WHEREAS, the international youth movement of Boy Scouts, today known as the World Organization of the Scout Movement, was established in England in 1907 by Lord Robert Baden-Powell, and currently serves as a trustworthy steward of the spirit of Scouting for 28 million Scouts and their leaders in 155 countries around the globe; and

WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America was founded by a group of loyal Americans led by William D. Boyce on February 8, 1910, in Washington, D.C., and was chartered by the United States Congress on June 15, 1918; and since 1911, when Richmond Troop #1 was chartered by Tabernacle Church, Scouting has been serving the youth of the Commonwealth of Virginia for over 98 years; and

WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America is helpful in preparing young people to make ethical choices throughout their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law, including a commitment to do their best to do their duty to God and their country and to keep themselves physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight; and

WHEREAS, the nine Boy Scout councils serving all or part of the Commonwealth, including the Blue Ridge Mountains Council, Colonial Virginia Council, DelMarVA Council, Heart of Virginia Council, National Capital Area Council, Sequoyah Council, Shenandoah Council, Stonewall Jackson Area Council, and Tidewater Council, provide friendly and courteous service to over 100,000 young Virginians between the ages of 7 and 20 in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing, and Exploring and Learning for Life programs; and

WHEREAS, the kind of Scouting programs offered by Virginia's Boy Scout councils are obedient to Scouting's 100-year tradition of emphasizing character development by affording young people unique and increasing opportunities to exercise leadership and responsibility and by the direct example of cheerful service provided by more than 35,000 volunteer adult leaders; and

WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America has been extremely thrifty in awarding its highest honor, the Eagle Scout Award, to only the most exceptional young men of character and leadership ability, and in 2009 over 1,500 young Virginians reached Scouting's pinnacle of achievement by earning the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, joining the ranks of such great Americans as astronaut Neil Armstrong, President Gerald Ford, and Atlanta Brave clean-up hitter Hank Aaron; and

WHEREAS, in 2009 Virginia Scouts contributed more than 350,000 hours of community service through projects such as Scouting for Food, Good Turn for America, Habitat for Humanity, and other unit and individual service projects; and

WHEREAS, in 2009 more than 70,000 Virginia youths participated in outdoor recreation and educational programs, many for the first time in their lives, through the various units, camps, and facilities of the Boy Scouts of America; and

WHEREAS, on July 26, 2010, 43,000 Scouts and leaders from around the nation will converge on Fort A.P. Hill, in Caroline County, for the 100th Anniversary National Jamboree, and within a matter of hours, transform the landscape into a bustling city complete with 18,000 tents, 3,600 patrol kitchens, bus systems, telephone and Internet, first-aid stations and a hospital, police and fire departments, post offices, food warehouses, a daily newspaper, retail stores, and a chapel for reverent prayer and reflection, making Jamboree City the fastest growing city in the Commonwealth, if not the world; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That on this 8th day of February 2010, on the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America, the General Assembly hereby commend the Virginia Councils of the Boy Scouts of America for a century of service to the youth of our Commonwealth and our nation, and for Scouting's commitment to produce exceptional young men, building character and values in our youth for the past 100 years; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Council Scout Executives in Virginia as an expression of the General Assembly's gratitude for the organization's commitment to building character and values in our youth.