OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS #84 - Achieving Eagle
I'MMMMMMMMMMMM BACK!!!!
After several months absence, I'm back on track and getting ready for another year.This Opportunity Knocks is about making Eagle. Lots of scouts don't. I didn't. I wanted to but I didn't.This in no way takes away from the millions of kids who made it to Life, or Star, or to First Class rank as I did, because just being in Scouting is of great benefit to the boys who join. It just isn't possible for everyone to make Eagle. And that's OK. But for those scouts who do get that far, well.., coming from someone who wanted it but didn't make it, you guys who do make it have my admiration.
This last Monday night, I had the honor and privilege to address the Eagle Scout Class of 2007. It was a wonderful experience. I was a little intimidated to start with because the Eagle Banquet was being held at the Summit Club on the top of the Bank of America building. You could look out the windows and see the Tulsa skyline from Sand Springs to Bixby. The west side, the river, the buildings of downtown Tulsa including the new arena being built. And as the evening wore on, the beautiful lights and stars. Looking down was not good for me but looking out was wonderful.
Twelve Troop 26 Scouts earned their Eagle Award in 2007 and several were in attendance. One of them had prepared an analysis of the Eagle Projects done for the community in the Indian Nations Council. The report, entitled "The Economic Value of Eagle Scout Projects in the Tulsa Area" had some very telling statistics.
The report was done by Eagle Scout Charlie Spears, one of our outstanding 2007 Eagle Scouts. Charlie is heading off to some very lucky university this fall and this report was indicative of great things to come. I was amazed at the information provided by this report. In fact, as most scout leaders do, I look at Eagle Scout projects individually, one Eagle Scout at a time. I have never looked at the total body of work provided by Eagle Scouts and the impact it has on the community at large.
This study indicated that the direct economic benefit or 230 Eagle Projects to the Tulsa community was $180,000. The indirect benefit was $270,000. The total benefit of the Eagle projects done by 230 Eagle Scouts for 2007 was $450,000. That is amazing.To reach this number, Charlie considered average hours per project, average capitol cost per project, the labor rate based on minimum wage, and the average Eagle Project value. Not being an economics person, I was amazed at th progression of thought in this study. I'm not really sure I have described it adequately. But I was extremely impressed and amazed at the value the total body of projects had on the Indian Nations Council. I can only imagine what the numbers would be if all the Eagle projects in the nation were considered. It would really be something.
Congratulations, Charlie Spears, on a wonderful report and congratulations to all twelve our Eagle Scouts from last year.
On another note, the last issue of the Smoke Signals, the Indian Nations Council's communication newsletter, there was an interesting piece from the National Eagle Scout Association, NESA. NESA is trying to find and contact every living Eagle Scout and register his achievements, past and present. The effort will culminate in "Roll Call: The National Eagle Scout Registry". It is a publication that will capture the tradition, history, honor of our Nation's Eagle Scouts and will be available only to bona fide Eagles. The editor, NESA Director Bill Steele added that only Eagle Scouts who agree to be listed and are adults will be included.Be sure to watch for updates about the search. NESA has partnered with Harris Connect Inc, the nations membership publication experts, to help locate all Eagle Scouts and to produce "Roll Call". Information will be available on the NESA website at: http://www.nesa.org/misc/essearch.html. All you Troop 26 Eagle Scouts out there are encouraged to participate.
Until next week.. (yes, Mark Weigt.I promise to do one again next week!!!) ..good scouting!
See you all then,Bill
After several months absence, I'm back on track and getting ready for another year.This Opportunity Knocks is about making Eagle. Lots of scouts don't. I didn't. I wanted to but I didn't.This in no way takes away from the millions of kids who made it to Life, or Star, or to First Class rank as I did, because just being in Scouting is of great benefit to the boys who join. It just isn't possible for everyone to make Eagle. And that's OK. But for those scouts who do get that far, well.., coming from someone who wanted it but didn't make it, you guys who do make it have my admiration.
This last Monday night, I had the honor and privilege to address the Eagle Scout Class of 2007. It was a wonderful experience. I was a little intimidated to start with because the Eagle Banquet was being held at the Summit Club on the top of the Bank of America building. You could look out the windows and see the Tulsa skyline from Sand Springs to Bixby. The west side, the river, the buildings of downtown Tulsa including the new arena being built. And as the evening wore on, the beautiful lights and stars. Looking down was not good for me but looking out was wonderful.
Twelve Troop 26 Scouts earned their Eagle Award in 2007 and several were in attendance. One of them had prepared an analysis of the Eagle Projects done for the community in the Indian Nations Council. The report, entitled "The Economic Value of Eagle Scout Projects in the Tulsa Area" had some very telling statistics.
The report was done by Eagle Scout Charlie Spears, one of our outstanding 2007 Eagle Scouts. Charlie is heading off to some very lucky university this fall and this report was indicative of great things to come. I was amazed at the information provided by this report. In fact, as most scout leaders do, I look at Eagle Scout projects individually, one Eagle Scout at a time. I have never looked at the total body of work provided by Eagle Scouts and the impact it has on the community at large.
This study indicated that the direct economic benefit or 230 Eagle Projects to the Tulsa community was $180,000. The indirect benefit was $270,000. The total benefit of the Eagle projects done by 230 Eagle Scouts for 2007 was $450,000. That is amazing.To reach this number, Charlie considered average hours per project, average capitol cost per project, the labor rate based on minimum wage, and the average Eagle Project value. Not being an economics person, I was amazed at th progression of thought in this study. I'm not really sure I have described it adequately. But I was extremely impressed and amazed at the value the total body of projects had on the Indian Nations Council. I can only imagine what the numbers would be if all the Eagle projects in the nation were considered. It would really be something.
Congratulations, Charlie Spears, on a wonderful report and congratulations to all twelve our Eagle Scouts from last year.
On another note, the last issue of the Smoke Signals, the Indian Nations Council's communication newsletter, there was an interesting piece from the National Eagle Scout Association, NESA. NESA is trying to find and contact every living Eagle Scout and register his achievements, past and present. The effort will culminate in "Roll Call: The National Eagle Scout Registry". It is a publication that will capture the tradition, history, honor of our Nation's Eagle Scouts and will be available only to bona fide Eagles. The editor, NESA Director Bill Steele added that only Eagle Scouts who agree to be listed and are adults will be included.Be sure to watch for updates about the search. NESA has partnered with Harris Connect Inc, the nations membership publication experts, to help locate all Eagle Scouts and to produce "Roll Call". Information will be available on the NESA website at: http://www.nesa.org/misc/essearch.html. All you Troop 26 Eagle Scouts out there are encouraged to participate.
Until next week.. (yes, Mark Weigt.I promise to do one again next week!!!) ..good scouting!
See you all then,Bill
posted by Robert at 6:24 PM
1 Comments:
Glad to see you are back and writing once again Bill.
Steve B
Scoutmaster, Troop 68, CMC
http://melrosetroop68.org/blog.html
Post a Comment
<< Home