Why is Cub Scout recruitment essential?

The Boy Scout program depends on the foundation of Cub Scouts. Cub Scouts, like Boy Scouts, offers an outdoor and educational program that allows boys to socialize, work in teams, broaden their educational experience, and understand the value of physical fitness and responsibility. This is the type of quality program that parents want their sons to join.

Here’s how we can share the wealth of Cub Scouting.

District Activities

1. School Open House in September

   • Talk with principal about display posters, display case, and yard sign

   • Complete Use of Facilities form to have access to school on designated night

   • Prepare a brief program, stand up displays, or computer-based PowerPoint presentation that runs itself

   • Create a brief Pack Information sheet with activities, community service, and educational opportunities with Belt Loops, Activity Pins, etc.

2. Tiger Fun Day – invite friends to join your Tigers

Pack Activities

1. Boys ask a neighbor or friend to a den meeting – friends like to do things with their friends

2. Have September and October as Pack-wide recruitment months

3. Use an event such as Rain Gutter Regatta to have guests

4. Or if doing a December crafts / gift night and invite guests

5. Invite boys and their parents to a monthly meeting and acknowledge them

6. Invite friends and neighbors to Pack’s Blue and Gold

7. Give any boy who brings a friend and joins a reward – gift card for pizza, Wal-Mart, movie passes, etc. and award him the RECRUITER patch

8. Do a Popcorn “Show and Sell” and pass out business cards with Pack info

9. Get a Den Chief from neighboring troops for each den

     

Other Recruitment Opportunities – Create Visibility

1. Recruit from chartered organization, particularly if religious affiliation

   • Work with your organization to have a bulletin board or display case

   • Appoint someone in the Pack to maintain displays with monthly theme and camp out pictures – keep it fresh

2. Talk with religious education director to distribute flyers and bulletin announcements

   • Set-up table to talk with parents and boys after services and bring dessert items

   • Get bulletin board space for Pack activity pictures and listing of pack meetings

   • Have older Cubs / Webelos distribute church bulletins

   • Have parents provide after service refreshments and Cubs assist serving

   • Cubs / Webelos in uniform while performing service hours

3. Create an activity that the community or friends of scouts can attend such as a bike rodeo

4. School activities

   • Back to School night – table to pass out information

   • Back to School picnic or ice cream social – talk one-on-one with parents and sign-up boys and have boys in uniform

   • Pass out literature with School Open House date at School Open house

   • If there is a new school welcome packet see if Cub Scout information can be included

   • Have Cubs perform morning flag raising and announcements during Scout founding month of February – one week around February 7

   • If you son has a “Show and Tell” assignment maybe he can talk his Cub Scout Pack or den activities

5. Submit articles and photos to local newspapers

   • Eldersburg and Westminster Eagle

   • Carroll County Times Advocate (North and South editions available) or smaller papers local to your community seeking content

   • Put Pack meetings in calendar of events or articles after big events listing boys’ name for awards received, etc.

   • Articles on community service performed

   • Get parents permission to include their son in submitted photos

   • Put your meeting times in the Calendar of Events

6. Utilize school newsletters, display areas and local businesses

   • Learn who your PTA or PTO president and newsletter editor is to work with them to submit an article on recruitment and who’s who in the Pack

   • Submit articles for the school or PTA or PTO newsletter after talking with school principal for permission to submit

   • Help out at school function or PTA or PTO function with Cubs and leaders in uniform

   • Work with principal to display photos of scouting events – get parental permission to show and display photos of their children

   • Work with a local merchant to display your Pack recruitment information and invite that merchant to your Blue and Gold or reward them with popcorn 

7. Recruit from sport leagues

   • Talk with other parents about Cub Scouts during recreation council sport activities

   • Pass out School Open House night information

   • Pass out invitations to join a den meeting or Pack meeting such as Rain Gutter Regatta or Pinewood Derby

   • Pass out your Pack Information sheet

8. Do a Springtime recruitment

   • May 1 all Cub Scouts and Webelos advance to the next level

   • Promote your Pack’s summer program

   • Get a complete application and submit for BSA insurance coverage