This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boy Scouts of America for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
We all feel the need to belong. Somewhere. Someplace. Or with someone. As a 3rd grader in my small town in New Jersey I was a scout. I wore my uniform proudly. If I recall I even wore my uniform to school. I looked forward to attending meetings after school. My family was part of the scout movement, too. My mother was the co-leader of my troop.
The stability of my little life was turned on its end when my family moved back to England…our home country. I was sad to leave. Mostly I was sad to leave friends, my school, and the comfy-ness of my routine. Kids need consistency. Scouts was the only activity I did each week. Once we moved to another country, I missed the scouting movement. Joining a scout troop in England was a key move that helped me regain my sense of self.
My son is now old enough to join the Boy Scouts. He talks about all the funs things that the Boy Scouts of America do. He’s interested in the meetings. He would love sitting with a group of kids. We know several moms and dads in our community who are active supporters in local Boy Scouts of America dens and packs. One mom runs an annual kickball tournament. Another helps her boys bake elaborate cakes for Boy Scouts events. I love the sense of family and of course community in scouting.
The meetings are held at a local Boy Scout hall. The scout hall is probably over 50-60 years old. Can you imagine the numbers of boys who have attended meetings in that hall. I wonder what things those boys are doing now. I am sure many, if not all, of those boys attended and went on to graduate from college. Which ones are now business people…doctors…teachers. How many want their boys to Be A Scout. I wonder how many are giving back to their communities as Boy Scouts of America leaders? A small number or a large number?
The Boy Scout hall is a stone’s throw from one of the two local elementary schools. I drive past the hall to go shopping at Walmart, attend church, and drive my children to activities. It is a supportive community out here that is for sure. In fact, with all the stress and tension of the new school year, the Boys Scouts like many activities is a way to get kids back on track. After the loose schedule and relative freedom of summer it can be hard for kids to get back in the swing of things for the new school year. Finding a new activity or returning to an old activity helps kids get back on track.
