From: Betsy Miller (ccbmill@SURFSOUTH.COM)
Date: Wed Aug 30 2000 - 06:46:04 CDT
Howdy:
Before anybody points me in the direction of the archives, I feel
sure that this has been hashed and re-hashed on this list.
However, I don't know how to access the SCOUTS-L archives; perhaps
that is another lesson in and of itself. I did try to get into
the archives a couple of weeks ago by following the directions
posted in the welcome letter and other SCOUTS-L info I got, but
it simply wasn't going to happen... I guess I couldn't read the
trail signs well enough :)
We are in the process of planning a big weekend camping event
to be held in November for the Webelos groups in our council.
The purpose of the event is to offer them a weekend campout
where they can be exposed to Boy Scouting stuff, can be around
a group of "older" role model Boy Scouts, can get the opportunity
to earn several activity pins early in the Scouting year, and can
learn and participate in other fun Scouting stuff. I'm sure many
other councils have similar events. Our troop has sponsored this
event for many years in the past and has had what I would consider
great success with it over that time.
We have always devoted a portion of the weekend to field sports and
games allowing everybody to have a good time and the youngsters to
work off lots and lots of energy in the process. We have organized
these games in several ways over the years and have had mixed results
no matter which way we have approached the idea of competition.
We have held the games where everybody got participation awards
and we have held them where first, second, and third place awards were
presented. No matter which way, there was always a group here or there
who was ill or had complaints about something or other. I understand
that you can't please everybody all the time, and we have tried
different methods of leveling out the playing field, so to speak,
when we did allow competition. So I am throwing this issue out on
the SCOUTS-L floor for debate.
My question is: TO OFFICIALLY COMPETE, OR NOT? First, Second, and Third
places, or Participation awards? Or perhaps there is something out there
that falls in-between that is a nice solution...
A friend of mine mentioned that Baden Powell said something on the
matter, but I cannot place my hands on it. Does anybody have any
helpful ideas and/or solutions to help me before we go to our next
meeting and discuss this issue?
Thanks y'all,
Betsy Miller, MSN, RN, ASM
Troop 321, Tifton, GA
I used to be a beaver, but am always a child at heart...
