Well, that season is upon us, for the most part. I don't want to lump everyone into that category, but now is the time for Round Up training, getting flyers together, and starting to formulate a plan on getting new scouts…

Here is a question….

What does your unit do to make your recruitment night 'POP'?

We all know that the focus is on the Cubs and almost focuses on getting new Tigers…after all, if a boy doesn't join as a Tiger, he will never join [tongue in cheek]….but in some cases, that is true. The trend is to focus on Tigers, maybe Wolves, but some seem to think "I will never get a new Bear, WB I or WB II"…which isn't true…

Do any Boy Scout troops go to the middle schools and try to get more Boy Scouts? Or how about the high schools for Venturing?

I have been trying to encourage the Boy Scout troop to do more recruitment.  No, they aren't going to get a sixteen-year-old to join from the high school, but they may get a sixth or seventh grader.

Our district does a huge "fire up" (similar to many other places, from what I hear) where our DE actually goes in and gives a short little talk at all the public elementary schools and hands out brochures and information about local upcoming events and our fire station "Fire Up" night.   Our pack activities for recruitment vary.  Last year we did a Raingutter Regatta and this year we're doing a bike rodeo. 

At the Fire Up night, unit leaders hang out at fire stations across the district and answer questions, take applications, etc.  We usually have a small pretend camp set up somewhere near the fire station. When we can, Boy Scouts (who have experience with Cub Scouts, either because they were Cubbies or because they are/were Den Chiefs) come to talk to the potential Cubbies while we adults talk to the parents.

Back to School Night has been a great advertising venue for us, as well, even though we have been repeatedly cautioned by our DE and other Scouters that we wouldn't be able to get enough time in to make an impression.  The biggest complication for me has been sitting at a table with a sign up sheet, photos, displays, etc. instead of getting to sit in on classroom introductions, etc.  Last year I did get help, but for the most part I was tied to the table instead of the activities.  We did get a lot of interest, though – more than we did at Fire Up night, for whatever that's worth.

I'm not sure this makes our recruitment "pop" – but at least we're getting out there in multiple ways to get noticed.  Being visible (even doing service projects or selling popcorn in a public venue) seems to help our cause greatly. 

When I asked a local Scoutmaster if he was willing to suggest to his Scouts doing an easy hike as a recruitment activity for the Boy Scouts (especially geared toward 6th & 7th grade) I was told, "Boy Scouts don't need to recruit.  That's your job on the Cub Scout level."  It made me a little sad and frustrated, but there's not much I can do to change his mind.  He is going to be in for a rude awakening when he realizes our pack is probably not going to be sending the troop any new scouts for the next two or so years, probably.  (We have no senior Webelos and most of the current families plan on heading to a different troop when their boys cross over.)