Making Tracks
By Kat Bryant
During my 15 years as a Scouter, I’ve been “voluntold” for more jobs and projects than I can recall. (As a committee member of my son’s troop in Arizona, that was the risk you took whenever you missed a meeting.) Like others in my boat, I’ve been known to gripe about it, but it’s not really a problem. When it’s an organization I care about, I like to help however I can.
In Arizona, I started out as an assistant den leader when my son was a Cub Scout. At the pack level, I served on the committee and ran the monthly newsletter for a couple of years.
When Garrett crossed over into the Boy Scouts and we attended our first troop meeting, the scoutmaster and the committee chair pounced on me immediately: They needed a unit treasurer. I’d taken a couple of accounting classes and was good with Excel, so I was it. And so, for the next several years, I served in that capacity — just for the troop at first, then later for the affiliated Venturing crew as well.
I also served as a leader on innumerable hikes, campouts, field trips, you-name-it during those years. And every summer, I looked forward to spending a week with our troop at Camp Geronimo. I always said I’d spend the entire summer there if I could afford the time off. And I meant it.
A couple of times, I was enlisted to help out at the district and council levels. I enjoyed putting together some cool auction items for an annual fundraiser, and teaching journalism at the Merit Badge University — but I drew the line when our district executive recruited me to lead the Friends of Scouting operation. I loathe asking people for money.
When I moved to North Dakota, I immediately looked up the local BSA office to ask what I could do there. I served for a while as the district communications chair. I also took a week off that summer to be a camp commissioner for the Northern Lights Council. That was a fantastic experience, despite the insane windstorm that forced us all into fortified shelters for half of a night.
When I arrived on the Harbor in March, I was quickly recruited to join the local Sea Scout unit. I started out as the ship’s administrative mate and since have been roped into serving as the committee’s treasurer as well. We’ll see what else comes up as time goes by.
But apparently that wasn’t enough for me. In the past week, I’ve signed on for two other local projects — and one of them isn’t even Scout-related. I’m still not entirely sure whether I volunteered, or was voluntold. Pretty sure it was a combination of the two.
First, a fellow Scouter asked me to attend the initial planning meeting for the BSA Coastal Waters District’s annual Klondike Derby. This, I learned, is a winter camporee held every January at Summit Lake. Five minutes into the meeting, I knew I wanted to be part of it. So it looks like I’ll be helping not only to plan that event, but also to staff it.
I also was invited to the initial planning meeting for the 90th anniversary of the 7th Street Theatre in Hoquiam. I walked in as an observer and left as a committee member. I can’t pinpoint exactly how it happened, but I’m glad it did. (We’re brewing up some fun ideas to celebrate the historic theater’s milestone and generate some interest. I’ll be sharing more as our plans gel.)
When I got home that night, I plopped down into my comfy chair and thought about all the commitments I’d made in the past week. I looked at Rose and asked her: “What the hell am I doing?”
She cocked her head and smiled at me in her adorable doggy way. If she knew the answer, she wasn’t telling. In fact, I’m pretty sure she was laughing at me.
All I know is, I’m really excited about the coming year. And I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Kat Bryant is lifestyle editor of The Daily World. Reach her at kbryant@thedailyworld.com or on Facebook at Kat Bryant-DailyWorld. And NO, she’s not looking to join any more committees right now.
