Monona Scouts apply to pilot program to merge boys, girls units

By Audrey Posten

Monona’s separate boys and girls Scouts BSA units have applied to a pilot program that would merge the groups into one.

“We don’t have any information yet as to whether we’ve been accepted or not. It’s not a guarantee,” said Jim Langhus, former scoutmaster of boys Troop 38 who’s remained involved with the program. 

He shared a Scouts update with the city council and also led a tour of the Monona Scout House on West Iowa Street on Aug. 5.

Langhus cited a shrinking number of boys as the drive to merge. Five are required to have a troop, and for two years Monona has re-chartered with four and a promise to recruit more.

“In two years, we haven’t been able to get an extra boy,” Langhus said. “This year, we have four, but one is aging out, so we’ll only have three to re-charter the boys unit, and that won’t happen.”

The traditional way to gain Scouts is by transitioning Cub Scouts—youth in kindergarten through fifth grade—onto the next level. But interest has dropped there too, according to Langhus.

“In the last 10 years, we’ve dropped probably 50 percent in numbers,” he estimated.

Complicating matters is the fact the MFL MarMac School District has two boys Scouts units­—one in Monona and another in McGregor—which compete for recruits.

In the whole Northeast Iowa Council, Langhus could recall only one other school with two troops.

“That’s Manchester, which is quite a bit bigger,” he said. 

In Langhus’s opinion, it’s become too difficult for the MFL MarMac community to support two boys units. Numbers have swung back and forth over the years, but, “right now, we don’t see an acquisition of new Scouts for the year, which means we won’t be able to do it. We’ll have to drop our charter,” he said. “It’s a little painful because we are one of the older charters in the Northeast Iowa Council. We’ve had a charter continuously for well over 70 years. We’ve had a troop since the 1920s, but it hasn’t been continuous.” 

“It’s part of the times,” Langhus added, “so what are we going to do?”

The best option is to join the boys with girls Troop 138, which Langhus said currently has nine Scouts involved.

“Basically, what will happen is we will join committees. Everything will be across the board, just like 4-H or FFA or anything else. You’re meeting at the same time, same place. You’re going camping together,” he explained. “That’s what we’re looking at—what the future could be.”

More information will be provided if Monona is selected for the pilot program.

In the meantime, some updates are needed to the long-time Scout House, once a schoolhouse that was moved from B45 into town. The property it sits on is owned by the city of Monona.

Langhus said fairly recent building updates include shingles four years ago and a new heater five to six years ago. Scouts have performed other maintenance as needed. Now, a water issue in the basement is at the top of the list of necessary fixes.

The space is used for holding meetings and storing gear for backpacking, camping and other adventures. The boys troop met there regularly, said Langhus, but momentum has slowed since the loss of Scoutmaster Jim Eggers in May.

Now, the girls troop, which has been meeting at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Monona, would like to utilize the building.

“Then they can leave their things in there. Right now, they’re at St. Paul’s Church, and they have to take things with, store them in their cars, because St. Paul’s doesn’t have a place to leave their stuff. This is really nice that the tote stays there,” Langhus said.

Monona City Administrator Barb Collins was hopeful the tour would shed led on the building’s condition and a path forward.

“If we can get the building in better shape, they can hold meetings there and get it used more often,” she said.

Langhus is hopeful too. Scouts, he said, has so much to offer youth.

“Scouting is about pushing yourself, getting past your boundaries,” he reflected.