FATHER SCOUTS FOR FUN; DAD LEADS TROOP WITH HIS DAUGHTER

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Eleven-year-old Beth Shivelbine's Girl Scout troop faced a dilemma two years ago: find a new troop leader or forget about scouting.

So to keep the troop together, one of Beth's parents volunteered to become the troop's new leader and it wasn't her mother.

"That's how I got into Girl Scouting," said Mike Shivelbine, Beth's father. "I had been an assistant leader for my son's Boy Scout troop, so I figured, why not do it for my daughter."

He explained that his wife had just started a new job, and wasn't sure she'd have enough extra time to become a troop leader. She assists Shivelbine now with the troop, but he usually does most of the planning, he said.

For a little more than two years now, Shivelbine has been attending Scout meetings four times a month, helping sell cookies, and doing all sorts of typical Girl Scout activities.

It's fun and challenging at the same time, he said.

"Probably the key to keeping the program interesting is to do fun things," he said. "Last year we went camping three times, and we have three or four trips planned for this spring. It's an activity the girls think is a lot of fun, and something from which they can learn a lot of skills and gain self-confidence."

Shivelbine said one of his strong points is outdoor activities. But, he said, he tries to vary the troop's activities as much as possible. Upcoming outings include a hiking expedition and a trip to St. Louis to tour the Arch and other attractions.

Traditionally, Girl Scout leaders have been female. But Shivelbine said he sees no reason fathers can't make a real contribution to the program.

His wife, Kathy, a teacher, and another woman, Bettie Dodson, are assistant leaders of Troop No. 280.

Shivelbine said the most important qualification for the job is interest in the program.

"It's really rewarding. I get a kick out of it," he said. "Sure, it's time consuming, but you get to know your kids better, and your kids' friends, and you get to watch them grow."

He said camping is a favorite activity. One memorable camping trip occurred in January 1990, when he, his wife and Dodson took the 20 girls in the troop to Camp Teata near Marble Hill.

They stayed for one night in a cabin without running water or heat, making it the troop's first wintertime camping experience.

"For the first few hours we were there, all the girls were clumped together around the fire and the space heaters; it was cold," he said. But the experience taught the girls they could rough it.

"When they came back they felt like they had really accomplished something," he said.

Millie Turner, with the Girl Scout Council of Cape Girardeau, said although other men are active in the Girl Scout program, Shivelbine is the most active in terms of a troop leader.

"He really cares," Turner said. "He takes the time to work with each girl. His group has grown to be one of the largest troops."

And Shivelbine said caring is what counts.

"When adults show some interest in the program, it's telling the kids that they care about them," he said. "And the kids are spending their time valuably. They're not just out running around in the mall."