The Official Albemarle District Website Serving the North Carolina Counties of ~ Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank, and Perquimans ~

Every Day Activity ~ Be A Recruiter

Boy Scouts of America is moving toward the 100th anniversary celebration of what is likely the largest youth organization in the country.  Tidewater Council offers a variety of recognition patches for recruiting a new member.  The district will be recognizing the top recruiters.  Join the winning team!   Check below for the GO GREEN! winners.

Recruiting naturals! 

• Parent / Teacher conferences are this month; ask the Principal if you can set up a table

• PTA meeting in November are generally centered around student programs - GREAT place to be

• Holiday parades

• Busy shopping areas in your community

Pull out ALL the plugs, put out the signs, get the bumper stickers on cars, ADVERTISE your unit to win!

WHERE ARE MEETINGS?

To get more information about joining, or to get in contact with a posted unit:

• you can fill out the form at this link. 

• you can E-mail: Dana Mott   Please tell us the city and state you live in, the elementary school closest to your house, the age and grade of your child for the best service.  We will gladly answer any of your questions . . .

• come to a scheduled joining night - a flyer will come home from school

Don't let new members sit and collect dust - there are several methods to get applications in quickly.  The US Mail, your executive is in your county  or very nearby often (usually at least once each week) and meetings can be arranged, there are a large number of folks who work in Norfolk!  Take advantage of one of those methods and get your new members in today!

Albemarle District Goals for Membership can only be accomplished by every leader, every unit and every opportunity being met with YES WE CAN get that new member, YES WE CAN get that new unit, YES WE CAN do a better job in serving the youth in every community.

Tips for Recruiting Success

Don't fall into the plan to fail if you fail to plan category.  A careful look at your unit - who are the key leaders, will they still be in place?  Where is our membership heaviest - if it is 5th grade Webelos, you are in trouble!  In troops if your members are all over 15, you have a very short shelf life ahead.  It's time to chart the course.

• Market yourself!  If you don't brag about your unit, what is great about it, success with activities, rank advancement successes - no one else will.  Do press releases.  Send pictures to the local newspaper.  Make posters or display boards showing pictures of your unit in action.  Do public service activities - in uniform.  Show off a little, it's really okay to do!

• Door to Door to Door . . .The Council has door knob flyers to make SURE the message gets home.  Contact your executive, let us print the message for you to deliver.

• Be visible!  School open houses to get that first tour of new classrooms, meet new teachers, meet new principals start on August 20 and continue on through August 24.  Every school has them.  Get a team together (include boys!) and be at your open house.  Make SURE you have applications.

• DO THE APPLICATION THE FIRST TIME A POTENTIAL NEW MEMBER SHOWS UP! Would you go back for more if you wanted to put in a job application and were told to "just show up" a few times and then maybe you might want to apply?  The message is, I don't care and not interested enough to find out about you.  If you let a potential new member walk out the door without getting their application, you just delivered the same message.  Will they be back?  Maybe sometimes, but generally not.

• Be Prepared!  Whether it is a recruiting program at a school or inviting families to an open house at your unit, you need to arrive early, have materials ready (applications, pens, receipts, calendars of upcoming events, etc).  Have greeters - an impression is made as soon as families start walking toward your event, make sure it's a good one.

• Boy Scout Troops - it's time for an open house.  Boys are the best recruiters of boys; it's a proven fact.  Pick a date, plan a party atmosphere (pizza, cook out, take your pick on what YOUR members want to do) and have them invite friends.  Make the event inviting, make sure parents come along and Be Prepared with applications for both youth and adults.  Your committee and assistant scoutmaster staff will have to grow with your membership!  Don't just wait for Webelos to come along - there are plenty of boys who would join IF THEY WERE INVITED.

• Community and PTA activities - it's the time of fall festivals, PTA programs and sports activities at schools and recreation centers.  Visit them, set up recruiting booths (make sure you have an appealing activity, not just waiting for people to walk up to someone standing with applications), go to recreation sports events prepared to invite new members.  People want to be invited to be a part of YOUR scouting program.

• Your Pinewood Derby is scheduled - did you stock up on a few extra cars for boys to invite a friend to join?  It's a great way to leap into a Cub Scout Pack.

Come back again - the tip list will continue to grow!

Hitting the National Standard

The gap is closing - but there are miles to go.  Check to see how your county fares in the quest to meet the standards.  Cub Scouts are

moving forward at a faster pace!

Way to go Hatteras Island with 26% of available boys and Perquimans County packs for closing in on the national standard!

Invite a friend to help your troop get to the national standards!

Last updated:  November 10, 2009