Re: Favorite charity?
In the 1970's I worked in Scouting's SME (Sustaining Membership Enrollment) fund raising program, meeting with corporate sponsirs and helping them determine how Scouting helped their communities and businesses, and how they might reciprocate. SME was Scouting's economic backbone.
The United way began a big drive to take over Scouting (and other local) funding. They convinced the local council's (Robert Treat Council, Newark, NJ) Scouting/SME leadership that all would be well.
For the next year it was, and the SME program was quietly rolled up and put away.
The next year United Way contributions began to ramp down continuously and significantly, and by the fourth year, three adjoining councils were forced to merge and two of their three camps were abandoned and sold due to severe economic shortfalls. The claimed reason was the mid-70's recession, and it was true, but also far from being the whole story. This
trend continued through two additional rounds of consolidations and camp closings.
What was once a thriving youth organization is now no longer even a ghost of its former self. Scouting grows by sharing experiences, and when those experiences are curtailed, so is the Scouting program. I blame United Way directly for the moribund status Scouting enjoys(?) today, and I will never knowingly contribute another penny to them, which means little in this day with businesses and other aid groups earmarking revenues and sharing incomes.
Later today, I will attend the Eagle Award ceremony for the last of the boys with whom I worked directly. For reasons beyond my control, I can no longer participate directly within the program, but I do know that over the years since 1970, when I returned to Scouting after my service in the Corps to work as an Adult leader, a steady succession of young men and women have stood straighter and gone in a better direction.
Right now, one is the Coxswain on a Coast Guard rescue boat out of Bodega Bay, CA, and another just graduated Coast Guard Basic Training last week, and is currently joining the crew of a large Cutter out of Norfolk VA. Going further back, several have already retired from military service, holding upper ranks. Others are teachers, firemen, police, EMT's, and many other types of professional individuals, raising safe families, and contributing to the common good.
A few went astray, but not many. There's always that few who hear but don't listen.
Times are tough and generosity is hard, but when I do contribute, United Way will not be on my list.
Greg
