I feel like we're being used

[gwd-scouter]

Several months ago we had a visit by a couple of Scouts and parents from another Troop. Seems they were unhappy about how things were run and were looking to make a change. Immediately after their meeting, I was told by one Dad (a good friend from our Cub Days) that his troop found out about this and called an emergency meeting of the leadership. Changes are being made in that troop and he said he felt he should at least try to work things out, so they are staying with the other Troop. I will say I've noticed the changes that Troop is trying to make and it's a good thing (in some ways, the plans they've made for outings mirror our own). But, it did leave an impression with me that his visit to our troop was a mechanism to force change in his.

 

Opened our doors for meetings and outings to several Webelos Dens. One Den Leader in particular told me that they were not invited on any outings with any other troop. They used our outing to satisfy the requirement for AOL and then went to other troops.

 

That same Den Leader, not happy with goings on in the Troop they and a few others joined, has asked about our plans for summer camp. The troop they joined is going out of Council this summer at a much higher cost and her son along with a few others are disappointed in that choice. She, her son, and two other boys want to come with our Troop to summer camp. OK, I said, it's just for a week and I'm not trying to take these boys away from the other troop. I did mention that we were having a parents night in April to which she replied that she feels she is has already upset their Troop by coming to summer camp with us so she doesn't want to miss one of their Troop meetings as well.

 

Should I have told her that we had no room and they've made their choice with the other troop and should live with it? Not my way of doing things. I want ALL the Scouts to have a good time, to get something out of the program, to learn and grow regardless of where they are. Am I just being too altruistic, opening our doors to others just so they can satisfy their desire without any thought to our program?

 

This week I found out that a new troop is being chartered at one of our private Christian Schools. This school has a Cub Scout Pack that our troop has helped for the past few years - supplying Den Chiefs, working their AOL ceremonies and Crossovers, in essence being the Sister Troop to the Pack. We've held recruiting events for the 5th and 6th grades, but without much success. Now they're going to start a Troop while ours is struggling year after year with recruitment and could be on the brink of folding next year if we don't get any new guys?

 

I really do love this Scouting Stuff, as Barry would say, but it is beginning to take its toll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scottteng]

Change your perspective on it your not being used you are sharing, doing your good turn for other scouter's who may not have the experience or skills you have. Remember the law of reaping and sowing if you are sowing into other packs and troops than your own the results may not be immediately apparent but it is not our job to worry about the harvest just to go on doing what we know is right. Think of the example you are setting for the boys in your troop that outings and good times are for sharing and cooperation not competition. The other way to look at it is wow I've finally gotten to the point where I can give back something for all the camporees, day camps, trainings, summer camps, family camps etc that others have done the hard work of planning and organizing so that the pack, troop could go and have a good time.

[Lisabob]

Most summer camps offer a provo program for scouts who want to attend without their troop. Why don't they utilize that, instead of making you responsible for filling in another troop's program deficiencies?

[Beavah]

Yah, what scotteng and Lisa'bob said. Take a deep breath, go indulge yourself in a large hot fudge sundae (usin' only Wisconsin ice cream, of course) . You've got 4 separate issues.

 

1) Visitors from another troop who return to try to make it work with their old troop.

 

Hey, you did what you could and provided and open door. Cheer for a unit that's doing what it can to improve. Keep in touch, and you still might get some folks in the future, or maybe you can pool resources and semi-merge to stay healthy.

 

2) Opened doors to webelos to fulfill AOL requirements, then went to other troops.

 

Yah, I think this is more slimy, if those other troops really weren't providing any opportunities for webelos. Nuthin' you can do about it, but it's OK to be a bit peeved by the mild discourtesy.

 

3) Requests from boys in another troop to join your kids at summer camp.

 

Just say no. Summer camp is a time for your boys to have fun, get to know each other better, exercise leadership. Summer camp is also not the time to be hosting boys who you haven't gotten to know through other outings, whose parents you haven't gotten to know through at least a few months of participation. You're taking on a lot of responsibility and some risk, without really having any authority. Bad situation. If they want, their parents can take/send them as provisional campers to camp.

 

4) Private school starting up their own troop.

 

Yah, applaud and help 'em get started. This is the way the BSA is supposed to work, with CO's building a program to meet the needs of their kids and support their unique mission. Be proud that you got 'em excited about doing it.

 

 

Recruitin' is always just odd. Seems like years I see troops workin' hard at it they get nuthin'. Then all of a sudden one year when they don't work that hard they get deluged. Consider your recruiting efforts as deposits toward that deluge year, at the same time don't be afraid to ask parents why they chose somewhere else, to get hints at how you can polish your image.

 

And keep on keepin' on!

 

Beavah

[Eamonn]

Please forgive me if this turns about to be about me!!

Last week was a busy week for me.

Monday we had a meeting planning what was going to happen over the next few weeks with the Ship and making plans to get the Scout who is attending SEAL prepared and ready for the course. He lives in the Council next door and has made it plain from the start that he hopes to return to that Council and with his Dad start a Ship.

I don't know if this will happen or not? I hope it does, we have a wonderful program and I'd love to see more youth participate in it. Right now my focus is on serving this one Scout and helping him reach the goals he has set.

Thursday was our Council Volunteer Recognition Dinner. Five Silver Beavers were presented, of the five recipients I had served on WB course for four and had invited three to serve on staff. I'll admit to feeling like they were very much my "Kids". None of them serve in the same District as myself, but all are great people who do a outstanding job for the Scouts in our area.

This year in place of my FOS contribution to the Council I opted to donate a brand new LCD Projector. I stipulated it was for the use of the Council Training Committee. I did buy one for myself as the one I have is about the size of a 1953 Buick. I could have stipulated that it was for the District. But I feel it will do what I feel is the most good if it's used for Training.

Friday I had to go to a funeral home the wife of OJ's SM had passed away after an eight year battle with cancer. She had served as Assistant District Commissioner Cub Scouts when I was District Commissioner. A truly wonderful Lady, a great Scouter who loved kids. She is the mother of three boys who all made Eagle Scout rank. It was she who gave me the "Roots and Wings" saying that I use so very often.

Saturday the Scouts met at my house at 0600, to attend the Safe Boating course. Sadly it wasn't the best. Still the fellow who presented it was from the USCG- Aux. A volunteer, who really has a passion for water safety. I'll more than lightly never meet him again.

We use people all the time and in some ways the payment for this is being used.

I have "Invested" a lot of time and money in Scouting, mainly in the Council I serve.

Right now the Ship and the Scouts in the Ship do come first.

I have said that if the Ship doesn't make it, I'm going to take a break from Scouting.

When I do, I'm going to print BP's farewell message and frame it - Just in case I forget what real happiness is!!

Eamonn.

[Gonzo1]

gwd,

They came to visit your campout

For they joined not your troop don't pout

 

Sorry, limericks are in another thread.

 

Immitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If another troop visits and does something similar, that's OK. If webelos join another troop, that's OK too. There are probably other boys who could join. Get you selves noticed in other packs. A natural feed into a troop isn't the only feed to a troop, maybe somebody wants an option. Get to know the cubmasters, get den chiefs there and see who in your troop has a younger brother in a pack. The boys are out there, go get 'em! And, you other adults in your troop to help, senior boys too.

 

 

[packsaddle]

Gwd,

Been there, done that. We have had scouts from other troops come along with us and it has been great. Some of the boys from this unit have gone with other troops and that has been great too. I have no problem with the 'summer-camp-bingo' thing as long as it remains fairly organized.

I try to remember that every family is completely free to choose any way they wish and I take no offence if they choose another unit.

The only time I have objected to something along these lines was when the DE ignored our pleas for help in recruiting...in order to put all the new boys into a new unit (the numbers game again). AND while a person from another unit secretly (at the time) and actively tried to recruit some of our existing boys away to their unit, also passively condoned by the DE. THAT is when I pulled the plug on my last shards of respect for the DE position.

[gwd-scouter]

Hi folks. Thanks for the posts. Guess I'm just going through one of those "malaise" periods. Have 'em once in a while and it will pass.

 

I do think it's funny in a way that the Troop I mentioned that had an emergency meeting and is changing their ways, is a troop led by a few "old guard" Scouters that have never been particularly cordial to me - in fact out right told me to my face that women have no business being Scoutmasters. Heh heh. I did get a little bit of self-satisfaction that our little Troop somehow was influencing their very large troop. OK, I know, it's not about me.

 

I re-read my post and I'm embarrassed that it came across as a bit whiny. Sorry! As my husband reminded me, at least folks are coming to take a look at our troop if not, in fact, joining it. That has NEVER happened before. We'll keep plugging away, doing the Scouting thing.