FOS

[awesome1_in_cc]

As the son of a professional, I can tell you that FOS is a critical part of the job for the DE's and meeting or not meeting their goals can have good or negative impact on their careers.

 

That said, in our district the presentations are handled by volunteers and most of the time the DE's are not even there.

 

I have had the "we don't want to hold the FOS presentation" discussion with my unit leader leaders every year for they last 5 years as Cubmaster and now as a Scoutmaster.

 

Most of these unit leaders feel the same way as Gold Winger in that they already give a lot of time and energy so why are you asking me for more.

 

My answer to them is simple, it is called "Friends of Scouting" for a reason. Who else is going to keep our councils financially secure and enable the BSA to continue to offer programs for our kids? If we are counting on organizations such as the United way and the like to help fund the BSA programs, then we are in serious trouble?

 

Every year I look my leaders in eye and tell them straight up, If not us then who?

 

Keep in mind I WILL NEVER use "strong arm" tatics to get donations as it is a personal matter on to give or not and how much but I will continue to explain why it is important for us to continue to set the correct example for our unit parents and even scouts.

[DugDirt]

In response to the "awsome one", I think it would be accurate in many cases to say that many of us are NOT in fact "Friends Of Scouting " - but WE ARE SCOUTING!

 

It's a shame that "they" hang something like FOS $$ over the heads of Pro's - and not more meaningful factors.

 

How much from our unit?? ~$600 and most of that from just a few parents that are LOADED and will write it off their business accounts. I am ashamed to have thsi presentation every year.

[awesome1_in_cc]

DugDirt,

 

If you are ashamed to hold an FOS presentation every year then DON'T DO IT!!! But please keep your mouth shut when your local camp is falling down around you, there is no staff to support you and your local programs are basically junk!!

 

The BSA takes MONEY to operate just like any other buisness. What other organization can you join for $11 a year? Sure lets stop FOS and charge everyone $75 per quarter to be members, that should rid us of the nasty ole FOS. Downside is membership will also be null!!

 

Please don't get me wrong, giving of your time is VERY VERY important and for that I say thank you!! My point is that the BSA is a buisness just like anything else and it requires money to operate. My question is where do think it should come from?

[GernBlansten]

I don't have a problem with the presentations at unit meetings, however, I want them focused on the 75% of the parents who aren't scouters. We scouters give our time, blood, sweat, tears and money because those parents are just too busy with work schedules to donate their efforts. Let them dig into their wallets. Scouters should get a pass on FOS.

[DugDirt]

Most of the time..It's not money (or lack of it) that makes camps fall down and local programs go bad. It's lack of membership and lack of good experienced and knowledgeable leadership that causes those things. I've noticed that those things also happen when an organization tends to try to be "everything to everyone" instead of staying focused on a core set of values and practices. It's called "losing your mission". Look at our schools - or our government. Who says that the best funded is always "the best"? Not by a long shot. As far as "keeping my mouth shut", hmmmm. No I won't.

 

Parents and especially Scouters are turned off by the FOS (the way it is currently done) and it probably adds to the list of reasons why we don't want to be in Scouts anymore. It's like telemarketing, only in your face and in front of your kids.

 

FOS needs to be working at the community level and not homing in on it's membership. Sure - I'd pay $20 versus $11 for my son's membership and so would many others.. Many are usually shocked about how cheap membership is - and how expensive the uniforms are. Balance please.

 

In USO, does the USO go and harass(oops I mean solicit) "the Troops" for donations? Imagine if they did that? No, the USO reaches out to the Public and commerical enterprises and I suspect that the largest contributions come from Veterans.

 

Hey there's an idea.. Reach out to past generations of Scouts. Then I hear you - "No it's easier ( there's that easy option again) to corner the current Scouters and Scout families and play high pressure sales games in front of their kids."

 

("Easy" does not make it "right".)

[awesome1_in_cc]

DugDirt,

 

I completely agree with you that the FOS campain needs to be more wide spread and not just directed at the current membership which it does in most Councils I know about. Most FOS campains that I have seen have serval phases where they target a specific market in each phase. The Unit presentations are almost always the last "market" they try to reach but it is also the only one most volunteers see.

 

Let me also applogize for my "over the top" remark about "keeping your mouth shut". That was out of line and comes from 5 years of watching and fighting the effects to the program of a poorly funded council.

 

I wish you the best and may I make a suggestion to your Scout Pants problem. Maybe the unit could use their revenue from Popcorn sales to purchase these for the scouts. Just an ideal!!(This message has been edited by awesome1_in_cc)

[NJDFS_1]

I've not saved this username and password because I truly do not have time to be doing this. I have heard of this blog, however, from a dedicated District and Unit Volunteer who picked up on negative 'vibes' in other councils.

 

Fortunately, our council has very little of this negativity anymore, but I, from the start might have been one of the complainers - - back in the 'day'.

 

You see, as an Eagle Scout and Assistant Scoutmaster, my dedication was never in question, but rarely did I ever see a DE (1980). Then, I became Scoutmaster...my DE contacted me for a then "SME Presentation". Because I had not seen him and had not developed that relationship, I said, "No, I really don't have the time to do that...." Soon after, one of my parents stepped forward and volunteered to run it throughout the troop and it happened.

 

Fast forward a few years (24) and now I've worked in Councils professionally in Rhode Island, New Jersey and Maryland....I was a volunteer when my son was a Tiger....and feel I have gained an entirely new understanding of the relationship which needs to exist.

 

FOS (especially Family FOS) is absolutely necessary if we are to have the independant ability to support ourselves through political disagreements, suffering economies, membership standards crisis, etc. No longer can we afford to be held hostage by other sometimes-supportive organizations and their quest to be the flavor of the year politically in their attempt to reflect contemporary pop-culture.

 

We are all Scouters...we are all dedicated...and we all have to stand together through policies, traing courses AND FOS.

 

If there are those who cannot be THIS dedicated, then perhaps the Boy and Girls Clubs, YMCAs or Pocahontas has a spot for them.

[Gold Winger]

"Your local programs are basically junk!!"

 

Would that really happen? Most local programs are run by the volunteers. Let's look at other successful programs that are run by volunteers with minimal paid staff . . . soccer, football, baseball, SCCA, NRA.

 

Perception is reality. The perception is that BSA always has their hand out to the members. The problem is that there are too many layers to BSA asking for money. The parents that pay ther $50 to the troop don't usually differentiate between troop and national. They just know that the Boy Scouts took $50. Most don't realize that Council doesn't get a penny of that $50 and that national only gets $11.

 

Maybe units should be encouraged to roll $10 for FOS into their dues.

 

 

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

GW, I agree that perception is reality, I would take your premise a step further. I am not so sure that it's because each of the multi-layers that is the BSA seems to always have its' collective hand out as much as the perception that the return on the investment is lacking.

 

As we know, we volunteer for a program that is not controlled by those inside in the program. The CO's have the real power and few of them realize it. I have seen multiple DE's come and go and a few "terminated", none of the District membership had any input in the decision nor did they have input to the replacement. Sometimes its hard to work for an organization that seemingly does not value your opinion or your efforts and that may explain the backlash to FOS.

[Gold Winger]

I've always thought that if Ed McMahon visits me with a check or I win the Lottery, I'd donate enough money to have a camp named after me ("Camp Goldwing", can you dig it?) I'd bet that if I did that, I'd still be expected to pony up for FOS.

 

Give until it hurts and then give some more.

 

 

[GMitch]

Good post NJDFS_1. It doesn't bother me to pony up $170 to FOS, the countless tanks of diesel fuel to camp and Scout related meetings. the uniform and accessories, the camping gear etc. I'm not wealthy, but I'm not cheap either. At the end of the day, Scouting for the year might cost me $5 per day on the high side. I don't even have a boy old enough for the program yet either, but I believe in Scouting and what it can do for young men, and ultimately our nation. The late Gordon Hinckley who was a Silver Buffalo recipient said this:

 

"I love the Scouting movement. If every boy in America knew and observed the Scout Oath, we would do away with most of the jails and prisons in this country. This program builds boys, builds their futures, leads them on the right path so they can make something of their lives. Every man or woman who helps a boy along the road of life not only does a great thing for him but does a great thing for society as a whole ."

 

Most of us pay much more than $5 per day because of the economic drain on us due to prisons, jails, and welfare assistance for those who lack character, and don't observe the timeless values that are Scouting.(This message has been edited by GMitch)

[BuffaloSR793]

Our Council usually has a volunteer do the FOS presentation. Works out pretty well.

 

A new wrinkle from our Council this year, If your unit does not do a FOS presentation, you'll not receive free rank advancements. (ie: patches)