Leading the horse to water.

[Eamonn 61]

I enjoy being with groups of Scouter's.

The Sea Scouter's in our flotilla are a wise, friendly and knowledgeable group. I know that by just being around them I learn a lot and pick up a lot of ideas.

I in some ways miss attending R/T meetings. Us being the only Ship and there being only one active Crew, who didn't attend made my going seem like a waste of time.

When I was District Chair we went with a News Sheet, now they have gone back to Announcements. Some people really love the sound of their own voice.

The Cub Scouter's use the R/T Planning book and seem to all participate and have fun.

The Boy Scout R/T Commissioner went MIA. They now ask a different Troop each month to take care of things. It doesn't work. The Boy Scouter's who do attend are the people who attend everything. As you look at them it seems that they are looking back telling you that:

"You must be nuts."

"That's never going to work"

"We don't do it that way"

Or they have been there, done that, and got the patch.

Over the years we have handed out sorts of things, tapes, books, you name it. Sadly most of this stuff ends up with the unit leader and what happen to it then is in his hands.

A couple of years back our Council Commissioner using his own money paid for every unit to receive the Troopmaster software. Last time I asked only about ten percent of the leaders were using it.

I'm happy to see that it seems National is taking the decline in membership to heart and are willing to do something about it. Doing something beats the heck out of doing nothing.

I'm unsure what benefits will be seen from sending out a DVD?

If it ends up in the SM's case never to see the light of day again, the benefit will be very little.

The group of Scouter's that seem the most energetic and ready to save the world are the ones attending Training's. Hopefully some clever Trainer will get what ever permission is needed, if any? And copy the DVD's with the idea of placing them in the hands of these new leaders who might use the ideas.

Eamonn.