Help Urgently Required To Keep Scout Group Going

HELP !!! ('Hey' Everyone Listen Please.......)
Strathblane 36th Scout Group is quite unique for a few reasons ... those being that every neighbouring Scout Group within our close proximity has closed down and ours is still traditional Scout Group and is still going ... although not as strong as one would think and we have kids in our Scout Group from Strathblane, Blanefield, Drymen and Croftamie ... and have our door open for any other would be Scout.

Paul Brogan our Scout Leader has myself and Phil Bolton helping with Scouts every Monday night from 7:30pm to 9pm ... and we all thoroughly enjoy it and get great enjoyment out of it ... but we are struggling due to lack of continued help and constant support. We all have to turn up every week with an activity for the Scouts every single week ... and if we get around 12 Scouts each week with Paul, Phil and myself, we all have a great interesting and fulfilled night ... however if we get too many Scouts, the leaders are too 'diluted' with kids and sadly we cannot teach them as good as we wish, and can sometimes not enjoy it and feel somewhat disappointed, with ourselves and we want to do that bit more for the Scouts but can't. We have support too ... and if I have missed out their names or if I have not mentioned our past helpers ... well I apologise ... Martin McCallum - Gerry - Martin Sheilds & Johanna ... and sooooo many wonderful others ...... Thank you ALL

SOS .... (Save Our Scouts)
Bottom line - we cannot continue our Scout Group (which celebrated it's Centenary last year) if we do not get the help we need ... so we are looking for help and support. We have politely asked, emailed and dropped subtle hints ... but no takers yet, perhaps the polite approach is the wrong approach, but how do we ask able bodied people to help us to keep our long standing Scout Group continue and grow, and bring 'their' wisdom, fun, slant and skills.
If I have to work late or have to stay at home and look after my own kids and Paul or Phil have something as equally important on too, we cannot take Scouts that night as we do not have enough adults to kid ratio ... and it's unfair to our Scouts so it's unfair to us all ... and unless we get help we may not survive for much longer. I suppose that's happening to the economy all over - and hopefully some day someone will pick up the 'Scout Banner' and carry it on ... and if it does regretfully close (which seems rather imminent) that someone does an equally superb job that our brilliant Scout Leader Paul Brogan does. Here's to you Paul, what a wonderful guy - he organises so many Camps for the Kids and I will tell you this - the 40-60' rope bridges he and his Scouts builds across rivers and ravines every Scout Camp will stick in our Scouts minds for the rest of their wee days. His commitment and enthusiasm is incredible and his energy towards the Scout Group is inspiring ... and if you were on board you may just love it too!

We need help - we need someone who wants to get involved perhaps someone who wants just to help, who thinks they could help but don't know how to apply, perhaps you????, perhaps an old Scout - we need someone who enjoys to do indoor and ourdoor stuff with kids - just because you can ! It is soooooo rewarding and enjoyable and I will be absolutely gutted (is that strong enough ???) I would be so so so bitter ... if we had to close because we were not given the help that we so desperately need and want ........ We have just come back from our first night back since the holidays and Paul taught them how a Cistern actually works, they did all the fittings with the header tank and 90 degree bends from mains water, water everywhere and they got it and loved it ... whereas Phil showed them how to change a Bicycle Tyre, and they had a blast, especially when they over filled a bicycle tyre ... and it popped ... Hmmmmmm - I just played Chair Football with them .... (and won !!! ..... )

PLEASE POST THIS TO YOUR/OUR FRIENDS WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE AREA ... and hopefully someone will take us up on our offer. Come along on Monday at 7:30pm and see for yourself ... or give me a message here or 079 689 54531.

Allan Murray (Scout Leader)