I learned in church today

[East Coast Bias]

Sigh... Friends of Scouting Plug for Fifth Sunday

Whole third hour with selective statistics to try and prove that without scouting you will be a failure. Then throw in the fact they put people at the doors to block anyone from leaving before they turned in their contribution.

I will be honest. Kind of left me with a really bad taste in my mouth. Plus they didn't put a goon to block the stage exit.

BSA must be getting really desperate. This was the first time I have ever seen more than a five minute presentation. This had a stake approved PowerPoint presentation and everything.

I definitely got nothing worthwhile out of the third hour. And when I asked what friends of scouting funds are used for it was obvious no one had any idea about the high salaries, country club memberships, Admiral Club and first class travel. It wasn't the time or place to pick a fight or "enlighten" everyone but the whole thing reeked of ignorance.

Sorry for the rant, but I learned today that church can pressure sell fundraiser like the best of them. I usually tow the company line with the best of them but when it came to supporting the leadership on this my gut response wasn't just "no" but "Heck no!".

[pellegrino]

Whole third hour with selective statistics to try and prove that without scouting you will be a failure. Then throw in the fact they put people at the doors to block anyone from leaving before they turned in their contribution.

I will be honest. Kind of left me with a really bad taste in my mouth. Plus they didn't put a goon to block the stage exit.

BSA must be getting really desperate. This was the first time I have ever seen more than a five minute presentation. This had a stake approved PowerPoint presentation and everything.

I definitely got nothing worthwhile out of the third hour. And when I asked what friends of scouting funds are used for it was obvious no one had any idea about the high salaries, country club memberships, Admiral Club and first class travel. It wasn't the time or place to pick a fight or "enlighten" everyone but the whole thing reeked of ignorance.

Sorry for the rant, but I learned today that church can pressure sell fundraiser like the best of them. I usually tow the company line with the best of them but when it came to supporting the leadership on this my gut response wasn't just "no" but "Heck no!".

This has to be in Utah.

[Solon]

This has to be in Utah.

I know that the bishop in my area hates Friends of Scouting, yet he spearheads the 5th-Sunday fundraiser every year.

I called him on it once, and he said he feels obligated to follow his orders from above.

What percentage of people are really into FoS, and what percentage are doing it out of obligation to authorities?

[East Coast Bias]

This has to be in Utah.

Not Utah, believe it or not. Probably why I didn't see something like this coming...

Depending on how desperate BSA gets this could be the first of many of these types of meetings coming to a ward near you.

[pellegrino]

I know that the bishop in my area hates Friends of Scouting, yet he spearheads the 5th-Sunday fundraiser every year.

I called him on it once, and he said he feels obligated to follow his orders from above.

What percentage of people are really into FoS, and what percentage are doing it out of obligation to authorities?

I don't know. I do know that shit rolls downhill and that mid-level managers are not wont to push back on things like that because they don't care, they don't feel it's their place or they don't want to be fired.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This has to be in Utah.

I have never seen anything like that in our ward. Ours couldn't be more low key. They give you an envelope and if you don't turn it back in, nothing happens (you aren't contacted again). Sometimes the bishop will make a 30-second plug in priesthood to announce that the envelopes are coming around, but that is it.

[pellegrino]

I have never seen anything like that in our ward. Ours couldn't be more low key. They give you an envelope and if you don't turn it back in, nothing happens (you aren't contacted again). Sometimes the bishop will make a 30-second plug in priesthood to announce that the envelopes are coming around, but that is it.

I've never even had that outside of Utah.

[East Coast Bias]

For the record, this is the first time I have ever seen something like this anywhere. It is usually low key, and again, I kept my mouth shut because it wasn't worth the hassle. Whatever...let people live in their ignorance.

Plus, I REALLY enjoy my calling right now and didn't want to jeopardize it. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52...scout.html.csp

[myboynoah]

No full-on lock-the-exits FOS push here yesterday. We didn't have a joint meeting. We did have a FOS moment a few weeks back at the opening of PM.

[East Coast Bias]

Oh and I forgot my favorite part! There was a table up front with all types of scout trinkets and little prizes. Depending on your level of giving you could go up, in front of everyone mind you, and pick out a prize. Of course those who were directed to the left side of the table with better prizes were looked upon more favorably. (I truly wish I was making this stuff up)

[Moliere]

Oh and I forgot my favorite part! There was a table up front with all types of scout trinkets and little prizes. Depending on your level of giving you could go up, in front of everyone mind you, and pick out a prize. Of course those who were directed to the left side of the table with better prizes were looked upon more favorably. (I truly wish I was making this stuff up)

I believe it. We had a similar experience in Texas about six years ago. Totally turned me off as I was pressured to donate. The next year half the ward refused to attend the meeting and they all just sat in the foyer chatting. The stake got such sparse attendance and so many complaints they toned it down to actually a good level. The presentation this year was actually pretty good....but not good enough to get me to donate.

[YOhio]

If it weren't for this board I would never have know that Friends of Scouting exists. Maybe scouting doesn't have any friends in Ohio.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Now you are on the correlation train!!

Except that I'm not. I wouldn't talk to him in the name of policy or some BS. Just as a matter of mutual concern.

[Applejack]

If it weren't for this board I would never have know that Friends of Scouting exists. Maybe scouting doesn't have any friends in Ohio.

Agreed. Take this Friends of Scouting nonsense to the "What's Wrong with Texas" thread.

[Paperback Writer]

Agreed. Take this Friends of Scouting nonsense to the "What's Wrong with Texas" thread.

Texas may be the HQ of the BSA but they didn't deicde to make it the "activity arm of the YM" or extort money during the combined 3rd hour meeting block. That's definitively in the COB in SLC. In fact "the Foyer" appears to be a safe haven from such strong-arm tactics.