About Us

About Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®” The Scouting organization is composed of more than 1 million youth members between the ages of 5 and 21 and more than 628,000 volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories.

Since its inception in 1910, more than 130 million young men and women have participated in the BSA’s youth programs. More than 35 million adult volunteers have helped carry out the BSA’s mission.

BSA programs are divided by age and activity: Cub Scouting is for boys and girls in kindergarten through 5th grade, Scouts BSA is open to young men and young women in grades 6 through 12, and co-ed Venturing and Sea Scouting are available for young men and young women age 14 through 20. The BSA also offers career-oriented co-ed Exploring programs to youth age 10 through 20. 

Traditional Scouting programs are operated by local chartering organizations, such as religious institutions, clubs, civic associations, and educational organizations, which implement the Scouting program for youth within their communities. These units are led entirely by volunteers appointed by the chartering organization, who are supported by local councils using both volunteers and paid professional staff. 

In order to further outdoor activities, which are core to Scouting’s mission, the BSA has four High-Adventure Bases: Northern Tier (Minnesota, Manitoba, and Ontario), Philmont Scout Ranch (New Mexico), Sea Base (Florida), and Summit Bechtel Reserve (West Virginia).

About the Leatherstocking Council

The Leatherstocking Council provides character development and leadership skills training to 1,700 Scouts in Delaware, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Otsego and Schoharie counties, as well as parts of Hamilton and Lewis counties. We also maintain and staff Camp Kingsley near Rome, NY for year round Scouting adventures.  In the interest of minimizing operational costs and eliminating duplicate services, the Leatherstocking Council was formed in 2016 following the successful merger of the Revolutionary Trails and Otschodela councils.

Organizational Structure

Executive Committee Members
(Officers)

 

Kirk Evans

Kirk Evans

Council President

Matt Jacobs

Matt Jacobs

Council Commissioner

John Lauchert

John Lauchert

Council Treasurer

Rob Mahardy

Rob Mahardy

VP Programs

Paul Obernesser

Paul Obernesser

VP Properties

Brian McKee

Brian McKee

VP Leadership & Governance

Dr. Ted Love

Dr. Ted Love

VP Membership

Matthew Dziedzic

Matthew Dziedzic

VP Finance

Zachary Oren

Zachary Oren

VP Safety