Attendance & Involvement
Barry Runnels (barry_c_runnels@MMACMAIL.JCCBI.GOV)
Mon, 18 May 1998 12:53:09 -0600
>My problem is that I have just become Cubmaster and really have a problem
>with lack of participation at Pack events, It's not just the 2nd year
>Webelos (18 of them), but I'll use them as an example.
Hi Bobbie, sounds like a great program for your Cubs, but what about
everyone else in the family. Does everyone have fun? Promote the Pack
activities as family events and not just Cub events. The program may be the
same but everyone should feel welcome. Or maybe you aren't involving the
parents enough.
Every year our dads fight to help with the Pinewood Derby. They love it in
our Pack. Don't really know how it started but it's a tradition now. Dad's
run the event. We had t omake some changes though. We were always competing
against soccer on Saturdays, so we changed it to Friday night. We sold
hot-dog, cokes and chips for $1.75 as a cheap dinner for the whole family.
Five years ago everyone complained that the races took to long with
check-in at 5:00. So we moved check-in to the night before and stored the
cars until the next day. Now the races only took three hours but a few new
people said even that made for a long evening for the younger ones. So two
years ago we rented a second track. That cut the time down to less than two
hours and added to the fun. Now all the Scouts brag about our two track
races. We have about 65 (95% of the Pack) Scouts race a minimum of 15 races
in less than two hours while eating hot-dogs, chips and cokes. This year we
added unlimited division for the adults. What a blast!
Dont' be afraid of change. Check your FUN meter after every event. Ask the
Scouts and the parents, "did you have fun?". If not, change it. It should
be fun for everyone. We changed just about everything our first two years.
We change Scouting for Food until the Scouts liked it. Council asked us to
use two weekends. One to hand out the food bags and the other to pick them
up. Our Volunteers only wanted to do it one weekend so we set the Scouts
out in groups of three and knock on the door for handouts. The boys love
doing this (I don't know why) and we have turned in the most food the last
couple of years. We had 100% involvement one very rainy day two years ago.
Its the little things that make a big difference. We brought donuts and
invited all the parents to drive and let the brothers and sisters help to.
We change Popcorn sells program every year until we found a motivation the
Scouts liked. Hitting the Cub Master in the face with a Pie. We almost
doubled sales that year.
If you want parents there, you have to create a fun place for them. Yes I
agree the activities are for the boys but watching dad sing in front of the
Pack is Fun. If the parents aren't laughing or singing, they are not having
Fun. They should look forward to the Pack Activities just as much as the
kids.
Campouts. Don't just campout! Camp as Pirates on the Caribbean or Knights
of the Roundtable. Play it up. Use two or three Den meetings to make
costumes and sing songs, read stories. Make sure the whole family is has
the costume. Get them all involved. Sounds hard but it's not. Just ask some
parents to help. Our last five Pack Campouts have had over 90%
participation. We play it up and have a good time. At first campouts look
hard for the parents but afterwards, they couldn't talk enough about it.
I see your Webelos as the measure of your Fun. In our Pack, they usually
have the most Fun because they are the experts. I am not just talking about
the Scouts, the parents too. They should be running or heading the
committees for many of the events. The Webelos Scouts should be leading
them. The Webelos families should look like the Pack experts. They do all
the right things and bring all the right equipment. The Webelos Dads know
all the tricks to fast Pinewoods and the moms know how much food to buy. The
sisters know the Cub Scout Oath and hold their signs up with the rest of the
Scouts. They have been doing this Fun Scouting Stuff for five years. Without
the Webs, it's just not as much Fun, because they do the Fun yells, cheers
and skits. Want to know which songs are Fun, ask the Webelos (parents and
Scouts).
It will take a little time. Took about three years for us but what a
difference. Use your Fun meter and don't be afraid of change. Change is
what makes the difference and Fun is what makes it worth while. By the way
are the other leaders having Fun? Need to check.
Can't wait to hear how your program is doing this time next.
Barry Runnels
Past CM of the "Mighty" Pack 339
Edmond OK
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