Comments about ‘Scout project larger than life’

I have 4 eagle scout sons, and this story typifies why I never want to work with this organization again.

From the Eagle Scout Project paperwork (page 4, paragraph 2):

"As stated in the Boy Scout Handbook: While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to your religious institution, school, or your community. (The project should benefit an organization other than the BSA.) "

Question: what organization other than BSA is being served by this project?

Every day REAL service projects that benefit real people are turned down by BSA, and THIS got approved?!

The ONLY thing that makes BSA of any benefit to boys are the volunteers that work directly with the youth. The organization itself is a mess.

How about BSA demonstrating some actual leadership... and WITHOUT the exorbitant salaries?

You are absolutely correct. The boys leaders are at

fault. The young man should get another project and

Approved by someone that KNOW's the rules. Very Sad

to see UNTRAINED LEADERS working with the Boys.

Salaries of the executive staff seem way out of control. I know so many great scouters, school teachers, and good, dedicated volunteer men and women who would be thrilled to do the job for so much less. This has gotten out of control. This year, I declined to donate to the "Friends of Scouting" when our ward did the drive recently. My family hosts many, many, Eagle Scouts, many of whom have become scout leaders and Bishops who go along with my feelings. Go Scouting, but cut the big spending and high pay for the execs. Scouting happens on a District and Troop level, that is where most of the great work is done by unpaid volunteers. Raise and spend the money where it directly benefits the scout.

You are absolutely Correct. This is a wonderful Service Project, but not an Eagle Scout Leadership
Project. It Should never been approved. The Boys need Trained Leaders. I hope this young man gets the
help he needs before it is too late.
I am sorry you feel this way about the program.
Maybe with some help from the excellent volunteers this young man would not be in this situation.

I have been involved in scouting for over 25 years as a scout and as a volunteer. Unfortunately, we depend on volunteers to run things, and in this case it appears that a well-meaning volunteer approved a project without actually knowing the rules. The nature of the project, and the fact that it involves fundraising of such a large figure are clearly to be discouraged. However, the boy is not at fault and should be commended for his efforts.

I've refused to donate to scouting for many years because of the salaries paid to the "professional" scouters. 25 years ago I was working construction while going to school. One of my co-workers quit because he got a scouting job paying $40,000 per year (this was just a staff level position). About 6 months later I finished school and got a job at Thiokol paying about $15,000 less (which was not a bad starting salary back then). I just can't understand how the BSA can justify paying that much. As others have said, it's the unpaid volunteers that really have the impact on the young men. I really wish the LDS church would do away with sponsoring this program and just go with a similar one of their own.

I don't know about the salaries of paid scouts. But if they are working full time to make it a functional organization, they should be compensated. Not everyone can donate time to a worthy cause in such abundance, unless they are retired and have money saved and time to kill. Unpaid LDS clergy and missionaries are the exception, not the rule. And do you think the hierarchy at the church headquarters aren't well taken care of? Who foots the bill when a leader speaks overseas? Surely not themselves.

All non-profits such as the Red Cross, Habitat For Humanity, Boy Scouts of America, United Way, etc. would cease to exist if they couldn't pay their staff. Maybe there should be audits to see where the money is actually going, but overall they are performing good for the community and individuals, right?

I'm not concerned that they pay a full time person, I'm concerned with HOW MUCH they are paying.

What a wonderful boy and a wonderful project! Thank you, Deseret News, for running a positive, uplifting story this Christmas season.

I'm okay with professional scouters getting paid well. They do a good, important job and should get compensated for it. Friends of Scouting money goes to upkeep of camps in our council and is money well spent.

That said, I fully agree that this is a bad project. The first thing I thought when reading even just the headline and teaser paragraph was how does a statue commemorating scouts benefit a group other than the scouts? If it is approved by the district advancement committee, maybe it's okay, but I'd confirm with national that it's okay before proceeding any further. I mean, the statue will be great, but it's not appropriate for an eagle project. Just because it's a big project doesn't mean it's good for an eagle project.

Why not raise the money and use it to purchase vaccines for children in africa or books for a local school or even build a school in a third world country?

Again, donating money for the statue is a great project, but not a good eagle project. It's not his fault, though.

Whatever the problems with the BSA organization itself, what annoys me is their begging for money in general. Since when is asking thousands of people for money considered honorable? Why doesn't the troop go out and create some value for society and thereby earn the money honorably?

My boys are not yet old enough to participate in scouting, but when they are (and if they do) I expect to pay their way myself, or else require them to pay their own way. I will not allow them to beg neighbors for money to go on campouts ("friends of scouting drive") or allow their scout leaders to do it on their behalf.

Most of you have NO idea what you're even talking about here. All you've done is made TOTAL FOOLS of yourselves.

This project was ALREADY pre-approved by the local BSA District and by the GSL Council. It's been on-going for many months already, and publicized heavily, and no one has complained about it.

The project does NOT "benefit" BSA. The statue will be located in a PUBLIC park, and will be donated to the city. This will be an amazing statue and piece of art that will greatly enhance the city and the park.

And PLEASE leave BSA Professional's salaries out of this discussion. Their salaries are TOTALLY commensurate with their responsibilities in similar or like organizations. There is NOTHING out of the ordinary here. Get a life, and complain about things that really matter!

God bless the Scouting Movement and the young men of this country!!

The "friends of scouting drive" has nothing to do with boys paying their own way to go on campouts. I have three sons in scouting and I pay their way. I also contribute yearly to FOS. None that the FOS money stays in the local troop.