Jack gets inducted into OA September 23, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack accomplishments, jack boy scouts, Jack community service, Jack leadership.1 comment so far
Last weekend Jack went with several other boys from the troop for his OA “ordeal”. I get the sense that they mystery surrounding the term ordeal is that way for a reason. Suffice it to say that he said they did LOTS of service and ate what he termed “scant” amounts of food – the worst of which was a lunch that consisted of 2 pieces of bread and one piece of bologna. He came home with his OA sash and proudly wore it to his next meeting.
Jack makes OA September 4, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack accomplishments, jack boy scouts, Jack leadership.Tags: boy scouts, OA, order of the arrow
add a comment
Monday night, Jack found out he made OA. He’s really excited to go on the camping trip. I have to learn more about the indoctrination but it sounds like that gets done on the trip.
Jack makes Life Scout August 21, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack boy scouts.Tags: boy scouts life scout
add a comment
8/10/09 – Jack passes his board of review for Life Scout!! We were SO proud of him. Howard came early to go to the board of review with him but when the cars met up at the church with the other 2 leaders and other 2 scouts, they all fit neatly in one truck so Howard opted to support Jack quietly from home. We all waited anxiously and went out to buy his favorite red velvet cake. He ended up coming home really late because the leaders had to stay for a couple Eagle boards of review. What a great accomplishment – he achieved it at the age of 14.
Jack spends his 5th week at Boy Scout Camp – and has so much to show for it. July 19, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack accomplishments, jack boy scouts, Jack leadership.Tags: boy scout camp, boy scout summer camp, boy scouts, camp counselor, CIT, counselor in training, cub scouts, scout camp, scout summer camp
add a comment
I was so proud when Jack volunteered a full week at the local county Cub Scout camp in June. Then, he got ready to go on his annual Boy Scout camp summer trip to the state camp. Toward the end of the week, he let us know he was going to get to go back to C.I.T. I was really happy for him. He’s been talking about becoming a counselor at camp for about a year and this was a perfect opportunity for him to see if he would really like it. He loved it!
He was hoping to be asked back for a second week. We talk to his Troop Master who said it was very unlikely he would be invited back for a week because they only invite CIT’s back if they are completely ready to teach on their own. He didn’t mean that Jack couldn’t do it. He just knew from watching other boys invites that very few were invited back. Well, he was invited back. Then, he was invited back AGAIN! He will be on the business staff which I guess handles the money sort of stuff. I know they do snack bar and they also do the dining hall. I’m not sure what else.
The best reward was spending a couple hours with him on the way back after picking him up. He seemed like he had grown up a year. He had so much more confidence and just seemed so much more mature. He was very hoarse and said he had sung his heart out the night before leading a campfire because he was hoping to get counselor of the week but he didn’t get it. He was pretty bummed but I love the fact that he strives for things like this. Howard took him back today. I miss him but I’m so proud of him for what he’s doing.
Jack gets new posts at elections June 22, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack accomplishments, jack boy scouts, Jack leadership.Tags: boy scouts patrol leader, camping coordinator
add a comment
At the elections, Jack was voted Patrol leader again and he also created a new post called camping coordinator. He thought there was a lot of opportunity to do a better job collecting money to have a really good count or participants so there is no over-spending on food.
Jack volunteers 45 hours at Council Cub Scout Camp June 22, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack boy scouts, Jack community service, Jack leadership.Tags: Volunteering cut scouts
add a comment
Jack volunteers 45 hours at Council Cub Scout Camp
pictures coming
Jack volunteers 2.5 hours at the Memorial Day celebration May 31, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack boy scouts, Jack community service.Tags: boy scout volunteer opportunity, boy scouts
add a comment
The town tried a new Memorial Day celebration this year. They had an event in town with a band, the Legion, food, and family fun. It did rain all day but the turnout was not bad. I guess rain is to be expected in the Spring. We received an email in the morning that they really still needed volunteers to help serve BBQ. I really liked this double sense of giving back. We have a great vendor partner who makes BBQ. He has military background and he always seems to offer to make/sell his BBQ without accepting any profit at events that benefit the Legion or any other armed services related fundraisers around town. Well, today he asked the Scouts to help him serve BBQ at the Memorial Day event. He was not accepting any profit and the Scouts were asked just to help him serve. They gladly agreed but the volunteership was low. When we received the email that they really needed people from 11-1:30, I asked Jack to go. He initially didn’t want to go. He ALWAYS steps up to volunteer. I mentioned to Howard that Jack wasn’t inclined to go and I noted that I guessed Jack had earned the right to say no once or twice. But to both of their credit, Howard said, “Jack, why don’t you just go” and Jack said OK. He dressed up in full Class A’s. Howard dropped him off in the center of town on the way to the laundromat. Ug, yes, the washer is still broken. Howard told Jack to “scout” (pardon the pun) around and if he didn’t find the group or if they weren’t working, to just walk over to the laundromat. Jack didn’t show up so we assumed he was working. I went over to pick him up at 1:30 but couldn’t find him. At about 2PM, Jack arrived home on foot. He could have easily asked for a ride but he opted to walk home. He had a full cake in hand. Since the turnout wasn’t as good as expected, they had some cakes left over. I guess only Jack would walk 30 minutes home with a big cake in hand. Good priorities all around. I’m really proud of him – bubbling over.
Jack volunteers 10 hours over 2 days at the spring fair May 16, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack boy scouts, Jack community service.add a comment
As I use this blog to made a record of events and contributions the kids make so I don’t forget when it comes time to tally up service hours for a badge, Beta Club, etc, Jack put in 5 hours today selling hot dogs at the scout fundraiser.
It’s funny. Jack is a very typical oldest child. If he’s going to do anything, he wants to be out front, keeping busy, working. So, when I went to the booth as he was 4 hours into it, I was not surprised to see him standing at the front of the booth taking money and calling to the back for hot dogs with this condiment or that condiment. But, what was funny was seeing the new scouts – who had just bridged over – wearing the walking hot dog banner sign. Jack used to ALWAYS do that. So, when I saw them, I was walking with Howard and asked them if that was the scouts form of hazing. He said that the scouts actually fight over wearing the sign and taking hot dog orders throughout the fair area. I guess, being an introvert, that I would find that hard to understand. What would seem like a punishment to me is a privilege to someone else. Go figure.
Here is a picture of he and his friend out on the roof the week before.
Jack works 6 hours on a service project March 15, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack boy scouts, Jack community service.Tags: 10-hr service project, 8-hr service project, attend 8-hr service project, boy scout service project, oldest boy, service project in the rain, treating an oldest child differently
add a comment
Yesterday Jack was supposed to work at a service project. It was one of those times I really debated if I made the right decision. It was raining and the service project was supposed to be outside. The leader who was running it has a lot of military experience and is very zealous. He likes to think the boys can tough things out and would not be the one to cancel an outdoor service project because of rain. To make it worse, it was supposed to be 10 hours. But, Jack’s good friend’s father is a leader and he was taking his son to the service event. So I felt that if Mike was willing to take his son, and they were all going together, then I would let him go. But all day I worried that he would come home sick and we would pay for a week for making a foolish decision.
It’s funny about how I make different decisions because Jack is my oldest child. I guess I am as bad as the zealous leader. If it were Matt or Kate, I would never have let them go. But I do want him to be tough and brave and more like a man.
The length of the service project was supposed to be really long. It was supposed to be an 8-hr project but it was going to be extended to 10 hours because two of the boys needed some extra service hours. I’m into working really hard, especially on service, and I was so proud of him that he was willing to do it. This was the first time he complained about service. He always jumps right in but even he thought 10 hours was crazy.
So they had an interesting discussion about a particular scout advancement requirement to “attend an 8-hr service project”. Jack debated with the boys that the requirement translated into working the whole 8-hour project. The other boys debated that they just needed to “attend” and work a couple hours – and if they needed 8 hours, they could work those another day. I’m not sure if this is something that is up to the discretion of the leader. But it seemed to me that the interpretation of this requirement that has the most integrity would be to work an 8-hr day. I was proud of Jack that he interpreted the requirement that way.
But, after it was all said and done, the group they were partnering was sponsoring an event that almost nobody showed up for so they ended up wrapping up after 6 hours.
Jack volunteers 8 hours and Kate volunteers 5 at the BBQ sale February 9, 2009
Posted by irisia in jack, jack boy scouts, Jack community service, kate, mentscha.add a comment
The boy scouts had the annual BBQ sale fundraiser. Jack volunteered 8 hours over the span of 2 days. But, lil’ Kate volunteered for 5 hours!! Really she was just going with Howard since I had to go out of town. But, what a trooper for an 8-yr old to hang out at a fund-raiser for 5 hours straight. I hope she gets the same bug for community service.
