CHAPEL HILL - A Chapel Hill Boy Scout troop has found a new sponsor after losing its home over the Boy Scouts of America's ban on gay Scout leaders and members.

Troop 505 will move into the American Legion Post 6 on Legion Road next month, post commander Lee Heavlin said.

The troop had been asked the leave the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA center in Meadowmont after the YMCA board voted to extend its nondiscrimination policy to groups that use its space. The YMCA policy protects gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees and members.

The Boy Scouts had another year to find a new location, but the Legion Post's offer was too good to pass up, said Scoutmaster Robert West.

"I can't imagine a better experience than to have our boys surrounded by true American heroes as part of their mentoring experience," West said. "It will be magical."

The troop has 40 members in 33 families, including four girls in a co-ed division open to members 14 and older.

West said the YMCA was a strong supporter of the Scouts, even paying staff to participate in activities. "There was no request that was too large."

But the Scouts had outgrown the Meadowmont center anyway. The Legion Post, which recently hosted a regional Camporee, has 30 acres, a pond, woods and a baseball field.

"What's nice about our site is it's so large," Heavlin said. "To us, it's going to be a good relationship."

Chartering organizations can get as involved in Scouting as they want, West added. Members - the Legion Post has 225 - could become merit badge counselors, or help with fundraising and community service, for example.

West said homosexuality was not an issue the troop discussed and that it was a personal matter best left to parents.

John Akerman, scout director of the Occoneechee Council, said he also could not recall the issue coming up in his seven years as leader of the 12-county group. The council currently has 12,785 Scouts in 520 units.

"We've never had to deal with it," Akerman said of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA's action. "This is really the first time."

"We hate that it happened," he added. "We hate that we had to leave. But we respect their position, as we hope they respect ours."