From: Ken Walker (ken.walker@MSCSOFTWARE.COM)
Date: Sat Jan 29 2000 - 08:56:00 CST
> Murphy Peter said:
>
>The CC originally rejected having an outing in December because
>the holidays are so hectic that it might be hard to squeeze
>in an outing before school's out and everyone leaves town.
>
>My response to both was let's not reduce our program just because
>some boys choose not to attend all of the events - even if that 'some'
>is a majority (which it isn't). Not every Scout is in sports or is leaving
>town at Christmas. So let's not penalize them by taking away some
>of the opportunities. I will volunteer my precious time to take the
>troop on an outing no matter how few want to go.
AMEN, brother. To steal a phrase: "If you make it fun, they will come."
Just to make the point, our council has Winter Camp every year BETWEEN
Christmas and New Years (12/27-31). Wow, talk about a hassle.....
Its right in the middle of a family holiday break, staff has to be there
at noon on 12/26, you gotta do your food shopping for a 5 day event in
the Christmas rush, you gotta pack the day after Christmas, the weather
"could" be bad (but its relative-we're in North Texas), and on and on.
I hear all kinds of reasons "no to go".
The rest of the story.... This thing is so fun the event draws about 1,300
Scouts and Scouters, and the staff gets 160 applications for 120 positions.
Our troop has gone each of the past three years (starting a new tradition)
and have had 15-20 boys and 5-7 adults attend. (I honestly think the dads
enjoy it more than the boys-and we work as "troop KP" on this one!)
So, IMHO, if a boy is "too busy with _______" to do Scouting, it just
says that something is more important to him (or his parents) than
Scouting. Its unfortunate, but lets not be afraid to admit it.
I don't recall any sports in our area modifying THEIR SCHEDULE to
accommodate Scouting. (And which program REALLY benefits a youth in
his long term adult development????)
The air's getting thin up here, I better get off the soapbox....
Ken Walker, CM P-200, ASM T-259
District Training Committee
Circle 10 Council/Great Plains District - Plano, TX
(W) ken.walker@mscsoftware.com -or- (H) walker99@ix.netcom.com
