You are probably thinking, it is too late to recruit youth into my unit. But, it isn’t! Now that future scouts can sign up online any time during the year, every day is a perfect day to recruit new scouts! Recruiting scouts also recruits their parents which may bring on a much needed den leader or member of your key 3! While thinking about how you can incorporate the celebration of Scouting turning 114-years-old, we have some resources!
It is not too late to throw a Birthday Party! You have the entire month of February to celebrate Scouting turning 114-years-old. Yes, scouting’s actual birthday is Thursday, February 8th and that date is only 2 weeks out. You could hold two pack meetings in February if your normal meeting is earlier in the month. You could combine your Blue and Gold Banquet with a Birthday Party! You could just hold a separate Birthday Party Pack Meeting!
I created full color flyers, black and white color in your own flyers, and fillable invitations for you to print off or send to the printers. Full disclosure I am also the committee chair for Pack 4125 in Virginia as well as a den leader. I sent the invitations to a local printer who printed them for us, handed them out at our January Pack Meeting (I first asked all the den leaders to get me #’s for how many each scout wanted to hand out). I told my unit parents they could put their own RSVP contact info on them or mine as long as they get me numbers by the deadline.
It has been 1 week since we handed out our invitations and I’ve already had a teacher call me to see if we would mind if she made copies to make sure everyone in her class received one and I’ve had a couple of RSVP’s from parents of children who are not already in scouts. We have one more week before our deadline for our Party that coincides with the Blue and Gold Banquet. New potential scout recruits will witness a flag ceremony, awards and advancements, participate in a couple of birthday themed activities, join us in a potluck and of course birthday cake! We will send them home with a goodie bag that includes the Scout Oath & Law, the schedule for the rest of the year, and some candy.
Will we succeed? That depends on how you gauge success. If just one new youth comes and is excited, then it was a success. That one child, may have family members or friends they then recruit. I encourage you to take advantage of these free ready made resources. I’ll even go a step further and invite you to let us know if you are partaking in this opportunity and we will help you market your event!
To download the materials, click the marketing materials button. To have me, Jenni Smith, Marketing & Communications Specialist market your event, hit the button to email me!