OldGreyEagle Posted June 17, 2003 Share Posted June 17, 2003 I have heard many opinions on this and would like to get the groups thoughts. I think no, but then again, I could be wrong... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocubdad Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 Many years ago, in a galaxy far away, this was my Eagle project. But the nature of a bloodmobile is very different then and now. Then, we had Boy Scouts do everything but draw blood and do health histories. We manned most of the stations along the route of the donors, assembled the donation kits, worked as nurses' aids in the donor rooms, served donors in the canteen. And this was 12-13 y.o. Scouts. Now, bloodmobiles are so restrictive, the only thing even adult volunteers can do is the pre-drive donor recruitment and working in the canteen. Unless you had a whale of a promotional effort, I'm not sure there are enough hours and leadership opportunities to make it a good Eagle project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthPoleScout Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 No. I think even the literature lists a blood drive as more of a routine community service ~ not really up to the standards of an "EAGLE" project. If theres a boy in your group that was thinking of a blood drive, see if you can get him to do something a little more challenging. Maybe something more substantial like a drive to get new books for the school library.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkie Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OGE, i used to think this was a wimpy Eagle project, but have since changed my view. After 9/11 a scout in our Troop was allowed to do a blood drive. It is my understanding that the emphasis of an Eagle project is to show leadership. The scout 1) contacted a local blood bank to draw the blood, 2) secured a location for the blood drive, 3) signed up 70 participants to donate blood (the minimum the orgn. required to do the drive, this included handing out flyers and getting the word out to the community), 4) solicited for pizza and pop to be donated for the workers. He may have also supplied the juice and cookies for the people who donated. Pulling this altogether for one day, i think showed leadership. I still think it's weak, but not as weak as i used to. SouthPoleScout, how is a bookdrive more substantial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smccabe34 Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 I did a Blood Drive for my Eagle Project, and believe if executed correctly it is sufficient if not better than most projects. The typical Eagle Project consists of some manual labor (i.e. building picnic tables, painting, etc.), and I believe that this project is an excellent alternative to the manual labor route and allows the Life scout to demonstrate leadership on a broader scale. The project makes the scout go out into the community to secure a location, marketing, food, workers, a blood drive staff, and much more. This gives the scout a much more beneficial look at the real world. (It allows them to start networking.) So, back to the orignial question -- Is Organizing a Blood Drive an Eagle Project? I say absolutly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGreyEagle Posted September 1, 2003 Author Share Posted September 1, 2003 Interesting, in what way did you show leadership? During the blood drive, did you direct the nurses on proper venipuncture technique? Did you direct the setting up of the screening, blood draw, and resting areas? I realize you had to oraganize a place, did other scouts assist you? How many hours did other people besides yourself and the blood bank people put in the project? Just wondering how it all worked is all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smccabe34 Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 "Interesting, in what way did you show leadership?" I believe that by organizing the event, it did show leadership. No where does it direct that the project must show leadership to boys in your troop. I believe that by coordinating the marketing with the various sources (8 in all) I "lead" them in what to do. ------------------------------------------------ "During the blood drive, did you direct the nurses on proper venipuncture technique? Did you direct the setting up of the screening, blood draw, and resting areas?" Let's not be stupid, obvisouly, due to legal restrictions I couldn't direct the nurses on medical technique, but I did direct the setting up of the areas. ------------------------------------------------ "I realize you had to oraganize a place, did other scouts assist you?" The blood drive was held at my Troop's chartering organization. I held it ther because it was immediatly after Sept. 11, and I felt it was a good service to the members of the church to have a blood drive immediatly after church. No other scouts assisted in setting up the location. ------------------------------------------------ "How many hours did other people besides yourself and the blood bank people put in the project?" In all, there were 101 volunteer hours committed to the blood drive, 27.5 hours were mine, and the rest (73.5 hours) were given by other people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evmori Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 smccabe34 raises a very good point about how leadership is to be shown during an Eagle project. This is one of those things that can be interperted many different ways by many different people. While I didn't initally think this was a good Eagle porject, the way smccabe34 explained his, I have changed my mind. Sometimes something might not look good on paper but once it is explained it does. Ed Mori Scoutmaster Troop 1 1 Peter 4:10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Old Guy Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 I've seen some pretty wimpy Eagle Projects so I'd say yes with reservation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packsaddle Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 I think it depends on what the boy does. If he just makes a phone call and the local blood bank does the rest I would ask for more involvement. But if he organizes donors and arranges time and place and publicity, now we're talking a project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red feather Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 ditto with packsaddle. I work with businesses that are blood drawing centers, the American Red Cross and Communtiy Blood Center in my area. They would love to have this kind of involvement since it is communtity service and a chance for the scout to be exposed to the world of such a service. They are exposed to gov't regulations, staffing requirements, and not the least the getting of how to advertise to get the volunteers to give blood. If what the project can give is greeters, cookie givers, or just the exposure that scouts are involved is great! It will bring out people that might not give otherwise and maybe establish a long term involvement. Depending on how the Project is written up and completed, yes most worthwhile. yis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob White Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 It would depend on the details of the project. i'm not prepared to say no until I have seen the evidence that it soes or soes not meet the requirements for advancement. Bob White Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaineScouter Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 Personally, I say yes. Our Council says yes (they even stood up at a RT and offered one as an Eagle project!). Our SM says no. The Adv Chair/NESA chair (same guy) says no. My son submitted a project to both of them that included a blood drive within a health fair that focused on blood born diseases and issues including bone marrow screening/matching. His plan was to hold an information fair in his community with the focus on donating blood/education. He planned to arrange for volunteer drivers, door prizes for people who donated, educational booths (diabetes, bone marrow issues, AIDS, hepatitis, etc.), snacks (he wanted to ask a GS Troop to help with this)... I think his proposal was about 8 pages long and very detailed. He couldn't get it approved without going over the head of his SM, and since the man who was responsible for Eagle BOR's wouldn't accept a "blood drive" project, he figured he better not push it. This Scout plans to become a doctor and wanted to make his project reflect that. I think it's a shame that these adults didn't recognize this and try work with him. Now, they LOVED the project he ended up doing... building log dugouts for a softball field in town. Any "construction" project gets instant approval. One of the objections these men had was that a blood drive/health fair wasn't "lasting" and my son wouldn't have anything to "hang a plaque on" after it was completed. My other son is just beginning to think about his project. I'm encouraging this son to consider a "construction" project. However, he's leaning toward something like collecting used eye glasses to donate to those in need. His second idea is calling the local Ronald MacDonald House to see if they need anything. If they do, I hope it's bookshelves! jk MS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkie Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 MaineScouter, I'd like to recommend another project your son may want to consider. Although my son has decided on another Eagle project, one of the projects he was considering was collecting baby monitors for Hospice. 3 years ago, his grandfather was home on hospice. They were very short on baby monitors. A simple thing no-one seems to think about. However, the monitors gave my mom an opportunity to go outside on her patio and read a paper for a few minutes without worrying if she would be able to hear him call her. Those few minutes were a God-send for a 24 hour caregiver watching the life of a loved one slip away. Sparkie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbroganjr Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 It really is hard to judge a book by its cover. I once heard a fellow scouter describe his son's eagle project. He simply stated that he ran a variety show for seniors at large senior home in his town. My first impression was... a campfire???? Turns out he involved not just scouts from his troop, but the thespian group from H.S., got a couple of costume and set designers from NYC to contribute as well a an audio system so the seniors could hear what was going on. He also spent time finding out the likes dislikes of thegroup (seniors) to provide a fitting program. So How did I find that out... by saying to this scouter "never heard of a project like that, tell me more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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