Scouting is Life

I come from a Scouting family. My brothers and I are all Eagle Scouts. My father was Scout in the 1960s. My parents had three boys and one girl. If we were growing up today, I have no doubt my sister would also have been a Scout. In the early 1990s, Dad took us to Scout Camp for the first time. I would later work on summer camp staff every summer until beginning my career.

I learned to cook in Scouting. I learned to camp in Scouting. I learned first aid in Scouting. I sailed boats in Scouting. I made bonfires in Scouting. I climbed mountains in Scouting. I learned about citizenship in Scouting. I learned about public service in Scouting. I learned to speak in public in Scouting. I learned to work as part of a team in Scouting.

In Scouting, I slept in a snow shelter that I built in the middle of a New England January. I also lived out of a canoe for five days as we traveled down a river.

In Scouting, I learned about responsibility, teamwork, self-reliance, and leadership. When I made mistakes in Scouting, someone was there to let me know and put me back on track. In Scouting, I learned to leave my campsite in better condition than I found it. I later learned that this philosophy applies to more than just camping.

Today, most of my best friends are people I have met in Scouting. These days, when I go to weddings, there are typically three categories of guests: (1) the bride’s friends & family, (2) the groom’s friends & family, and (3) the groom’s Scouting family. We have barbecues together. We go on trips together. For those of us who have kids, they play together. We still climb mountains together. We still participate in Scouting as volunteers. Sadly, at this point we have attended several funerals together.

These are people I trust, whose company I enjoy, who share the same values as I do. If I ever need anything, I know I can depend on them. And they can depend on me. Because we are Scouts.

Submitted by: Daniel Burgoyne of Lancaster, MA