farwest wrote:The issue is that scouts are combined within three wards. One ward does not want to sponsor a crew.
It seems you are saying ages through 15 are combined, which is the busy age for scouting, but after that age the wards may want to decide on their own what direction to take with their older boys? Some may still push scouting, other wards may not.
You really could change the combinations of wards, working out different arrangements for different ages, for the best of all involved. Our ward combines with 3 other wards for Cubs, then joins a whole stake-wide program for a "rocking" 11-year-old program. For 12 and 13 yrs old scouts, it's back to a combination of us and one other ward, including many weekly meetings, but not all, and most camps. For the older ages, it's just our ward again, usually having separate camps and weekly activities for varsity and venturers, sometimes combining. After age 15, it seems scouting blends away more into the Young Men program of the ward. However, they are still registered and participate in Venturers, and attend ward court of honors and work toward their ranks, depending greatly on their individual enthusiasm.
It really seems to be all about getting a "critical mass" of boys and leaders that can work it out to make the program fun and vibrant, without overloading the leaders with too much, or having so few participants that the leaders just can't get the program (and activities!) going.
What would the ward that didn't want to sponsor one do with YM in their ward that wanted to continue to pursue rank advancements to the end of scouting age? Not all boys will do this, but some really enjoy it, and it can be valuable to them. I assume they would accommodate those?
(edit: if you are asking: "is it ok with the church NOT to have a Venturing program"...that I don't have any input on....)