Re: Adult Leaders without boys
Kevin Pate (kevinpate@YAHOO.COM)
Wed, 17 Jun 1998 11:34:13 -0700
This non-thread ;-) touches close to home to me.
In my youth, my SM was a wonderful, caring man.
He had been in Scouting 'forever' as it seemed to me
at the time. And although I was one that was, by my
own ignorance, lost to scouting fairly early in search
of making money for dates, peer pressure, etc., etc.,
yada, yada, yada, SM John has continued with my home town troop.
As a young adult, I banked at the bank he worked for, and I was always
welcome to stop in and visit. Although he did hold me in Scouting, he
has always made time for me and showed interest in my progress through
life when we have had occasion to meet, including when business had me
in D.C. at the same time his troop was passing through on the way to
Jamboree five years back.
I still bank there, although I live about 200 miles away and I have
lived away for years. This is mainly because I know SM John, many of
the staff and their families, and because it lets me keep at least a
thread of connection to my home town roots.
SM John never had a son in Scouts while I was in the Troop and not in
the 25+ years since I left as a youth.
He is now the SM for my nephew who is almost ready for
Eagle and my nephew who recently transitioned from
Webelos.
His health willing, SM John will be with the troop until his Creator
calls him out to a final camp-out with B-P and the other Scouts who
have gone before us. For the benefit of the boys in my hometown, may
that camp-out be delayed for many, many more years.
YiS,
Kevin Pate
Pack 271 CA, Adams Elementary, Norman, OK
Cub Roundtable Comm., Sooner District
Last Frontier Council
SR-CS-10 "burn baby burn ..... BUFFALO chips!"
Troop 248, Norman/Noble SU, Sooner Council, GSUSA
Camping Services Committee member, Sooner Council
aka Spades
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