May 18th, 2009
Scouts Have Fun on Whidbey Island
Being the father of five sons, it was inevitable that I would serve as an adult volunteer (called a Scouter) in the Scouting movement for 12 years. These last three years I had the privilege of serving as Scoutmaster of Coupeville’s historic Troop 4058, which started helping Whidbey Island boys have fun just after World War II. What a wonderful experience!
Annual Penn Cove Castaway Contest
There is so much for young people to do here on Whidbey Island - the mix of a healthy environment to raise kids combined with the 100-year old, time-tested Scouting program - you get to have fun while helping the next generation grow up to become great cititzens. Boy Scouting runs from 1st grade until a young man reaches his 18th birthday. The first five years are called Cub Scouting and is parent-led. The last seven years are called Boy Scouting and is boy-led, with adult supervision.
Click ”Read More” to read our Whidbey-Scouting story and learn five reasons why Boy Scouting might be perfect for your son.
Whidbey Island is such a wonderful place to raise children. Having grown up here, I couldn’t wait to bring my own family back here and let my children experience the wonders of Whidbey! The Scouts here have so many resources available to them with the six state parks, 145 miles of beaches and great outdoor weather (not to mention the general absence of biting insects, poison ivy and other classic Scouting nemeses).
Cub Scouting is the younger boy version of Boy Scouting and involves direct parental supervision with emphasis on hands-on activities. Boy Scouting also has adult supervision, but is a boy-led program. Many famous Americans got their start in Scouting: Jimmy Stewart, Neil Armstrong, Gerald Ford, Steven Spielberg, Michael Moore, and Hank Aaron, just to name a few. Our own Governors Dan Evans and Gary Locke were both Eagle Scouts, along with our current State Attorney General, Rob McKenna.
My wife Bev and I saw our oldest son earn his Eagle Scout Award which then resulted in him being promoted two ranks in the Navy. His Eagle Scout project involved supervising the removal, repainting and re-installing of all the “battery” signs at Fort Casey State Park. It took him about four months of hard work to accomplish. He became his class president at Oak Harbor High School. Our fourth born son is about to earn his Eagle Scout Award. Last Saturday he finished a two day project to add safety railing to the Bluff Trail at Fort Ebey State Park and also supervised 20 other people in the cutting-in of a new trail to the beach, where the old one had eroded away. These are tremendous experiences for a young man.
Here are five reasons I thought of why the Boy Scouting program, which turns 100 years old next year, endures and continues to provide an excellent experience for boys and young men, as well as their families:
1. Boy Scouts builds character by exposing a boy to time-tested values, and the “adults” who practice them in their daily lives. This character is sadly missing in America today and is sorely needed. Scandals, corruption, cheating, selfishness, greed and those who are responsible make the headlines daily. America needs leaders who still hold to the code of Honor. Boys need the Boy Scouts because it’s one place where Honor is still in our oath. And there are honorable women too who come alongside these boys and help develop their character. While the Scouting organization is not perfect (it is the largest youth organization in the history of the world with over 3 million members in America alone) it leads the nation in youth protection training. Scouting is an international organization with over 28 million members in over 160 countries as of 2009. See http://www.scout.org/en/about_scouting/facts_figures for more information.
2. Boy Scouts exposes a boy to a peer-run environment where he can cultivate and practice his leadership skills. Without retribution. With adult support. While doing something fun. And these boys grow up to be tomorrow’s leaders.
3. Boy Scouts exposes the boy to the great American Outdoors. In a time when national wilderness use is declining (even though the population is increasing), boys are becoming disconnected with Nature and with the wild places of our great Country. Boy Scouts promises them the outdoors, and has a program designed to get them out there, safely. Look at the advancement requirements for Tenderfoot through First Class. Most of them take place away from the home, school, Scout Hall and the town where they live. What other program takes boys into the wilderness like Scouting?
4. Boy Scouts allows a boy to explore avocations in a controlled environment. There are 121 merit badges. Like Cinematography, Railroading or Nuclear Science. A boy can choose to earn any or all of them. What does it take to earn a merit badge? He must contact adults and initiate conversations. He must make and keep appointments. Think of the skills he is developing in this process alone. He must read a pamphlet on the subject and study to show he knows what is involved. He learns a skill or subject under the tutelage of an adult who has made this subject his or her avocation, or even vocation. He must complete a set of requirements in a given amount of time. He learns time management, social skills and a new avocation. Which might lead him into a vocation someday. In 2009, who else offers this to a boy?
5. Boy Scouts allows a boy to see his hard work rewarded. He is not “given” something for free. They are called “MERIT” badges for a reason. He earns it. He sees that his hard work is rewarded and it motivates him to work even harder. Scouting is a merit-based program. That’s why the Scoutmaster tells moms and dads to please have their son call him (instead of mom and dad making the phone call) for a Scoutmaster’s conference, etc. A boy who is busy working hard doesn’t have time to sit around and complain. Consider a Country where people worked hard to see the results of their own labor, rather than sitting around with their hand out, whining about this and that.
Oh, and did I mention you get all this for $10 a year?!
These are just some reasons I think of why a boy should join Boy Scouts right now. Maybe you know someone who would like to join one of the many Packs and Troops on Whidbey Island? Have them contact me at clay@windermere.com and I will get them the information they need. Cub Scouts (1st-5th graders) and Boy Scouts (late 5th graders - 17 years old) is open to all boys. More information on Scouting may be found at http://www.scouting.org/
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