Changing Chartered Partners
Jan Mussler (mussler@SPOT.COLORADO.EDU)
Thu, 22 Apr 1999 12:47:58 -0600
My sympathy to the Pack whose charter is being challenged by PTO sponsor
that they currently have. It happended to us, just 2 years after we
found a new interested sponsor in the PTO. A PTO member challenged that
we were a religious organization. When the PTO members voted to continue
our relationship, that PTO member took it to the School District, who sent
out a letter, asking the PTO to drop them. We decided to find a new
sponsor because we did not want to cause the PTO further grief.
We found a corporate partner, which served as a good short-term, but not
optimal long-term partner. We will change again this year.
Look for a community-based sponsor to sell the program to. Churches
generally make good partners, but in diverse communities may not be
acceptable to many of your current members, who were used to a more
secular partner - the school. Such is our case. We may have found a
permanent sponsor with a local Teens group - who are looking to diversify
from teens to a family/youth facility. They may serve to be a good partner
in that they will offer several or many programs which will meet many
needs. Even if challenged because we are thought of as a "religious"
program, their diversity of programming may meet many needs. We tried
that logic with the PTO - they supported skiing and the handicapped kids
couldn't participate, different clubs, Girl Scouts but boys couldn't join,
but in total, all were served. Didn't work with the PTO because the
school system didn't want the liability unfortunately.
Be proactive, and start identifying now potential LONG TERM sponsors. We
took the easy way out and now have to again look for a sponsor. Lesson
learned, but scouting will continue in our community.
YIS,
Jan Mussler, Webelos Den Leader, Pack 170
Troop Committee Chair, Troop 170
Arapahoe District, Longs Peak Council
Nederland, CO
