Fact Sheet: National Park Service and the Boy Scouts of America

National Park Service and the Boy Scouts of America Service to America Initiative Information Sheet

In the next few years, the National Park Service (NPS) will be the recipient of one million hours of volunteer service through the Presidents' Summit for America's Future and the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The Summit is aimed at bringing America to a new level of commitment to volunteer service. The project is being coordinated by Eastern National and is a small part of the 200 million service hours pledged to America from the BSA.

The National Park Service will work with Eastern National to identify service projects that BSA members will complete on national park lands. In the next few years, the NPS will face a variety of challenges in which volunteers are needed. The list is long and at each site there is a volunteer coordinator who is willing to work with Scout leaders in preserving America's resources for future generations. All projects will be supervised by an adult leader, consistent with the standards of the BSA local council. BSA leaders wishing to participate in the program need simply contact the park volunteer coordinator to initiate a project.

The NPS & BSA Service to America project involves gathering information from each NPS site, such as descriptions of available projects, names of park volunteer coordinators, and phone numbers and e-mail addresses to contact the coordinators. This information is compiled in an extensive on-line database that allows the adult leaders and youth members to access information about available projects at parks throughout the nation. Some examples of park projects include eradication of exotic plant species, erosion control, and improvement of campsite and visitor conveniences. The Web site can be accessed at http://www.servicetoamerica.org.

Tracking Hours and Patch Fulfillment

On the NPS Service to America Web site, there are some important forms to be used for patch fulfillment and tracking volunteer hours. The first form is the NPS Volunteer Coordinator Form. Park volunteer coordinators should print and fill out this form each time a project is completed, then fax it to Eastern National at (215) 283-6925 to the attention of the NAP & BSA Service to America Coordinator. The form will help track the hours that Scouts and adult leaders have volunteered at a national park. There is another form that gives the park the opportunity to update any information on volunteer opportunities, contact names and numbers that appear on the Web site.

The third form is the NPS & BSA Service to America Patch Order Form. Upon completion of 12 service hours at any given NPS site, those having completed the 12 hours of service will qualify for two patches. One patch, which was designed by BSA, features the BSA logo and the American flag and may be purchased through BSA supply channels. The second patch features both the NPS and BSA logos and is available from Eastern National. In order to obtain this patch, adult leaders should fill out the NPS & BSA Service to America Patch Order Form. If paying by credit card, the patches can be ordered by phone Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST at (215) 591-0901. Cost of each NPS & BSA Service to America patch is $1.99 plus shipping and handling.

If you cannot access these forms from the Web site, send an e-mail to Carol Snyder at Eastern National at carols@easternnational.org.Supply your fax number and we will fax you copies.

If you would like further information about this initiative, please contact Carol Snyder at carols@easternnational.org.

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