In the spring of 2010, the Trident United Way (TUW) decided to stop using donations made from its general community fund raising campaign to support the Boy Scouts of America’s local council. Other United Way agencies in the council’s area (e.g., in Georgetown, Orangeburg, Beaufort, and Hampton) still fund our Boy Scouts.
This TUW decision should shock the Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley County citizenry, as it flies in the face of our collective and strong sense of the wholesomeness, achievement, and decency that Scouting fosters among America’s young boys. Adding insult to injury, TUW chose to end funding during the 100th anniversary of Scouting in the USA - 100 years in which Scouting has proven peerless in helping our young men develop the characteristics and traits to be successful community leaders.
The act TUW will justify by citing lacking evidence that Scouting improves high school graduation rates, a fairly new TUW mandate. If there’s one thing that Scouting does, it reinforces how important education is. Take for instance Scouting's impressive alumni record. A recent nationwide survey of high schools revealed the following information: 85 percent of student council presidents were Scouts; 89 percent of senior class presidents were Scouts; 80 percent of junior class presidents were Scouts; 75 percent of school publication editors were Scouts; and 71 percent of football captains were Scouts. Scouts also account for over 60 percent of military academy graduates. All associated with Scouting would agree that it helps students in the classroom. Ask a teacher.
Also, TUW pays no attention to the fact that the nature and duration of Scouting programs for young boys do not coincide with TUW’s graduation measure. Fund recipients must come to the TUW heel. Until July 1 of this year, local scouting received funding to supplement 500 inner city and underprivileged boys who otherwise could not be Boy Scouts. As a parent of a scout, a scout leader of several inner city boys over ten years, and as a board member of the local council, I maintain that TUW’s decision is incorrect, misguided, and self-serving.
TUW is itself a growing business, owns and operates charities under its charity-funding umbrella, and thereby inherently has interests at conflict with local charities which are losing TUW funding that its thousands of donors believed was supporting the time-proven and consistently excellent organizations. If the tri-county citizens took the time to vote on where their charitable dollars should be best invested in our communities’ youth, the Boy Scouts would top the list of worthwhile entities with proven track records for strengthening youth character and fostering youth achievement. How Scouting fails to underpin a child’s pursuit of success in the classroom should be TUW’s to prove, not the reverse. It makes one wonder where TUW’s board stands on this issue.
However, I want to let the citizens of the Lowcountry know that just because the pedagogic “experts” on the TUW staff have cut off contributions to Scouting, the Lowcountry need not take their decision lying down. We actually do have a vote. If you give through TUW, you may designate part or all of your gifts to support the Coastal Carolina Council BSA. I ask all who support the timeless values which Scouting promotes, who know firsthand what marvelous and transforming impact it has on boys, to take control of their TUW giving by designating the gift.
Frederick J. Whittle
Robert E. Lee Blvd.
Charleston