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From: "J.R. Brockman" <brock.man@comcast.net>
Date: Fri, May 6, 2011 11:36 pm
Subject: A Special Time for Special People
To: "J.R. Brockman" <brock.man@comcast.net>
TO: All Mothers in Troop and Pack 133
In the early days of the Scout program more than 10 years ago, I remember preparing for 12 or more boys to show up, only to have about 4 or 5 appear. Sometimes it was less than five. It was disappointing, but I didn’t care. I said no matter how many showed up I would hold a Scout meeting. As along as some boys showed up that was all that mattered. And so it was I continued to prepare for Scout meetings no matter how many there was. If a boy showed up I was ready to do Scouting, and they showed up and kept coming.
Today we have almost fifty or more boys in the program. I knew then, what I know now and that it was mothers who were bringing the boys to Scout meeting. It was mothers who put together the bake sale so that we could have a little bit of money. It was mothers who helped serve the food when we had our Blue & Gold banquets. It was a mother who volunteered first to get us to start selling popcorn for our program. Without me doing anything she would organize it, and do everything, and then bring me the money.
More mothers starting camping with us than fathers when we first started. When Charles Mitchell left after a year of starting the program it was just Mr. Bernard Oliver and I who were left. It was Ms. Williamson, who is still with us today, and Ms. Saundra Schultz, who came out of no where to keep the program going. Ms. Schultz a mother came along and enrolled her son. I am keenly aware that we have a vibrant Scout program only because it was mothers who first believed in the program and invested the time and patience.
I never called or wrote them or asked them to do anything. They just took it upon themselves to do things. They made sure their sons came to meetings and as time went on, more mothers joined in and brought their sons. Along the way were a few fathers, but not to the extent of the contributions of mothers. Today we have an absolute phenomenon with so many men and fathers involved, but it wasn’t like that for many years. For most of those years it was mainly mothers.
For me when Mothers’ Day comes around I know I can never adequately repay those women who gave so much for so long. I am grateful for them as I am grateful for you that you have placed your trust and confidence in Scouting and continue to support the program. Thank you and I hope that your Mothers’ Day is special.
Yours in Scouting,
J.R. Brockman
Scoutmaster
Troop 133
609-381-9981
http://phillyscouts133.blogspot.com/
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