Group donates to Scouts

Local Boy Scout troops that lost funding for failing to comply with the United Way's nondiscrimination policy have found a new source of money.\nAdvance America, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit lobbying group, sponsored a fundraiser to supplement about $17,000 that was lost when United Way dropped Bloomington's Hoosier Trails Council of the Boys Scouts of America from their annual campaign.\nAdvance America Executive Director Eric Miller said he launched "Operation Be Prepared" the week after United Way made its announcement to drop the Boy Scouts' funding.\n"I'm a former Scout, as is (former IU basketball player) Kent Benson, and I just thought it was wrong for United Way to put a political agenda ahead of helping a group who has helped hundreds of thousands of boys," Miller said. "Indiana needed somebody to lead the charge to help the Boy Scouts."\nBenson was on hand to present $18,000 this week to local Scouts.\n"The effort we have put forth is because of you all," Benson told two dozen Scouts during a troop meeting. "We want your program to continue without a wrinkle."\nThe Hoosier Trails Council includes about 13,000 Scouts in Monroe and 17 surrounding counties. Money from the Monroe County United Way accounts for less than 5 percent of the council's budget.\nMiller said the money primarily came from individual donations around Indiana.\n"People around the state and Bloomington responded affirmatively," he said. "A good amount of money came from Monroe County."\nJohn Clower, coordinator of Hoosiers for Inclusive Scouting, said some Hoosier Trails parents and volunteers would like to have their troops oppose discrimination, but council leaders have discouraged them.\n"Whatever we can do to deplete Eric Miller's coffers will make me smile," he said. "Think what else he might do with that money," Clower said.\nIf another Boy Scout troop were to have their funding pulled, or if the Monroe County United Way does not choose to reverse its decision, Miller said Advance America is prepared to do the fund-raising drive again.\nThe Associated Press contributed to this report.