SCOUTS

I wanted to share a moment with you now. Recently my boy BEAST graduated from the cub scouts to the boy scouts. I was his den's pack leader for the whole 5 years, albeit reluctantly at first.
For the first 3 years I ended each year begging one of the parents to step up and take my place.
No one ever did.
I was absolutely shocked at that. Well for the first 2 years at least.
I couldn't step down without knowing there was someone to take my place.
so 5 years go by and they earned all they needed to a graduated.
I know I could have been a better scout leader and parts of me wished I had but I must have done something right as they all came back each year.
I gave a small speech at the end of the dinner/ceremony we had for the (called the blue and gold banquet.) When I was done, there was a smattering of applause but I was able to tug on some heartstrings and get some tears flowing. Unfortunately it was just my mom, my wife and my motherinlaw and my fatherinlaw said "good speech".
Here is one of the 1st rough drafts. I seemed to have misplaced the final cut but there really isnt a lot of difference.

Enjoy...


One hundred years from now it will not matter what your bank account was, the sort of house you lived in, or the kind of car you drove; but the world may be different because you were important in the life of a child. I have been with these 5 young men since their very first day as a Tiger, all the way to today and it has truly been an honor and privilege to work with these fine gentlemen. I first became involved with the boy scouts when my wife and I attended the first commitee meeting. We met with the leaders and they gave us gobs and piles of information, which meant nothing at the time and then informed us that the den is going to need a den leader. Needless to say, it got very quiet. Then, since my wife was taking notes, Shawna elected her as the new Den leader for Den 2. Better her then me! Afterwards in the car my wife handed me all the papers and documentation and said “guess what?” That’s it. That’s how I started being a den leader. I am very proud of the time I have invested with my scouts in their advancement to today and as a father I am proud of my son for following through with his commitments in scouting. Your den leaders are just normal people who are giving their time to your child to help them grow and to help them learn. They are learning some of the most important things in their life that seem to be lacking in today’s society. Pride, Honor, a sense of self and self worth and a sense of community are all aspects that are taught in scouts. “In Scouting, a boy is encouraged to educate himself instead of being instructed.” Who doesn’t want that for their child? As someone who has seen both sides of the scouting fence, being involved and not being involved I have to tell you that if you are not taking an active role in your child’s scouting experiences, then you are truly robbing yourself of some of the most rewarding moments in your child’s, all too brief, childhood. So to the adults gathered here I have to ask, what is more important to you? An hour in front of the TV or an hour spent in the presence of tomorrow’s leaders helping to shape them with the knowledge and experience that will need to take them through their life. Get involved with your den. How could you ever regret making a positive difference in someone’s life. To the scouts here, I must tell you, don’t give up. Nothing is perfect in life and there will always be lows and highs but at least with scouting you will get out of it as much if not more then you put into it. Be proud to be a scout. To my scouts. I am very proud of each and every one of you. I am honored that you shared the experiences with me from each year to the next. You are 5 of the most smartest,loudest, squirrliest,loudest, imaginative, loud, creative, loud and courageous boys I have ever met. and loud too. To your parents I must extend my gratitude for your help and understanding as well. I feel very privileged to have been let into your lives and to contribute to your personal growth, even if it was just “an hour a week”. Also, I need to thank you for helping me to become a better person as well. In closing I’d like to quote Will Rogers who said There's only one thing wrong with Boy Scouts...there aren't enough of 'em. Congratulations Scouts and welcome to the Boy Scouts. You've earned it.