Re: Adult Recognitions

At 12:03 PM 5/31/95 GMT0BST, Mike D Tester wrote:
>I wonder what percentage of Adult Recognition Awards go to just
>District or Committee members. Over the years I have looked at the
>number of awards given to these members, it seems to be far greater
>than the number awarded to the people at the grass roots, I know many
>do stirling work, and deserve such awards. Sadly I've seen Scouters
>at the Grass Roots work tens of years with a section/unit, with out
>being awarded any recognition. On the other side of the fence I've
>seen adults who attend or arrange few events/committees for only year
>or so at and get showered with awards for what appears very little.
>
>I so times wonder who is most important, your Leaders who work with
>the boys 52 weeks a year, or the Committee Member/District Leader.
>Who do not have this commitment to keep week in week out.

Mike -

As somebody who recently switched from a unit level position (ASM) to a
district level position (Unit Commissioner), I feel I have something to say
about this. In the short time (9 months) I have left unit service, I have
grown to miss the weekly recognition I use to get. What I am talking about
is the continual feedback from the Scouts that I am making a difference in
their lifes. They showed that to me in many ways and it is worth more than
all the beads, patches, and plaques that I could ever receive as a district
level volunteer!

I have found in this short time that I go out of my way to work with the
Scouts more directly. I ran a segment of the camporee, gave cooking lessons
at the Woods of Webelos, worked the food concession at the Scout Fair, and
counseled for the Computer Merit Badge at the districts Merit Badge
Opportunity Days.

Although I received both patches and verbal recognition from Scouts and
Scouters, these still pale in comparison to the thrill of watching a group
of Scouts grow and excel week after week. I feel sorry for any unit level
Scouter that believes that any form of physical recognition is more
worthwhile than that he receives every week.

While it might be true that district and council level Scouters may receive
more awards than unit level Scouters, I am sure that most of the district
and council level Scouters would rather receive tha type of recognition that
unit level Scouters receive on a weekly basis!

Yours in Scouting,

+--------------------------+-----------------------+
| Marc W. Solomon | Unit Commissioner |
| msolomon@tek1.tekniq.com | Sycamore District |
| marcsol@aol.com | Blackhawk Council, IL |
+--------------------------+-----------------------+
I use to be a wise old owl . . . Now I am just old

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