Re: [Fwd: Friends of Scouting]
Neil Lupton (NeilLup@AOL.COM)
Sun, 1 Feb 1998 21:02:27 EST
In a message dated 1/31/98 9:56:12 AM, CAM2@DJS.COM wrote:
<<He wants me to pick up some literature and ask each family in our pack to
> donate $50.00 to this program. I just can't justify doing that!!! After
> asking each Scout for around $30.00 for fees/dues, plus uniform costs, plus
> selling popcorn, asking them to donate money to the District/Council on top
> of that just doesn't seem right. I know making sure the District/Council
> has the money to run it's program is part of his job, but the way the call
> was handled, just didn't sit right with me.
>
> I'm beginning the show the effects of severe burnout, plus the future of
> our Pack after this year doesn't look very bright. About one-third of our
> Pack are fifth graders, plus, every week I keep hearing about some of our
> families moving out of the school area, which in most cases means they will
> be leaving the Pack. From the looks of it, I will have to recruit new
> leaders for practically every major position next year at roundup, plus
> next year will be my last year (my youngest will be in fifth grade), so I
> have to find someone willing (crazy enough) to take on what I do.
>
> Any advice, kind words to keep me from losing sight of why I continue all
> this would be appreciated. Thanks for listening to the steam releasing.
>
> YIS,
>
> Carol Kelley
> CC - Pack 301
> MC - Troop 1
> Greater Alabama Council
> Huntsville, AL
> I am a First Class Girl Scout>>
Hello Carol,
It sounds as if you are a First Class Cub Scout leader too.
Don has given you some excellent counsel about FOS. Let me add a couple of
words. Someone is likely paying about $80 per boy for each of those members.
Honestly, when you consider what you get, Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting is
incredibly inexpensive. So while it may be troubling to ask parents for
donations to FOS, if yours is a normal suburban pack, $50 is one evening's
entertainment for a family. And it is tax deductible.
Regrettably, we don't get from United Way what we used to get. And many
funding organizations judge how valuable our service is considered to be by
the money contributed by our "users." So each dollar contributed by your Pack
to FOS is likely leveraged to $5 to $10 by the fund raising office of your
council. If your parents don't think that Scouting is worth contributing to
or if they aren't given the chance to contribute, then other potential donors
get that message. In Don's council, it sounds as if things are pretty well
organized. Not every council is that well organized and some ask the
committee to make the FOS presentation. But if you are uncomfortable, ask the
DE or ask a District volunteer to do it.
On the other matters, it sounds as if you have a great Pack with great
leaders. If up to now, you haven't had to recruit new leaders each roundup,
then you are ahead of the game. It is very common to have a large turnover
each year. I know of a Pack in NJ which has a big picnic each May. As
families pass through the food line, there is a big board with all the jobs
and spaces for three families on each, including committee chairman. Families
are told to sign up in May for what they want to be doing in the fall. And
not signing up is not an option. Not everyone follows through, but they get a
huge running start on their organization. If you can make signing up the
thing to do, then your recruiting is much easier. You are sharing the fun of
the pack with the families with younger Cub Scouts.
You haven't said how big your pack is, but if it is large, burn out is a real
problem. You might try to recruit an Assistant CC and turn the job over a
year early. Do something in Scouting you really enjoy.
Talk to your Commissioner and your DE about how you feel. They can help you.
And remember, just because your son leaves the Pack doesn't mean that you have
to. If you are having fun, keep doing it. Or if you want to have fun with a
Scout Troop, start doing that.
You do matter a great deal. But don't deprive the other Pack families of
their chance to be Cub Scout leaders. Remember that someone recruited you.
Maybe if you can recall some of the words which they said, it will be easier
to pass on the torch of Scouting.
Neil Lupton
Council Commissioner
Boston Minuteman Council
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