I forgot to say no...(help me)
Beth Guth (bethguth@ENTER.NET)
Thu, 11 Dec 1997 17:57:07 -0500
or why this lowly mom-of-a-wolf is now District Vice Chairman and
Membership Chairman.
What have I gotten myself into? I am a proven marketing professional in
the private sector. I got involved in scouting 16 months ago with my then
tiger cub and a feeling that our dying cub pack had to be saved and am now
cubmaster-heir apparent. (I also forgot to say no to the District
Executive when he desperately needed a program director for day camp. I
did my best, which was pretty darn good--we had an awesome camp, hence my
nomination to this lofty position).
His sales pitch was superb. "As cubmaster you'll affect 35-40 boys, at Day
Camp you'll affect 125, as Membership chair you'll bring 600 boys into
scouting and create 5 new units this year." He also told me he believes
that through scouting, we can save the world. If more boys were in
scouting we would have lots fewer problems in this country.
Hook-line-and-sinker, he had me!
But boy did I feel smart at the meeting with the DE that I called today (I
was voted in Monday night) and all thanks to Scouts-L. I got into the
retention vs recruitment (from the recent Professional's thread), Quality
District Award, cross-over issues, den chiefs role in retention of webelos
to boy scouts etc. etc. The DE said he would have expected these kind of
questions after going through the year, not today. But it is all book
learned (list learned?).
Question for today:
WHAT ARE THE TOP 5 THINGS A SCOUT TROOP SHOULD DO TO RETAIN WEBELOS? My
first challenge is crossover. Retention last year was 85%. We must give
a presentation at roundtable (never been to one!). (There have been
several great posts recently on how to handle troop visits, I'll preach on
those next year starting in October). What should I tell folks? I've got
lots of ideas but it is all theoretical from lurking here on the list. I
only have a short while to speak. It will be a joint rountable of cubs and
scouts. I've you've been-there-done-that please share!
My other duties are Invitation to Adventure, School Night, New Units and
Roster Checks, setting goals (this one is easy) and recruiting and
supervising Chairmen of the above.
P.S. I am the daughter of a District Executive, but I had no brothers. I
was active in Masonic organizations as a teenager, not GSA. We moved to
Pennsylvania just a few years ago. (Daddy, I sure wish you were here to
help)
Beth Guth
Assistant Cubmaster Pack 161, Trexlertown, PA
bethguth@enter.net
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
