Re: Eagle Scouts
Settummanque, ("MAJ)
Mon, 18 Nov 1996 18:33:46 -0600
Hi Joe!
>Our troop has four boys that will be working towards their Eagle within the
>next 12 to 18 months. At our last committee meeting, we discussed the
>responsibility the committee has to the eagle candidate regarding the
>completion of his project. We understand the need of the committee, troop
> leaders and boys to assist the candidate with the project's completion but
>we are not sure if financial support is necessary.
Huh?? Financial support for the Eagle candidate??
>Examples might be a flat
>amount to cover part of the COH costs, pay for the costs of any project
>documantation, supply cake and paper products and so on.
Okay. Wait a minute, Joe. We're talking about two separate things here. You
started out talking about costs associated with the project and then onward with
the costs of the Court of Honor.
Time out.
The EAGLE SCOUT is responsible (or should be responsible) for insuring that
his service project (somehow I think we've taken the SERVICE out of that and
are trying to rebuild entire communities...there are a lot of great service
projects
that do not cost $$$) comes in within the budget if he deems neccessary for
a budget. The Troop should not be assisting with raising funds because fund
raisers are NOT appropriate Eagle Scout service projects (reference the Eagle
Scout Service Project folder and the Advancement Guidelines booklet). Raising
money in connection with an Eagle service project is also very questionable.
So now, we're talking about costs like reproduction of documentation (three or
four copies at the tops, because that documentation doesn't go to National any
more). Can't the Troop handle $20 or so dollars for all four projects? (At 10
cents a page, we're talking about 12 pages max per kid...and those must be some
REALLY SUPERIOR projects for 12 pages!!)
Now, let's talk about the Eagle Court of Honor itself. The Court of Honor
should
be something that the Eagle AND HIS PARENTS sit down and decide upon.
Format, "presentations" and "gifts" should be coordinated between parents and
the Troop's leaders (the Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Committee chair and
Scoutmaster). The Troop should pick up the cost for such things like paper
products and napkins, things which can be ordered through the BSA's Supply
Division and therefore placed on the unit's account if the unit doesn't have
the
ready money. The Eagle should be looking at a place whereby his parents and
he can afford to reserve and utilize for the ceremony. The invitations should
be sent out by the Eagle with advisment from the Troop's leaders and his parents
(after all, it is HIS EAGLE COURT OF HONOR). This includes those invites
to people that we all KNOW have a low probablility of attending (Congressman
Big Bag, Senator Dude, the President, etc.) but would probably send something
noting the occasion.
If you're talking about all four doing the Eagle Court of Honor together,
don't plan
on it....you MIGHT be able to get all four's Eagle packets to National at
the same
time and you MIGHT be able to get them all approved within the same period
and you MIGHT get the Eagle presentation kits back together....but those are
some
bets that I don't think even those professional bet-makers in Atlantic City or
Las Vegas would bet on!! Each Eagle Court of Honor should be a design of each
Eagle....now, if two of them or all four of them agree to do this, you will
have to wait until the fourth Eagle kit is returned, because National (and
your local Council)
frowns heavily on doing a presentation without the kit. Yeah, I know it's done.
Yeah, I know that it's "for the kid". But lookie....the kid will have a HIGHER
SENSE OF APPRECIATION for getting HIS BADGE instead of some staged
event whereby he "gets the badge presented" but has to give it back when his
finally shows up!!
Joe, your Troop needs to get with a Scoutmaster of a Troop that has been doing
several Eagle Courts of Honor over the past few years. Take a look at the
MacScouters' Eagle web pages. Get a copy of Eagletips 12-15 from the archives.
All of those will give you some more ammo to get back with those parents and
your
Troop's leaders and convince them that they've got the cart before the horse
right
now and that the EMPHASIS right now should be on getting all four of the Scout's
Eagle Service projects completed and documented; THEN worry about the
combined or separate Eagle Courts of Honor and remember that it's THEIR
ceremony, not the Troop's nor the parents'.
Besides, you stated that you have about a year to do all of this planning.
It's too early.
Settummanque!
-----
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (Settummanque, the blackeagle)
http://www.vhm.com/~uscardnl/
(Brigade) Signal Officer, TF 21, 21st Theater Army Area Command
Kaiserslautern, Federal Republic of Germany
"everything I say is "on the record"; speaking ONLY for myself unless indicated"
personal inquiries via blkeagle@midwest.net or kyblkeagle@aol.com
professional inquiries via waltonm%po2.hq@taacom.kaiserslautern.army.mil
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