The Phil-list Jun_2008: [Philmont] How often do we go to Philmon

From: Shane Hoffman <mycales@tx.rr.com>
Date: Thu Jun 05 2008 - 20:39:08 CDT

My goal was always to get to 21 arrowheads. That is how many my Scoutmaster
had when his bad knees finally took the backpack off of his back. 21. 21
treks. Can you imagine? I'm sure there are a few people out there with
more, but I'd bet there aren't many.

Between leaving Scouts in 1988 (after a stint as ASM with my home Troop
while in college) and re-joining Scouts in 1998 I got married, finished
college, and had three daughters. I am lucky enough to have married the
perfect wife. She camps but doesn't go backpacking with me (yet). She does
let me act on those backpacking impulses that we all get from time to time.
She didn't attend my Eagle Scout COH way back when(we were broken up at the
time) but she does understand that Scouting has a very special place in my
heart.

There were a lot of reasons I got back into Scouting in 1998 after 10 years
away from the program. I missed the program. I am an Eagle Scout and was
lucky enough to have one of "those Scoutmasters" - the kind that made the
Scouting ideals a living thing. I wanted to try to have that same impact on
a few young men in my community. I think I have. But I'd be lying if I
didn't say Philmont was one of the major motivators in getting back into the
program. I wanted to go back. I needed to go back.

I'm leaving to go on my 6th trek (my 6th arrowhead) in 10 days. This will
be my fourth trip as an adult - my third trip as the trip coordinator. I
was lucky enough to get to go twice while a Scout. This will be my second
trip to Philmont with my daughter SarahAnne. My other two girls have no
interest in Venture or backpacking, but my Sarah just eats it up. I know
the joy my dad had in going to Philmont with me in 1981 and my little
brother in 1984. There is nothing like sitting atop the Tooth of Time with
your child, knowing that she "gets it."

I don't think I'll ever come close to 21 arrowheads. Life just isn't going
to let that happen. I am afraid my time in Scouting (at least for now) is
nearing a stopping point. My two youngest daughters will both be seniors in
high school next year (my baby girl is graduating one year early - her
choice, not ours). It's time to spend my time doing the dad thing full time
- college visits, senior-year activities, working a lot to pay for it all -
so I am afraid my Scouting time (for the next three or four years at least)
will be cut down to nothing. I'll still backpack when possible, but I just
won't have the time to put into the program what the program deserves.

I've rambled (as I often do when writing here)... I guess my point is to
say "Yes, I am blessed beyond belief to have been given the gift of six
Philmont treks."

There are many of you who will read this who have more arrowheads than me.
There are many more of you who have much fewer, or none. I'd just say this:
Philmont is not the program. Philmont is the cherry on top of the banana
split. Philmont is true Scouting paradise, but it is only Scouting paradise
because of the ideals of the Scouting program. The Scouting program is very
important in this crazy world our kids are growing up in. They need to
learn how to earn things, how to persevere through hardships to reach a goal
(instead of being given everything they want, breeding an expectation that
life is easy). They need to learn the value of teamwork, of putting others
before themselves. They need to learn the true ways of leadership (not
being a boss, but being a servant-leader, being a leader first by example
and then by word). Those few words recited in the Scout Oath and Law are
the blueprint that could turn this world around, if only more and more
people would take them to heart.

Ramble complete. It's time for a little basketball and then bed. I hope to
meet some of you out at the ranch in a couple of weeks. I'll be the one in
the gold Philmont t-shirt with the blue Gregory Whitney on my back and a
goofy smile on my face, just wishing it was day 2 or 3 again so the trip
wouldn't be so close to over...

Shane Hoffman
618-L 1981 #9 | 620-A2 1984 #24 | 707-G1 2000 #8 | 612-D2 2002 #23FM |
720-A4 2005 #26 | 618-B1 2008 #16 | who knows what the future holds...
Advisor - Crew 445 - www.crew445.org
Committee Member - Troop 445 - www.troop445.org
Webmaster - www.philmontforum.com
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose" ~
Jim Elliot

-----Original Message-----
From: Philmont@troop47.com [mailto:Philmont@troop47.com] On Behalf Of
imthedad@juno.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 10:17 PM
To: Philmont List Member
Subject: [Philmont] How often do we go to Philmont

Scouters,

I just wanted to say that if your signature includes the multiple numer of
years you have attended Philmont, be very thankful.

Russ
'09

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Received on Thu Jun 5 20:42:11 2008

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