By Bill Connell, Somerset.

I once again led a parent group in set construction Footloose, at Franklin Middle School. It is a petri dish of problem solving. I must be honest though, we create the problems and then try to solve them. The journey makes January a lot shorter.

After the show starts I get to reflect on all the little decisions that led to the final product. A hard idea made simple, a simple idea made hard. I get to walk in the minds of all the different kinds of people Franklin has to offer. I am humbled by the caring and intelligence of the parents I get to work with.

This year though, a thought occurred to me. Some of the best parents I worked with are involved in the Scouting programs. These people get to work immediately. They believe in the journey as much as the goal. I would never put Scouting and Theater in the same sentence but I realize this program has benefited from the work the Scouts do. When people talk about the fabric of a community, this is a good example. It is all intertwined.

The Scouts’ focus on basic life skills means something. I’ve witnessed it. If there is an apocalypse, I will starve to death because my Iphone won’t work. If I do survive it will most likely be because of a Scout.