Cross your fingers (or maybe hide your eyes…you can’t really cover your ears with written communication! *smiling*)
Pending someone ELSE telling me “you can’t do this at work — even during your break time!” or some system administrator blocking the IP addresses so that I cannot post…
…after a THREE YEAR ABSENCE (yeah, it’s been THAT LONG!), I’m finally back here and am taking one of the seats in the back for right now.
Hello everyone!!
My name is Mike Walton. Many of you know me as “settummanque” or “blackeagle”. I’ve been a part of Scouts-L since, well, since Doug “Lefty” Coffman asked me to post and answer some questions back in 1989. I am a longtime volunteer and former paraprofessional with the Boy Scouts of America, having been blessed with doing a lot of great things as a part of Scouting’s great program. While I’m probably one of the biggest cheerleaders for the BSA one would find, I do have some issues with some aspects of the program and I’m not ashamed — as many of you have been and continue to be — to critique the BSA in order to effect and understand change.
I’m that “settamankie fella” that some of you have been reading about. In the past close to 20 years, there’s probably several CD-ROMs (I used to say several bookcases, but you know technology continues onward *hehehehee*) full of comments, postings and opinions I’ve stated and those I’ve shared from some BSA “insiders” to help answer YOUR concerns or questions. Those comments, postings and opinions — mine AND YOURS — have helped to shape the BSA’s perception of “online Scouting groups”. Between Scouts-L (and the other “-Ls” that spawned from this discussuion group, to include Arrow-L and Patch-L) and the success of the U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. and their volunteer efforts — the BSA moved from an “ultra defensive posture” to an “offensive posture” with regard to the role of the Internet and its relationship to Scouting. One of the first recommendations I made way back when (93) was for the BSA to create an “Internet Relationships” committee and assign one of their younger national staffers as the advisor to that committee. Fill it with the Internet’s best “online Scouters”. Bring the BSA’s program to the forefront electronically and as we say in the military, “go ugly early” with news.
I was politely but firmly told “No thanks, The method of delivery of Scouting is sound and we’ll continue to do things in this manner, thank you very much.”
Fast forward to last month. The BSA readies the new program, and continues to promote the Bechtel Summit Reservation. Local Councils are starting fall programs — which in a select few Councils include Lion Cub Scouting. We were a month away from introducing a new Chess merit badge and a quarter into the introduction of Robotics. New uniform shirts roll out, new books roll out and a “fire sale” is being conducted on the red jac-shirts. And how does the BSA communicates all of this to us — and directly to the Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and their parents? Yes, they still use SCOUTING and Boys_Life. But they are also using Twitter(tm), Facebook(tm) and their own redesigned websites and pages!!
You — and those before you involved in “electronic Scouting” — have proved to be the difference. Then and now. We have a longer way to go, but the value of Scouts-L — even in today’s time — is not how many messages have been produced or how many Scouters are involved in the “Daily International Roundtable Meeting which NEVER ends!” Instead, the value of this discussion group has *always been* the interactions of volunteers, professionals, parents and organizational leaders all contributing toward answer the questions, concerns and supportive needs of others involved in this grand game called Scouting!
I am humbled to be of service to each of you. I am elated that I’m able to post again — we’ll see how far *this effort* goes. And as always, thank you, each of you, for what you do in your families, your communities and within your youth-service organization!!
Settummanque!
—
Settummanque is writer, retired military officer, dad, friend,
traveler, public speaker, webmaster, Eagle Scout, and/or “sweetie”
(LTC) Mike Walton. South Lake Minnetonka area, Minnesota.
http://www.settummanque.com
Settummanque is writer, retired military officer, dad, friend,
traveler, public speaker, webmaster, Eagle Scout, and/or “sweetie”
(LTC) Mike Walton. South Lake Minnetonka area, Minnesota.
http://www.settummanque.com
One Response to Fw: Let’s see if THIS works!! *smiling* (12 Sep 11)