Check Out beascout.org !

[SeattlePioneer]

Dear fellow Scout Leaders,

 

 

One of the coolest new aids in recruiting Scouts is the B.S.A. beascout.org website!

 

It allows those interested in joining Scouts to shop around their home area on a map for a Scout unit that looks appealing to them, and send an e-mail inquiry directly to Scout leaders.

 

Give it a try! Personally, I'm very proud of the "Pin" for my Pack 240 that appears on the map. Go to beascout.org, select Cub Scouts and enter 98146 for the zip code. Select Pack 240, unit #2 as listed.

 

Next try checking the pin for your own unit ---- perhaps it needs to be updated or customized with information for your unit by your unit leader!

 

Information on updating your unit pin is at http://www.seattlebsa.org/Membership/Update-Your-Unit-on-the-Be-A-Scout-Map

 

 

If you need help updating your pin, let me know. If you are proud of your unit pin, please let me know ----I'd like to see it!

 

On July 12th I got an e-mail from beascout.org giving me information on a new family interested in joining Cub Scout Pack 240 ---- has your unit been missing out on those leads?

 

 

Best,

 

 

Will Skubi

Membership Chair

Aquila District

Chief Seattle Council

 

 

 

[shortridge]

Sorry to rain on your parade, but that's been around since at least 2009.

[Jeffrey H]

Thanks for the information Seattle! I did not know about this so it's NEW to me. I'll check it out.

[fred8033]

Works much better now. It must have been re-engineered.

[Tampa Turtle]

I don't see anything different? Seems as slow as ever. Sorry to be a downer.

[Sentinel947]

lots of troops in my area that say "Contact the council for info" that's kind of a downer.

[The Blancmange]

>>>>lots of troops in my area that say "Contact the council for info" that's kind of a downer.

[howarthe]

"Only the following Registered Leaders in your Unit have the ability to update your Unit's Meeting Location on the "Be A Scout" Map, and to change to your Unit's (A) Unit Leader: this means your Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Varsity Coach, Crew Advisor or Skipper. (B) Unit Committee Chair. © Chartered Organization Representative" Our problem is that our neither our cub master, pack committee chair nor charter organization representative are likely to log on to make the updates. I have been leading the recruitment efforts this year, but I'm only a den leader, so I can't fix this for us.

[Sentinel947]

Blanc, my troop has it's info and point of contact on there. I was just commenting on my area in general. But it's nice to see all the troops around.

[Miki]

Thank you for the link on how to update. I knew about the page, but not how to update the information! Fixing ours to have accurate info as I type.

M

[Polaris]

Here's our pin:

 

Cub Scouts

Zip 40014

Pack 998

 

With only 40 characters, it's hard to come up with a brief and catchy description.

 

I believe our Council will be placing BeAScout.org on pizza box sticky flyers this fall. A portion of the pizza profits will be donated to Council. All units are encouraged to update their pins.

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello Polaris,

 

Very nice pin! In addition to the nice pin, you have a link to your excellent website, which adds a lot to the limited amount of information on the pin.

 

I'm vain about my unit's pin, but with the addition of your website you easily outclass my pin!

 

Darn!

 

Loved the Tiger Cub Den One pictures and program!

 

(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)

[kari_cardi]

Our DE went through and added unit leader information to the pins in our district. He was surprised to find that I had already edit our unit pins, thanks to your previous posts on the topic, SP.

 

No recruitment results yet, though.

[BSA24]

I have never heard of any unit in our area getting a cub scout through this method. They all come from school events where we recruit during registration at the beginning of the year and school night for scouting. A few see us physically out there and join us. A few join due to word of mouth.

 

We've never gotten a scout from our web site or any other activity that targets parents. Parents generally don't seek out scouting. We have to appeal directly to boys, and they sell the parents.

 

As for Boy Scouts, those are recruited in schools (although most troops seem to have forgotten this) and from Cub Scout Packs. The best way to recruit them is to embed den chiefs around your district in various packs to lead them back to you and to embed an ASM in each pack around you as an ACM.

 

Everything else is a gimmick that does nothing. YMMV.

 

 

[SSScout]

 

I tend to agree with BSA24.

Our Troop did get one new Scout from a referral by a school counselor. The family had just moved to the area and registered for Middle School. The counselor knew a Scout in the school, he told her to call his dad (ASM) and he referred her to me (ADC) and I told her about the Troops in the school district. They ultimately chose our Troop. Boy had friends in it, so it was a good match, we think.

 

The BeAScout has not been jumped on too eagerly hereabouts as a real recruiting tool, but it can be another resource for anyone seeking info about Scouting, anywhere. I have used it as a way to answer questions about Scouting in other areas of the country.

 

I gladly recommend it to our area units, and it is up to them to update it and make it useable to them. Most of the units I have spoken to are not even aware of it until I point it out.

 

Hey, here's a referral. We were talking about , I guess, surfing the web for Scouting, and the adbar above my posting space is for a company that makes wheely carts for your surf board.