No Response?

[mdlscouting]

What we had to do was go to a strict policy of The Deadline is the Deadline. If you haven't signed up for an event and paid for it on time, too bad, we will see you next time around.

[CCbytrickery]

I am right there with you.

 

I send emails to my husband's den about meetings, things the scouts need to do at home, etc. I get maybe 4 or 5 responses--out of 14.

 

I send emails to the den leaders about committee meetings, things that coming up that need to be staffed (looking for volunteers), etc. Of the 4 den leaders, 2 get their emails out (and one of them is because I send them myself--see above). One set of DL/ADL can't bother themselves to attend committee meetings, help with activities, etc; another DL/ADL combo are just as absent, but if things aren't set up the way the DL wants them, he throws a hissy fit.

 

I send emails to the parents about upcoming activities, like campouts, fund raisers, etc. I get maybe dozen emails in return. We had (before the Webe 2 left) 82 boys in our pack. Down to about 50, with dropouts and crossover--lost one entire Tiger den this year (except for the leader's son) because he wasn't planning, not prepared at the meetings, and no one would speak up to say what was going on until it was too late. Every time I asked how things were going, if he needed help, I was told it was all fine; and the parents were the same.

 

It's not like it's hard to find me. My email/phone are on our pack website, they are handed out on a paper along with all the DL/CM information, and I speak to every family when I see them--I spend most of the den meetings at the "welcome center" at the church we meet at, so if the parents need to find me, I'm there. (CM is usually there also, so why aren't the parents speaking up?)

 

We also hand out flyers at meetings (den and pack) for events. AND I make phone calls, when warranted--like if I haven't seen a particular scout in a few weeks. (I check with the DL to see if they know what's up, and if not, I call.)

 

some people just don't respond to anything. And yes, we do have the problem of last minute signups, last minute money drop-off for dues/fundraisers, etc.

 

This year, if they haven't signed up by the date set by the committee, then the family doesn't get to go. I think that if you are given 4 weeks notice (or more, because we post all activities on our calendar on the website) via email/flyers, and the cut off date is set a week from the activity, you should be able to say yea or nay by then. This is going to be a big thing, because in May, we're going to sleep on an aircraft carrier for our big May event, and we have to have the final numbers in by March. If there is space later, we can add more, but only if there is space--we can't just add people for the next two months randomly--and adding on is not just our call this time. /shrug So I need to get the word to the parents and get them in the habit of not delaying NOW!

[KISMIF_Works]

For events where we need to know attendance in advance, we use the event sign-up feature of our Pack website (we use the myPack service). This is usually a good indicator of attendance, and I'll plan for maybe 10% more to account for anybody extra who might show up at the last minute.

 

We also use an automated phone call system (CallingPost), which is a HUGE timesaver for getting out an announcement to the Pack at times where the weekly email blast or sending a mass email just aren't appropriate (e.g., last-minute stuff). There have been times where the sign-up for an event just didn't feel right based on past experience, and in those cases I've used the phone call system to remind people that the event is coming up, that we need to know if they are coming in order to plan, and to respond in some manner if they are coming. People are usually good about following up after that.

 

I don't rely on email responses for a Pack event. I have enough trouble getting email responses from other leaders. If I do want a response over email then I put something like "**REPLY NEEDED**" in the subject.

 

 

[kari_cardi]

We have found that the best way to get a response for anything in the pack is to go around and ask each parent directly. Sad but true.

[Brewmeister]

Go over the parents' heads to the boys.

 

Have a packet of "stuff" for the boys who sign up - a red vest patch, maybe an outdoorsy kit or gift of some sort. Each one assigned to the boys who sign up.

 

So if you show up but didn't sign up, you can still attend, but you don't get the stuff.

 

After a time or two they'll catch on.

[Jeffrey H]

We use e-mail extensively for reminders and upcoming events. If parents do not respond to a request, then that is understood as a No. As we approach the event or deadline, I will send out a final reminder just in case those that want to attend missed or forgot the first e-mail. We dont require an RSVP; we only want to hear from those that will be attending. We usually include the phrase, if you plan to attend, please respond by xx/xx/12 so we can have a headcount. The implication here is you do not need to respond if you do not plan to attend.

 

If parents dont respond, I dont fret over it. I take that as a NO and move on. As others have mentioned, important events should be planned before school is out for the summer. In our Pack, attendance to summer events drops off more than 50% easily. We still have a fun time, just a smaller group

 

[SeattlePioneer]

My pack has always had a big falloff in participation for June meetings, and turnout for our pack overnight/pack meeting the third week of June was only adequate.

 

This year we eliminated June meetings and scheduled our pack overnight for June 2-3. That resulted in MUCH better attendance.

 

 

[blw2]

I think it was ZScout5 that said, "...but don't beat yourself up over things you can't control (other people's priorities and response) and just plan a great program for your son and the other scouts who show up."

 

The problem I see is dealing with those that "show up", but didn't bother to let you know....

 

Several good suggestions followed that relate. I especially like the patch or gift package only for boys that confirmed.

 

I was doing den emails last year for our den, trying to get responses as to who had done what acheivments so we could get caught up on the beads, plan for buying belt loops, etc.... Out of 14 boys on the roster and many emails and announcements at den meetings, I received exactly one response. There's some side issues to my case that grossly aggrevated it though, not just lack of responding to emails.

 

Anyway, if I have the same chore next year, the first thing I plan to do is ask the parents what their prefered communication method is. I'll bet most or all will say email. If email doesn't work for some them, but they want calls then that's what I'll do. Depending on the case, it will be one email or call, or perhaps add in a reminder for the big/important stuff. That's all.

[ScouterAdam]

All great responses. Yes, as Cubmaster for the Pack, it's the same.

 

All the Den Leaders press the parents via their emails and at Den Meetings.

I send out a Pack Wide email too.

I announce it at Pack Meetings.

We post it on our Google Calendar (which can be imported to their Smartphone that they all seem to be on).

It's also listed on a countdown feature on the website.

We have printed newsletters & emailed those too.

 

There is not much else you can do. They are a horse, the water is before them, it's their choice to drink or not.

Nice part is when they complain that they didn't hear about it, you can forward them the email communication saying...yes, we did!

[Tampa Turtle]

At the Pack level summer was always a challenge. The only time I consistently got folks was when they were Webelos and that was because we made them go to a meeting each week just like Boy Scouts. So they were used to being active. Even then I could only get folks to one event a month during the summer and usually pretty casual stuff. A pizza and pool party worked--folks just had other plans during the summer. And summer in Florida is not the ideal camping weather either. Half the families are up in the Carolina mountains.

 

You know many families are just exhausted by the end of the school year and just don't want any more demands. To us Scouters summer seems ideal "All right now we can get some real scouting in without all that school interference. But we may be in the minority".

 

So I say do the event with the info you got and enjoy the folks who come and do not get all hung up on those who don't. Like I said on the forum before my BEST meeting in cub scouts was when the only folks who came (out of 12 kids) was me and my son and my Assistant Den Leader and his. If was like an hour long father-son playdate.

[weblinger08]

Thanks for all the great ideas everyone. I'm stuck with the event being in June as it is a citywide event, but perhaps next year we'll look at moving Graduation into May as it's own event, and just enjoy the campout in June :')

[5yearscouter]

I'm experimenting with something that school teachers have begun using in the jr high/ high school grades.

Sending bulk text messages, announcement style only.

 

you go to www.remind101.com

 

sign up for an account for your pack

then you set up a class that you'd call perhaps Pack 123.

they assign you a phone number.

you set a code, like "@Pack123"

 

everyone in your pack, you give them the flyer to sign up.

but all they do is text "@Pack123" to the phone number assigned by remind 101.

they'll get a reply and request for name, ask them to type in

scout first name (rank), so they'd reply "John(Bear)"

 

that's all parents have to do.

you don't have to get all the parent's phone numbers and send out bulk messages on your phone.

 

you go online back to your remind 101 account and log in.

click on the pack 123 class and in the text box you type in your message,

something like

"check your email for info about campout"

or "remember you must sign up with your den leader (cubmaster) by Tuesday's meeting for the campout."

 

then it sends out the text to all the people in the pack.

 

now you could also set up separate classes for each den.

you'll set a code for each class, like "@tiger den 5" or whatever.

 

tell everyone they can't reply to those messages.

they are only for announcements.

give them the info on who to reply to--ideally their den leader.

The biggest time saver--- you don't have to type in each and every person's phone numbers and save them in your phone. that can be overwhelming if you have 40 kids in your pack and you'd have to enter 80 phone numbers to text mom and dad of each scout.

 

clear as mud?

 

 

 

 

 

[Papadaddy]

People are too ignorant these days to know what RSVP means...or they just don't care. My son got married in November, and in the weeks before, we were calling invitees who hadn't bothered to respond one way or the other. Most said, "well, of course we're coming". Out of a guest list of 200, 50 people replied they were coming...and didn't, resulting in a tremendous waste of money for meals paid for, but unused. Some replied "yes" and attended the wedding at the church, but didn't show up for the reception. The reception is why we need the RSVP, DUH. People are morons...and the epidemic is growing worse.

[Basementdweller]

Doesn't matter what you do...

 

Announce at the Pack meeting with a take home flyer with a followup email and then phone calls.

 

 

YOU will always, always, always have folks that say they didn't know.

 

 

Summer is a tough nut to crack at the cub level....the families just stop doing anything.