John,

>Well, try and get parents to do their fair share of volunteering... I put my three years in. After I did not have the time to committ anymore, it was a pain finding other parents. That was another reason for my dislike of the organization. The parents that did get involved did it grudgingly and were not motivated. The kids picked up on it, lost interest, and moved on to other things...

Your concerns are more understandable considering that experience. The pack I am a part of at the moment is fortunate to have a very active group of parents. I participate with my son every Wednesday, but have not yet had an overall leadership position. My view might be a little different after a year as pack leader. :-)

BTW, my Dad was one of those leaders who received an award from his peers -- The Silver Beaver for 35 years of service. He didn't ask for it, and was embarrassed to receive it, but it was well-deserved.

He was an active Scout leader for about 10 of those years, and on advisory committees for the remainder. I observed over the years that several of "his boys" who served with distinction in their careers -- one of them in a high-level Pentagon position -- regularly came by to visit him when they were back in town, to thank him again and again for his influence on their lives.

Of course, any widespread organization can have problems with consistency and quality, and any organization can stagnate or degenerate in its entirety over time.