By Sue Hughes | For The Times-Post

PENDLETON — In May 2018, the Boy Scouts of America voted to accept girls into their organization. Beginning in January 2019, their name was changed to Scouts BSA.

John Huther, 49, of Pendleton wasted no time jumping on that opportunity. Huther has three children, two girls and one boy. All three are Eagle Scouts, the highest rank in the BSA. Huther started his all-girl troop in 2019. Since that time the troop has produced five Eagle Scouts, the most recent being Huther’s daughter Dakota Huther, 14, and Katelyn Delk, 18.

When asked why, BSA Amy Bowyer troop committee chairwoman said “The BSA offers more challenges, these girls want to camp and high adventures. Most Girl Scout troops don’t offer that.”

One of the requirements to become an Eagle Scout is doing a public service project. The candidate must come up with a project, get approval, arrange funding and supervise volunteers.

Dakota Huther decided to do some upgrades to the Green Township Community Park.

She and her volunteers made new trail markers, built four benches, a fire pit and a bat box.

“I had to supervise and find a non-profit organization to do a project for. I had to show leadership,” Huther said.

Pendleton Kiwanis Club donated $1,000.

Huther, who is a freshman at Pendleton Heights, said she would like to study aerospace engineering in college.

Katelyn Delk, a graduate of Eastern Hancock High School, came to Pendleton looking for a girl BSA troop.

Because the Eagle Scout rank must be earned before age 18, Delk had just a little over a month to plan, organize and complete her project.

She chose to make a mural in her high school of its history from the 1960s through the present.

With the help of the school’s art club, she went through yearbooks to gather the history of the school.

“I ate slept and breathed yearbooks,” Delk said.

She received approval for her project on April 14 and completed it on May 20.

The girls are planning their Eagle Court of Honor ceremonies, during which they celebrate their Scouting careers, including receiving their Eagle Scout.

She is attending IUPUI this year and is studying history.

“This the only all girl troop in Madison County,” John Huther said.“We have six girls right now; we would love to have more. I am super proud of where they came from and where they’ve gone. It’s awesome watching them.”

Huther has been a scout leader for 8 years.

Amy Bowyer has been involved with scouting for 50 years. She said her honeymoon was taking a Boy Scout troop to camp.

“These are our kids,” Amy said.

For more details about the troop, including how to become a member, contact Amy at 765-620-7898.