Commissioner Staff - 2012

 
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

Connecticut Rivers Council

Hockanum River District

Unit Commissioner’s Report

Scouters,

Over the years I have heard and been part of the litany of complaints about the "Council doesn’t support the units". It has taken me several years to discover the real issues and I would like to share some of my discoveries with you.

Scouting is a volunteer organization. With the exception of very few paid professionals, the vast majority of decisions made in the Council are done by a core of volunteers just like you and me. When we complain about not receiving good, timely information, not having good programs for our youth to participate in, or virtually any other issues we encounter, invariably it all comes back to the volunteer.

The Hockanum Rivers District had 61 registered Scouting units. That breaks down to 31 Cub Scout Packs, 27 Boy Scout Troops and 3 Venture Crews. Although these units provide the Scouting program to hundreds of young people we could do better. Many units are experiencing problems; some large and some small. Other units are very successful, providing excellent programs that give their young people positive, lifelong experiences. Wouldn’t it be great if those successful units could share their "secrets" with those units experiencing a myriad of problems?

It can be said that this is the mission of the Unit Commissioner. It’s interesting that most units don’t know what a Unit Commissioner does. Those who have been visited often believe a Unit Commissioners is there to "spy" on the unit or to interfere with their program. That is an unfortunate, and a very wrong perception.

Your Unit Commissioner is your link from the Council and District to your unit. The Unit Commissioner is your source of information, the go to person when you are faced with a problem or issue or simply to provide you with answers to Scouting questions. The Commissioner assigned to your unit should not be a member of your unit. When problems or issues arise that requires some arbitration, it’s always best to have someone who is not your neighbor or best friend or unit leader be able to step in to assist without prejudice.

Based on 61 active units in our district we should have 21 Unit Commissioners about 1 Commissioner for 3 units. We have 10 registered Commissioners, 7 assigned to units for a total of 13 units served. The remaining units are not being served. Chances are your unit is not being served. You are not receiving current Scouting information. You are not in the loop. You have no idea of what is happening in our District or in the Council. You don’t really know the details of actions and activities that will impact your unit. You don’t have a name, phone number or email address of someone you can trust to provide you good answers to your questions. Don’t you think it’s time for you and your unit to receive the best support possible from your District and Council?

We need more Unit Commissioners. I know you’re busy and have your hands full. What I am asking you to do is pass this message to each adult leader in your Pack, Troop and Crew. Pass this message on to the very active parent in your unit. We are looking for friendly faces, the problem solvers, the concerned Scout unit members who believe in Boy Scout values. This might be someone who cannot commit to regular weekly or monthly meetings, but would like to be part of the scouting program.

The commitment is to contact your 3 assigned units each month; a phone call or an email. Make a uniformed visit to the unit every other month. Drop in, touch bases with the unit leader, Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor, Committee Chair, or Chartered Organization Representative. Attend Roundtable the first Monday of each month until you get your units attending on a regular bases and the District meeting the second Monday of each month where you will be asked to report on the health of the units you have made contact with. If a unit has questions or a problem or issues, assist in solving them, with the help of the District Key 3, District Commissioner, District Chairman and District Executive.

Hockanum River District needs you to get this message to every adult leader in your unit. We need to fill these critical positions to strengthen our program. Strong units make successful units. Successful units attract young people. Giving our youth a successful program is what we do. Won’t you help?

If you have questions please send me an email or call me at one of the numbers listed below.

Yours in Scouting,

Gil Thompson

Hockanum River District Commissioner

31 South Buckboard Lane
Marlborough, CT 06447
Home: (860) 295-0734
Cell: (860) 463-8672
email [Click for member's page]