg, Cubmaster, Harvard Pack 10
