new patrols formed

[gwd-scouter 11]

Hi everyone. Been reading the posts about patrols for some time in hopes to get answers to our Troop's particular problem.

 

I have gone into some detail about our setup in other posts but to keep it simple, for almost a year while we were reorganizing, we barely had enough Scouts for a Troop let alone individual patrols.

 

But now, a year later, we have almost 100% participation from our 10 Scouts.

 

Next week, Troop elections are being held. Last week, the guys formed two patrols. Somehow they just naturally formed with one consisting of mostly older guys and the other with all the younger and new guys. They just seemed to naturally gravitate that way.

 

Patrol 1: 2 brand new Scouts (age 11), Tenderfoot (age 11), 2nd Class (age 13), Star (almost age 13).

 

Patrol 2: Life (age 17), Life (age 16), Life (age 16), Life (age 15), 1st Class (age 13).

 

It sure will be interesting to see next week who becomes SPL and who the two PLs will be.

[CNYScouter 46]

gwd-scouter

 

Congrats! It sounds like you have started to turn things around.

 

What are biggest concerns and goals for the Troop in the new year?

 

What are the Troops plans to accomplish these goals?

[gwd-scouter 11]

CNY: Thanks. As I mentioned in another post, my personal goal as SM is by the end of this year to be able to sit in my comfy chair and sip my coffee while watching the Scouts run the show! Big dream, but I think we'll get there.

 

Two biggest concerns are still recruting new scouts and leaders.

 

We currently have about half older Scouts and half younger. Not bad, but when you consider that all those life Scouts will probably reach Eagle in the next year and perhaps leave the Troop, we won't be left with many boys to run the show.

 

The main reason we have so much difficulty in recruiting is that our feeder pack is always poorly organized, usually getting put back together with new leadership at the beginning of the school year and falling apart by the end. This Pack is chartered by one of our local Christian Schools which is very small and naturally doesn't have a large number of boys to make up a Pack.

 

So, we've started to become a bit more targeted in our recruitment. Rather than relying on Webelos crossover or open houses (neither of which produced more than one scout last year) we are going directly to the middle school classes - one by one. We started so far with 2 5th grade classes and are making plans to hit the 6th grades in a couple of weeks. First attempt at 5th grades gave us two new Scouts (already 11) with two more on the way (11 in a month or so).

 

Another interesting result is that one of the two new scouts is in the school's cub pack. He went back and mentioned to his den that he's joining our Scout Troop and then came and told us the next week that the other boys in the den want to join too. We were told about a month ago that all those boys were going to a different troop.

 

Second biggest concern is adult leadership. With only my husband, our CC and myself as active leaders, we have real concern of burning out if we don't recruit more adults. I just can't seem to get anyone to volunteer as ASM. I can get some parents to agree to "help out" once in a while, but no one wants to sign a form, take training, and actually be an active adult in the Troop.

 

I am hoping that as we keep working on recruiting new scouts, we will hit on those adults that are willing to take an active role in their son's Boy Scout experience - you know, those people that are already doing too much in their free time!

 

I really didn't expect to be doing all this work in one hour a week. What a year it's been. But, I do get a very selfish sense of satisfaction when I see the boys finally getting it and taking charge of their troop.

 

Makes that one hour a week worth every minute!

 

[SemperParatus 1]

Best of luck to your new patrols and troop!

 

You are certainly putting your all into this. I think that is great and the boys are fortunate to have you as SM. I am also convinced that as a few years pass, recruitment will get easier and easier as word of your strong troop program spreads. Your efforts today are building the scaffolding that scouters you don't even know yet, will benefit from in the future. It is sometimes hard to see that while you are in the midst of it, but believe me, you are well off the ground and things are fitting together nicely.

 

You have accomplished a lot over the past year. I hope you can find a comfy chair to relax in over the weekend.

 

 

 

 

[SueM 10]

gwd-scouter,

 

You're making great progress..now start telling those parents who are doing nothing or little that you EXPECT some help!! Don't take no for an answer!!

 

sue m.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Thanks for the kind words. Now, where's that comfy chair. Oops, can't get comfy yet, gotta finish that recharter. Yes, I know, probably should have someone on the committee doing that. One step at a time.