By Emily Lemmenes
The Scouts BSA in St. Anthony Park welcomed outdoor-loving Troop 7017 to its program in the spring of 2024.
The new troop is the first in the local program to include girls.
The Troop 7017 girls said being a part of Scouts BSA is giving them an opportunity to learn skills they couldn’t learn elsewhere.
Since the troop’s formation, assistant scoutmaster Amy Cram Helwich said the troop has embarked on many new adventures. Those have included three camping trips, making and selling wreaths for the BSA Scouts fundraiser and marching in a neighborhood parade.
Boy Scouts of America allowed girls to become scouts in 2019, according to a timeline posted by the Laurel Highlands (Maryland) Council. Alongside this, the organization changed the name of its flagship program from Boy Scouts to Scouts BSA. To further bolster inclusivity in its programs, the organization will officially rebrand to Scouting America in February of 2025, Scouting News Room reported.
In St. Anthony Park, Scoutmaster David Cram Helwich said being an Eagle Scout in his younger years was a formative experience. He said he formed Troop 7017 because he wanted his daughter Maddie to have the same opportunities he did while in scouting.
At a Court of Honor ceremony for scouts, troop member Ingrid Bollman earned the Tenderfoot rank. She said the requirements for her new rank taught her not only important outdoors skills, but life skills such as first aid and leadership.
Amy, who is David’s wife, said Troop 7017 is partnered with the over 100-year-old local boys Troop 9017. She said the two troops are separate entities that meet at the same time, which is convenient for parents who have children in both groups.
Ingrid Bollman said the longstanding boys troop is supportive of her newly founded troop. She said she appreciates partnering with the boys to do big events like potlucks and camping trips.
David said Scouts BSA troops are typically required to have at least five members. Troop 7017 currently has four. He said one of the new troop’s goals is to expand its numbers.
Though the troop is few in numbers, their passion for scouting is big and the girls have grand aspirations.
For example, Larkin said she wanted to be in Scouts BSA because she hopes it will help her one day achieve her goal of becoming an astronaut.  
Emily Lemmenes is a third-year journalism student at the University of Minnesota who lives in the Como neighborhood.
Photo cutline
Troop 7017 is a girls endeavor.
(Above) Members of Troop 7017 reciting the Scout Oath. Photo by Emily Lemmenes.
• Scouts BSA supply closet in the United Church of Christ in St. Anthony Park. Photo by Emily Lemmenes.
• Troop 7017 at Tomahawk  Scout Camp. Photo by Amy Cram Helwich.