Winnebago Council, Boy Scouts of America

We fulfill our mission through a variety of programs designed to meet the interests and needs of all youth.

Cub Scouting is a year-round program uniquely designed to meet the needs of young boys ages 6 through 10. The program offers fun and challenging activities that promote character development and physical fitness. Service projects, ceremonies, games, and other activities guide boys through the core values of Scouting and give thema sense of personal achievement.

Boy Scouting is an outdoor program for boys, ages 11 through 17, designed to develop character, citizenship, and fitness. With the Scout Oath and Law as a guide, Scouting helps a boy develop into a well-rounded young man. In the advancement program, a Scout can progress in rank by gaining additional knowledge, fulfilling responsibilities, and through personal achievement. Earning merit badges provides opportunities for Scouts to be introduced to a lifelong hobby or a rewarding career. In Boy Scouting, youth take responsibility for the activities of the troop. By planning and organizing activities, they develop teamwork and learn to lead as well as follow.

Venturing is a program for young men and young women ages 14 through 20. The purpose of Venturing is to provide experiences that help young people mature and become responsible and caring adults. Young people in Venturing learn leadership skills and participate in challenging outdoor activities. Venturing focuses resources that help a community organization provide wholesome, flexible, well-rounded, challenging activities that are tailor-made for teenage youth. Those resources include access to Boy Scout camping properties, a recognition program, youth protection training, and specific program helps for a variety of outdoor disciplines.

Learning for Life is a classroom based curriculum that makes academic learning fun and relevant to real-life situations. It helps youth reach beyond themselves by placing them in situations that help them to think and act constructively. As a result, the values and skills learned by participating in Learning for Life not only make youth more confident and capable, but give them an invaluable understanding of how things work in the real world. It prepares youth to make ethical decisions that will help them achieve their full potential. This program is divided into seven categories that address the needs of youth in grade K through 12 including a special needs curriculum.

Scoutreach is designed to deliver Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting to young men ages six to eighteen who otherwise would be excluded from traditional Scouting programs due to financial restrictions, home environment, or simply because the boys are not reached through traditional recruitment methods. Many Scouts registered in this program come from single-parent households living at or below the poverty line. Although Scoutreach is considered a non-traditional program, the mission and aims of the traditional Scouting program remain the same. Youth in the Scoutreach program have the opportunity to attend camps, advance in rank, and participate in traditional Scouting activities.

In addition to the above programs, the Winnebago Council operates two resident camps (Ingawanis Adventure Base near Waverly, IA, and Winnebago Scout Reservation near Marble Rock, IA) as well as two service centers located in Waterloo and Mason City. We also maintain a stable of 14 horses for the Scout Wrangler program and trail rides at the Ingawanis Adventure Base. These facilities are utilized by over 5,000 Scouts, volunteers, and individuals from other youth and business organizations.