Scout program

I have some dear friends that are LDS. I don't follow that faith, but I love the family support and unity. They really know how to be involved in their children's lives. Recognizing the gift children are in our lives.

I had to pick up the coupon cards for Trevor's scout troop fund raiser. The location of the pick up was at the local LDS center. There are young people, not quite teenagers, in the main hall to direct you as you come in the main door, send you to the right room for your meeting, smiling and helpful children.

The meeting I was to attend was for Scouts. Full of parents, and some children, most were wearing scout uniforms, adults and children. Happy and cheerful to be involved in such a wonderful program for boys. The order of the arrow presented the opening ceremony. The boys were well adjusted and happy, having a delightful time being the center of attention with smiling adults enjoying the entertainment.

One young man, order of the arrow is for the teen age boy, had long hair down his back. I was impressed with his long hair. It was quite the statement. Perhaps he had an affinity with Samson in the bible. I loved that he looked so comfortable in his own skin. I loved that he broke the mold of scout steriotype. He had probably never had lice. I loved the feeling in the room of caring and support. The boys on stage reflected that caring with their comfortableness being center stage.

The boys were taking time to participate in a safe and fun activity. The parents were being parents, involved and caring who their children associated with. I wish Trevor had come with me to feel the good vibrations in that room, know what he was involved with something on a bigger scale. This was a district meeting. Troop and pack leaders from all over our area were participating.

Many of the people in the room were too old to have their own children in the program. They were involved because they cared about the Scouting program. They know they can make a difference in a program that works. Keeping boys on the right road to success is challenging these days when there are so many opportunities to fall by the way side and fail. These boys will have good influences with their peers and leaders. They will do fun activities they would otherwise never get the opportunity to do; Hike fifty miles, camp out, shoot targets, go snow shoeing in a national park.

Being a scout opens doors that they might otherwise not even know were there. Hidden gems of fun and experiences that may lead to greater deeds. In the first generation of astronauts there was not a single man in space that had not been an eagle scout.

A dear friend of mine has a son who was a recent scout. She told me he received a scholarship right out of college to go do good deeds in Bolivia, with the roof and stoves program. Showing people in third world countries safe construction techniques for roof and stoves. Such a simple thing yet so very important. She said the influencing factor in that donation was that her son had Eagle Scout on his resume.

There are always going to be the weirdos in every group. I have told my boys to be alert. Tom has given them his own lecture. Being involved helps keep the dangers away. This program gets boys, their needs , their personalities. It works. For our family it works extremely well as Tom and I don't do those outdoor camping and hiking activities. We are not depriving our children of their own opportunities to experience the great outdoors just because we don't do it.

I took Tom camping once. He kept his I pod in his ears the whole time. The sounds of the wilderness disturbed him. He paid $4.00 for a hot shower at the ranger station. We had only been out one night. I am glad Trevor enjoys the Scouts the way it is supposed to be. Becoming a good person and a contributing member of society through good works and fun experiences, with the support of a group of involved and caring adults. The good works these people are doing shows its success in the cheerful and helpful children that greet you at the door when you walk in.