2022-2023 Cub Growth

[Ojoman]

At our recent district committee meeting we were told we were ahead of last year in membership. Not a difficult thing considering the losses of the past two years. However, for the first time in recent memory we have fewer Cubs than Scouts and that should be a huge red flag. Cubs is a 6 year program (5 1/2) actually but Scouts has generally been targeted at 3 grade levels. Without retention in Cubs, Scouts will continue to decline. As families join this fall, packs must offer programs designed to meet the needs of kids and families. Most packs run a fairly blended program which means that the cubs tend to see a lot of repetition year after year with pack events and activities. 4th n 5th graders often are doing many of the things that younger kids do. This is wrong. The program needs to grow in every area, not just in the advancement area. It's not bad to plan activities for gr k&1, then gr 2&3 and then Webelos. Check the age appropriate information and guide to safe scouting and plan accordingly. Also, put together a strong 12 month program. Kids have the most free time in the summer and the best weather for outdoor activities, hikes, bike trips, boating and swimming along with litter and neighborhood cleanups and good turns can turn a boring summer into a fun and exciting growth experience. A positive 12 month program encourages retention. In fact, a really healthy pack will gain members at every level and end up with more Cubs in the higher grade levels due to word of mouth. When kids talk to friends about their experiences, friends and families want to join to have the same experiences. Remember KISMIF!

[Tron]

Every pack in my area that is shrinking or on the brink of folding has a history of shutting down shop on June 1st. There is no coincidence. 

[mrjohns2]

We had the shrink from ‘21 to ‘22. From ‘22 to ‘23 we had growth in our pack and are the biggest we have seen since we became involved in 2018. We believe it is the biggest it has been in anyone’s memory (15-20 years).
 

Our pack went from 28 to 70. We rechartered 48.

Our boy troop is flat at about 25. They will cross over 4 Webelos. 

Our girl troop went from 18, rechartered 16, and will cross over 4-5 for about 20. That will be a high for us. 

[Ojoman]

Congratulations, keep up the good work. Over the years I have personally witnessed and also be told of positive lifechanging experiences for both the kids and the adults in the program. For my money there is no better place to give your time than to build our future citizens. Thanaks.

 

[DannyG]

Our Pack took a big hit from 2020-2021. We lost Cubs due to transition to Scouts, and we were not able to recruit new scouts to replace them. Some families lost interest. They didn't like Zoom meets for the kids with short attention spans. Or they didn't want to meet in groups, even if we were only holding meetings outside. The Pack went from about 40 kids to 20. Then in Fall 2021 they all started coming back. All of our Lions, Tigers, and Wolves dens were new scouts. The Pack is still growing.

Our Pack Committee puts real importance on having at least one monthly outing all 12-months of the year: Camp, hike, fish, community clean-up, food drives, skating, go-karts, baseball/soccer games....Families that want active kids will find you when you are out in the community. We recruit kids when they see us doing things.

Edited January 19, 2023 by DannyG