RE: What's in a Name?
Bill Lawrence (bill.lawrence@ansys.com)
Fri May 22 09:37:12 1998
Jane.
Maybe it's just because I am a communications professional, but I think
Venturing provides remarkable public relations and recruiting
opportunities. The change is after all "news."
We should be able to get local newspapers interested in running an
article about our "new" Venturing unit and the activities it offers.
Moreover, it allows those of us in high-adventure and outdoor areas to
differentiate ourselves from the career posts, which has been somewhat
of an identity problem at least around here. We can exploit the
"newness" and the differences pretty heavily in our recruiting efforts
at the local high-school. We can sell the fact that we aren't career
explorers; we are "senior scouting" and we really do mean
high-adventure.
As soon as we can get the new logo, our Post will start designing "class
B" uniforms, posters, a web site, etc. By August, we'll be ready to
really promote Venturing.
Bill Lawrence
Advisor, High-Adventure Post (Crew?) 150
Gibsonia, PA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wiedenhoeft [SMTP:weed@win.bright.net]
> Sent: Friday, May 22, 1998 10:10 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: Re: What's in a Name?
>
> Steve,
> To clarify our situation, we do not use the green Exploring
> shirts
> that BSA sells. Our T-shirts and jackets were designed by our members
> and
> the word Explorers is in big, bold letters, and is a major part of the
> design (you can see it at our web site
> www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/4538). Since little information has
> officially been given to us, it was a concern about how quickly we
> would
> have to change, but the general concensus on this site seems to be
> that
> natural attrition & replacement will be alright.
> On the issue of name recognition, though, it matters a great
> deal to
> us. If we change to Venturing (I suspect we will), it means 4 years of
> building recognition for the Exploring program here is largely wasted
> and we
> will start over with a name that isn't recognized in this area. That
> matters
> because people are less likely to join an organization they haven't
> heard
> of. Also, support of our program in terms of money, equipment
> donations, and
> volunteer assistance for special areas (such as CPR & First Aide
> certification) has steadily increased over the past 4 years. I'm
> pretty sure
> the name change will have an effect on that for at least a couple
> years.
> Who does this matter to? It matters to the members of our post
> who
> have worked really hard to build their program. Is this a good thing
> for the
> youth we're trying to serve? Maybe in the long run it will be, but I
> have to
> thing there are some serious negatives in the short term. One of the
> more
> serious being that they have the feeling that control of their program
> has
> been taken away from them.
>
> Jane W.
> Associate Advisor
> High Adventure Post 540
>
> >I plan to continue wearing my green shirt with "Exploring BSA" on the
> >pocket until it wears out. Then I'll get a new one with "Venturing
> BSA"
> >or some such on it. C'mon, folks, it's just a name. What matters is
> >the program and the kids. (My AA just woke up, "The what? Oh, yeah,
> >them.") I suppose that I will still be called the Advisor, and if
> I'm
> >not, I'll still go backpacking next weekend. Repeat after me: "It
> just
> >doesn't matter, it just doesn't matter, it just doesn't matter."
> Shout
> >it from the roof tops. "IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER."
> >
> >Steve Featherkile
> >EA Post 319 (High Adventure)
> >Wenatchee, WA
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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