Fall recruitment is just around the corner

It’s hard for me to believe that most of the summer has already passed and school is starting in many of our councils — a sure sign that fall recruitment is underway.

I really appreciate the many innovative approaches our councils and leaders are taking to reach new audiences in an effort to build their Cub Scout programs and strengthen other units.

Case in point is the Water Balloon Monsoon in the Sam Houston Area Council in Houston, offering great ways for kids to cool off while having fun and learning more about what Scouting has to offer. I’m told that popsicles are included!

In Northwest Florida, the Gulf Coast Council took advantage of a local National Night Out gathering to share information about Scouting with the community.

The Gamehaven Council in Southeast Minnesota is gearing its recruitment efforts toward moms, with female leaders demonstrating the positive skills that kids can learn through Scouting.

Many other councils have their recruitment campaigns under way, engaging in partnerships with fire departments, holding open houses and getting the word out through local media.

It’s great to see these efforts to offer more young people the opportunity to enjoy what Scouting has to offer. If you are struggling to come up with effective recruitment campaigns for your units, you can find ideas through a number of resources, including the recently launched CubScouts.org, which offers recruiting and marketing materials to help you get started. Scouting Magazine also offers tips on recruiting leaders for your new Cub Scout units.

We must provide a wider choice of activities that kids want, while continuing to rely on the methods that instill the value of Scouting. That’s why we are making sure our unit leaders have the tools, training and support needed to provide the kind of life-changing experiences that parents and kids can’t find anywhere else.

Think of recruiting as the door we are opening to introduce young people to a whole new world of adventure and service. Our longevity as a movement depends on all of our efforts to recruit and retain generations of Scouts and help them develop into tomorrow’s leaders.

Good luck!

Wayne