GUYTON — The door at the Zion Lutheran Church Scout Hut was open wider than usual. On Aug. 6, Cub Scout Pack 691 welcomed girls for the first time. During a Meet and Greet, parents were allowed to ask questions about scouting while their children in kindergarten through fifth grade participated in fun activities. "History is being made today," pack media representative Jessica Homan said while enthusiastically preparing to register new members. Dana Smith, charter organization representative for Cub Scout Pack 691 and Boy Scout Troop 691, is looking forward to having girls join Cub Scouts. Three have signed up so far. "It's a program that works for girls and boys," Smith said, "and it's the kind of program our community really needs. It teaches skills, not just leadership skills, but everyday life skills." Smith has been involved in scouting for many years. Her son has participated for the last six. In addition, her father, who died last fall, was Cub Scout Pack 691's charter organization representative when she was a child. She attended an untold number of scout meetings as a result. "I'm one of those girls who would have been involved in scouting (if the opportunity was available)," she said. Because of her father, Smith completed many scouting tasks but was ineligible to receive the accolades and badges that went with them. "I stood at the bottom of the Appalachian Trail knowing I wasn't supposed to be going with them," she said. Homan couldn't contain her excitement about the 2017 decision to make traditional Cub Scouts programs available for girls. Her pre-K daughter will join the organization next year. Homan's son, Zach, is in the Wolf Den, which is comprised of second graders. Her husband, Ben, is a Wolf leader. "I think with everything changing, girls really do need to know tools and things like that," Homan said. "We can't always depend on a man to fix stuff around the house. There have been numerous times where I wanted to just do something simple and I don't know how. "I missed out on those skills, including I can't pitch a tent yet. That's one of the things I'm going to learn this year." See the Aug. 15 edition of the Effingham Herald for more details.