Re: My First Try at Processing an Eagle Project.......H E L P
Pam Glidden (pglidden@YAHOO.COM)
Fri, 23 Apr 1999 13:21:03 -0700
Hi Marcia,
Interesting that this should come up immediately after I have just
gotten off of the phone with John Dalrymple. He is the Director of
Advancement and National Eagle Scout Association at our National Scout
Office in Texas. He has a lovely Texas accent and I enjoyed speaking
to him.
I was consulting him on my current dilemma and he was a lot of help.
One of the VERY points we discussed was the issue of what is meant in
the very first requirement of "Be active in your troop and patrol for
at least 6 months as a Life Scout". I explained to him that the SM
that I am dealing with is requiring the Scout to attend every meeting
and outing for the entire length of each meeting or outing. His
response was, "We do not expect perfect attendance. If the young man
is registered and has completed all of his other requirements, he has
obviously been active in his troop!" I could have kissed him for
that!! Apparently the requirements are to be interpreted EXACTLY as
written with no additional interpretations or second guesses. Can you
imagine that? (Tongue in cheek)
I'm sorry, I don't mean to be sarcastic with you and any sarcasm is not
directed at you. I am just so frustrated with this SM that I am
dealing with and HIS interpretations!
I have yet to meet an Eagle Scout that doesn't have a killer schedule
that I would not want to have to cope with. Something has to give,
especially if we want them to live healthy well-rounded lives. If it
has to be Scouts once in awhile, well, it has to be! If they have
attended meetings enough to have completed all of their rank
requirements, I too say that they have been active. And if they aren't
active immediately after their Court of Honor, so what? They don't owe
us anything! Some day they probably will come back to Scouting,
because I guarantee you; if they have stayed with Scouting long enough
to get to Eagle, there is going to be a hole in their life without it!
I would MUCH rather that they come back of their own free will instead
of because we required them to. It's like when my grandkids give me a
kiss. I would much rather have one that they just run up and offer
than one that I have to coax out of them. The offered ones mean lots
more!
Okay, I'm off of my soap box. Thanks for your patience. Hope this
helps.
Pam Glidden
Chief Seattle Council
--- Marcia Trudeau <MarciaTX@AOL.COM> wrote:
3. He rarely attends Troop meetings and
> participates in no campouts. He
> has many outside sports activities.
>
> 4. He has earned almost all of his merit badges
> except personal fitness.
>
>
> So...what do you think. I have notified him that he
> must come to the
> meetings in order to talk to the scouts and get
> volunteers for his Eagle
> project.
>
> Helpful suggestions are really welcome.
>
> Marcia Trudeau
> ASM, Troop 132
> Harlingen, TX
>
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