A Successful Blue and Gold
Paul S. Thompson (paulie@HOME.MSEN.COM)
Fri, 19 Feb 1999 22:49:25 -0500
Hi, everyone!
We just finished up very successful B&G banquet (my first as CC). A few
people told me it was the best B&G they had attended. This is the best,
most positive feeling I've had since becoming a leader.
What did we do differently than we did in prior years? Well, simply put, we
held the B&G for the boys. For the BOYS! We had mostaccioli and pepperoni
pizza. Last year we had some chicken thing that the kids didn't like. It
was wedding food, really. This year, the kids gobbled it up!
Last year's entertainment was a gentleman who told the history of the
Voyageurs and the early Great Lakes settlements. He was great. But he was
great for the adults and older (high school and up) kids in the audience.
The Cubs tuned him right out. The Tigers left early.
This year we had a steel band -- Caribbean music, hoola-hoops and limbo!
Everybody was jamming! The band consisted of a husband and wife team and
the amount of sound they produced was incredible. They started playing as
folks arrived, throughout dinner and then put on a show.
Everyone went home enthusiastic about Scouting. I've got some nibbles from
adults about leadership roles. The Tigers were talking about becoming
Wolves. Some of the current leaders who were definite they were quitting
after this year are wavering.
It's amazing what a fun program can do to boost morale. It's even more
amazing when we pay attention to what the kids want rather than what we
want them to want.
I FEEL LIKE SELLING SOME POPCORN!
Hope I didn't bore you. I just needed to share this experience.
Paul S. Thompson, CC
Pack 287
Romeo, Michigan
BTW, if anyone in the Detroit area wants info on the Gratitude Steel Band,
email me privately and I will gladly supply it!
