02/13/2018
Hi everyone. I spent Saturday with the Boyscouts of Troop 110 at the Abnaki district Klondike. A winter scouting event that helps teach cold weather survival. As I watched these young men I grew nostalgic. I've known many of them since they were 6 or 7.
At the first pack meeting this year, my last as Cubmaster, one of the moms asked us what our plans were for their sons. Basically "why scouts?". I tried to answer something like this.
Try to think of scouts as a path. A path that starts the day they first attend a den meeting. As leaders we walk down that path next to your son, trying to teach and guide along the way. Early on we teach basics of scouting, citizenship, camping and hiking. Later we show them how to be safe with fire and tie knots. We do fun things like shooting and archery and cooking and first aid. But through all of this our goal is to guide the boys into being quality young men. We try to teach patriotism. We try to teach respect. As they grow we help them learn how to follow a leader, but also how to lead as well. We show how to work as part of a group, but also how to be independent and confident.
As I watched these young men work their way through all the obstacles put in front of them this weekend, I could see that the work the leaders along their path had put in was worth the time and effort.
I look forward to my time as Asst, Scoutmaster of Troop 110, working alongside Asst. Scoutmaster Robert Boston and outstanding Scoutmaster Robert Michaud.
I want to encourage all of you to get involved. The pack will only go as far as the leaders bring it. We all say " I don't have time for that", but we need to make time. Over the years as a den leader and Cubmaster I have gotten so much more from them than I could ever give back.
GO SCOUTS!
