Friends of Scouting and out of touch District...

[Basementdweller]

I was never permitted to address the committee at their meeting. It was held at a private residence and the meeting dates and times were not public knowledge. The SM and I were going to storm the castle as it were, but it never happened.

 

I was told no first by the cub activity chair and then the main activity chair, first in email, then phone and then face to face at round table. And to be honest, after scanning my wood badge card and sending it, and asking for a world conservation award day event and being told no again, I did let her know what I thought about it. But keep in mind this was after 4 years of meeting their requirements and being told NO.

 

So today our Pack and one of the neighboring Packs are finishing the World conservation award . A shame more scouts could not have enjoyed it.

[moosetracker]

Hmm.. we are shrinking to the a__holes are not the Council paid executives, are not a majority group of "good ol' boys" holding District volunteer positions, but comes down to one lady and another he/she?? who have formed the Activity district positions..

 

Question, were they the ones who said get the Camp school and we will talk, then get woodbadge and we'll talk.. Or was this someone else trying to give you helpful suggestion on what might help your predicament??

 

I am happy you verbally expressed your opinions to them.. After hearing all this, I would move up the chain of command with your complaints to the District committee chair, and the DE.. a two person group may not hold that much power if others above them in the district are given information about their antics..

 

Surely your Key-3 contact info should be posted on your Districts web site..

[SeattlePioneer]

It's a shame Basement can't get a square deal let alone help and support from his district.

 

Around here, districts can be fairly close geographically. If I were having problems like that I think I'd "adopt" another district that had a good program and support THEM rather than my own district. Attend THEIR Roundtable. Participate in and help organize THEIR events. Attend THEIR trainings. Contribute to THEIR FOS quotas (heh, heh! that might get attention!).

 

I pretty regularly look through the websites for the twelve districts in my council, looking for good ideas and activities.

 

It might be possible to encourage other units disappointed with the district to do the same thing until the DE and/or council leadership gets the message.

[moosetracker]

Well I doubt he contributes to the FOS, since he is still donating to scouting more then his fair share out of personal money for the units needs..

 

But he has stated driving the boys to other districts to attend their events..

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello Moose,

 

 

Heh, heh! I wasn't intending to turn that post into a FOS solicitation directed at Basement Dweller!

 

Does someone call Basement to ask him to set up a FOS solicitation for his unit? I don't recall him saying who that would be. Most DEs would make that call if they did nothing else for a unit that year.

 

If I were on the receiving end of that call, I might say, "Well, you know we've had some great experiences with the Baden Powell District this past year --- GREAT TRAININGS, FINE district PWD and friendly Roundtables. So we've decided to do our own FOS solicitation and contribute that through a Baden Powell District unit by way of saying THANKS!

 

I take it you'd have no objection to that---- it all goes in the same pot in the end, right?"

 

 

I think I could take a little innocent pleasure with that approach...

 

 

 

[Basementdweller]

It was a poor fellow his second presentation, he did a very poor job and we disappointed them again with our contribution. DE hasn't called yet to shame me for our contribution. The DE call the SM of the troop and asked him to make up the the difference between the short fall for the troops projected amount. 400 bucks. Let me think about that uhhhhhh no.

 

Look you guys are portraying me as some sorta saint.....that I am not. I put on a program for my boy and girls, I do what I have to do to make sure they are engaged and having fun. If I gotta absorb some of the cost I will do it. We had 50 people on their hands and knees pulling garlic mustard today for earth day, tomorrow night i will have 3 girl scout troops, 2 packs and 3 troops and a crew planting 500 trees in a new city park. We are planting 200 trees saturday at a regional park. The boys love it.

 

Got a funny story from yesterday, we were removing honeysuckle from the new city park there are acres and acres of it, there is a community garden there. We had been working an hour or so, had the troop and crew there, bout 30 adults and youth, all in uniforms. we were sitting on tailgates taking a break. up rolls one of the council trucks, interesting, next rolls up a mini van. A couple of dads and tigers roll out......really got my interest now. long story short, it was a photo op for council, completely staged, the boys acted like they were planting in the garden.....I said acted because it was already done, the boys never were allowed to get dirty, dads were in perfect uniforms.

 

here we are, I am bloody from the limp I took to the face, boys and girls are muddy, dirty, sweaty and smelly, watching this go on......The kids saw the humor in what was happening and invited the photographer and the tigers to join us.......SPL made me smile, telling the dads we were more go than show. the boys were game, dads were not. Photographer left with out taking a picture of us.

 

You know district had nothing to do with the earth day stuff, cause it is for the tree huggers. I had a blast this weekend....watching the boys work and I couldn't have been prouder of our accomplishments and gratitude from the city manager.

[SSScout]

Oh go ahead and take the credit. If the City Manager knows you and the work you arranged and did, ask him to get the City PR folks to work up a press release about the SPECIFIC Packs and Troops that helped. No mention of the District or Council need be made, not necessary. Get it out to the local press and media. When they call the Council for comment, I can guess what may happen, but sometimes fantasy should be left just as that.

Keep us posted.

[Doc Meyer]

My intent is not to get personal. I don't doubt there are problems, but logic tells me that there is more to the story. Basement has made some pretty blanket statements about his council without taking time to learn more. (Executives don't recruit volunteers, I do.)

 

I'm sorry he is having troubles, but I can't help thinking that he has ruffled feathers somewhere. If his executive staff is stringing him along, that is wrong on many levels.

 

I apologize if my comments were taken out of the context intended.

[Basementdweller]

Doc....I am not a saint for sure. My scouts are the most important thing in my world. I am not bucking for the much sought after silver aquatic ground hog or overhand knot. I hope my paycheck comes in a few years when one of my scouts introduces me to his son who is now a cub scout.

 

I live by "lead follow or get out of the way." The district is in the way and probably will always be in the way.

 

Last nights tree planting had a local news crew at it. SPL called them on his own. I know council will be pissed they were not informed. They interview the SPL, a parent, our cutest little venture crew girl and a couple of cubs. They are going to air it Thursday night. I gave the SPL an IOU for dinner at a location of his choosing.....made me smile, the kid keeps surprising me.