Thanks for some of the ideas here

[sctmom 11]

Looks like we may get some new great Cub Scout families in the pack!

I had names of some prospective Tigers. Sent them info, talked on the phone to one family, mom and son showed up for pack meeting last week. Son is shy and close to mom, before the meeting was over he was playing without mom beside him, mom was impressed that other kids helped him with the games and he was grinning ear to ear.

 

Also, handed out flyers at school open house with my phone number. Got a call last night from a family with 2 Cub age boys, parents who are involved with their son, dad who is interested in teaching boys scout related things. I put a bug in his ear about being a den leader -- we are in need of a den leader for the age group on of his sons is in. Family loves to camp, loves to do things outdoors, mom has worked at schools before with special ed kids.

 

I'm so excited! I let them know that not only do I think cub scouting would be good for their boys but their family would be a great asset to our pack!

School night sign up is next week -- things are looking up!

 

Thanks to folks on this board who suggested to contact families BEFORE sign up night, to invited them to "open house pack meeting" and keep handing out the flyers. I do see future leaders in these parents.

 

[dsteele 20]

Way to go, Scoutmom. A couple more tips if you don't mind:

 

1) Keep the word going out. Have someone call every boy's parent that you have phone numbers for a day or two before the join us night.

 

2) Keep track of who called and keep their names and phone numbers so you know who didn't make it or couldn't make it to the join us night.

 

3) have a sign in sheet at the rally. Follow up with those who have to leave before you're done. Have another leader follow up later.

 

4) If possible, check with the churches near the pack and see if they'll allow you to stuff bulletin sized flyes in the church bulletin the Sunday before. Check with your Scout Office first to see if they have them, but the flyers are available in that size.

 

5) Write a letter to the editor of your local paper with the rally information as well as highlights of your up-coming program year. Invite parents to bring their sons and sign up. Letters to the editor are the easiest to get published, widely read, FREE, and are a good way to get the word out. The benefits will help all the packs in that paper's circulation area as well as your own.

 

DS

[sctmom 11]

Re: #3

Our council/district has cards we hand out as people arrive at school night. They fill out the names, numbers and if the parent is willing to volunteer. Then those cards are compared to the registration forms to see if anyone didn't register.

 

 

Our DE will go do the school talk up the day before roundup. We are allowed to go into most of the schools. Most of our packs pull from one school. Our kids started to school at the beginning of August. The DE was going to send home flyers more than once. I don't have a child in elementary school, so I don't know if he did.

 

I have the name and number of a few families to remind about school night, especially since school open house was a full month BEFORE school sign up night!

 

 

Thanks for the tips.