Information, Observation, and Inspiration for Scouters
Bobwhite’s Blog – my personal thoughts on Scouting
In one of the Scouting circles on Google Plus, a member asked for advice on going to summer camp for the first-time as an adult. “What one thing should I bring, or not bring? Â Or what should I absolutely do?”
Circle members offered a variety of recommendations. Some of the “what to bring” ideas were: Continue reading “Newbie summer camp advice”
Most troops start off their meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a usually speedy recitation of the Scout Oath and Scout Law:
Okay, so Frankfurter patrol, Scout Oath!
Scout Sign! A Scout is Trustworthy Loyal…
NO! Scout Oath!
Oh…Â OnmyhonorIwilldomybest…
Yeah, we’ve all been there. But does your troop follow these with the Outdoor Code? Continue reading “The Outdoor Code”
The Golden State Warriors won the championship of the National Basketball Association this week. The team is led by an experienced basketball man – as a player, general manager and television commentator – but a rookie coach. Steve Kerr, in his first coaching assignment, took on a different style of leadership than those he played under or worked with, and certainly different from most of what we imagine a “head coach” to be. And he achieved not only something that is difficult but rare – guiding his team into winning a championship his first time ever as a coach.
Kerr, profiled this week in the Washington Post, didn’t consider himself to be the most important person on the Warriors’ squad. Continue reading “A leader we can learn from”
You probably know the name George Meany. You might know that his name is associated with labor unions. Meany was the president of the American Federation of Labor, an association of labor unions, who proposed the merger with the Congress of Industrial Organizations, a similar association, forming the AFL-CIO in the 1950s. Meany served as the president of the combined organization for more than twenty years following its founding.
Meany was also a strong supporter of the Scouting movement in America. Like Scouting, labor unions consist of like-minded individuals working toward a common goal, whether it’s in the miniature society of a patrol or in a multi-thousand member organization like the UAW or AFSCME. It’s estimated that one in four Scouters is also a union member.
In recognition of his support of Scouting, the AFL-CIO recognizes union members who render service to their communities through Scouting. Continue reading “The George Meany Award”
When my niece got married a few months ago, one of the songs she and her new husband chose was the Wedding Song, written by Paul Stookey of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. We’re probably all familiar with it – one of the stanzas starts out
Well, a man shall leave his mother
and a woman leave her home
They shall travel on to where the two shall be as one