Re: "Timely" recognition versus "timely" ceremonies

Pat: I had a similar approach to stocking up on badges etc. because there
always seemed to be one leader who couldn't follow rules and called the night
before the pack meeting with their den's awards. Since they knew there were
extra badges, it was easy to abuse my request of at least one week's notice,
and still have Johnny Scout receive badge, arrow point, etc. that he'd just
completed. A line was drawn and insisted upon, and some boys had to wait
because their leader couldn't follow the rules--the boys have to know that
rules exist for some real reason!

As far as non-ceremonies go, I know the boys in our pack would not soon
forget the ceremony (Knights of the Round Table) wherein we had a real 6'4"
knight in armor come and knight each boy as his badge of rank was presented,
with different wording for each rank. Kneeling there, looking up at what was
to the boys a "man mountain", waiting for the sword that was bigger than the
Tiger Cubs were to be tapped on awed shoulders--these boys were *impressed*
and that made things all the more special. As an award should be.

One doesn't need to go to elaborate lengths with props and costumes to make
an effective, impressive ceremony. But the boy who has worked hard for a
badge deserves to be recognized for his effort, not just called up in a
lineup like a herd of cattle.

Just my $0.02

YiS
Susan L [turtle671@aol.com]
District Training Chair, Cottonwood District, Lincoln, NE

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