Information, Observation, and Inspiration for Scouters
“A Scout works to pay his own way and to help others.” This wording, or a version of it, has been in the explanation of “A Scout is Thrifty” in the Scout Law for decades. And while a Scout might have a part-time job in order to earn money for his Scouting activities, many troops have long provided a means by which a Scout can earn money for his troop expenses through fundraising.
Not any more. Continue reading “New policy prohibits individual Scout fundraising accounts”
Happy New Year! I hope you had a great holiday season and maybe enjoyed a little break from weekly Scouting, or perhaps a change of routine if your troop planned any special activities. You’ll be back at it soon enough, so here are a few things to think about as we head into the new year: Continue reading “Committee chair timeline: January”
Go while the going is good /Â Knowing when to leave may be the smartest thing that anyone can learn
-“Knowing When To Leave“Â by Burt Bacharach & Hal David
We all remember when we first took the plunge into Scout leadership. Usually it’s in Cub Scouts, and when our sons wanted to join and the Cubmaster or committee chair told us that the den needed a den leader, we were the ones who stood in place when everyone else took a step backward. As our sons grow, so does our involvement in our units. It changes substantially but we end up settling into our role in our troop and getting comfortable doing it. Continue reading “Knowing when to leave”
December can be the most hectic month of all, with holiday preparations, family visits and vacations, shopping, cooking and cleaning. Fortunately, if you do your Scouting duty to “be prepared”, your workload will be lighter and you’ll have more time to spend with your family.
Your biggest concern right now will be with the annual charter renewal process and tabulating your Journey to Excellence scorecard. Continue reading “Committee chair timeline: December”
Last week we discussed ways to keep from taking on too many jobs. As a follow-up, let’s consider ways to keep the one job you supposedly have from being overwhelming.
I realize that many of us have multiple responsibilities in Scouting, as well as being very likely we’re involved in other pursuits. But taking on a major responsibility like committee chair doesn’t have to feel like you’re sinking in quicksand. Successful people learn to deal with multiple priorities and deadlines by compartmentalizing their areas of responsibility and handling each task in a systematic manner. Continue reading “Feeling overwhelmed?”