The Lost Sheep

[Eamonn]

I was saddened by a posting the other week where a Scoutmaster stated that he didn't have the time to find out why a Scout wasn't attending meetings.

I really enjoy the time I spend in Scouting. I think the thing I enjoy most is that allows me to have relationships with all sorts of people. I really do believe in what we are trying to do and where we are going. Along the way I have a lot of fun and more than my fair share of enjoyment. One of the relationships I valued the most was with the new lad who was joining the Troop. Some of these I knew because of their involvement in Cub Scouting, or their parents involvement in Scouting, others may have had an older brother in the troop.

I really wanted to know as much as I could about this "New Kid." I knew that if he stuck around he would be doing a lot of stuff with the troop, in most cases away from his home and family. I thought it was very important that they knew who this Scoutmaster guy was.This guy who would take their son away and allow him to participate in activities that might seem risky to a parent.

I made it a very important part of my job as Scoutmaster to go and visit each and every Scout at his home. This visit gave me a better understanding of the boy and what his home life was like. It gave the parents an opportunity to give me the "Once Over", ask whatever questions that they might have and hopefully put to rest any concerns that they might have. This meeting had lots of other benefits, but the main thing was it was the start of a relationship.

Once a Lad joined the troop, it was very much like he had joined a family. We over time got to know each other, we shared times of great happiness, we worked through times when things didn't go as they should. Occasionally things for the Scout got really rough and the troop became some sort of a refuge. Some Lads seen being a troop member as the most important thing happening in their life at that time, while others were happy to just have Scouts and Scouting as just one more thing that they did. I as the Scoutmaster knew these kids,I like to think this knowledge allowed me to serve them better.

While it might be wrong, I thought that these Scouts were my friends, I didn't lead them with threats or bribes. I know a lot of what they did, they did to please me. I shared in their accomplishments, I shared in their enjoyment. I always seen what I did as a privilege.

When a Scout wasn't coming to meetings, I wanted to know why. Sure there were Lads who for one reason or another decided that they just wanted out. If there was something that we were doing or there was something going on that I didn't know about, I needed to know so I could correct it.

At times I used the relationship that I had with the Lads parents to bring him back. Most times my message was just "Hey we are still here and please know that you will always be welcomed back."

As I say I was really sad to read that a Scoutmaster didn't have the time. I don't know what his circumstances are and maybe he has good reason for not having the time. I am in no way setting myself up as Judge and jury, I'm not in his shoes.

I do think that after all the time and effort we put into recruiting and knowing the good that can be done to not let a Lad know that he is welcome back is a shame.

Eamonn.

[Lynda J]

If I have a boy miss more than two meetings without contacting us then I find out why.

Recently a boy missed 3 meetings. I tried and tried to call but the phone was disconnected.

I finally went by his house. Come to find out his grandmother was being treated for cancer and he was her primary care giver. he had no way to get to and from. It took me about 5 seconds to take care of that and when I went back and told the other leaders in the troop we all stepped in. When we had scouts someone went by and stayed with her.

[Eamonn]

Way To Go Linda!!

That trip to the Scouts home was the best trip that you have made in a long time.

Kinda fits in to "Help other people at all times."

Being the Care Giver, takes a lot out of the person who is doing it and I'm overjoyed that this Lad has such a great support network, it goes a long way to prove that what we do is worth while.

Many Thanks for sharing this.

Eamonn.