Have you ever tried to rub two sticks together to make fire? It looks so simple on TV, but in the real world it is slow, tedious and nearly impossible task.

If you were stranded on a desert island (and we don't mean one of those cushy Survivor television show islands), would you know which plants are food and which ones are poison?

If you have ever been a Boy Scout or Girl Scout, chances are you could answer 'yes' to both those questions. Sadly though, participation in these long-standing organizations is starting to go the way of the Dodo bird.

In today's high-tech, fast-paced society it seems that so many different things compete for our children's time. From sports to entertainment to extracurricular school activities, all are in competition with the scouts.

And that is OK because every youth should have the opportunity to do what interests them. We are concerned, however, that many parents overlook the value of the scouts in the development of their children.

Sure, they may learn about building fires and finding berries, but the best lessons in scouts are the ones that are not quite as tangible.

Reading about longtime volunteer Art Ferguson recently reminded us of all the things that scouting provides children and adults.

Youth learn things that will carryover into their adult lives long after the old scouting uniform is often far to small to fit into. Among those would be leadership, camaraderie, responsibility and acceptance of others.

Truly, the list could go on and on.

If you talk to former scouts and former volunteers, the one constant that always comes out is how scouting helps build character. Since the list of former scouts include baseball legend Hank Aaron, astronaut Neil Armstrong, U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and John F. Kennedy and computer mogul Bill Gates, it is easy to see that scouting has helped produce some American icons.

When the scouts say their motto is to "Be prepared," they are talking about more than just during trips and in the forest. Scouting - whether it be girls, boys or cubs - is about preparing for life.

That is a lesson is far more complex and important than rubbing two sticks together.