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New Scout Executive's Message
It is hard to believe that it has been two and a half years since I left the Concho Valley Council as the Assistant Scout Executive. It is even harder to believe that I returned on November 17th as Scout Executive for this great council!
It is very exciting to be coming back as we get ready to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. We will need to reach out to all the Scouts, Scouters, and people whose lives have been impacted by Scouting over the past 100 years. We will want them to share with us their stories, their passions and their excitement and enthusiasm for our program so that we can prepare to serve young people for the next 100 years.
Make no mistake, it will not be an easy task, there is a lot to be done and it will take all of us doing our part in order to make sure that this council plays a significant role in Scouting across Southwest Texas.
To those of you who know me, I look forward to reconnecting with you and having you share your thoughts and desires on where the council is headed. For those whom I've not had the pleasure of meeting yet, I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you and hear your thoughts on direction and focus for the council.
Some of you have heard me say before, and you will hear me say it a lot over the next few years:
THIS COUNCIL BELONGS TO YOU THE VOLUNTEERS!
Scout Executives and District Executives come and go. But you, the volunteers remain. The best way to have your voices heard is for you to step forward and encourage others to do the same. Take on important roles of leadership. Help to provide the roadmap for where this council is headed. Remember that the council is headed up by a board of directors and each district is led by a volunteer district committee. These devoted volunteers share the mission of making sure our council is doing the things it has to do to insure success for the future.
My philosophy on Scouting is a simple one; the boys (and young ladies) come first - without them there is no council and no program. Program comes next - we make promises to young people about the excitement Scouting holds (BB-guns, bows and arrows, campfires, ghost stories, etc.) if we don't fulfill these promises, we have not done our best. When our young people are having a great time in our movement and enjoying the program, they will share the fun with their friends and bring others to Scouting. Then we need to get the word out - Public relations and marketing - making sure we get articles and pictures in all of our local newspapers, getting involved in community projects to help remind the public that Scouting is still strong. The final piece to this puzzle is funding. We cannot keep the wheels of Scouting rolling without financial support. This support needs to come from our family and friends. When the community sees Scouting as playing a viable and important role in the development of today's youth and tomorrow's leaders, they will support our efforts. But we must support them as well. When we support Family Friends of Scouting and when we sell popcorn, it sends a strong message that we are all supportive of our program.
We are all in this together, so let's roll up our sleeves and get down to the business of making our country better, one boy (or young lady) at a time.
As I stated earlier, I look forward to working with all of you and hearing from each of you your thoughts, dreams and ideas on how we can make Scouting stronger in Southwest Texas. Please feel free to contact me by email at or through the council office at 325-655-7107.
I will see you soon.
Your devoted servant in Scouting,
Dennis J. Luellen
Dennis J. Luellen
Scout Executive
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