Featured this month: Scout X
by: GA Anderson (Gus)
A Scout With a Goal
Heading into the convenience store on an early Sunday morning I wasn’t expecting to run into a Scout selling popcorn, and I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be one that did not want to take no for an answer.
But Scouter X was apparently expecting me.
And hopefully - hundreds more like me.
(Well maybe not “just like me.” Maybe more like that second fellow and his $10 donation)
Note from Gus: I haven’t heard from this Scout’s mom yet - for permission to show his picture and name - but I still want to share his story. So for now he will have to be “Scout X.” I will update the article if I hear from them. Gus
Now-a-days it seems like a trip into the convenience store is more likely to include sketchy looking youngsters with skateboards - or someone asking for a hand-out, than it is a clean-cut looking Scout manning a fundraising table, but that is exactly what confronted me last Sunday morning.
As I approached the store entrance that morning, young Scout X stepped up and asked me if I would like to buy some popcorn. Almost without breaking stride I politely said, “No thank you,” and turned to continue into the store.
That’s when young X said, “We take donations too.”
It stopped me in my tracks. He was polite, not pushy, but he didn’t give up. It made such an impression that I promised to stop back when I was done inside. And I did. And I did give a donation. A small one to be sure, but hopefully it at least let him know his effort paid off.
As I was preparing to leave I saw X approach another customer entering the store. I couldn’t hear the response, but it looked like a polite “No Thank you” - as mine was, and I saw the fellow turn to enter the store. Just like I did. Then he stopped and turned back - just like I did.
Yes, apparently X had mentioned donations again.
That fellow, (he was a young man too, maybe 20-something), was smiling as he pulled out his wallet and handed X a $10 bill, and turned back to enter the store. (made me feel kind of cheap with my small token donation)
Many may think the obvious point is that polite tenacity pays off, and it is, but there is another just as important point. In a time when the youth of the day are too often seen as self-absorbed and perhaps somewhat lazy, this young Scout’s polite efforts to accomplish a goal impressed two complete strangers enough to get them to happily hand over some cash - for nothing more than a thank-you in return.
That’s the type of boys and young men you find in Scouting. (at least the ones that continue their Scouting trail)
As a former Boy Scout, and adult Scout leader - I know about fundraisers. Nobody likes them. As a Scout - I hated them. I never seemed to be able to sell as much as some of the other Scouts, (like the ones whose parents sold truckloads at their workplace), even going door to door in my neighborhood. And as a troop leader we would be lucky to get half the troop to participate. Enthusiastically that is.
But there were always one or two Scouts that would really go the extra mile, Scouter X is obviously one of those Scouts.
Way to go X!
Good luck on your Scouting trail. I’m sure it will lead to Eagle, and I hope you’ll stay in touch. I would love to attend your Eagle ceremony.
ps. X’s mom, Mrs. X, was there too. As she should be. But it was X’s show all the way.
pss. Apologies for the poor photo quality - they were spur-of-the-moment phone camera images - and I haven’t graduated to the “smart-phone” level yet.
Gus
X’s Bio:
X is a member of Cub/Boy Scout Pack/Troop 000 in Salisbury, Maryland. His pack is sponsored by Y. Their Pack/Troop leader is Mr./Ms. Z.
For more information about Scouting with this Pack/Troop, contact Mr./Ms./ Z at ———
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