Scrapbook

Ho, Jon---

I'd just like to take a moment and let you know just how this incredible
electronic resource has helped me, the leaders and the Cubs in our Pack.

Ours is a Pack in the middle of rebirth. The leaders were burned-out and
barely active, and the boys were missing out on Scouting as a result. The
Pack seldom participated or held regular events. Family Camps were almost
unheard of. No doubt about it, the Pack was dying.

This was the situation I faced when I was "recruited" as a Tiger Cub Coach
at School Night. I had been a Scout from 1964-1976, and earned my Eagle, but
I hadn't been actively involved in Scouting for 20 years!

Despite the "sunshine pump", I came to realize the enormity of the Pack's
problems after I attended the first Pack meeting. Due to my "hiatus" & the
program having changed a bit, I had to play catch-up in a hurry. I bought &
properly "decorated" a uniform (uniforming was a SEVERE problem- not only
among the boys and leaders in our Pack, but among the boys in our companion
Scout Troop as well.) I quickly got my hands on all the printed Tiger Cub
resources I could, however they weren't enough.

I logged onto the 'net and searched for "Scout", for "tiger cub", for
anything. Found a lot of material to help not only my Tiger Cub den, but the
entire Pack. Some time after that, I found your mailing list, SCOUTS-L. Here
was TONS of material & more coming into my mailbox every hour.

Floods of memories of attending Roundtables with my old Troop, but better!!
This RT went 24 hours a day. And unlike many RTs, the material presented,
the questions asked and answered were all completely relevant, easily
understandable and devoid of any "agenda" (whether "mine is bigger/better
than yours", or laden with BSA politics.). It really kept me enthused during
those tough times.

For a time, I was holding the Pack together- conducting regular den leader
meetings and such. At times when the other leaders had questions about BSA
policy, parent participation, the way the Pack did things, etc., that nobody
could answer, I would post their question on SCOUTS-L. Within hours
(sometimes minutes), other leaders replied with their approaches to and/or
experience with that SAME problem. I would dutifully print these responses
and bring them to the next DL meeting. Our leaders poured over them,
grateful for the answers provided by the list, and gradually became more &
more enthused and involved in the Pack. Sometimes they were merely relieved
to hear that other Packs had the same problems.

I could go on rambling forever on how SCOUTS-L has helped me, my den, & my
Pack, but to make a really long story short, we are now a viable Pack, with
uniformed, excited & enthused leaders, and a real committee - doing LOTS of
activities with boys & parents having LOTS of Scouting fun -and hopefully
influencing some young lives along the way.

Thanks to you, Jon, our Pack's back on the road to prosperity. Couldn't
have done it without your help.

----------------
SCOUTS-L is a way of life (...and the Pack's future's so darn bright, I
gotta wear shades),

Larry 8-)
Cub Scout Pack 303
Gulf Ridge Council
(visit us at http://rio.atlantic.net/~lfaust/pack303/index.html)
UIN: 657022

PS- BTW, almost all of my Tigers graduated to Wolves (some drop-out is
unavoidable).

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