Fort Myers Squadron and Sea Scouts’ 10-year partnership
The Boy Scouts of America, now called Scouting America, was founded in February 1910. Two years later, the Sea Scouts formed to retain older Scouts in a maritime program, making a partnership with America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons a perfect fit.
Today, dozens of squadrons around the country charter Sea Scout ships for boys and girls. This marks the tenth year that Fort Myers Power Squadron/22 has supported Sea Scout Ship 263. I’ve been our charter representative since the beginning, and a few years ago my squadron colleague and friend Dan Deml stepped in to help. Jody Sanders is the committee chair of two area troops, and she has been a stalwart adult leader of our Ship 263. “We got into Scouting many years ago when I was looking for role models for my then-12-year-old son,” Jody recalled.
“A year later my other sons joined him in (Cub Scout) Pack 18. That year we saw a brand-new group, Sea Scout Ship 362 (now 263) at a Scouting expo/fair event. My kids were already active sailors with the Edison Sailing Center, so that was a no-brainer.” River, her youngest, is currently on Ship 263, and the fifth of her kids to be on the ship. Three sons are Eagle Scouts, and her youngest son is soon to follow.
Her daughter Mia was also involved in Sea Scouts, even sailing to the Dry Tortugas with another local ship. She’s now in Venturing, a coed Scout division for high school students and young adults to age 21 that engages in high-skill adventures, including scuba diving.
“Scouting gave my children an appreciation of the outdoors,” Jody said. “They learned welding skills,
shooting sports, advanced knot tying and navigation skills, thanks in large part to (Ship 263 leader) Stu Pullen.”
They are the consummate Scouting family, their children developing the skills necessary to become successful adults and now joining their mom as adult Scout leaders.
Charles Vonderheid is the Scout Executive/CEO for the Southwest Florida Council. It serves 3,853 Scouts and works with schools and organizations to prepare youth for life’s challenges.
“We’ve faced some pretty substantial headwinds, largely from the Covid era—two years with no recruits,” Charles said. “But we’ve deployed our spinnaker, and things are taking off.”
Since 2021, they’ve seen a 28% increase in Cub Scouts. Increasing the older Scout population will take more time.
“Parents are looking for the advantages Scouting can bring to their children, and we deliver that. Character and citizenship training, and mental and fitness training, providing a fun and safe learning experience to enable our Scouts to make the right ethical choices throughout their lives,” he explained.
As for parents becoming Scout leaders, Charles said they need to find a way to make Scouting work for them.
“Many are single parents working multiple jobs,” he said. “We focus on our Cub Scout program because the vast majority (98%) of our older Scouts started as Cub Scouts.”
A mutually beneficial relationship
Charles is right about the enormous benefits they provide to youth. According to recent Scouting America studies:
- 84% of Scouts reported becoming more honest and learning to be stronger team players.
- 79% said Scouting helped them understand and sympathize with those less fortunate.
- 87% said they became more goal-oriented, more confident, more respectful of others and better able to care for their peers.
My squadron has hosted on-the-water training for our Sea Scouts on Dan Deml’s boat, including anchoring and docking. A certified instructor, Dan has taught our award-winning America’s Boating Course to our Scouts, allowing them to receive a mandatory Florida boater’s ID card. Most people pay $60 or more for this course, but our Scouts take it for free. We’ve also provided professional tutoring by a skilled boat and fiberglass repair expert and helped with workshops.
For our Scouts, annual squadron membership is just $12. What’s more, over the past few years, our squadron has covered every Scout’s membership fee, so membership is free for our Scouts.
My squadron, at then-Commander Sam Bonilla’s behest, created a standalone clubhouse for our Scouts behind our squadron building in Fort Myers in 2015. What’s in it for us? Well, a central tenet of our squadron charter is community service. It’s a great feeling to watch these boys and girls grow up before our eyes. They love learning. Their Scout leaders are devoted to their growth and development, and our Scouts know it. The bonds are deep and obvious to all.
“The Sea Scout Program is predicated on youth-run/youth-led principles, and having older Scouts makes this possible,” Stu said. “The power squadron provides a place to gather and, luckily for our Sea Scouts, a ready-to-use training regimen. Their ABC, Seamanship and Piloting courses are in place to make our Sea Scouts excel.”
Preparing today’s youth for tomorrow
Each January, Fort Myers hosts a formal Change of Watch dinner. Our Scouts run the show—cleaning and preparing our hall, setting up tables and chairs, serving the food, and then cleaning up and breaking down the event. They are trained to serve their community, and as part of their Eagle Scout project they have repaired and painted our building, inside and out, and performed other projects to help support our organization. When I broke my foot in a scooter accident, the Scouts tended to my gardens.
One barrier to recruitment, in my view, is social media. Scouting helps them put down the phone and explore their world.
If you have children, nieces and nephews, or if your friends and neighbors have children, ask them to consider doing something meaningful that will prepare them for the world. Become a Scout!
