Some days we wonder why we put time into training, or why we spent so much time on a craft that took a long time to build and five minutes to destroy. I can recall spending extra time with some Scouts to help them learn a knot – not just to be able to tie it immediately, but to be able to do it well enough so that, with little prompting, it can be replicated a week later.
There have been plenty of times when it gets frustrating, and I definitely have earned a few new gray hairs. Not once have I walked away wondering if it was worth it. I can say that the biggest thing that has helped me has been to keep a positive attitude and know that some kids need patience and love, which can go a long way in making a difference. Sometimes you never know what makes a difference in a youth’s life to change their future or make it brighter.
In this recharter season, many times we know a kid has stopped coming to Scouts, and it’s easy to take that Scout off the roster.
I encourage each of us to take a few minutes and look at those who are no longer coming. A simple invitation to come back can go a long way. We never know the situation. Maybe it was a financially driven decision, frustration with a person, a life situation that broke the routine of attending, or simple burnout for the moment. Regardless of the reason, let’s invite them back.
The invitation to come back to Scouting can even be to join a different unit. Sometimes, we have multiple kids who stop attending. When we send invitations to encourage them to return, even if we only receive one response, that response is still monumentally significant. That one response matters.
Yours in Scouting,
Pat Dannenberg
Director of Field Services
