'the idea' of a lifetime!

The really cool part about all of this is that on the way home the boys started talking about what they could do in 2010. They wanted a way to pay back the VFW's, Women's Auxiliary, DAV's, etc that helped them to get to Mount Rushmore. Being as creative as they are they came up with a REALLY cool idea. Let's do something on all four bodies of water around the U.S. For those of us trying to figure out what the 4th body of water is...it's the Great Lakes!! We looked into it after our return and it just seemed too expensive and out of our reach so we let it go.

March 2009...we get a call from Randy Kidder who we know from the Adventures in Scouting paper and now e-paper! :-) Our troop has been picked as one of the top 10 units in our Council!! Us? Our teeny lil group? But it's true! Our current SPL Danny and our 2008 SPL Evan did an interview and a couple of the scouts from the trip participated in a photo shoot for this Executive Report that will be going out in the next 4-6 weeks. They did a great job and I can't wait to see it!!

Of course all of this brings 'the idea' back to the forefront. We started digging into it a little more than we did the first time. We came up with a few cost-saving ideas and then decided that this might actually work. First thing we did was to list out all of our expenses - biggest expense at the top of the list and started thinking of ways to be able to lower those costs.
The most expensive item on our list was airfare. Then Jim thought of trying to find a way to give folks the ability to donate frequent flyer miles to us. We contacted a few websites out there that are currently doing that but they weren't able to help us. The list of regulations and stumbling blocks seemed a little outrageous so we decided to take the bull by the horns and contact the airlines directly to see if they could help us organize this donation of FFM. First on our list of phone calls was Southwest because that is my preferred airline. Imagine my surprise when I dialed the number to the VP of Communications and Strategic Outreach and she actually answered the phone herself!! I about fell outta my chair!! Linda was sooo nice and almost as excited about the trip as we were! She took down all of our information and had Marilee take charge of our request and in May they came back with an unbelievable amount of support!! 20...yes count them...20 one-way tickets. One company took care of 1/3 of our airfare needs! Holy cow!! Once again I about fell outta my chair!! The scouts are stoked!! We all consider Southwest, Linda and Marilee 'beastly' - a very good term for those who don't speak 'teen'!!

And with that fabulous information Jim and I were even more driven to make this fantastic idea a reality...which is our job as adult leaders in the troop. The scouts think of things they want to do and we figure out how to make it doable. And then it's up to the scouts to follow through and DO IT.