TOLEDO, Ohio — After 114 years as Boy Scouts of America, the organization, soon to be renamed Scouting America, will be open for anyone to join.
"There are lots of families that have girls and because the word 'boy' is in the title, they probably just assumed 'oh, my daughter can't be a boy scout," said Ed Caldwell. CEO of the Erie Shores Council, which represents the scouts organization in northwest Ohio.
A step toward solving that issue may have been made after the scouting organization steeped in tradition announced the shift.
"The name scouting is a nice general term, it's one we've used for years and years and years, and one that maybe can help us brand and tell a different story," Caldwell said.
Since 2018, the organization, currently Scouts of Boy Scouts of America, has allowed girls to be in cub scouts and were also allowed into boy scout ranks in 2019.
Caldwell told WTOL 11 that in northwest Ohio 13% — about 400 — of the 2,900 registered boy scouts, identify as female.
"Always trying to figure out what's the best way to serve the community, what's the best way to include everybody in our programs," Caldwell said.
Those who serve youth and lead troops, like scoutmaster Rick Fuchs of Troop 2, say this change is just a label. The work the organization does is what matters.
"All along, my job has been to serve youth and to help youth be prepared; to get them to be more interested in the outdoors, to be good citizens, and so from that aspect, the name change doesn't matter at all," Fuchs said. "We're still doing the same job for the same people. "
The name change poses a question: how could this impact Girl Scouts?
Both Caldwell and Fuchs say all youth organizations have a place still.
"As long as families understand what programs we have, or maybe what the Girl Scouts have, they can make family choices that are best for them," Caldwell said.
All this name change will do is continue to offer equal opportunities.
"Scouts of America is a great organization for youth, whether they be boys or girls, and it gives them a lot of opportunities," Fuchs said.
WATCH more on WTOL: