A good night as a Unit Commissioner
Todd Tingblad (tingbltn@HUDSON.K12.WI.US)
Thu, 25 Mar 1999 15:39:21 -0600
Thought I needed to share this with the group.
Tuesday night, I visited the Pack I am Unit Commissioner to. I had a
really great visit. It started as soon as I arrived as I presented a
Webelos Den Leader with a Friends of Scouting mug from 1997. That's right,
a two year old FOS mug. His family moved into our district this past fall
from another district in Indianhead. At my FOS presentation two month
earlier, he has said that he did not get a mug from 1997 because he was
told the council was out. Also being a Campmaster/Cookmaster for Snow Base
( http://www.indianhead.or/camping/snowbase.html ) run by Indianhead, I
know that most old event and FOS mugs end up at camp to be used as regular
coffee mugs. So while at camp, I picked one up for him. Tuesday evening
when I gave it to him, he just could not believe that I could get him his
mug when even his old DE could not.
Good time #2. It always happens to us Unit Commissioners, we get asked to
judge some contest at a meeting because we are outside the regular unit
leadership (don't have kid in pack). So I was to judge the Pinewood Derby
cars for design. Judging can be fun and I went after the design judging
with a special mission, which car showed the most Cub Scout Worked Car.
While is was really easy to pick that one. We had many cars the were works
of art and craftmanship on the parents part. I really picked the right
car. Seems the cub scout who I pick has to do his car all himself because
his dad got ill and everyone was caring for him instead of this Cub Scout.
The boy, before coming into the pack, was having problems in school and
with others related to his father's illness. This cub just lit up in grand
surprise when he go the top prize. Later, I learn the why (see above). A
number of parents can to me and said things like, "how did you know?, or
that was the only real choice."
Good time #3
The pack is doing Tiger Parent to Cub Scout introduction. The idea is to
teach the Tiger parents about the Wolf program and to try to get them to
sign up as a den leader. It was great!! These folks took something they
learned from Pow Wow, turned it into their program and are starting to see
results. The Tiger parents were so open and a few were realy to start
their boys going on the Wolf program. Plus, once they asked a question
about the program they pack leaders did not know about, there I was ready
to help give them the answer they needed.
As I have told so many people, the Unit Commissioner job is the most fun
job I have had in Scouting. I've been or am at one time or another a
Scoutmaster & Asst. Scoutmaster, District Activities Chair & Activities
member, Troop Committee member, Council Show & Do Steering Committee,
Webelos Leader, District Event Chairs, and a few others. Working with the
kids is great and seeing the grow through the program is great. But as a
Unit Commissioner, I help that unit so that they can bring the kids the
best possible program. But when I get to see that scout leader, bring the
program to the kids thanks to whatever small part I may have helped and the
kids are have so much fun because they have a complete program...you just
got to feel good.
So if you don't have a Unit Comissioner for your unit, call your District
Commissioner and tell them you want a functioning Unit Commissioner. We
Commissioners are a friend to the unit. With a functioning commissioner,
your unit can be even better.
YiS,
Todd N. Tingblad -- mailto:ttingbld@pressenter.com
Indianhead Council Webmaster -- http://www.indianhead.org
LaCroix District Unit Commissioner
LaCroix District Activities Committee
Troop 460 Committee Member, New Richmond, Wisconsin, USA
