What's happening to BSA - who's in charge

[evmori 11]

Of course, if you're talking about government funding, the government can't fund religious organizations like the BSA.

 

Since the BSA isn't a religious organization the government can supply funding! Remember, the SCOTUS ruled the BSA is a private organization, not a religious organization!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eamonn 61]

I have very mixed up feelings about what's happening.

I really want to see a strong Scouting program.

I think we can do and do a lot of good.

I'm not sure exactly why membership is down.

I don't think it has anything to do with God, gays or girls.

I think it has a lot to do with family life in the 21st Century.

When I see and hear that families don't have time to eat together as families, why am I surprised that parents don't have time to volunteer as Scout leaders?

Kids seem to be doing more stuff, than I did as as a kid.

When I was growing up it was OK if your son opted not to go to college and choose to follow a trade. Today it seems that parents have far bigger expectations for and from their kids.

I hate the idea that Scouting has become a resume builder.

I still want Scouts and Scouting to be about fun, adventure and challenges. Sure I'm big on the other good stuff, but if it's not fun and adventure the kid isn't going to stick around and all that good stuff is just words on paper.

I think with our kids having so many more opportunities we have to really work harder to ensure that the programs we offer are really good.

When it comes to money. We know before we start that it's a hot potato.

I know from working with different foundations that this is one area where the BSA stand on God and gays has hurt.

But it seems there are so many more deserving groups who are becoming more organized and are now doing a better job of asking for funding.

I really think we need to do a better job of training our top professionals in the fine art of raising money, budgeting and money management.

It would seem to me that it would be obvious that most of the volunteers don't have that much extra money that they can donate. Most have kids, mortgages and are trying to save a few bucks to send junior to college. Most of the leaders I know are already putting their hand in their own pocket to subsidize the program or kids in the program. The idea of bashing the heck out of these people is just plain silly.

If and only if we have to go to families and ask for money, I would much rather see a flat fee added to the membership fee.

A couple of years back our SE sent back the FOS Community Goal I had sent him (I was District Chair.) He wanted more money.

I wrote back informing him that in my little town of less than 5,000 we had 27 closed store fronts. Local businesses are under siege from groups who are looking for donations. I know that I received as many as six or seven letters a week from everyone ranging from the American Heart Foundation to the local soccer players.

The local soccer players have a write up each week in the local paper -The Scouts don't!!

While most of the professionals who work for the BSA really are great people who I like to think are trying to do their best for Scouting. They are facing the lack of income and have to spend more and more time working and worrying about meeting financial goals. This is hampering their ability to do what they should be doing.

I'm not sure but I think maybe this is part of the reason why a lot of volunteers are not as trusting of them as they used to be?

I may live in a fools paradise, but I really do believe that everything comes down to program.

Good programs that kids want to be part of will fix the membership decline. A strong program will have the backing of the local communities and they will be willing to support something they see as being good.

A strong program will ensure that the kids we have in Scouting today, will one day either return as leaders or be willing to in some way support.

We are in charge. Changes may have to be made. Staffing levels might need to be looked at.

We have to do a better job of marketing and telling everyone how good we are and what we are doing. We really have to take a long hard look at working a lot closer with other organizations.

But at the end of the day, we do this best when we work with one kid, one Den,one patrol, one unit, one District at a time.

I might not be able to make that much of a difference in a Council, but I feel sure I can make a difference in the life of one sea Scout.

Eamonn.

 

 

[SR540Beaver 116]

Ed,

 

Actually, the BSA has tried to have it both ways. They, through lawyers in court cases have laid claim to being a religious organization in the past.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,108666,00.html