Adult leaders gambling

[Eamonn]

I do enjoy the odd adult beverage.

I hope I never get to the point that I ever need one!!

Going without alcohol is not a big deal.

I'm happy to comply with:

The Boy Scouts of America prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances at encampments or activities on property owned and/or operated by the Boy Scouts of America, or at any activity involving participation of youth members.

I did buy $5.00 worth of tickets for the Superball thing the other week -I didn't win and view my $5.00 as going to help the programs it supports.

I'm not a very good loser, so I don't like gambling. Over the years I have been in Scouting I have introduced a good number of Scouts to Contract Whist and I enjoy a good game of Hearts.

It does seem that poker is really big. It is cheap TV. I was very surprised when at an OA weekend poker was an activity. They played for chips and no money changed hands. I suppose them playing poker is no better or no worse than me playing Whist.

To my way of thinking gambling isn't in keeping with "A Scout is thrifty", but maybe the people who won the big Powerball thing the other week would disagree?

I have has several people who have worked for me, who spend $10 or $20 a day on playing numbers. They get very upset if by chance they miss a day.

I have a good friend who owns and places video poker machines in bars and restaurants. He has made a lot of money. So much that he is no longer involved in the day to day running of his company and spends his time breeding cattle, flying his plane and racing his car. So far when I have ever asked him for a donation he has always donated. I think he donates a lot of money to a lot of organizations.

Still my feeling is that gambling around youth members or allowing them to gamble is not a good thing.

While the policy from the BSA on the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances is very clear. I do wish the policy on gambling was a little more clear.

I cringe every time I go to a B&G and someone tries to sell me a 50/50 ticket. When we discussed raising money for the Ship with the Quarterdeck (Youth members/ officers) Our Purser said that he would have a hard time selling product, but could sell tickets. He earns $75.00 a night working at the Bingo his church runs. Needless to say we settled on selling frozen pizzas.

Still if I had won that Powerball thing, you can bet we would be the best equipped Sea Scout Ship in the USA -I bet ya!!

Eamonn.

[dan]

I am going to assume that no one could find any reference about gambling and scout troops? I could not.

John-in-KC It seemed to me that you where coming on a little strong. When you said

 

you can tell the Webelos Den Leader: DO NOT VISIT TROOP xxxx under any circumstances. You can also tell Webelos II parents "I believe the adult leadership of Troop xxxx fails to meet the standards set in the "Adult Association" method of Scouting. I strongly recommend you do not send your youth to Troop xxxx."

IMO this was bad advice, you have seemed to toned down your thoughts on this since this post started. It seems that this troop was being found guilty before any proof of any wrong doing was even found.

Is my3sons220 still reading this? Any followup info?

Exciting news Watch for the spinoff!

[John-in-KC]

No, my thoughts are consistent.

 

The poster is a Cubmaster. She has the right, nay, the duty to talk to her Program Officer partner, the Scoutmaster. She can report what the youth saw. She can lay out her expectations as a program officer.

 

Remember, feedback is a gift. They told me that for two weekends in Woodbadge. The SM ought to listen carefully. Whether his adults were imbibing or not is immaterial. Youth saw someting, and that something is a perception. They reported.

 

If our Cubmaster gets blown off the Scoutmaster, the answer is simple: She can, on her own authority as CM, lock the doors to that Troop. I trust that as she would result to that she would let her CC and her COR know. Especially the COR. His comments at a District Committee meeting might motivate some folks.

 

To me, doing nothing is the equivalent of letting "sod surfing" happen.

 

Am I sending a clear message?

[my3sons220]

Thank you to everyone who has helped me. I have decided that I would wait until after we have our Blue & Gold banquet-one of the leaders at the camp out is our Pack's Comm. chairman! I have found out that YES they were gambling. I did talk to our Pack and troop's commissioner. He is going to bring up the subject to the Cub Master and the Comm. chairman. But he felt that waiting 1 more week would make this Celebration better for the boys. I am hoping our commissioner will be able to let them see how it is not really following all the scout laws when they gamble. As far as the drinking goesI do not think that is happening, but after reading some of your replies I agree that they look like they are drinking and that is not good either. I will know more next week. Thanks again for all your help.

[my3sons220]

Sorry in the last reply I wrote that the commissioner is going to talk to the cub master and the comm. chairman. I am the cub master. He is going to talk to the Scout master! Sorry for the mistake. Thanks everyone I will keep you posted

[dan]

John-in-KC

I am still getting mixed messages from your posts. I understand that she should be talking with the troop, but one of your previous posts, you made it sound like the Cubmaster should be a dictator and demand that the Webelos leaders not visit this troop. The cubmaster should not be deciding which troops the dens visits. The cubmaster could suggest not to visit a certain troop and why. But demand them not to visit? When I was a Den Leader the parents and I decided which troops to visit. The Cubmaster knew nothing about it.