22 December 2008
Australian Millionaire Wants Boys to Take Some Risks
Posted by admin under: Community Partners .
It’s not every day you get into the mind of a millionaire. Well, not for me anyway, but Wendy Frew found out what was on the mind of Dick Smith, of electronics fame.
MILLIONAIRE entrepreneur Dick Smith and his wife Pip have donated $1 million to Scouts, some of it to be spent on “responsible risk-taking”.
Forty years ago, Mr Smith’s Scout leader lent him money to establish a car radio business that grew into the Dick Smith Electronics chain.
Mr Smith made the donation to coincide with the movement’s centenary year.
The money will pay for a sculpture in Scout Place at Circular Quay celebrating Scouting and the spirit of adventure, as well as funding projects promoting what Mr Smith described as responsible risk-taking.
“As a nation we are ensuring our kids grow up in straitjackets, where they take no risks,” said Mr Smith, adding that during tough economic times, Australia needed people who were ready to tackle new ventures.
“As a boy, I enjoyed camping and climbing in Scouts,” he said. “I accept there is going to be a risk involved but Scouts are best placed to help manage that risk and now, more than ever, we need to stop wrapping our kids in cotton wool and let them discover their true potential.”
Mr Smith said there was pressure on parents to protect their children from all kinds of dangers while at the same time government was writing “more and more rules to protect us”.
“But you have to teach people to take some risks . . . you only learn the boundaries if you break something or fall over,” he said.
Don’t wrap your kids in cotton wool! It has no wicking properties at all! Whew!
- G’Day Girls!
- Cotton Picked as Meritorious
- GSUSA: Watch Your Space
- Not Quite Accurate
- Girl Scouts and Locks of Love
