I remember joining my home troop 39 years ago this week. I joined for four reasons that I can remember very clearly:
1. There was going to be a troop Halloween party, and I wanted the candy.
2. There was going to be a weekend camping trip, and I wanted to go.
3. The troop had arranged for swimming practice over the winter in preparation for next summer, and I wanted to go into the indoor pool.
4. My friend asked me to join the troop, and I did.
It took my friend some asking and prodding to get me to go to the Troop Meeting/Halloween Party, but I finally agreed to go. My only commitment was to try it out. I enjoyed the candy, games, hands-on program on first aid, and the opening & closing ceremonies. They even gave out a Tenderfoot Badge to my friend. Half of the Scouts were in costume and half were in Scout uniform. The older Scouts were huge and somewhat intimidating-looking, but it seemed like they were good guys that I could look up to. Besides, that weekend camping trip was coming up quick!
Because my friend enthusiastically asked me to join, and because that troop had some good program, the rest for me is history.
Why not schedule a “Bring A Buddy Night”? Get your Scouts to sell their friends, neighbors, classmates, etc. on coming to the meeting to “try it out”. Have some goodies on hand, and plan an exciting meeting. Let the new prospective Scouts know about upcoming events. Have a mini Court of Honor. By the way, if that Scout uniform (secretly) excited me at my first troop meeting during what was the height of the Vietnam War and its protests, it still can excite the sophisticated kids of today. Good luck and good Scouting!
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