time in scouting as youth and as adults

[Troop185]

I was never in Cub Scouting, but join Boy Scouts when I was 12. I completed everything for 1st Class but swimming. Back in thoes days, you could not work on merit badges until you were 1st class. There was not much for me to do at the meetings, but I did enjoy playing dodge ball the last half hour of each meeting. We meet in a elementary school gym and always played dodge ball. I quit scouts in 9th grade at the beginning of basketball season. The basketball practice was in the evening, and instead of going inactive until the season was over, I just quit.

 

In college I was coaching at a Catholic High School and became a merit badge counselor for their Boy Scout Troop. One summer, I even spend a couple of nights at summer camp with them. I continue as a merit badge counselor, on and off, after graduation and I became a physical education teacher.

 

About 26 years ago, the Catholic school that my kids were attending, decided to start a Cub Scout pack. I became the Webelos den leader. We had 12 - 5th grade Webelos (1 yr. program). We had one den meeting before going to the Boy Scouts Fall Camporee. Despite the fact that it snow that weekend, and we found out how unorganized the Boy Scouts were, we had a good time. Every scout had their dad with them except for one of the scout that came from a family of 12, and one scout who mother was due to have a baby any day.

 

I continue as the Webelos leader for several more years before becoming an assistant scoutmaster and Webelos coach. One year the scoutmaster had a younger son in Webelos. The scoutmaster became my assistant Webelos leader. The two of us had Boy Scout meetings on Tuesday, 5th grade Webelos on Wednesday, and 4th grade Webelos on Thursday.

[eagle97_78]

Scouting has meant so much to me. I started my career out as a Tiger Cub in 1984 and continued to receive my Arrow of Light. I then went on into Boy Scouts and obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. While in Boys Scouts I had many fun trips my most favorite was a bus trip that my troop use to take every year in January. Once I aged out I immediately became an adult leader for a few years until I stopped for two years then I came back and have been an adult leader ever since.

 

I have enjoyed all my time in scouting and still enjoy my time.

[scoutmomma]

I was once a Girl Scout, but don't remember much in the way of learning outdoor or camping skills. Of course, this was many moons ago, when decorating bars of soap and making potholders and whistle lanyards passed for programming. :-p

My son joined Cub Scouts when he was in second grade, the first organized extra-curricular activity he ever asked to be involved in. Over his Cub years, his interest waxed and waned, generally peaking at Pinewood Derby time -- he never went for speed, preferring creativity instead (he won design awards for his car four years in a row). He always said he was only going to go up through Webelos Patrol (as the pack here refers to Webelos II), and that was it -- until he saw the crossover ceremony at the Blue & Gold Banquet the spring of his Webelos I year. He was so impressed with the bridge the feeder troop built for the boys to cross over, and with the fuss made over the newly minted Boy Scouts that he announced on the spot that he was going to join the troop the following year because he wanted to cross that bridge too!

I was not an active parent while he was a Cub, but once he became a Boy Scout, his dad made it clear that he was not interested in continuing to be the Scout support parent, so it fell to me to take on that role. My son saw his first Eagle Court of Honor that first spring after he crossed over, and was thrilled to be asked to be in the color guard -- so much so that on the drive home, he told me that he wanted to be an Eagle Scout. I'll admit I was skeptical that his interest would hold, particularly because this troop is heavily into camping, and his only camping experience as a Cub was a dismal failure, in which his dad brought him home early.

But three years on, and I'm proud that my son is a Star Scout, well on his way to his Life rank. This fall he attended NYLT and is talking about applying to be a CIT at summer camp, and he's already talking about what he will need to do to make Eagle, and intends to go to Philmont in 2010. And the kid who used to hate the very idea of camping has amassed nearly 60 nights in the past two years!

As for me: being the support parent while going through a divorce meant that taking him to the weekly troop meetings turned into one of my social outlets, and as I got to know the other parents better, I was asked to assist first with summer camp, and then with advancement. From there, I became summer camp coordinator, then advancement chair, and a year ago was asked to become the troop committee chair.

If you'd asked me three years ago that I'd be this involved with the Scouts, or that my son would be so active (last night, he informed me that he'd never missed a weekly meeting since he joined, and he thought that was pretty cool), I never would have believed it. I have my issues with some of National's policies, but there is no denying that Boy Scouts has made a huge difference in my son's life, as well as mine.

Scoutmomma

[mtm25653]

Brownie, Junior and 1 year as a Cadette - 4th-7th grade we camped once a month (wintertime in unheated cabins) and cooked all our food over an open fire.

 

Oldest son joined as a 5th grade Webelos and earned his AOL and crossed over in May, the only boy his age in the troop. Didn't know about summer camp, but managed to stay involved in boy scouts. Three years later, middle son joined cub scouts. I've been a Tiger Coach (pre-den leader), Fundraising chair for pack, Committee chair for pack, Webelos den leader (for youngest son). When his den crossed over, I thought I was done with active leadership (committee member/Web to Scout coordinator for troop) but was then recruited to be Cub Roundtable Commissioner. Four years of that, plus working with training in the district. Then started a new cub pack as committee chair for the past two years. (And troop committee.)

 

Two oldest sons earned Eagle - youngest is 16 and a senior - plans to do his project in the spring. I plan probably one more year as committee chair, but then I need to find another job.

[MVScouter]

My story is similar to many others. I was a Cub Scout along with my brother starting in the late 50's. Mom was the Den Mother. I still have her den mother patch. Got AOL (Webelos Award back then) and became a Boy Scout. Dad was the ASM and then the SM. When my brother and I slacked off, he would push us hard to get the Eagle Award, which my brother and I did.

 

I went into Exploring for 2 years, got one palm and then the post fell apart. I rejoined into Cub Scouts as a Webelos Den Leader nearly 8 years ago with my son. I still haven't forgiven myself for not joining up when he became a Tiger. Maybe things have just worked out as they were meant to. I've had a blast ever since.

 

Our troop is not as active as many others, but we have gone on some great trips. Scouting is a great way to bond with your son, not only with the adventures you can have, but more importantly, with what Scouting teaches through the Scout Oath and Law.

 

My highlight so far has been the privilage of being on staff at the 2005 National Jamboree. My son with with the Council contingent. I hope to go to Sea Base one day.

 

I enjoy Scouting perhaps too much, to the ire of my wife. At the moment, I am a Unit Commissioner, District Venture Chair and Venture

Roundtable Commissioner, Venture Crew CC, District Vice-Chair of Training, and Troop ASM. I love the OA (Vigil Honor) and I go to all the OA events (we are the 4th largest Lodge).

 

I have been also privilaged in meeting and making friends with so many wonderful men and women. Sometimes I feel that in no other organization or circumstance could I have had the opportunity to make acquaintances and friendships with so many marvelous and caring people that genuinely want to make the Scouting program the best it can be for the scouting youth.

 

I do have one disappointment. Every father desires to see his son follow in his footsteps in some aspect of life. I was hoping my son had the willingness and fortitude to become an Eagle scout, but it is not to be. However, knowing what is coming in our immediate future for our country and planet, I am at peace with his decision.

[WVCubDad]

Some of this I've posted before but...

 

I was a Wolf Cub in 1975, earned Bobcat but don't recall earning the Wolf Badge. We met at my den leaders house and all I recall about that was going outside in the snow with our buddy burners that we made. I vaguely recall a pinewood derby and a very glossy black car and that's all I remember about the Pack. I can't tell you what the number was, but I think we were chartered out of the First Presbyterian Church in Lewiston, NY. My den leader moved and I didn't continue with Scouts.

 

A year later my mother became the music director at the Assembly of God church and I got involved in Royal Rangers and stayed with it until I graduated from high school. We went camping quite a bit and I really enjoyed learning the various scouting skills - ropecraft, nature, cooking, fire building, map & compass, etc. I never got past first class or did many of the merit achievements, but I had a great time and was the Ranger of the Year at the Section and District levels several times.

 

College was Army ROTC and the Ranger Challenge team which brought a whole new dimension to being out in the woods - cold camps, noise and light discipline, fire and movement, leadership challenges ad nauseum.

A tour of active duty brought interesting deployments to Desert Shield/Storm, NTC, Hurricane Andrew Relief and Operation Restore Hope in various company grade officer capacities in Armor and Quartermaster units.

 

After leaving active duty I married a Navy Dentist and joined Civil Air Patrol to get back into aviation which was my major in college. While I qualified as a search pilot, my background led me towards working with our cadets doing ground search and rescue. For about 2 years I was our Squadron Commander and held various senior member staff positions.

 

I was active in CAP until 2005 and am currently a member but in 2006 my son came home from school with a recruiting paper showing all the neat things Cub Scouts do. We signed up at the end of Kindergarten as a Tiger Team. At the summer pack overnighter the Cubmaster asked if I would like to be the Tiger Den Leader for the next year and I said yes.

 

Later that fall at one of the roundtables my DE asked if I would be interested in being our Twilight Camp Director ("that means going to a weekend class and I'll take care of the paperwork"), okay no problem. Oh by the way would you mind being the District Popcorn Chair, you don't have to do much, just find out who's going to sell this year. Oh yeah, there's another set of meetings for that, okay I can do that too. TWC went well as did the popcorn sale, so they haven't fired me yet and I'm on tap to do it again next year!

 

This year I've been working as the Assistant Cubmaster/Wolf Den Leader and trying to absorb as much information as I can from my Cubmaster as he will cross over with his youngest son in the spring to our Troop. Yep, you guessed it, I'll get a shot at being CM. I'm looking forward to it and have some things that I'd like to see us do more of as a Pack.

 

My Dear Wife accurately pegged me early on when she tripped over my stack of BSA literature and complained that I never just get partially involved in something (there are two shelves of CAP stuff still in our garage), but rather go whole hog into it. Guilty.

 

Our daughter is a Junior GS and this past fall the whole family went on a two night Pack Overnighter at Antietam Battlefield NP. The girls enjoyed it and we had a very camping Christmas. I'm hoping the scouting bug has bitten everyone and while I tell myself it's for our kids, I really enjoy it too!!!

 

YiS,

 

John

Assistant Cubmaster

Pack 13

Shenandoah Area Council

[stevejb]

I was not in Cub Scouting.

I was a Boy Scout for 3.5 years before the troop disbanded.

 

Assistant scoutmaster for 1.5 years after the resurrection.

Scoutmaster for 26 years and still going.

 

All my Scouting has been with Troop 68.

 

Steve B

Scoutmaster, Troop 68, CMC

http://melrosetroop68.org/blog.html

[hops_scout]

I joined Cub Scouts as a Tiger Cub whenever that was;) Would go all the way through Wolf, Bear, and WEBLOS as much as I hated it. I tried quitting every year, my mom tells me, but she wouldn't let me until "rechartering time." Well that time just so happened to come right after Pinewood Derby. I was always having fun then! Would get AOL and join the troop.

 

Advancement has never been big to me, but I would eventually get to Life. I was a Den Chief and then when those boys joined the troop, I became a Troop Guide.Here I was a First Class Scout and the other Troop Guide was an Eagle Scout, but I had many more responsibilities with that patrol. I've served as Assistant Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Librarian, Troop Guide, Den Chief, Quartermaster, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. I've worked day camps and worked a National Jamboree.

 

I couldn't tell you the names of my patrol members. We weren't much into the patrols at that point in my Scouting career. The patrols have become much more distinct since then. The SPL actually has responsibility (GASP!) and the boys are expected to make decisions.

 

The best times I had in Scouts was definitely the camping. My dad doesn't do outdoors stuff. My mom doesn't do a whole lot. If I didn't have Scouts, I would have never gotten into hiking, camping, climbing, and rappelling. Now I have a huge pile of equipment in my room including a brand new pack and a brand new backpacking tent. I can't wait to go camping with the troop again!

 

When I aged out at 18 last February, I joined the troop as an Assistant Scoutmaster. Being a college student two hours away from home, I have no responsibilities in the troop, but I am another adult. And I am an experienced member of the Scouting program so when I am home, I can work with the boys on outdoor skills as needed.

 

Our troop has changed a lot since I joined back in 1999 or 2000. Most of it has changed within the last year. There are opportunities those boys have now that I didn't have. The troop is backpacking, doing high adventure (that isn't a boy and dad thing), and there is excitement surrounding those activities. I am so happy those things are in place now because I always wanted to do them, but it didn't happen while I was a Scout. I look forward to joining them on future trips

[DYB-Mike]

I was a Boy Scout for a couple of years back in the late 60s. My only memories are of summer camp (Adams Pond, New Hampshire), some good points, some bad points, and a camping trip that my Dad and younger brother attended (neither were scouts). That later trip was particularly memorable in that my Dad passed away when I was around 15 and its one of my fond memories of him. My brother and I also got eaten alive by mosquitoes on that campout.

 

My adult scouting career is fairly new Ive been an Assistant Cubmaster for about 8 months now. I cant honestly say that my boyhood scouting experience has made an impact on my adult scouting experience beyond the ability to say I was a scout as a boy. I did remember the Scout Oath from back then though and thats come in handy. I got involved again because I saw an opportunity to bond with my sons and hopefully provide something positive to them, their cub friends, and the other boys in the Pack. Ill admit that I also was having a good time attending the special events and activities as a volunteer. Basically its all new to me and Im learning, and getting training, as I go with the boys providing the inspiration. Needless to say Its been a blast.

 

YIS

Mike

 

[hotdesk]

I joined Cub Scouts as a Tiger Cub and joined a scout troop 1n 1998. In 2006, after ageing out in September 2005 I earned the rank of Eagle.

 

As a scout I served as Senior Patrol Leader three times. The first time was when the troop finally made its transition from being adult ran to scout lead. We established the Patrol Leader's Council and the groundwork for how it runs in our troop and what it does. My final time as Senior Patrol Leader ended a week or two before my 18th birthday. I did this because our Scoutmaster asked me to train two 8th graders in the position of Assistant Senior Patrol Leader/Senior Patrol Leader by doing it with them.

 

As a scout I also served as a Jr. Assistant Scoutmaster and High Adventure Patrol Leader. I earned 28 Merit Badges and earned the World Conservation Award. I was elected to the Order of the Arrow and served as a Chapter Chief and Committee Chair.

 

I also cowrote the troop newsletter and ran the troop website for a year and a half.

 

During my last term as Senior Patrol Leader I took the directive from our Chartered Organization Rep. to write and put into rule guidelines for eligiblity of our Jr. Leaders and how the elections are suppose to be done. During the same term I took the directive from our Committee and put into rule Shopping and Menu Planning guidelines that put a method to it. The last thing that I did was write a Senior Patrol Leader Handbook that better explains how the Senior Patrol Leader in our troop does things. It is still used.

 

Since my 18th birthday in 2005 I have served, and continue to serve, as our City's Coordinator for Scouting for Food organizing the packs, troops, and crews in our city for their routes and collecting/sorting the food.

 

I have served on staff for District Klondikes and Camporees. I coordinate a practice Klondike for our troop and we invite local Webelo dens because they cannot go to District Klondikes.

 

In our troop I have serve as our New Scout Assistant Scoutmaster, Chairman for our Spaghetti Dinner and Pancake Breakfast and Co-Membership Coordinator. For the Chairman position I basically supervise parents in the fulfillment of their positions and as Co-Membership Coordinator I am training a new parent in the responsiblities of the Membership Coordinator. I have served as Website Administrator, Newsletter Advisor, and Cartridge Recycling Fundraising Coordinator.

 

Even though I have served in many leadership positions and earned the rank of Eagle perhaps the best things I keep from Scouting is

 

1. The time that that I shared with my dad as he served as Scoutmaster for four years. He died in the summer of 2006. The times that we spent canoeing and camping together created many memories that I hold dear.

 

2. Summer 2006 when I served on Camp Staff. It's amazing the people that will remember you and that continue to look up to. What's more amazing is the friendships (with other staff members) that you create and the things that you learn about yourselves.