ESTABLISHING ANOTHER TROOP IN THE NEXT TOWN

[meckanic]

Recently our Troop has had a loss of Scouts due to a lack of a Cub Scouts Pack in our Charter Org. (church). In our town where our Troop is chartered, we have 2 other Troops which usually absorb the Webelos when it comes time to bridge over. The neighboring town has NO Scout Troops and also has a school w/o Cubs or Scouts.

 

Because we have a church with-out a school as a CO., I feel this prevents us from getting these Scouts. Here my questions:

 

1. Can a Troop maintain another Troop in the neighboring town and have two Charter Organizations?

 

2. Should the Troop create another Troop in the neighboring town and have a seperate CO?

 

Any advise I could get is helpful? HELP! We are losing boys!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks,

 

Scoutmaster Meckanic

[johndaigler]

meckanic, WELCOME!

 

Units don't create other units. There may be a willing CO in the next town, but that Troop/Pack would be a totally separate unit from your own. Just go over there and recruit. Bringing in another CO would take those boys out of your hands as they develop a Unit or two of their own.

 

I think one concern you need to address is why boys choose other troops. You're definitely at a disadvantage without a school, but develop a great program with the boys you have and other boys will learn about it and start joining your unit. If you already think you have a great unit, then examine how you're marketing it. Selling your program is as important as maintaining it - if you're disatisfied with membership numbers. Bigger isn't always better.

 

Good Luck

 

jd

[SemperParatus]

A subsidiary troop...what a novel idea.

 

Look to your program and its ability to deliver scouting's promise, not to the next town. Focus on the troop and boys you have, make it the best it can possibly be and you will be surprised how quickly it will start to grow.

 

Any thought of creating a pack through your CO?

 

Think and act with long-term vision with the goal of creating a model program and the short-term recruiting issues will likely take care of themselves.

 

Good luck.