Lack Of Interest

[MooseUseted]

 

There seems to be a lack of interest in my chapter, Nipmuck Chapter of the Tschitani Lodge. This come in many forms including low attendance for chapter meetings, low brotherhood conversions, and low Ordeal attendance by both members and new candidates.

 

This is of great concern to me as my chapter was once a Super Power in the realm of the Order, as we are the chapter of the great Patrick Boyd. Now that I am the Chapter Chief, Pat has bestowed upon me the responsibility of making the Nipmuck Chapter thrive once more.

 

I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem. If you have solutions, please divulge them to the world. If you too are having these problems, maybe we can put our heads together and come up with something.

 

Thanks In Advance,

~Jeremy Moose Useted

Nipmuck Chapter Chief

 

[Proud Eagle]

Huh.

 

I can't say that I have ever heard of your chapter, or even your lodge. I certainly don't know any Patrick Boyd.

 

What I do recognize is the problem you are describing.

 

It is a relatively common problem than can be caused by a great many different things. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about your situation to make a good guess, and the complete list is nearly infinite (and more than I know). I would be willing to bounce some ideas back in forth. However, for that to be productive I would need more information.

 

Examples of what I would to know are:

Size (members and general idea of physical size) of the chapter and lodge.

What does the chapter do?

What does the lodge do?

What goes on at chapter meetings?

When did this lack of interest become apparent?

What changed around or slightly before that time in the chapter?

What changed in the council/district/lodge/council/community near or slightly before this time?

 

I was a Chapter Chief myself once.

 

That was the first big step up in the OA world for me. The next thing I knew I was Lodge Chief. Now, not but a few years after that, I am one of the youngest Lodge Advisers in the country.

 

In any case, chapters are a constant source of both wonderful positive results and painful failure around here. I was working on creating a "quality chapter" system a couple of hours ago. I think if chapters had a better defined role, and really knew what they needed to do, they would be more likely to succeed. So, with any luck, the youth on the Lodge Executive Committee will be implementing a "quality chapter" system within the lodge by the end of the day.

 

Anyhow, get me some additional information, and I will give the issue some thought. Perhaps we can think of some new ideas, or save each other from reinventing the wheel.

[MooseUseted]

Pat Boyed was Northeast Reagion Chief once.

[CTBoyScout101]

I have heard of your lodge and I know it well. Connecticut is a small state and we have a limited amount of people to begin. Your council although large does not have that large of a membership is comparision with the rest of the nation. But, the membership to the lodge is very large in numbers to my Paugassett Lodge. Our membership has been high although a few years ago we had trouble getting people to the meetings. We did not solve the problem quickly it took time to get people to come back by offering to do more and it works. For the size of our council the attendance at meetings is very good. You need to bring something to the table to eat and they will nibble and eventually bite the bait and come back to the meetings. This is what you need to accomplish.

Also, are you going to the Jamboree this year, I would like to trade shoulder strips and lodge flaps if possible in the future

 

CTBoyScout101