Scrapbook Entry

This is a copy of the posting I sent Jon over the weekend. I've removed
only five paragraphs which were personal in nature; I'm proud to share the
rest of my thoughts and feelings with all of you and with Jon. Scouts-L has
meant a lot to me over the years, and without Jon's leadership and his
willingness to "fall on his sword" many times with his school's
administration for us, this list would NOT be as "famous" or "lively" as it
is today!

Two short reminders: PLEASE, PLEASE place the word "Scrapbook" in
the subject line; it will help all of us here. And PLEASE, PLEASE post
your expressions here (even if you've sent a personal note to our
listowner). We're hoping that when he gets back late tonight or early in
the day Tuesday, that he'll be completely overwhelmed by the number and
content of the postings!!

Thanks!
------------------begin included posting---------------------
Hey Jon!!

Thank you ever so much for many things, Jon. For your friendship over the
years. For allowing me to bring to this forum my Scouting experiences,
stories, and information. For giving me a way to give back to the program
in the only way that I have time to do so consistantly. And for being there
when I needed help in getting internet resources off of the ground for local
Councils and for units that really want to be a part of this grandness that
is the Internet.

A favorite Scouts-L experience or memory:

My favorite Scouts-L experience has been when we all worked together to
convince Kathie Cervany's Council's leadership to allow training awards for
their Roundtable staff members. That was one time of many that we have all
worked together, from different parts of the country, from different points
of view, to resolve a problem on behalf of someone we've never met before!

It also *changed BSA policy*, as a result...one of many policies which have
been changed or modified thanks in a large part to you and your list.

A story about friendships developed as a result of Scouts-L:

I wished deeply that we could have met together at the last Jamboree. My
heart was racing when we got out of the car and walked up the hill to the
gate. It beated even faster when we arrived at the National Sea Exploring
display, the location for our first Scouts-L "Internet Scouters' Reunion
Meeting". I held Jessi's hand tightly as we sat down together, and I'm sure
that I couldn't hide my pride and my deep respect for those other people
that I've just known as "names on a computer screen"...only a few of us, but
over the two hours we spent there, leaving only when it was close to 10pm
and not wanting to leave. It was your list that brought us all there
together, and when we all returned, that one action...that one small meeting
catapulted this group toward something that eventually became "larger than
all of us combined". We became a community.

There's simply something absolutely special about travelling miles out of
the way of going to or from a place, or waiting in an airport a few more
minutes in order to meet someone that "was just on their way to" another
location, or in the thrill of attending a dinner or a Court of Honor or some
other activity and looking across the room and realizing after hearing a
name, "Hey! Aren't you on Scouts-L? I've read your postings and I really
like what you have to say!!" and getting up, walking over and hugging or
shaking hands (or both!)!

You've had a great deal to do with all of that, even though you weren't able
to be there or had little to do with the planning. You made it happen, Jon,
by serving us all and keeping our lines of communications open.

Things that have been learned as a result of Scouts-L:

I have learned much about the way that Scouting is really done in other
parts of our nation. I've learned about religious youth groups and their
importance to the development of youth within their faiths. I've learned
that *my answer* is not the ONLY
answer to a specific problem or situation, and that sometimes, those other
answers are BETTER and something that *I* may want to use within my own
situation! I have also learned that Scouting is more than just being there
for the kids in our programs....it's being there for the other adults in our
programs as well. I've learned some more songs,
some different ways of performing ceremonies, some ways that I can be of
service here locally, and that if you want an answer to a Scouting question
or concern, this is *still* the place (even though our disclaimers plainly
deny this!) to get them answered with as much or little detail as we choose
to read about!

How discussions on Scouts-L have benefited local Scouts and Guides:

I don't know how our discussions have directly benefited our local Scouts
and Guides here. I do know that many people have used our daily discussions
as starting blocks toward finding out how they can be of service to their
fellow Scouts and Scouters. I also
know that a lot of Scouters have used the resources here to make their
programs better.
I don't know how many personal notes I've received over the years (I guess I
should count them all up for some sort of statistical reasoning, but its not
important) asking for advice or an opinion because "I've read your posting
on Scouts-L and wanted some more information" or "I know that we've talked
about it on Scouts-L in the past and I don't want to bring it up right now
again, but...." Scouts-L and your part in administering it has *made the
difference* between some "good Scouters" and some GREAT Scouters.

An example of that can be found in "Dr. Steve", Steve Meyers. "Dr. Steve"
took a Troop and restarted it, using a lot of the advice and information we
all provided from Scouts-L.
He used what we stated, along with what the BSA says should be done and what
he wanted to do as a new Scoutmaster, and have made Troop 1 in Akron, THE
place to be.
He increased the membership, the finances, and the visiability of the Troop.
In the process, Dr. Steve also convinced *other new Scoutmasters* as to how
Troop operations and programming should be conducted. Simply, Jon, you made
it possible for Dr. Steve and a WHOLE BUNCH of OTHER "Dr. Steves" reading
and printing here
to be highly successful Scoutmasters!!

What I've enjoyed most about Scouts-L:

In one word: Everything. I enjoyed the banter about "which Wood Badge
patrol was the best" (I STILL say "Beavers Build Better Wood Badgers!"
*heheheheee*). I enjoyed reading about how various Scouters have had great
experiences using some of the things we've talked about here. I enjoyed
being able to help others by answering a question or making a comment. I
enjoyed the argumentative nature of some of our discussions, and reading
others' points-of-view on a issue or topic. I enjoyed even doing the
research for many of the questions that we've asked here and couldn't get an
answer right away. I enjoyed writing personal letters to new Eagle Scouts,
and sending them via email to their Scoutmasters or Advisors. I enjoyed
getting information about youth medical disorders, about national programs
and events and how to participate, about how youth members are making a
difference locally without the benefit of "being a Scout" or a Guide.

I didn't enjoy hearing about Scouters whom have "went home", nor about
Scouters that got into the news negatively. I didn't enjoy talking about
topics that we can't really come to a consensus on and which led us off what
we all agreed we're about here. I didn't enjoy getting email from Scouters
that told me "you're full of it, you know?" But in those cases and others,
I have *enjoyed* getting them from Scouts-L....because it shows me that even
though that others may NOT agree with my way of thinking (or National's way
of thinking, which I've tried as hard as I can to "represent" in many of my
postings in lieu of getting an "official poster" to do so)...they ARE
thinking and feeling. Those postings left me looking at my screen,
sometimes with eyes closed in prayer, sometimes with my mouth open in
disbelief, and sometimes with my hands and mouth yelling back at the monitor!!!

You've brought all of that to us....you, the resources of Texas Christian
University, and the listserver software. While "Lefty" got us all started,
you moved us toward the Information Age and toward our own direction. My
personal prayers are for your continued service to us, for your continued
health and that of your family, and that you continue to be of service to
others through your interaction in Scouting there in your local Council.
You've meant a lot to *all* of us, Jon. There's a great deal of respect,
love and support for you and your hard, tiresome work at keeping us all
talking with each other around this large international "virtual fire".

"Large, international virtual fire". We've always been such an
international forum, even from our beginnings when we had (and still have)
folks like Anne Page and Ian Ford around, giving us perspective and asking
questions from New Zealand and England. Only today, we've added 14 other
countries and territories to our "review list". Again, you have been so
instrumental in getting us access and getting us exposure to Scouters on a
worldwide scope. Sometimes I have to look down at the signature from Grant
or Byron and remember that they are Scouters in Australia or Canada....their
comments, thoughts and feelings are just as important to me as those from
Dave Hultberg, or Randy Finder, John Pannell, Cathy Porter or Michele
Konigsdorf. Or those that are silently sitting at their screens, reading
each and every posting, and whose "voices" we'll never hear.

Again, thanks for bringing us *all* together every day, Jon. Thanks for
taking your personal and professional time in getting the resources,
fighting for us and getting us space on the University's servers to let us
all talk with, for and about each other and the myriad of national,
regional, and local programs we belong to. Thanks for not making a
distinction between "those activily in the program" and those "that remember
the program or used to be in the program". Over the seven years, we've had
folks here that have been "thrown out" of their program, professionals and
former professionals, youth agency leaders, recreational aides, church
leaders, and a lot of present and former Boy and Girl Scouting leaders here
at Scouts-L. Each person brought to this list their own personality, their
own perspective, their own experiences, and a lot of joy and sorrow to this
list. It has made this list a large, international community.

You made it all work. Work well, work without a lot of conflict and problems
that so many other groups have suffered. You've given us a voice,
individual and as a group.

Thanks for providing us with getting that hug, that pat on the back, that
kick in the seat, that lump in our throats, that warm feeling in our hearts
and stimulation in our minds over the years.

Thank you also for allowing me to offer my personal reflection on what I've
done and wasn't able to do in Scouting and for giving me a place to share
those reflections with so many others...not in hopes of selling books or
bragging, but to allow them to think about their own service and the way it
makes a difference...a big difference....in some youth member, some adult
member, some parent, some friend of theirs.

Here's to another six years of service to all of us around the
"International Roundtable meeting that NEVER ends!" If you EVER need
anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. I owe you a lot, Jon...and
won't ever forget what you've given all of us here in this forum!!

Mike Walton

------------------------end included posting------------------------

Settummanque!
(c) 1997 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") (502) 827-9201
(settummanque, the blackeagle) http://dynasty.net/users/blkeagle
241 Fairview Dr., Henderson, KY 42420-4339 blkeagle@dynasty.net
kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@hq.21taacom.army.mil
---- FORWARD in service to youth ----

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