From: whs (whs@IDCNET.COM)
Date: Mon May 08 2000 - 13:01:54 CDT
There are three valuable attributes of a successfully completed Eagle
Scout or Quartermaster project.
First, and best known, is the effect it has upon the Scout.
He has learned some basic planning, management and reporting skills.
Second, is the beneficial effect it has upon the recipient. Often,
that is only measurable as a part of an ultimate whole.
Third, there is a PR benefit for the BSA. Boy Scouts and/or Sea
Scouts have contributed something of value to the community and
people appreciate that. It reinforces much of what BSA means to
the public.
Several years ago, my eldest son's Eagle project was mapping and
inventorying the piers, shore stations, slips and mooring buoys on
our very popular midwest lake. He had to plan the "attack" quite
carefully. Then, he had to martial kids to map and inventory parts
of the 26.2 mile shoreline. Together, they created area maps with
the items above clearly identified. He even got a friend's dad to
take him up for a photographic fly-over the lake to check the
inventory and, on three other occasions, to measure the boat/acre
density.
Preparing the report as a comparison against earlier studies and
a guide to future density was a difficult job. It resembled a
university students research paper when it was completed.
It really never saw the light of day. It was not a park path, a
new building or that sort of thing. However, it was a key portion
of the data used to reorganize our area's zoning system. It
was used for lake laws and environmental planning.
The data is now obsolete and is buried in a massive tome.
MANY, MANY Eagle & Quartermaster projects are of a similar nature.
They have great value and their effects are long lasting. They
are not any more visible than an abandoned exercise trail BUT they
were valuable for a time as improvements and forever for the youth
and for the good will of the public.
All Eagle and Quartermaster projects have value. Grading them is
not the BSA way.
YISS;
Bill Sills
