Re: Active Membership
Jim Peterson (kupete@KUHUB.CC.UKANS.EDU)
Mon, 3 May 1999 14:16:57 -0600
Michael wrote:
>Jim:
>The troops I've been with do this all the time (well, ok, yearly).
>If we notice a Scout who isn't attending much at all, we will call him
>tofind out why. If our feedback is he's lost interest, we mention that
>annual dues time is comming up, and ask if he wants to continue with us.
>If he says yes, he's re-registered.
Exactly! Did you drop him for being "inactive"....not if his folks forked
over the registration fee! In otherwords, the "active" status isn't really
predicated on whether he's been ACTUALLY been active....just whether or not
he said, "yeah, here's my money (usually from the parents) so keep me on
the list".
Michael continued:
>Often, however, we find youth who wish to quit, they're just to
>embarrassed or >nervous or forgetful to tell us. If that's the feedback,
>the Scout is dropped >from the charter at his own request. We haven't lost
>a DE yet, perhaps because >the Webelos comming in make up for the few
>drops each year.
And if you're like our troop, after a few calls from his patrol leader with
no results, then a few calls from a leader with no results, you'll STILL
keep him registered IF HE PAYS THE REGISTRATION FEE when your charter rolls
around.
Now please understand me, I'm not saying that keeping the scout registered
is wrong. Shoot! I'll never give up on getting a boy back into the
scouting fold! I will maintain, however, that considering him "active" or
"showing scout spirit" for the purposes of advancement is definately wrong.
And concluded by saying:
>Even in a financially sound troop, carrying just a few "dropped" Scouts
>can >really impact the budget. There is the $8 registration, newletter
>printing and postage, etc. Then there is the impact on OA, FOS, etc where
>troop numbers come into play. If the Scout really does want to quit,
>carrying him on the charter just because no one wants to find out for sure
>is a costly undertaking.
And if the parents fork over the registration fee, the troop's out nothing.
BLUE SKIES!, Any day above ground is a good day!
Jim Peterson
BS RT Comm, Pelathe Dist
Heart of America Council Eagle Class of 1963
ASM, T-55, Lawrence, Kansas Brotherhood, Tamegonit Lodge
email: kupete@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu Mic-O-Say: HW "Shieldmaker"
