Council Membership Chair: Chris Kangas at: christopherdkangas@yahoo.com
-- See School Night to Join Scouting
Membership drives all programs of the Winnebago Council. It is important that each unit ask new members to join their units each year. To help pack, parents and cub scouts the 2007 Fall Recruitment efforts, our council is offering every boy (not just new boys) a free pinewood derby kit. A Cub Scout pack qualifies for this special incentive by increasing total youth membership by the end of October 2007 vs. December 2006. Our hope is this incentive will help pack leadership get current parents and cubs more involved in the recruitment process.
Recruiting can be a daunting task if you have not don it before. Let experienced volunteers and Professional Scouters help you will your recruitment plan. Cub Scout Packs that are successful each year with their recruitment efforts are successful because they try a variety of methods early in the first and second weeks of school to reach potential new Cub Scouts and new Cub Scout Parents.
Boy talks in Classrooms, Boy Talks during lunch time at school, peer to peer recruitment at School, scout's wear uniforms to school, pass out flyers to boys as they get on the bus, phone calls to potential new scout parents explaining the program and personal invites, personal letter mailed to parents, recruitment activities such as parents vs. children softball, fliers in take home folders, communications with teachers.
Units may decide to personalize the information on the space available on the back side of the Recruit Flyer. Winnebago Council has a default back of the flyer for units to use.
Cub Scout one-page information flyer [pdf]
Cub Scout Recruit Parent Information [pdf]
Successful Webelos to Boy Scout Transition [pdf]
FAST TRACKS is a series of den meeting lesson plans with ready-to-print handouts designed to be used in conjunction with the youth handbooks. By following the prescribed meeting plans as written at two den meetings a month, the boys will fulfill the requirements necessary to earn the badge of rank by early spring.
CHECK IT OUT… go to http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/FastTracks.aspx to launch the Fast Track Web-Site.
Recruitment Meetings are set for THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at your local elementary school or unit meeting location.
To better assist Cub Scout Packs and Boy Scout Troops with their Fall New Youth Recruitment efforts, All units are strongly encouraged to hold their School Night on September 3rd at 7:00 p.m. Efforts will be made to coordinate media coverage for the 3rd and individual units should make the effort to contact their local media as soon as possible to get adequate support. Contact your respected District Executive or the Winnebago Council Service Center with any questions.
Steps to Fall Recruitment Success:
Confirm your unit’s specific location for Sept. 3rd.
Contact your district Membership Chairman, District Commissioner and/or District Executive with the facts (date, time, location, unit contact info) prior to August 10th.
Attend (at least two unit leaders) your respective District August Fall Kick-Off Roundtable “School Night” orientation to learn the ‘Best Methods’ of School Night recruitment and obtain all of your needed materials (new applications, fliers, posters, yard signs, etc.). Check your district Scouter article for date, time and location for the Fall Kick-Off Roundtable.
Schedule your “in-school” Boy Talks a day or two prior to School Night to “Fire-Up” the boys and distribute fliers. (School Open Houses are NOT School Nights, but a good to opportunity to remind parents of your actual School Night).
Hold School Night on Thursday, September 3rd, collect all applications and fees and submit them to the council service center by September 10th. Be sure that all applications have the appropriate signatures and are complete.
Follow-up School Night with boys/families that were unable to attend.
Be sure to provide every new youth/family with your unit calendar for the coming year (or at least through December).
*Special Reminders:
---Hold a Unit Leadership/Parent meeting at least two weeks prior to School Night to confirm that all leadership positions in the unit are filled for the coming year. If not, identify and recruit new leadership immediately. Try not to put parents ‘on-the-spot’ to be leaders at School Night.
---Utilize your Unit Commissioner and/or other District Scouters to assist with your School Night efforts.