Scouter Spotlight: Meet Sven Rundman

Rundman,-Sven

After more than four decades of involvement in Scouting, Sven J. Rundman III can stand proudly
in this week’s Scouter Spotlight. Before you meet him, though, take a moment to
e-mail us with the name of a great volunteer for a future Spotlight.

Sven, the assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 199 in
Fredericksburg, Va., serves as a national Health and Safety Committee member
and on several district- and council-level committees. He has staffed Wood Badge
and served as a Scoutmaster for three national jamborees. His “trademark
phrase”: “It’s another grand and glorious day in Scouting, where every day is a
holiday and every meal a feast. Thank you, Lord Baden-Powell.”

Read on to find out more about Sven.


Tenure in Scouting:
more than 42 years, since September 1966. Achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 1975
and later added the bronze palm.

Scouting family: My
16-year-old son is a Life Scout with one merit badge and his Eagle project to
go. I also have two daughters. The oldest is a former Venturer who twice completed
Philmont’s Mountain Women Trek. My other daughter was also a Venturing Scout
and worked at the Philmont Training Center in the summers of 2007 and 2008.
She’ll also work there this summer.

What is your favorite
Scouting memory?

Wow! To choose only one is tough, so I’m going to give you two
that I always remember. As a 16-year-old Boy Scout in 1975, I attended the 14th
World Scout Jamboree near Lillehammer, Norway. The highlight of this Scouting
experience was that I was chosen by the BSA to represent the U.S. contingency in
a lunch with King Carl Gustav XVI of Sweden.

My other memory is attending a Northeast Georgia Council
banquet where I was shocked to receive the Silver Beaver award. As if that
wasn’t enough, I was also surprised to see my childhood Scoutmaster in
attendance to see me get the award.

What does Scouting
mean to you?

Scouting is a true brotherhood of friends. I have enjoyed
taking the knowledge, experiences, and skills that I have learned as a Scout
and being able to share them with others so they, too, can see the personal
growth that the Scouting program can provide.

While the Scouting program elements may have changed with
the times, we can always hold fast to stating that the Boy Scouts of America
has never wandered from its basic principles and beliefs. The Scouting aims and
methods from years gone by are still valuable to the youth of today and beyond.

What would you say to
a boy who is thinking of joining Scouting?

What you put into Scouting is what you will get back out of
it. There are many opportunities in the Scouting program that come your way. Be
active in your home unit by learning new skills, going on campouts and hikes,
attending summer camp, taking on junior leadership positions, and attending
district- and council-level youth leadership training programs. Taking
advantage of as many of the Scouting program opportunities as you can will help
you be a well-rounded person.

What would you say to
a boy who is thinking of dropping out of Scouting?

I would ask the Scout if he was actively involved in his
unit and if he gave Scouting his best. If I felt the young boy was being honest
with himself, then I would tell him I hope that the time he spent in the
Scouting program will be useful to him as he continues to grow in doing other
activities.

How do you make the
program relevant to your boys when there are so many other demands on their
time?

Scouting is one of many important growing factors in a young
boy’s life. Participating in outdoor and high-adventure activities such as
camping, backpacking, or rappelling provides a boy with tools for personal
growth.

How would you improve
Scouting?

Just like a person needs to change with the times, Scouting
does too. Making use of available social networking groups—Facebook, Twitter,
or Scouting Community—will help us share our thoughts and experiences more
easily.

What advice would you
give to a new leader?

I would advise them to take or attend all the online or
district- or council-level training available to them. Talk to other leaders in
their unit, district, and council and listen to what they have to offer in
knowledge and experience as a “seasoned” leader. And, remember, it’s all for
the boys.

Sven has some great advice,
don’t you think? Thanks for sharing. We’ll be back next week for another
Scouter Spotlight.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.