scoutldr

Our District has recently been "forced" to split into three. Apparently that was a CE decision, and our perception as volunteers it is a thinly disguised attempt at "Empire Building". The decision was made and dumped in the laps of the volunteers, who are struggling mightily to keep things running. Suddenly we need 75 new District volunteer positions...only 30 of which are filled after 6 months. Many of us are registered in 3-4 positions because there is no one else to do it. The OA chapter, once the pride of the Lodge, is also struggling...now we don't even have enough youth to fill all of the offices and committee positions. Several of the "old timers" have thrown up their hands and walked away. Our DE is great, but is clearly struggling to "meet the numbers" as well. This is clearly unfair. I want to put in a good word for DEs, because this one is able to roll his sleeves up and work along side us. I have seen him doing all kinds of things, from giving FOS presentations, to teaching a new Tiger Cub how to hold a bow and arrow. I have even seen him splitting wood at the Council Camp for the firewood sale on a Sunday afternoon. He just announced to us that he will be the Summer Camp Director for 03. Too bad he may soon be history because he has to tell his boss we didn't meet our "numbers", even though they were unrealistic. Notice I said "we". While the DE's job is to support the volunteers in providing the program, the reality is that when it comes time for annual appraisal time, the boss says "show me the numbers." Perhaps the system needs to be changed...what do the DE's "customers" think of the job he is doing? That's what the boss should care about.