PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (EYT) – Badges are the mark of achievement for many scouts, and the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center is making sure they have opportunities to earn them.
The Weather Discovery Center, located at 201 North Findley Street, offers special programming for earning merit badges for both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts each year.
April Astorino, Director of Education and Programming, told exploreJeffersonPA.com: “I believe that they have been doing the weather one for a long time, but Marlene (Director Marlene Lellock) in the past year or two has really expanded on all of the ones we can offer because it was so popular.
“Now, we do a lot of them, and the really popular ones we redo because we get new groups of scouts that will come through for them.”
According to Astorino, they are also always listening to the scouts, parents, and leaders to consider new merit badge programs to offer, as well.
“Right now, Astronomy is a new one we haven’t done here before. We’re also open to exploring other new ones. We had one parent ask about a stamp collecting one which would be cool since we’re in an old post office building here.”
Astorino noted that not all troop leaders are able to create programs for all of the merit badges available, so having a resource for programs like this can help scouts from all around the area.
“We’ve had scouts in from all over, from Titusville, Tionesta, Johnstown, St. Mary’s. We can arrange things for people outside the immediate area.”
Boy Scout badge programs being offered this fall through the end of the year include Environmental Science on October 12; Plant Science on October 26; Electricity on November 9; and Astronomy on December 7. Times, details, and pre-requisites can be found on the Weather Discovery Center website or by calling 814-938-1000.
Girl Scout badge programs start later in the year.
Currently, a Brownies Wonders of Water Journey Day is scheduled for November 2, and additional new badge programs will be scheduled for after the first of the year.
All of the programs require pre-registration.
“A lot of people might not know that we offer this,” Astorino noted.
“We get the information out to the Bucktail Council in DuBois, so they can put it out to the troops under them, but word of mouth is helping, too.
“I think the program is only going to grow the more we get it out.”
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