Letter to the Editor September 20, 2017

Tuesday, Sept. 19, was School Night for Scouting in Minnesota, and parts of Wisconsin, where parents can sign up their boys to join Cub Scouts from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., at any elementary school in the state. You can also sign up anytime at www.heroscouts.org.
In many Councils Tuesday was also #ScoutingSpiritDay, where everyone on social media is encouraged to share publicly if they are, or were ever a Scout.
I have two grown boys who were in Scouts. One is an Eagle Scout and the other made it to the rank of Life Scout.
I have two young girls in Girl Scouts, who accompany me to many Boy Scout events and campouts. We are hoping soon they will be able tho join Cub Scouts as the Boy Scouts of America considers opening their enrollment to girls.
I was not fortunate enough to be a Scout as a youth. If I had, I think my life would have been different, because after joining Scouting as an adult leader in 1994, my life changed dramatically.
I don’t care if a person is in Scouts for a short time, or most of their life. It is a memorable experience that helps shape better citizens.
I’ve been a den leader, training staff, scoutmaster, district roundtable commissioner, district chair, and am currently the council membership committee chair. I’ve been awarded a number of awards, including the highest council honors, which I only mention because it’s not bad for a guy who struggled so much in his youth with relationships, moral ambiguity, alcohol, and lack of motivation, and purpose. While I was often told I was wasting my intelligence and talents I was never told how to use them.
Joining Scouts changed my life. Many of the things I learned as an adult leader, following the Scout Oath and Law changed all of this.
I decided alcohol no longer fit into a spiritual life. I lost my sense of entitlement and obligation. I learned to lead by example, and to serve others. Scouting gave me my first positive experiences with reverence to God and I saw the good deeds of many differing faiths of people working together.
I’m now viewed as a good employee, a devoted husband, a dedicated father, and a community volunteer and role model.
Scouting gives youth and adults leadership and practical skills all wrapped around a program of fun in the outdoors. Skills in Scouting can’t be found in many other youth programs, but Scouting can improve your son’s or daughter’s success in student government, sports, and even classwork.
Scouting helps train the future heroes of our communities and world.
Scouting works, and we have the research to prove it. https://youtu.be/6XXZaLmQi18
What happens to a Scout? For every 100 boys who join Scouting, records indicate that: (Source: http://usscouts.org/eagle/bottomline.asp)
While less than 10 percent of boys in the nation will have Scouting experiences, and only 4 percent of those will reach Scouting’s higest rank–Eagle Scout, it is interesting to note that, of the leaders of this nation in business, religion and politics, three out of four were Scouts.
Did you know the U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and Steven Spielberg were Boy Scouts. Spielberg’s first movie was a Scouting presentation.
Here’s a link to 12 successful businessmen that were Scouts, in “Busines Insider”: http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-boy-scouts-2011-6?op=1/#x-tillerson-ceo-of-exxon-mobil-1
Scouting builds better citizens, it benefits our communities. You have good kids, but with Scouting’s help you can make them great. They can be our future heros.
Yours in Scouting Service,
Jerry L. Carter
Annandale, Minn