Ever Meet A Scout

[Stosh 3452]

Mattman578's comments about his AT trip with his daughter got me thinking....

 

What's your greatest memory of the "Unknown Scout" story from your life.

 

Only once in my lifetime when I have met an extremely helpful and courteous person and I asked if they were a scout did they say no they hadn't.

 

A couple of years ago just after I married my wife, we were traveling on a weekend getaway.  I get a flat tire along the freeway and I am unfamiliar with the whole tire-changing thing of her CRV.  

 

I was just getting started dragging everything out while the Mrs. was reading the manual.  A pick up truck pulls up and says he can do that for us.  I thought it rather strange he didn't even ask if he could help, he just said he'd do it.  In no time at all we were all set to go.  As he was headed back to his truck I asked him if I could pay him for his helpfulness and he said no.  I then asked him if he had ever been a Boy Scout.  He smiled and said Eagle 1981 and drove off.

 

I may get on a soap box about Paper Eagles and Parlor Scouts, but when one meets a Real Eagle, it is impressive to say the least.

 

I'm sure I'm not the only one that has a story like that, there are too many good SM's out there that are leaving a fantastic legacy in our culture.

 

What say ye!

[Eagle94-A1 2687]

I had to take one of the my scouts to the ER while at summer camp a long time ago. He was OK, but had to get a prescription filled. I didn't have the money or his insurance card with me, so I dropped him off at camp, got money and the insurance info, and headed backinto town for his 'script. It was a nasty evening, heavy rain, poor visibility, etc. On the way back to camp after picking up the prescription, someone shot out across the road in front of me, causing me to hydroplane onto the side of the road in order to avoid hitting them. They kept on going as if nothing happened. And i am stuck in the mud.

 

After trying to get out of the mud, but before I could call a tow truck, one happened to see me and stopped. to help me out. He saw me in uniform, asked what happened, and if I was going to the local camp.  He then proceeded to tow me out, and when I asked how much, "Just doing my good turn for the day. Make sure you help someone next time you see them stranded on the side of the road."

[Stosh 3452]

Does anyone ever remember a time when BSA taught to "pay it forward" like the fella who helped out Eagle94-A1?  I have always done that when I have helped someone, just said, just help someone else out in the future when you get a chance.  I don't remember who got me started on that, whether it was scouts or something else.

[Gone 435]

At the risk of sounding self-serving, the story I have was from my own son.

 

He's a special needs kid and was taking therapeutics riding at a local ranch. Back in '08 the ranch fell on hard times and donations were dropping, thus they could support fewer and fewer kids in need.

 

My son heard the owner taking about having to turn kids away due to lack of budget. Having heard that and knowing there were kids in need he said, "Mr. Smith, someone can have my place. I've improved a lot and don't need the riding as much as some of the other kids...and I'm a Boy Scout, so we should I should help others." We left the decision with my son and he gave his spot up to a profoundly disabled young man. The smile on my son's face was enormous due to the satisfaction he got from helping that boy. I STILL tear up thinking about his act of generosity.

 

Heading back home that day I told him that, in my eyes, his selfless act meant more to me and made him a better Scout (and person) than making Eagle would ever do. He agreed.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[Stosh 3452]

@

 

Nothing self-serving about how your work as a parent and SM as it reflects in the actions of those who's lives you touch whether it be your son or some other family's son..  

[Eagle94-A1 2687]

OUTSTANDING YOUNG MAN!

[TAHAWK 1420]

In 1991, our troop did its own high adventure by a trip to Canada that included canoeing the toughest week of the old Voyager route from Fish Lake to the Ottawa River. (Monster portages!)  

 

On the next to last day of the canoeing part of out trip, the SM had a brain fart and decided he and his canoe mate, an athletic adult, would run one of the many rapids rather than portage.  He could not be talked out of this behavior.  The canoe rolled, and everything came out.  The one item we could not find after hours of diving and probing was his day pack  -- with all the trip funds, a knife his SM had given him, his camera, and other less-significant items.  (I had a credit card, so the trip went on for four more days, including a tour of Toronto sights.)

 

Three weeks later, the SM received a telephone call from Canada.  A 15-year-old Canadian Scout had been fishing the river and had found the pack, well down the river, and wanted the SM to know he was shipping the dried-out contents to our SM, including about $650.00 US in currency.

 

The Scout was a guest of the Troop for two weeks later that Summer -- and quite an example to all of us.