CBS, God and the Cub Scouts

(CBS) This week's Rob to the Rescue taught The Early Show a thing or two about Boston Rob. Deep in his past, long before he made his mark on "Survivor" and the "Amazing Race," he was a Cub Scout.

So when a call for help came from Pack 101 in Waterville, Ohio, he packed his bags and hit the road.

The call was from Annette Gustafson, who volunteered to be an assistant scout leader for her son's Cub Scout pack. Everything was going very nicely until it came time for the "Craftsman" badge.

"As you know, these boys need to earn 20 badges to earn their 'Arrow of Light' award and cross over into Boy Scouts," she wrote. "While most of my boys have earned 10 to 15 of their badges already, not one has completed his craftsman badge."

Rob's first order of business was to hand out the projects and get the boys started.

"The projects I brought for these guys ranged in all levels of difficulty," he said. "Some were just beads for making necklaces and then they got more complicated. And as the tasks got more difficult, they needed more help."

It was lucky for Rob that he's had some experience with construction, because some of the guys needed lessons in holding a hammer. And when he spotted one boy holding a hammer the wrong way, he was quick with some words of wisdom. "I used to have a boss at work and he told me if I ever held a hammer like this, he would cut the bottom off."

And Annette Gustafson said she's pretty sure that's a lesson this scout will never forget. "I don't think Michael will ever hold a hammer again and not think of Rob," she said.

In the end, Rob's efforts paid off. Not only did the boys enjoy the projects, a week later the Cub Scouts from Pack 101 received their craftsman badges, bringing each of them a step closer to crossing over to the Boy Scouts.

Next on Rob's rescue list: driving lessons for a teenager who just got a learner's permit.

Watch the video. This is a great story from the CBS Early Show today, but watch and you will notice that CBS cuts away during the Pledge and the Oath right at the point when the Cubs would say “God.” Once might be an accident, twice is not.

What a nice story!

Last night at church a young Cub Scout received an award from our Pastor. The church was very crowded, and he was in the front row, so I couldn't see him, and I couldn't hear the award. I was a little irritated until Communion; and out of the corner of my eye, I saw my husband giving a "thumbs up" to someone who was heading down the aisle from the altar.

I glanced over just in time to spot the young Cub Scout, in full uniform, propelling his way to the back of the church in his wheel chair. My heart just stopped, and I honor the young man and all of his leaders for his courage in pursuing his goals despite his disability.

Scouting is wonderful!

Just read The Minds of Boys, by Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens.
It's a discussion of the modern science of brain differences between boys and girls, and recommendations for accomodating the different needs of boys as learners. And one of their recommendations (p 145) boils down to: scouting.

3 posted on 02/27/2006 4:29:00 PM PST by conservatism_IS_compassion (The idea around which liberalism coheres is that NOTHING actually matters but PR.)

Thanks for the tip. Just ordered it online.

I do think it noteworthy that CBS cut away just as the boys were about to utter the word, "God."

Of course, the Scouts have been under attack for their "duty to God," in the Scout Oath. There is a lot about that at http://www.bsalegal.org.

Nice story. But, to be perfectly accurate, the Arrow of Light requires that a Webelos scout earn a total of eight 'Activity Badges'. Craftsman is not even one of the required badges. Earning all twenty possible badges is a very special achievement. Most scouting councils have a special patch that is given to these most prolific badge earning scouts. My son is a 1st year Webelos and he will be working on these requirements as a 2nd year Webelos.

Scouting is the best.

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