Archive for the 'Personal' Category

Authenticity and Forced Volunteerism

Allen September 8th, 2008

As I may have alluded to earlier, I work with the Boy Scouts of America. Most of my activities lately has been constrained to mentoring Eagle candidates for our Troop, but the Anchoress highlights in a recent post what has troubled me with some of the rank requirements that the young men need to achieve in order to advance.

The Anchoress here is talking about Bill Whittle (another of my favorite authors), “required volunteer service” and the authenticity of political candidates. A worthy read for both the Anchoress’s words and Bill Whittle’s original essay.

I used to volunteer at a local hospital, working with patients recovering from brain accidents, and also at a local Alzheimer’s facility. I did that because I wanted to, I was not compelled to do it (except, perhaps by the Holy Spirit). Because it was truly voluntary, it was real, authentic service.

…

Think of monasticism. A monastic gives up everything, moves into a community, share all his goods and even lets go of individuality; if superficial individuality is subsumed in the cause of something greater, it is because the monks and nuns have individually determined that it must be so. Because everyone there is of a like mind, and voluntarily giving themselves up – voluntarily practicing self-abnegation – it works. It is an authentic life of service and sacrifice because it is voluntary.

If you were to try to force monasticism, to compel people to work at something in which they do not believe, to give themselves up for something that does not speak to their individual hearts and spirits, it would not work. It would be completely inauthentic, and it would die.

Ellipses are mine.

The problem is that Boy Scouts require so many hours of “volunteer work” in order to advance in rank. While I understand what they are driving for, this has bothered me for quite some time. How can this be in any way, shape or form volunteer work? This is work required in order to obtain a goal. Worthy work and a worthy goal. But not volunteerism.

Mind you, I don’t have a solution to this problem. I’m not sure how big of a problem this is as the Boy Scouts are a volunteer organization — Adult volunteers (by and large) and young men who volunteer to join.

A Wake and a Farewell

Allen April 23rd, 2008

Today has been a rather exhausting day. I’ve been working overtime in order to attend Dr. Belknap’s funeral tomorrow. When I arrived home, my wife and I attended the wake for Dr. Belknap at Resthaven funeral home. We had to cut out early because we needed to eat dinner and then meet…

with our next Eagle candidate — Paul. Paul is developing a butterfly garden for a local park.

Our troop has a set of adults who are Eagle mentors that assist the young men in obtaining their Eagle rank. Some time after my son David obtained his Eagle rank, I started mentoring Eagle candidates in our troop. Every Eaglet that I have mentored has probably accomplished more in terms of handling responsibility and planning a large project than most adults. And that is the key to Scouting.

Paul wanted to attend the wake as he is not able to attend tomorrow’s funeral. So back we went to Resthaven and another visit with our extended Scout family.

I will miss Doc B’s infectious laugh and his weather-beaten hat. I will miss his deep love of these young men. I will miss someone who was like a grandfather to my children.

I close with one of Doc B’s favorite quotes from Lord Baden-Powell:

It is easier to bend a boy than mend a man.

Dr. Hal Belknap – Let Light Perpetual Shine Upon Him

Allen April 22nd, 2008

Dr. Hal Belknap, passed away this past Sunday morning. He was not only our family doctor and friend, but Scoutmaster to our son. Dr. Belknap and the Eagle mentors his troop set up were invaluable in assisting our son, David, in obtaining his Eagle rank. I have rotated out my current quote at the top of the page and replaced it with the following from Lord Baden-Powell.

No one can pass through life, any more than he can pass through a bit of country, without leaving tracks behind, and those tracks may often be helpful to those coming after him in finding their way.