time in scouting as youth and as adults

[SequoiaWDL]

Joined as a Wolf in 1976. My mom was my den mother the 2nd year. Our den was made up of boys in our neighborhood, not based on age or rank. Mom did her best to make it fun with trips and such. The big events every year were Marching in the Christmas Parade, and District Scoutorama. We didn't sell popcorn back then for fundraising, we sold Scout-o-rama tickets at a buck a pop.

In three years we went camping ONCE. My Girl Scout cousins went a lot more than that. My Brownie sister did more camping. The one camping trip was memorable for all the wrong reasons. There were 8 of us as I recall. There was no program so we just roamed around and got into mischief (stealing chromie air valve caps). The only real excitement was a 2 acre grass fire that started in our local Boy Scout Troop's campsite. Nice recruitment tool. I recently tried to remember where some of the boys from that den ended up: One I lost track of immediately because he had to repeat 5th grade and got sent to private school. Another disappeared in high school, seems he had burnt down the elementary school where our pack had met. Another boy, the last time I saw him was at our county fair. He cold-cocked a deputy near the beer gardens, and ran frantically with a parade of cops after him. Later in life I became friends with a couple of those boys, playing in a rock band together...One is still trying to make it big in Nashville. I crossed over...into being a jock.

In 2004 my second grade son brought home a "Join Scouting Night" flier. I tried to tell him Cubs didn't start until third grade. So I guess things have changed. Things were pretty chaotic as CM repeatedly reminded parents that he was moving up with his son to Boy Scouts. He made good on that threat 2 weeks later. We had a Webelos Leader who knew how to run things, but the rest of us were clueless. By December our Pack of 30 boys had reduced to about 15, with only a mixed Webelos Den and Wolf Den. The next year I became Bear Den Leader, while our Pack floundered with hit-and-miss events and big recruitments with little program delivery. This year, in addition to being Webs II leader, I took on CC role. Our retention is a lot better (70% of registered boys are active) and we have successful, well attended Pack events every month, so I gives mineself (and the missus) the Politicians Cheer.

 

 

Wow that was a lot!

[Stosh]

4 years Cub Scout

4 Years Boy Scout

2 Years semi-professional Exploring

4 years Cub Scout adult leader

15 years Boy Scout adult leader

2 years (Both Cub and Boy Scout simultaneously)

9 years (Both Boy and Venturing simultaneously)

 

29 years in Scouts total

[awesome1_in_cc]

Joined Cub Scouts in 1977, earned AOL, Crossed over to Troop in 80, Earned Eagle and aged out in 87. Stayed involved in some capacity ever since.

 

 

Only son joined Tigers in 2001, and I servered as DL, CM & CC (not all at the same time) until last February when my son, crossed over to Troop. During his Webelos I year, I volunteered to help the Troop that he had picked to cross over to and was asked to be SM of Troop in February.

 

Wow, it didn't even dawn on me until writing this that I have been involved in Scouting in some way for 30 years now. Still having a blast!!!

[red feather]

As a youth 63-73. Earned AOL and Eagle. Jambo in 69 and 71

 

As a adult 92-07. WB 95

 

Both sons Eagle.

 

Beem DL,ASM,Committee, and currently SM.

 

The ground is farther away and a bit harder, but still would not give up the chance to work with the young men of scouting for anything. (she who must be obeyed is of course the detemining factor in that. )

 

Not sure who is having more fun: the scouts, scouters, or me.

 

yis

 

[Chippewa29]

I joined the Cub Scouts in December of 1980 not long before I turn 9. A friend of mine from school (thanks, Myron!) got me to join. Cubs were ok. Looking back, they followed the program pretty well, but I wasn't into the "cubby" things. I got my Bobcat, Wolf, and Bear, but only earned a couple of arrow point (definitely not a star in advancement area).

 

When I turned 10 and became a Webelo, I got WDL that was an Eagle and ran us more like a Boy Scout patrol than a Cub Scout den. Told us about going to the Jamboree and Philmont and the different adventures he had as a youth. Got us (well, me at least). Did pretty well in Webelos, earning 9 of 15 activity pins and getting my AOL. Fortunately, the WDL took us out hiking a couple of times, tought us how to build fires, and gave us a taste of what it would be like to be a Boy Scout.

 

Crossed over as soon as I turned 11. The troop I joined met in a VFW hall and most of the adult leaders were WWII vets that sat in the back of the meeting room and smoked the whole time. Went on a couple of campouts and was doing ok. At that time, my WDL called and said he was helping to form a new troop. Of course, I transferred right away. Loved my new troop and found Boy Scouts to be the perfect fit for me.

 

I'm still with that troop 24 years later, only now I'm the Scoutmaster.

[SWScouter]

I asked my Mom when I could join Cub Scouts. Not wanting to repeat a terrible Den Mother gig, she told me that Cub Scouting was stupid and to wait for Boy Scouts. Yeah, I kid her about that now.

 

Joined Boy Scouts when I turned 11 in 1971. I know I was still in in 1976, don't know about 77' so I just wear a 6 yr service star for youth membership. There wasn't a lot of advancement in the troop I was in. I don't believe anyone earned Eagle while I was a member. I earned Star and was inducted into the OA.

 

My son joined Cub Scouts as a tiger Fall 2000. I joined as Den Leader Spring 2001 when he crossed over to Wolves. I've been a scouter over five years now. I have been a DL, WL, and on Cub RT Staff. Currently I'm an SA and DC and enjoy supporting the OA as much as my time allows.

 

I do look back on my years as a Boy Scout and compare it to what is happening in the troop I'm involved with. There are pluses and minuses to both. Being an adult certainly exposes a whole different side to the program.

 

Even though I wasn't directly involved in scouting for ~23 years, it was always important to me. For example, I always directed my United Way donations to scouting. Sometimes while doing long hard efforts cycling (I raced for years and years) I'd dissociate the pain by reciting the Oath and Law in my head (I've since added the OA Obligation). Now, when looking back to the bad times in my life, I see that they match up with when I forgot or ignored living by scouting's ideals.

 

SWScouter

[dan]

Joined Boy Scouts when I was 12. Was a Boy Scout for 3+ years. The Scoutmaster and 2 of his sons where killed in a boating accident. The ASM took over the troop, soon after that we became Explorers. Was an Explorer for 2+ years. I did not get much from the troop, the troop did not follow boy lead or the patrol method. Had a great time in Explorers, learned to fly and many other aviation things.

[ozemu]

Cub-Scout-Venturer 8-17 years of age

Scout Leader - now that is interesting!

 

3yrs + 1 yr + 18mths + 3 mths + 3 yrs + 7yrs = 15yrs and a bit. Most of the first few appointments were while I was still in the Australian Regular Army so I was posted around a bit. Whenever I was given command of a desk I would find some Scouts to go outside with.

[Bob T]

My Dad was a Boy Scout in the late '30s. I did the "full tour;" Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts (Troop 290, West Los Angeles) Sea Scouts (SSS Compass Rose, Petaluma, CA). Graduated HS in 1962, went off to sea for way too long. My older son (born in 1985) did Tiger through AOL but didn't want to to Boy Scouts. My younger son (born in 1992) did Cub Scouts, now a Star, almost Life. I am an ASM and participate as well as I can, having 1.5 functional legs.

 

My son uses his Grandfather's merit badge sash.

 

As I told the Scouts at the troop meeting last night "I was a Boy Scout in the 1950's and have done a lot since then, but I still remember the names of everybody in my patrol.. THIS IS "the good old days."

 

[ozemu]

Well said Bob T.

 

There are a whole lot of good messages in what you said at Scouts.

[packsaddle]

I started as a cub and went all the way as a boy. I guess that's about 13 years. Then I returned with my son as a cub and stayed after he completed his scouting experience. I guess thats another, let's see, 18 years now, making a total of about...Holy Smokes!...31 years. I guess I never added all that stuff up before.

 

My goal is still to be there when a future grandson starts on his trail.

[Gonzo1]

Statred as a cub scout in second grade, went through Webelos and earned the AOL. Did not "cross over" into a troop, but a 6th grade classmate asked me to join his troop, so I visited and liked what i saw, joined right up. Went camping alot, earned some badges, became a Brotherhood Arrowman, went to Philmont, stayed in the same troop and earned Eagle, stayed on as ASM for 2 years and joined the Navy. Took a break for a while, it's hard to serve scouting in the military. Became an ASM in 1991 or 1992, SM in '93, WB in '94, UC in 2000.

 

Then, when son became old enough to join up as a cub in 2002, I served as Tiger den leader, later as WDL and still served as UC. Son crossed over into a troop Feb of 2007 and I became an ASM again.

 

I "got" many things from the program. Scouting helped be become prepared for many things in life. For example, when I had military training experiences like swimming fully clothed and turning your pants into an improvised life vest, I had already done it as a scout, so I did it again. Same for rapelling and wilderness survival, etc.

 

[ScouterLew]

Lisabob, I was in for almost two years around '75 as a tenderfoot and 2nd class. I was an overweight scouter and never felt accepted in the troop. I drifted away with my father from the program.

 

Now I am still overweight, but in my 3rd year as a Den leader and considering cubmaster for next year. I have 2 Webelos II and a Tiger Cub. My Tiger's twin is a brownie in GSA. ( Yes, I have 2 sets of twins, 3 years apart. No, twins do not run in either one of our families...until now! )

 

My Webelos II's are being groomed as Den Chiefs starting next year. My Tiger is being taught some basic servant leadership skills.

 

From my scouting experience I have learned to go after the weakest links and make them stronger. Bring them into the center of acceptance. I also work with the parents to keep them strongly participating. The boys are at the mercy of the parent's level of interest. If the parents continually put pressure on them to miss meetings, etc., then you lose them.

 

This is the way I have chosen to serve my community and maintain relationships with my children...through scouting.

 

My personal belief is that your program is only as strong as your weakest member. If you concentrate on the 5 strongest members then soon that may be all you have.

 

Two years ago I made the decision to work to live, as opposed to living to work. I gave up $10 a year, got 20 hours a week of my life back, and am forming lifelong relationships with my family and community not previously important or enjoyed.

 

I plan to be associated with scouting as long as they will have me.

 

 

[Eamonn]

I joined the 24 Fulham (Sands End) Wolf Cub Pack, back in November of 1961 and have been around ever since. Sometimes more actively involved and sometimes just sitting on some sort of a committee.

I was very fortunate as a Lad that the 24th closed and I joined the 17th Fulham (Pioneers).The program that the 17th offered was a dream come true for a kid like I was.

At that time in London there wasn't a lot of choice. There was the Boy's Brigade who seemed far more religious than I was! And the Boy's Club, where the main activity was boxing. I never liked being hit!!

The Troop met 3 nights a week and we camped almost every weekend. I was in my element.

At 16 I moved up into the Venture Unit. Where I managed to complete my Queen's Scout and the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award. Of course as the legal drinking age in the UK is only 18 and you could be a Venture Scout till you were 21, about this time I was introduced to the joys of real ale!!

In 1977 I came over as an International Camp Counselor. The deal was that I had to pay my own return airfare from London to New York. I didn't have any say where the BSA would send me. I didn't know very much about the USA,but Dallas was on TV (JR Ewing)Dallas looked nice. I liked the music of the Beach Boy's so California looked good! I was very disappointed when I found out I was being sent to just outside of Pittsburgh PA.

Pittsburgh was one line in a Chuck Berry song!! Things did improve when I got my 1942 world atlas out and found out that the area was all about coal mines and steel works.

It was at Camp Conestoga that I met Her Who Must Be Obeyed.

We got married five years later in London.

In 1984 we moved over to live on this side of the pond.

Many of the people who were my friends back in 1977 are still close friends with me today. Including our Program Director, who at that time was a young DE.

 

The days they pass so quickly now the nights are seldom long

Time around me whispers when it's cold

The changes somehow frighten me still I have to smile

It turns me on to think of growing old

For though the life's been good to me there's still so much to do

So many things my mind has never known

I'd like to raise a family I'd like to sail away

And dance across the mountains on the moon

I have to say it now it's been a good life all in all

It's really fine to have a chance to hang around

Lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire

While all my friends and my old lady sit and pass a pipe around

And talk of poems and prayers and promises and things that we believe in

How sweet it is to love someone how right it is to care

How long it's been since yesterday what about tomorrow

And what about our dreams and all the memories we share.

(John Denver - Poems, Prayers And Promises)

 

( And talk of poems and prayers and promises and things that we believe in

How sweet it is to love someone how right it is to care

How long it's been since yesterday what about tomorrow

And what about our dreams and all the memories we share.)

I really love those lines!!

Eamonn.

 

 

 

 

[eisely]

From reading these posts, I guess I can claim seniority in age, if not scouting achievements. Started as a bobcat in 1950 in Jefferson City, Mo. Got to Lion, but no Webelos or AOL. AOL did not exist then, and Webelos was a far less significant extra, not a separate rank. We moved and I stayed in scouting all through high school but never finished Eagle. Worked four summers on camp staff at Camp Pa He Tsi on the Lake of the Ozarks, and started college. Went to the 1957 Jamboree in Valley Forge. Very active in OA but did not get to Vigil at that time because no body in our lodge was Vigil. I presume that has changed.

 

I always felt that I would return to scouting but that did not happen until 1988. We are blessed with three sons all of whom are aged out. Only the middle son got his eagle, but they all benefited from scouting in different ways. I always believed in scouting. Many of the fondest memories of my youth are from scouting. In our family the idea of community service, including time in the military, was a major value instilled by the example of our parents and earlier forebears. So naturally when the time came I stepped forward to give back some of what I had been given. Still active, particularly in training programs where I feel I can leverage my experience and knowledge most effectively to the benefit of the organization.

 

As someone else noted, adult association with like minded adults is good for adults too. I love the time I get to spend outdoors with other adults and youth, and I love being part of the training program.

 

I am still amazed at how profoundly Baden Powell was ahead of his time.