Volunteer appeal presentation

[robbyrm65 10]

Hi Fellow Scouters

 

We need to do an appeal for volunteers in our pack, and someone had a really great presentation involving a tape measure, and cutting off time depending on your age and your son's age. It ended up with only a few inches to make a postitve impact on your child's life.

 

Does anybody know what I am talking about? If so, I would appreciate having the actual script. Thanks in advance !

 

I get a lot of really great info from everybody in these forums, and it is always great to see how other packs function.

 

Have a great day!

[Tami the Mom 10]

What you want is a yardstick, with distinct marks at 3.5 inches, 5.5 inches, 9 inches, and 12.5 inches. I can't remember word-for-word how the script I had went, but I can paraphrase. First, the reasonings for the markings - each half-inch of the yardstick is to represent one year of an average mans 72 year life. You have marked off 7 years, 11 years, 18, and 25 years. Here's the story -

 

Please look at this representation of an average mans life. That average is 72 years. See here (point) we have the boy at his birth (I drew a little blue bootie)- he's small and helpless, he can't do anything without help from his family. Here (point) he is at 7 years old. He is gaining independence, but he has so much further to go. And now at 11 (point again) he is starting to form his own ideas of his life. He thinks he knows more that he does, he still needs guidance and support. Looking here, he is now 18 (I put a car shape there). He's getting ready to move out into the world. He has learned many things from his family, teachers, and friends. Now here he is 25 (pic of a house). He's probably thinking about starting a family of his own. He's finished college, maybe going on to graduate school or starting his career. He's a man.

 

But let's look back at these years - (use your fingers to show the 2 inches of "life" between the 3.5 and 5.5 marks) the time from 7 to 11 years old. Sociologists have studied human behavior, and we know that most of what a child learns about character development happens during these crucial years. These years when he is exposed to new ideas, new people, and his own growing independence. These years can be a critical time for instilling in him the values that we want him to hold dear - truth, honor, dignity, respect. (Set the ruler down and step toward the crowd.)

 

(Holding your finger up showing those 2 inches still.) This is what it takes to teach a boy the values you want him to learn. This is all - and together we can do it. Spending an hour or two a week is all it takes. And when you see how small that time ends up being in his life - isn't it worth it?

 

 

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We did this speach at a Roundtable last year, and there wasn't a person there who wasn't silent for the whole thing.

[WA_Outdoorsman 10]

Here is what I use. It's does not use a ruler, but a piece of adding machine tape instead.

 

The Paper Tape Timeline Demonstration: This talk provides a very visual reminder of how much time we have left to make an impact on our childrens lives. You need an 8-10 foot long piece of adding machine or calculator tape. Mark off the tape in ten-year increments with 0 at the left end and 100 at the right. Use large numbers parents for the audience.

 

Roll the tape back up, so that the 100 is in the center. For the presentation you will need two helpers to hold the tape in front of you so you can point at various points on the tape.

 

Start out saying:

With the current advances in medical technology its very likely that your son will live about 100 years.

(Have your helpers unroll the tape in front of you, so the whole time line is visible. Stand behind the tape if you can.)

Here's a time line of his life.

If you're 35 now, statistically, you'll likely live until you're 75 or so, when your son will be about 50.

(Rip the tape off at the 1/2 way point and hand the end to your helper. Let the other half fall to the floor very important dramatic effect).

This represents the years you and your son will have together in his lifetime.

And he's probably about 6 or 7 now.

(Rip off the tape slightly below 10 and let that piece fall to the floor. Hand the end to your helper.)

So here's the time you have left together.

How old do you suppose your son will be when he goes away to college (or you decide its time for him to be out on his own)? 18 - 20?

(Rip off the tape someplace in this vicinity. Let that chunk fall to the floor. Hand the end to your helper.)

This is the amount of time you have left with him at home.

When he's about 13 middle school age his friends start to become a much bigger, maybe the major, influence in his life.

(If you can - assuming you have teenager - make a comment about how you know this from experience.)

(Rip off the tape someplace in this vicinity. Let that chunk fall to the floor. Hand the end to your helper.)

(Take the very short piece of tape from your helpers and hold in it front of you, and thank your helpers.)

(Then, carefully with great emphasis)

 

 

This is the time you have left to be the major shaping force in your son's life. You can show him how important he is to you by becoming involved in Scouting with him. Cub Scouts is a remarkable opportunity for you and your son to share a great variety of fun, exciting and positive experiences. Experiences that give you that opportunity to help him grow into an adult so that you can say: Thats my son - he's a good person.

 

(Go on to talk about volunteer opportunities in your Pack and how parents can participate in them. Have leader applications handy to be passed out.

 

[eghiglie 10]

We did the tape measure appeal for a few years with OK results. Last year we used two Webelos II to hold the tape. We then had the Webelos mention a few of the things they learned, like doing skits, presenting advancement work, keeping the uniform hung up, doing conservation work and so forth. The response from the parents was much greater because the kids made an appeal for help to teach them.

 

 

 

 

[msnowman 10]

I've done a very similar presentation that ended up making parents (at least the moms) weepy eyed. I used Cub Scouts to hold the streamer at the appropriate marks. When I tore the strip at their point they went back to their seats. Eventually I was left with the smallest Tiger, holding 7 and my Boy Scout Nephew holding 11 (He's 13, but its close enough to make the point). I closed it by saying "I started in Cub Scouts X years ago as "Nephew's" Tiger partner. I've had the privledge of watching him grow from this small boy (hands on the shoulder of the small Tiger), to this young man, several inches taller than I am. I've seen him learn to tie his shoes, a square knot and a bowline. It is time I would not trade for anything in the world. And the best part? I got to see this change take place and play an active role in it...and he still wants me there. I've made choices I have regretted, being a Scout leader has never been one of them.

 

YMMV

YiS

Michelle

 

 

[Mr. Bob 10]

We just did the tape presentation and it worked great. Our committee consisted of the CC, our CM and the Den Leaders. I knew this was not how it should be so I presented the presentation to the group and they agreed to bring it to the parents. We now have six new parents on the committee with a few others holding onto apps.

 

I talked about how this worked for us on episode #16 of "A Cub Scouting Adventure" (link below) if you want to hear how we did it...

 

Mr. Bob

Host of A Cub Scouting Adventure Podcast

http://acsadventure.com

[tcherven 10]

I have used the adding machine tape demonstration as well.

 

One thing I've done recently (it was one of my Wood Badge tickets), was to create a list of all the volunteer opportunities (not jobs - opportunities), estimated time requirements, responsiblities, and benefits to the pack.

 

At the first meeting where I presented this, I got 4 people to volunteer.

 

I haven't had the chance to do it this way, but I would use the adding machine tape demonstration, and then pass out the list of opportunities to your parents. When people have a clear idea of the needs, they are more willing to volunteer than they will for something that's more ambigious and unknown.

[KurtB 10]

I do not have the book handy to confirm, but I do believe the "yard stick" ceremony is in the "Cub Scout Ceremonies for Dens & Packs" book available at your local scout store.

 

A CC at one of the local packs did a great job with it. Instead of just marking the yard stick, it was scored on the back side. After each part of the "speach", like with the adding machine tape, he would break off part of the yard stick.

 

At one point, instead of just breaking of a part by hand, he would slap the yardstick on a table, breaking off a part with a loud "crack!". Interesting effect that brought the focus directly to what he was saying. I wish I knew how he supported the remainder of the yard stick to keep it from breaking in too many places when he did that.

 

I like the paper version as well. Either one should be effective - especially when it is followed up with face to face requests for volunteer service.