Resurrecting a Pack

[CNYScouter]

I have been asked to help and try to bring a pack back to life in the fall. I have been working with this Pack as the CC for the last 2 1/2 years without a son in the Pack.

The CM from last year asked me to help him to restart things. Over the last year the Pack dwindled to 8 cubs, with 5 crossing over to scouts in March.

The 3 that are left are WEBELOS. 2 of these will be 10 1/2 in July and have asked to get there AOL over the summer so they can start with a Troop in the fall. The last one has already drooped and is not interested in getting his AOL.

With help from our DE, last year we did a massive recruitment effort at the 2 schools we normally cover and we added another school near us that did not have a cub pack. We ended up with new 1 Tiger and new 1 Wolf. Neither of these re-registered in Feb. as did none of the other wolfs.

We later found out that even though we had almost 100% attendence at Pack meeting most dens were not meeting or doing anything outside of this.

 

So, this leaves the CM and myself left as the Pack.

Any suggestions to start things up again?

Is it even worth trying as we seem to have no interest in our area to even have a cub pack.

 

Up until 2 years ago the old CM would just show up in uniform at the schools open house with some application and not much else and the pack would sign up 25 cubs. Last year we had posters up before hand, sent 2 flyers home and did a raingutter regatta and had very little response.

 

 

[SemperParatus]

The fact that 2 years ago, the pack was picking up 25 new recruits and now you are getting 2 would indicate to me that it is not a community problem, but a pack reputation problem. Is there another pack that these boys are joining? Or, was this the only pack in town and the reputation has soured everyone towards scouting?

 

This pack is dead...as a doornail. While I admire your and the CM's interest in possibly resurrecting it, the interest is going to have to come from the parents of potential recruits, who are willing to volunteer their time to help create a worthwhile scouting environment from scratch for their own sons. I think your recruiting efforts would be better served by focusing on potential adults (with kids) who are interested in (re)forming this pack, rather than simply on the boys. Maybe a spiel at the PTA meetings would be more appropriate.

 

 

[cajuncody]

Also, check with your local churches and after school programs. We run two spun off dens at local Boys and Girls clubs who would otherwise not get to attend meetings due to parents working late.

Kristi

[SeattlePioneer]

Sounds like you have a tough row to hoe, CNY Scouter.

 

 

Perhaps it would be worthwhile to concentrate on recruiting only Tiger Cubs or Wolf level Scouts, and grow the pack year by year until it's rebuilt. That way, you can work to establish an excellent program for one den, which may be a more manageable goal.

 

Another possibility might be to pair up with another active Cub Pack, organizing your own dens but taking advantage of the Pack program and organization. When you have your Dens up and running with good leadership, you could charter yourselves as a separate pack again.

 

 

 

Good luck!

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

[NewCubCC]

This is exactly the situation I am trying to avoid with the small group I've inherited.

 

My question here then, is:

 

When do you fish and when do you cut bait?

(Meaning--when do you know it's not able to continue?)

 

 

[CNYScouter]

Actually, I was also contacted by the Councils membership person about this. I have to just shake my head because this is the SM from the Troop I just left. 2 years ago when my son crossed over, I talked with the troop leaders about problems we were facing with this pack and they just blew it off. I think he just realized that this was the last pack left that he was getting scouts from as the rest of the packs he recruited with have also folded. In fact, the only tie they had between the troop and any packs was me.

 

During this time the other 2 Packs in my school district has the same problem and almost folded. The difference between us and them when the DE went to the parents and asked for help to run the Pack they had people step up, while we had people leave.

 

Over these last 3 years, we have encountered a boom not only in sports in our area, but in the extra-curricular activities offered at the schools. In the last few years, soccer and baseball have been added in both spring and fall. These are run not only in "Little League" but our town runs a separate program for these. Add in lacrosse, football, swimming, hockey, basketball and the childrens choir and music programs (all started in Kindergarten) it no wonder we are having problems. This doesn't even cover the "private" places that operate programs also.

 

2 years ago, our pack had cubs from eight different schools in it because most of these schools did not have a pack. Even last year we started with 13 cubs in five different schools.

 

I didn't think about going to the PTG, but they are the cause for some of the problems we are having. They heavily recruit the parents in kindergarten and by the time the boys have come of Cub age all the "volunteer types" are busy with either the PTG or sports. In addition, The PTG is offering so many after school activities most parents cannot find the time for Cub Scouts.

 

The funny thing is that because there are so many things going on all of these other "volunteer" programs are struggling trying to find people to help.

 

I agree that we will need to find parents willing to help pull this pack together or it will fail. My daughter is in the Girl Scout's at this school and they are doing well. I think this is because it is run right after school. I think this would help the Pack, but due to work the CM and I can't run this right after school.

 

I don't know if I have the time to devote into this or even if my heart is into doing this. It would be different if I had a son ready to join Cubs, but my youngest is still 3 years away and I have many other choices for Packs in the area. Hooking up with another Pack may be the answer.