“Please Help”
In 1John we are reminded of what it means to love one another, and even reminded of what love is: “Whoever does not love does does not know God, because God is love.” (4:8) And then, of course, reminded of the ultimate gift: “This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that he might live through him.” (4:10)
A while back, Kyle and I went down to Minneapolis for a basketball game. When you live in rural Minnesota, you are, for the most part, relatively sheltered from the troubles of the world. During our walk to Target Center, we observed many who were suffering and needing help. This isn’t a site we are used to seeing in our area. You see it on the news, pictures on the internet and even when we travel up to Duluth. The thing is, just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
As we were walking, one man in particular grabbed my attention. He was sitting quietly with his back to a wall. He was so very quiet, you almost didn’t know he was there. His head was hanging low. He looked tired and lonely. You could tell he had all of his belongings with him, which wasn’t much. It’s funny when you think you can’t live without these new shoes, or new video game . . .etc, and here is someone who has so little, and yet, lives. Proof to me, that we don’t really “need” anything but God. But, I digress . . . He held a sign that simply said, “Please Help”. It was so simple and unintrusive.
But, we kept walking, not even pausing for a moment. And as we did that, one thought came to me so strongly, “Would you know Jesus if you saw Him today?” That caused me to look over at my shoulder again. That thought has been haunting me since that day. It has caused me to reflect on how we interact with one another . . . how we pass by those who need help. We seem to live in a society where it is easy to turn our backs on those who are hurting or to not even notice them. It is easier to judge one another and in doing so, try to build up our own self image, and to try to justify our own behaviors. As though someone else’s sins are greater then your own or their needs are somehow unimportant.
Was this God’s plan for us when he sent us his one and only son? To waste this precious gift and turn on one another?? We know that we are to live Christ like. We know that we are to be there to serve our Lord and to help one another. In 1John 2:28 we read, “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” We should not read this, and point to our brothers and sisters in Christ, hoping that they get the idea. We all do it though . . . we read scriptures like this or hear an amazing sermon, and look at the person next to us with a smug expression, thinking, “boy, I sure hope they heard that!” What we all need to be doing is looking within ourselves. What can we do to help each other if we can’t recognize our own sins?
So my question is this, would you recognize Jesus if you saw him face to face today? Do we really want to run the risk of casting him aside or should we treat everyone with the same love that we would Jesus? We are called to love one another. It’s not easy. Not by a long shot. No one ever said living as a Christian is easy! But isn’t our salvation worth the effort? As John tells us, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
I know we can’t solve all the problems of the world, but we do have one very powerful tool that sure can go a long way in trying: PRAYER. Praying for one another sure can go a long way! It’s the first step in loving one another.
Many blessings to you all!
Will the real Trish please stand up . . . . .
I’ve started this blog over and over again in my mind, trying to piece all of my thoughts together. I started typing it the other day and stopped. Why has it been so hard to spit this one out? Because it is, perhaps, the most raw and honest blog I’ll ever write.
Over the last year I’ve taken a lot of time to reflect on myself and how people see me vs. who I feel I am. I haven’t been happy with the discoveries. In fact, I’ve been mortified. That being said, I have a feeling if we all take time for self reflection, everyone has something about themselves they want to change. Me, personally, have discovered many things. I am determined to push forward and make some difficult, and challenging changes within myself in 2012. One of those involves breaking down this wall that I built around myself so many years ago.
In a previous blog, I talked about my childhood and being a child abuse survivor. I still count myself blessed to have survived such a rough beginning. I’ve conquered the statistics. Society would say that, someone who started out life the way that I did should have ended up dropping out of high school, pregnant as a teen, hooked on drugs and alcohol and become a child abuser myself. At least, that’s what is expected of someone like me. And since that’s been the trend for my biological family, it stands to reason that my path would have been the same. Except, God had a different path for me. He saved me.
There’s something you need to understand about survivors of child abuse. We are a rare breed. When a child is abused, they become introverted, self-conscious, unsure of themselves. Soon, a wall is built . . . it’s a means of self preservation. You see, if you build a wall, protect your heart, don’t let anyone in . . . nothing can hurt you anymore. You can no longer be vulnerable. It’s not done consciously, it just happens. You can put on a great face to hide what is underneath. This is just a persona . . . not even a reflection of what you are within.
You’ll find that there are some who, unfortunately, do follow that same path . . . they don’t know otherwise, it is, after all, their ‘normal’. There are some that move on with life and push the abuse they endured into the back of their minds, suppressing the details and pain. They seem relatively self adjusted individuals and seem to lead a pretty normal life. Please note, I did say “seem” to. Regardless of what type of adults we turn into, the scars never disappear.
In my case, I came up swinging. After years of keeping secrets and not defending myself, something erupted within. The problem is, to some degree, I never stop swinging. Those on the outside sometimes see someone who can be quick witted, outgoing, sarcastic, at times abrasive and unapproachable. I have discovered recently, that people are often surprised when they actually catch of glimpse of who I really am. I have also realized recently, that I never allowed myself to completely tear down that wall. Never allowed myself to drop that persona. It became comfortable, like an old pair of shoes, and, unfortunately, became a reflection of me. At least, on the outside.
The truth about who I really am behind that wall and self confident persona? Here’s my reality, the person I live with everyday: despite what you see, I do tend to be an introvert. I am very far from being a social person. I have always pushed myself to be out there vs. pulling the blankets over my head, which is a much more comfortable place to be. I prefer being home with my family . . . watching tv or engrossed in a book. I don’t like confrontation. I refuse to hate. Hate to me is too strong of an emotion to ever feel. Even towards those who have hurt me in my past. In my house, the word ‘hate’ is not tolerated. I love and have empathy for all people. Yes, some drive me crazy . . .but, believe it or not, I love that too (although, you won’t see me gush about it). I love the diversity and the challenges they present. I feel very strongly that every person who crosses my path, God has put there for a reason. The self confidence you may see is nothing more then a mirage . . . I am, at times, crippled with self doubt.
I have many goals for myself in 2012. One is to, brick by brick, tear that wall down. It’s been there for so long, I almost forgot I was hiding behind it, and almost forgot who I was. I want people to know me for who I really am. This is the first step. Even if only one person reads this, it has been freeing and therapeutic to write this down. Another goal for myself this year, is to stop hiding behind that extra 100 pounds I seem to have accumulated over the last 15 years. So far, I’ve kicked 5+ pounds to the curb! I also want to make sure that all of my family and friends never doubt how much I love them. Get better control over our finances and finally become stable. I want to continue to develop my relationship with God. And, I want to take my commitments to the scouting world more seriously. Which means I want to become a better Cubmaster, better Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner, and a better Troop Committee Chairperson.
That’s a lot to accomplish in one year, but I’ve already started the leg work on most of it. And, I know, with God’s guidance, I can do anything. Peace be with you all.
My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)
Life is like a ball of yarn . . . .
It’s funny how different things can trigger a memory that had been long forgotten. A sound . . .a smell . . . a food . . . a song . . .the sound of someone’s voice. . . .the passing of a loved one.
In my case, most recently, it was the illness and eventual passing of my lovely Grandmother. I was brought back to my 16th Brithday. It was the year I had decided I wanted to start a Hope Chest. I wanted to make sure that, when I graduated and moved out into the world, I was prepared.
I came home from my summer job, to find my Grandmother sitting in the living room of my parents home, holding one end of a piece of yarn. She told me, with a satisfied little grin on her face, to follow that yarn all around the house, and I would find my birthday present. And follow it I did. From one room to another, and back again. Up stairs, down stairs. All the while, my Grandmother sat on the couch, her hands folded in her lap, smiling and chuckling to herself. Finally, my yarn journey led me to my parents bedroom closet. Inside, was a box of china my Grandmother had found at a garage sale. Knowing that I had wanted to be prepared, she thought of me and picked it up. I was delighted by this treasure!
As I reflect on that story, and my journey around my parents house . . .and the eventual discovery of my hidden treasure. . . . it made me think of life. I began to realize how similar our lives are to a ball of yarn. Like people, each ball of yarn is unique: some are large, some are small; some are brightly colored, some are more muted; some are soft, some are course.
We begin our lives at the beginning of the ball of yarn . . .and it unravels to be the story of our lives. Sometimes we come across a tangled mess, or a knot . . . but we do our best to push past it. Like my Grandmother, our Lord is quietly watching us, smiling and guiding us along on our journey, until we reach the other end of the ball of yarn. What we find at the end of our journey is a treasure indeed. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 2Timothy 4:18.
Enjoy each and every day of the unraveling of your ball of yarn!
Stress? Who’s stressed?
Dear Internet Peeps:
It has been . . . way to long since my last blog. Please forgive my negligence.
Love, Trish
Ok, there . . .now I feel better 🙂 In truth, I began to find it difficult to blog during the 100 Days of Scouting simply because, everything I do in Scouting, so does my husband. Who wants to read the same thing twice? I figured, when I had something to say, I’d chatter . . .and golly do I!!
One thing I’ve learned in life, and it’s actually pretty easy to figure out, is that everyone deals with life’s little stresses differently. Some people discuss their problems or situations openly to get feedback or help from others. Some seek counseling. Some turn to drugs or alcohol. Some just stuff it away and pretend it doesn’t exist. Some frantically dwell on each of life’s problems until it makes them sick.
I’ve had some people accuse me of being the type that ignores life’s stresses. To the untrained eye . . .I seem to laugh everything off, and blow it away. If you’ve read my other blog (http://therielblog.blogspot.com), then you know that life for me didn’t necessarily start off “normal” or “easy”. Although, as I progress in life, I’m not sure that it will ever be “normal” and, I’m ok with that!
Because of the lemons and curve balls life seems to consistently throw at me, I do take a bit of a different approach at life’s stresses – I laugh. I don’t over think or pace the floors when there is a dilemma. I VERY rarely turn to others for help, (I’m apparently too stubborn for that). No drugs, but, yes, the occasional stiff drink. Now, please know, when I say life consistently throws curve balls in my direction, I’m not exaggerating.
Here’s a slice of this week so far, and please keep in mind, it’s only Wednesday: 1. Sunday morning: during church, my back began to hurt ~ from my spine, all the way down to my lower back. Hubby brought me in to the local ER, they prescribed muscle relaxers and 800 mg ibuprofen. She also said, should you develop anything new symptoms (numbness in my legs, etc, to go see my regular doc ASAP).
2. Monday morning: I woke up and, guess what? A numb left leg – hip, hip, hooray!! So, off to my regular doc, who’s an hour away. She adds pain pills to my little pill cocktail, and schedules me for an MRI. On our way home, we receive a call from our 14 year old daughter saying our 12 year old son had a concussion from football practice. Soooo . . . picked them up from school, and went straight to the local ER again. (He’s doing great, btw).
3. Tuesday morning: My MRI is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. an hour away. We make it about 15 miles before discovering we have a flat tire. We (hubby actually, my back is killing me, like I could help!) inflated the tire as best has he could, and back home we went to get our van. I called the hospital, and thankfully, they’ll still be able to see me even though I’ll be over an hour late. (thank God for small miracles.) The MRI was relatively uneventful . . . minus that whole “feels like you’ve been buried alive thing”. Found out I have a bulging disc, inflammation and a ‘touch’ of arthritis (I JUST turned 36, WTH??). We discuss treatment options, when to follow up, etc.
4. Wednesday morning: I decide I’m going to tough it out, and go to work. Even though my job is primarily sitting and typing, I know that if I need to take a little break here and there, I can take one. Easy peasy. Hubby was equally as excited that he finally got to go to work today. Oh, but, alas . . .I spoke to soon. Went out to start the van, and, nothing . . . . no go. I had to call Hubby back to help me.
What did I do at that point? I laughed . . . and laughed. Truthfully, you can let life’s stresses control you, or, you can laugh in its face. I choose laughter. If I didn’t, I’d be manic depressive! Do these things bother me? Oh my gosh yes!! Trust me, I have my little breakdowns from time to time . . .but, in the privacy of my own home.
What also helps me is this: everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, has something going on in their lives that they are struggling with. I think we’ve all heard the phrase “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” Use it, love it, apply it to life! Those people that you see that look (or even say they do) have a perfect life . . .wonderful marriage, beautiful house, beautiful children, fantastic dream job . . .blah, blah. . . .I’ve discovered that those folks, are typically in denial. No one has a “perfect” life. Everyone faces their own issues and their own stresses.
Be kind to one another, you never know what they’re dealing with on the inside. And remember this, if God made us all the same, how boring would that be? He loves us for our imperfect selves!
I’ll close with one of my favorite verses: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)
Under New Management
Our troop has undergone a few changes this past year. One of those being, that I stepped down as our Committee Chair. I originally stepped into that role to help my husband, who is the Scoutmaster. The job description, after all, says the CC works closely with the Scoutmaster. How much closer could we get? 🙂
A couple years ago we had an issue with our popcorn sales . . the issue being, I lost one of the envelopes of checks. I had no idea who’s they were, it would have been difficult to try to track down the original issuers. So, I took responsibility, I told our committee what happened, and that, once we figured out what the dollar amount was that was missing, I would pay it back. We hit a slight snag, my husband was laid off shortly there after, making paying it back a slow process.
Despite being completely open and honest with, not only our committee, but every family in the troop, folks just couldn’t seem to avoid gossiping and chattering. The situation became so difficult and blown out of proportion, the council and the chartered organization became involved. It got to be too much. I eventually made, what was perhaps, one of the most difficult decisions I had ever made in my time in scouting: I stepped down. I hated to do it. I felt like I was admitting some type of guilt. My husband was so disappointed in our unit, he wanted to follow suit and step down as well. I wouldn’t let him. We do what we do for the boys, and the boys needed him.
For his sake, I agreed to continue on as the Chaplain. ” That was it”, I told him! I was there for the boys and the boys only ~ period, end of story. If you’ve read some of my other blogs, you know I didn’t stick to well to that. I am now an Assistant Scoutmaster as well as Chaplain.
Here is where the transition has been difficult for me: keeping my mouth quiet! (yes, I know . . .ever man reading this is saying “isn’t that every woman’s issue” . . blah, blah). I’ve tried very hard to step back, and let the new CC do his job. I’ve offered suggestions here and there truly just trying to be helpful.
I find myself in a weird spot here though: how do I offer suggestions without making it seem like I’m trying to stay in control? If I disagree with something our new CC says or does, how do I bring this up without people thinking it’s just “sour grapes”? I know the right answer, doesn’t really matter what other people think. But, none-the-less, keeping everyone happy (which is near impossible), helps a unit run smoothly.
I’m curious, has anyone else been in this situation? Not necessarily being forced to step down, but stepping down from SM to ASM or CC to CM, etc.
Ahhh the joys of volunteer work 🙂 But, despite the “issues” we all have from time to time, we stick with it because we love what we do, and we all hope to make a positive difference in these young mens lives.
Look at that, I don’t blog for days ~ and *boom* I ramble, sorry about that!
Many blessings to you on as we continue to blaze the trail!
Ramblings . . .
Ahhh yes, time to kick back and relax and reflect on what I’ve been up to the past week or so and then look forward to what I have coming up.
As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, I am the proud mom of a Wolf Scout and a Boy Scout (who is well on his way to earning Tenderfoot). I am also the proud mom of a very lovely daughter who is anxious to become part of a Venture Crew. Not to mention, of course, my wonderful Scoutmaster and Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner husband. Scouting in our house seems to be as common place as brushing our teeth. (As I’m sure it is for a lot of you as well).
While I’m no longer a registered leader within our Cub Scout Pack, I had the opportunity to work with my son’s den last Monday. I had a blast! I forgot how much energy those little guys have! I worked with them on memorizing the Cub Scout Promise. I was surprised that, even though I haven’t said it in a couple years, I still knew it! (it helps, of course, that it’s very similar to the Boy Scout Promise). We played “hot potato” with balloons. I had 8 different balloons, each had a piece of the promise on the inside. I had a little helper who played YMCA while the boys passed the balloon in a circle ~ when the music stopped, they got to pop the balloon. Once all the balloons were popped, they pieced together the promise. They did great!!
This Monday my audience shifted a bit. This week was the first time I’ve sat down with the boys who are at Scout Rank. Not surprisingly, the one thing that seems to be holding them all back (my own son included) is the 30 days of physical fitness . We talked about different ways to “get ‘er done” and I supplied each of them with a chart to track their progress. We even set a small goal. With luck, we’ll have a few Tenderfoots in no time at all!
We also put together and passed out information for summer camp. Being in Northern MN, I have to tell you, it’s pretty tough to even begin to think about summer camp. Especially when we’re still fighting with snow and ice. But, it’s time to get ready for it! I’ve never been able to go with them, but I sure do enjoy the pictures and stories.
Tonight, my audience changed once again. My husband and I were asked to join forces as Roundtable Commissioners. His focus is Boy Scouts and mine is Cub Scouts. Well . . .in theory. Right now, our audience is pretty small. So, for the two months we’ve been doing this, we’ve kept it pretty general and touched on topics that fit both levels of scouting. Tonights meeting, I think, went very well. We have more volunteers there (11 of us total). The more leaders you have, the greater discussions you can have. One of our goals is to continue growing and building on the number of volunteers who attend. Much like everything else, it’s a work in progress!
My Commissioner position is my newest position within the scouting world. And, truthfully, probably my most uncomfortable hat at the moment. I know that the more I do it, the more comfortable it’ll become, just like anything else. Give me a room full of kids ~ easy peasy. A room full of other adult volunteers ~ and I freeze! I am VERY thankful for some familiar faces that make it a smidge easier. There’s something slightly intimidating about providing information to people who have been doing this much longer then I have!
Next on my agenda: helping my Wolf Scout work on his derby car. This is probably one of my favorite things! Oh, yea . . .I suppose I should be a good role model and get my tooshie in gear with the 30 days of physical fitness too. Never any rest for a Scout mom. 🙂
Blessings to you all.
The Big Race
On your mark . . . get set . . . . GO!!!! Ok, not really . . .
I’ve mentioned before how blessed children in our area are because they can try pretty much any activity they set their mind to. There’s a curse with this as well ~ fierce competition. My husband and I have observed this across the board: youth sports, drama, choir, band, national honor society, honor roll, friendships and yes, even with Scouts.
Here’s the part that is maddening about that: it’s not the kids, it’s their parents! As parents, we always have that sence of parental pride and “know” that our child is the best. And some will push and push to make sure everyone else “knows” their child is the best.
Sadly, this has reared it’s ugly head even within our own troop. One boy advances to the next rank or finishes a rank requirement, and you see another parents face register suddenly with a false sence of, “uh oh, my kid is behind”. And then there’s this great push to get the second boy “up to speed”.
One thing we’ve stressed with each of the parents, and the boys for that matter, that Scouting is NOT a competition. The program is designed in such a way, that they can each determine their own goals and advance at a pace that is comfortable for them.
When I was a Den Leader, I actually had a parent say to me, and I quote, “I don’t believe in that ‘all kids are #1’ garbage. You’re either good, or you’re not.” Wow . . .yup, that’s pretty much all I’ve got for that . . .just . . wow.
Here’s the bottom line: kids, regardless of their skill level, should be encouraged to do their best and (most importantly) have fun. If little Johnny is suddenly a Star Scout, and he started at the same time as your son who is still a Tenderfoot ~ then great for Johnny! As leaders (and parents), we need to remember that not every boy who joins Boy Scouts has the same goal. Some just want to join to have a good time. Others come in with the clear cut goal of earning their Eagle. There is no right or wrong reason here. Earning rank should never be treated like a race or a competition.
Our job, as Leaders, is to help mold young boys into great young men. Period. If we happen to make a couple Eagle Scouts a long the way ~ wonderful. If not, that’s ok too. The important questions to ask ourselves at the end of the day: “did they have fun?” “did they learn something new?” In my eye, any youth who tries an activity and gives it their best, they are #1.
Many blessings to you all as we continue down this Scouting Journey.
Lego Scout
We’ve all had the opportunity to play with Lego’s. I think they were probably a staple for each of us growing up; entertaining us for hours. The wonderful thing about Lego’s are, they’re designed to fit together nicely. The only limitations you have, at times, is your imagination. If you want to build something, you betcha you sure can!! (yea, yea . . .how Minnesotian of me, right?)
When we start as Scout Leaders, we’re given all sorts of wonderful materials and wonderful training. The important thing to remember, however, is that these are all guidelines. Boy Scouts don’t always fit together as nicely and neatly as Lego’s. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if they did? Of course, then we wouldn’t be challenged, and what’s the fun in that?
Because each demographic is so different, not all Troops (or Packs for that matter) can run the same. For example, we’re in a small, rural area. Since starting the Troop 6 years ago, we have made it our goal to never have to ask for yearly “dues”. Something like “dues” could prevent a boy and his family from even entertaining the idea of joining. We also try to fundraise for our bigger ticket events (summer camp, etc.), hoping to ease the burden on the families and keep things exciting and fun for the boys.
Something that’s also a little different in our area: if the boys want to do something ~ sports, band, choir, drama, etc., they can do it ~ period. We are blessed to live in an area where if they want to try something, they can. Just 30 miles down the road from us, kids have to try out for sports and musical activities. I, personally, love that kids in our area don’t have to “try out”. What a great way to build their self-confidence!! Our youth are blessed to be able to have whatever opportunity they set their mind to.
There is, however, a disadvantage to this as well. Kids in our area are busy, busy, busy! Yes, yes . . .I know, kids all across the country are busier now then they ever used to be.
Here’s the problem we’re facing, however. In theory, a Boy Scout Troop is to be boy led. The older boys are to put their leadership skills to the test, and help the younger boys learn their scout skills and advance. It’s a win, win. In theory . . . if they were Lego Scouts. Because the older Scouts in our troop are involved in so many other activities, it has hurt our program. We’ve tried very hard to maintain a “boy led” troop. We’ve shifted our meeting times, rescheduled events, etc. In the end, however, it has unfortunately had a profound affect on the advancement of our younger boys.
So, the adult leadership in our Troop had to step back and refocus. Beginning next week, one of the Asst. Scoutmasters (ok, it’s me) will be sitting with the group of younger boys and pick up on where they left off. We’re going to, basically, go back to treating this patrol like we did our new troop 6 years ago. The older boys who have been there on a regular basis want to start working on merit badges during meetings. This is their program after all . . . so why not?
The bottom line is this: the training and materials is a wonderful guide. I am so, so thankful that information is available for us. However, we can’t put the blinders on and develop “tunnel vision”. Sometimes, we need to step back and think outside the box. After all, we aren’t playing with Lego’s. 🙂
Many blessings to you all!
Family Time
Yesterday, I’m happy to report, was actually a pretty minimal scouting day. While most of my family is in the scouting program, I still find it’s important to, as a family, do things outside of the scouting realm as well.
Our family just plain enjoys being together. Scouting together is, of course, pretty high on our list. We also really enjoy either going out to see a movie, or sometimes just watching one from the comfort of home. During baseball season ~ Scouting almost takes a back seat! Anyone ever play Apples to Apples? It’s one of our families favorites! And, we of course, love camping and fishing.
I honestly can’t think of anything better then sitting around a campfire with my family. This has always been one of my favorite parts of camping. This is why we now have a fire ring at home too.
Last night however, we weren’t doing any of those things. Instead, we were enjoying the a wonderful band concert. Last night was one of those times where, even though we weren’t scouting . . .we were able to see our scouts in action. Yes, we went to see our beautiful daughter playing her alto sax, but, we were able to enjoy the music of several of our scouts as well. We seem to have almost as much pride watching them as we do our own daughter 🙂
Tonight, I believe, is another scouting free night. In fact, we may have an entire weekend void of scouting. And that’s, ok!
I hope each of you has a wonderful and blessed weekend!!
Cha-ching!
It’s funny how, when you’re in a Scouting family, there isn’t a day that goes by where you don’t have a conversation about Scouting in some form or another.
Today, of course, is no exception. We’ve been discussing the age old question: How do we give these boys every opportunity, and save on their parents pocket books. It’s tough in today’s economy. We try to keep things as low cost as possible. For our regular camp outs, we only charge for food for the weekend. Because summer camp is the big ticket item, we’re always sure to do fundraisers to try to take as much of the sting out of that as possible.
Where we’re stumped, is the “other” activities. The boys decided they wanted to go to the high adventure base that’s in Ely, MN. Great! Downside? $90 per person. We did some quick fund-raising, and each of their costs were covered. Bada-bing, bada-boom.
Now we’re faced with a couple other events/activities that are roughly $40 per person. Again, to some, not a big deal. But to others, these costs can be really prohibitive. We don’t want to have to do fundraisers prior to each event. You can really burn out your friends, families and neighbors; not to mention, the scouting families.
Each of these activities and events are so important to the scouting program. Some teach the boys to face challenges. They help them gain self confidence and courage. Some are great for socialization. They’re able to be with other like minded youth. The lessons are limitless.
I’m curious: how do other units across the globe handle these situations? I’m sure the answer is right there, just out of my line of site . . . It’s always helpful to hear from those who have “been there, done that.”
Well, since I’m not going to solve the problems of the world tonight, I think it’s time to retire for the day. Many blessings to you all 🙂
trishlove 
