Does recruiting & Troop Fund Raising = Service Hours?

[Twocubdad]

I'm not suggesting you turn this into a quid pro quo, but if someone does something nice for me (or the troop) I try to return the favor. A Scout is Courteous. Don't think of it as "payment" think of it as making the event fun and appealing for the Scouts.

 

If the four or five guys it takes to staff the booth are going above and beyond to help out the troop, why shouldn't the troop do something nice for them? Especially if it is something visible to the rest of the troop, like being invited to the adult campsite for cobbler on the next campout?

 

In another vein, I wouldn't use the Eagle project requirements to exclude service which benefits Scouting in general. I think Boy Scouts helping at Cub day camp or a Cub camporee is a fine service project (unless the Boy Scout is a Den Chief is obligated as part of his posiion of responsibility.) Again, my criteria is where or not the Scout is benefitting from the service himself.

 

I do agree with the idea that the Star and Life service should give the Scout a flavor of an Eagle project (although I think six hours is far too little time.) To that end, for Life I require the Scout to give me a quick, one paragraph proposal as to what he is going to do. I also ask that they plan for the one project to take all six hours. If he comes up short and puts in another hour or two somewhere else, that's okay, but going in I want him to do the one project. It makes me nuts for a kid to try to justify an hour-and-a half here, two hours there, 45 minutes somewhere else -- that's not a service project, that's a creative writing assignment.

[Sephrina]

My son is only a cub, and for him these types of events fall under the heading of helping the pack go. When he whines or complains about them, he is told if he doesn't want to help the pack, he doesn't need to be a cub scout. I would expect him to do the same for his troop in a few years.

 

Karen

[eisely]

I think, as a general principle, service hours have to benefit someone or some organization outside of scouting altogether. A service project benefiting your troop's chartered organization does count as service, but putting time in at a recruiting booth does not.

[emb021]

"I think, as a general principle, service hours have to benefit someone or some organization outside of scouting altogether."

 

There are different types of service.

 

My service fraternity makes this clear.

 

There is service to the fraternity, which includes things like paying your dues, recruiting members, being an officer, being an involved member, doing a workshop/training event within the fraternity, etc.

 

There is service to the community, such as doing service project within the community or working with a local service organization.

 

 

For a scout unit, you need BOTH types of service. But when it comes to 'service' for the purposes of advancement, we are speaking of community service. But the boys need to be doing the first type as well. And not every kind of service comes with a 'reward'.

 

 

[scoutldr]

Love For Neighbor. --- In promoting the second commandment, love for one's neighbor, we urge our Scouts and Guides to express this in active form by doing, even in an elementary way, good service for others.

 

The daily good turn, without desire for reward, which grows by progressive stages till it becomes a habit of conduct, goes on till it involves sacrifices in time or money or pleasures, even to the extent of involving danger to the life of the performer.

 

Baden-Powell, 1924

 

(thanks to Kudu)

[eghiglie]

The suggestion that 'twocubdad' made is great.

 

'To that end, for Life I require the Scout to give me a quick, one paragraph proposal as to what he is going to do. I also ask that they plan for the one project to take all six hours.'

 

[SMT224]

UPDATE...

 

Well, we had 3 Scouts show up, out of a Troop of 30, to work our Troop table at the community fair. Several who said they'd be there didn't show. So it was mostly me and a few other adult leaders talking to the few folks who stopped by our table. Overall I'd say it was a bust...

 

An now... well, yea, I do feel like pulling those three Scouts up in front of everyone and giving them ice cream! And if someone feels bad about it, well then show up next time! What a bad SM I am!

[acco40]

First, the SM should determine what constitutes service hours. Myself, no way would I count this as service hours.

 

What do you think is the purpose for having service hours requirements for the Scouts? Would teaching a younger scout in your troop how to tie a bowline be considered a service? How about making ones bed? Going to church with your family? Shoveling your grandmothers driveway (snow removal)?