Getting Involved - Do you?

My husband just returned from a Cub Scout leader meeting overwhelmed.

At the end of this spring, the current Pack Leader, who is amazingly dedicated and involved, will be moving up with his son to the Boy Scouts.  In addition, the next-most involved leader is also moving on.  That leaves just my husband and another parent or two.  None of them have the knowledge or desire to take on that big of a role.  But if not them, then who?

Last year my husband actually "accidentally" signed up to be Matthew's den leader.  He's not normally one to take on leadership roles, and it was quite by accident, but there he was, the newly anointed Tiger Cub den leader.  He jumped in with both feet and organized meetings, planned outings and charted their progress.  We only have four boys in our den so it wasn't too burdensome.

But not they need leaders to step up. And nobody's stepping at all much less jumping for joy.  I see dozens of parents at the pack meetings and yet only two or three show up to the leader meetings each month.

Our kids played tball this year and when the call went out for coaches and managers, I signed us up to be managers. We don't know enough about the sport to coach, but I thought I could at least help reserve the practice fields and bring snacks.  I'm good at email (it's a special skill) ;)

Then just this week alone, I got two separate emails from the soccer league I just signed the boys up for.  Guess what? They need coaches.  So many, in fact, that we've been "warned" if they don't get parents to volunteer then our kids will be unable to make it on a team. I have to draw the line at coaching. I just don't know enough to coach soccer.  But I really hate to see my kids get cut from the team.

Where have all the parents gone?  Why is there nobody to help, to coach, to lead?  Are people just too busy? Too uninterested?  I understand being busy. I have a full time job, a part-time website, a long commute and two kids.  But if I can help, I'd at least like to try. I feel like it's part of my shared responsibility. And my kids love it when I am there to help.  That said, I'm not perfect. I don't volunteer much for the PTO (usually because I'm working) and I've been known to whine about the extra work too. But I at least try to volunteer, to get involved. 

How about you?