Emails to LDHV

After receiving both emails from the Cub leaders and the Troop leaders, I sent the following emails.

To the Troops:

Hi Troop Leaders,

Thanks for the update. Why are we cancelling the LD Tết, but not the regular meeting? As a parent of Cub, Troop, and Crew, I find it odd that LDHV will not celebrate Tết together.

Regards,
Donny Truong

To the Cubs:

Hi các trưởng,

Hope you are enjoying the snow.

As a parent of Cub, Troop, and Crew, I find the division to be puzzling, if not troubling. While my younger kids celebrate Tết, my other kids won’t and we will be in the same building.

In the red note said: “Pack would love for you to join but keep in mind your Troop or Crew kids will NOT be able to eat until AFTER ‘official’ Scout hours ~ 8:30pm.”

What if my kids come as family members and not as Troop or Crew? The eating part doesn’t matter. I just don’t want my family to be separated when we celebrate Tết. It is supposed to be the time to be together.

I understand if it can’t be changed. There’s no need to make an exception for us. It’s my fault for having too many kids (LOL!).

Regards,
Donny Truong

PS, I emailed the Troop leaders about this matter as well.

I did not get any response from any leader. Our family ended up staying home. Afterward, one of the Cub leaders sent out an apology and I replied:

Hi Trưởng H,

I understand your intention and support your decision to hold our annual Liên Đoàn New Year Party. I am 100% with you on celebrating Tết together as a family; therefore, I was taken aback when I received both emails from the Cubs and the Troops.

As parents whose kids are in Cubs, Troops, and Crews, we found ourselves in an awkward position—though our family was not alone. I responded to both emails and asked for clarifications. To my disappointment, I did not receive any response from the leadership.

As parents, we could have made the decision to pull our older kids out of the Troops and the Crews to join the Cubs in celebrating Tết together, but we wanted to hear the official words. So when we didn’t hear anything from the leaders, we had to sit out.

Trưởng H, I appreciate that you are taking one for the team, but it was not your fault alone. Leaders need to communicate better and with more transparency with the parents and the scouts. For exemple, an email from the Troops can’t simply say “Feb 13: Lien Doan Tết Celebration – Cancelled (Regular meeting instead)” without any explanation.

Trưởng H, don’t beat yourself up. Your heart was definitely in the right place. If we knew that you voted to hold the party and to keep our Vietnamese traditions, we would have come to support your effort.

Thank you for everything that you do for LDHV. Throughout this experience, you have demonstrated to be a true leader who isn’t afraid to apologize.

Wishing you, your family, and the entire LDHV ride high in the Year of the Horse!

Regards,
Donny Truong