This month I would like to address the topic of Recruiting. Every year the time comes for our Webelos to transition to Boy Scouts and we actively set about recruiting the next generation of Cub Scouts into our program. Often I hear horror stories describing various difficulties, such as School Principles banning our presence, or not allowing flyers. And sometimes we hold a big Recruiting event where few or no new Scouts join our ranks. Some leaders get frustrated with recruiting because it never seems to go quite according to plan.

The first thing I would like to say about this is an old saying that definitely applies: "If all you ever do is what you have already done, all you are going to get is what you already got."

So my first advice is to change things up! If recruiting nights are a bust, then look at how you can change them. Instead of holding one on a weekday night, why not try a Saturday morning or afternoon? Instead of a recruiting speech, which might be great but perhaps considered "boring" by the boys, why not make a fun event for the boys to participate in? Do a pack carnival, or game day. Once you have truly sold the program to the boy's they will be excited about our Scouting Program and their parents will follow. While the boys are having FUN (fun with a purpose) have a booth for parents to get more information & sign them up. You might also have someone from your Pack there to socialize with the new Parents: greet them, provide them with information about your Pack, and especially to talk to them about the key benefits of or Program while they watch their boys making friends and having fun.

Is your School Principle giving your Pack a hard time? The first rule to follow, and I know it can be tough in some cases, is for both Scouts and Parents to always remember the scout law. A scout is Kind, and a scout is Cheerful. No matter how opposed to our Scouting Program a given School Principle may be, always remember to remain cheerful and to be kind to him or her. Over time this can really change the dynamic between your pack and the school. Meanwhile try other options. Signs off campus, post flyers at the public library or even sponsor a story time where a den leader reads a scouting theme or uplifting book to the children! This provides good community service to all youth and might just bring in new Cubs! Also, consider going to the PTA or PTSA of your school. Definitely reach out to our District Executive (Christina Coonradt) if you are concerned about a meeting with your School's Principle.

Our District is also sponsoring our 2^nd annual "Scouting Field Day" the first Saturday of July. This past year's Field Day was very successful and I hope to see every one of our Alpine Scout Units participate in this great event! It will be at Pickering Farm during the Farmer's Market, and makes for an outstanding Family outing for all Scouters and anyone thinking of joining our Scouting Movement. Start making plans now in your Pack to set up a booth, play some games, get the word out to the area youth about how fun and cool scouting can be.

You LDS Units are not exempt from this! Have your youth invite their friends to Den Meetings and events! What better way to share the value of scouting then with a friend!

Just keep in mind the importance and value of the messages our Scouting Movement brings. As volunteers, we are in the business of not just improving the lives of children & their families, but of building a better society. Not just of making strong Scouts, but building strong Parents and Leaders of our Country! We can change the world one little heartbeat at a time! Please take that extra time to make a real effort to spread the word about this marvelous program.

As always, e-mail me with any questions or concerns. Feel free to e-mail me any recruiting success stories so I can share those with the District!!

This month I would like to talk a bit about Volunteering. One of the great things about scouting is that it is essentially a volunteer run orginization. Sure we have professionals assisting us, and keeping us running, but they rely on us volunteers to do the leg work and really keep things running how they need to. This is especially true at the unit level. Where would we be without dedicated Cubmasters, Scout Masters and Committee members. Not to mention Den leaders. Quite simply the program would not survive without you as volunteers.

Outside of the units there are ways for us to volunteer as well. I just finished up with my session of Daycamp. There were 4 key volunteers that ran that camp, on top of that there were a couple dozen parents and leaders that volunteered as staff to assist in running stations, and events. This camp would not have happened without them. The boys had a great deal of fun, and it fulfilled several key functions of scouting. On top of that, it was just plain fun.

We need to encourage our parents to volunteer as well. They don't need to be the den leader or cubmaster necessarily, there are several things we can have them do. Pinewood derby chair, Popcorn kernal, Blue and Gold Banquet chair. Heck, even just coordinating with other parents who brings treats to pack meetings! Just get them involved. Get them used to working with you and helping the pack grow. When I was a committee chair for a pack I tended to deligate tasks whenever possible to other parents and leaders. Not because I couldn't do the job, but because I wanted them to feel like they were needed. Remember there will always come the day when you need a replacement. It will be easier if you have trained your parents up before hand.

This district is very lucky with the volunteers we have. We are able to provide a much more quality program then we otherwise would. Did you know we have a Scouter that has been involved continuously for over 70 years? That is a love for the program, and a testimony that it works and has worth.

So to sum up, get involved, get your families inviolved, come to roundtable and meet people that are in the same boat as you. Together as volunteers we can make a real difference in the world. Thanks for the service you have already given, and for the service you will give in the future. And one more thing: Happy Birthday Bob Jones, and Thank You! 

This month I would like to talk a little bit about our Scout uniforms. The Uniform and insignia of the Boy Scouts of America gives a scout visibility and creates a level of identity within both the unit and the community. The uniform is used to promote equality while showing individual achievement. Equality in that we are all equal members of the same orginization while showing our personal achievements. More importantly it is instantly and universally recognized by the general public when we are out and about. And as people see us they judge the whole orginization based on that one person in their uniform.

Uniforming is one of the eight Methods used to accomplish the Scouting Aims of Character, Citizenship, & Fitness. The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community.

A few weeks back I went to a Scout meeting and was surprised to see several of the youth with their shirts untucked, unbuttoned and generally sloppy. I thought this a little strange until I saw that the Scoutmaster was wearing his scout shirt unbuttoned and untucked. I felt bad about the message this gives the youth. "A scout is clean" was certainly not one of those. What do members of the public think when they see our youth and more importantly leaders representing our ideals and values in such a fashion?

It is important that we adults lead by example and "do our best" to show these youth how to take pride in their appearance by doing a few simple things.

1. Tuck our shirts in and button them up. I know this sounds common sense but it is an easy way to show our own pride in our appearance.
2. Wear the proper insignia, in the proper places. You can find examples and guides all over the place on what goes where.
3. For special occasions like pack meeting spruce it up a little. A pack meeting should be something special, more then just another den meting. If you have a neckerchief, bolo tie or other neck wear put them on! Just that little bit of extra effort can show these youth how important and sepcial the event is.
4. Have periodic uniform inspections. Give good positive feedback. Have the adults line up with the youth as well!
5. And finally, never go anyplace in your uniform that whould negatively impact scouting and therefore us all. Going out for a drink after a scout event on your own time is fine, just not in your uniform.
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We scouters and scouts are recognized as a force for good in the communities. For 100 years now the sight of a scout uniform has inspired generations of people. Lets take pride in that history and heritage and look our best not just for us, or for the boys, but for our society.

In order to tackle this topic adequately I feel that I must first define what a District is. A District is a geographical area where several scouting units are. Each District is led by three (3) key leaders: a District Executive (DE), a District Chairman, and a District Commissioner. These three people, known as "the Key-3" leaders, oversee the District Committee and the Commissioner Corps. In addition, the District Committee is comprised of several subcommittees, each with a different mission or focus such as training, camping, membership, advancement, and other functions that are critical to the successful operation of the District. All these District leaders, with the exception of one (the DE), are all Volunteers just like our Pack Leaders – they have all opted to donate their time and effort for the District as a whole and not for one particular Troop, Team, Crew, Ship or yes... Pack. 

So now that we have a basic idea of what a District is, we will try answer the all important question, "What's in it for us Cub Scout Parents?" And that is a fair question. Scouting can be successful of course with a very small group. Only 5 or 6 leaders is all it takes to help a small Pack of say 12 to 15 Scouts. In fact, in the early days of Scouting a book and good intentions were all one needed. But today there are literally MILLIONS of years of collective experience out there. People that regularly hike trails, climb mountains, develop new & interesting games, or that know things about our history or our community.

• Why attend Roundtable? There are people that are really comfortable in front of groups, and people that know the tricks of making a pack meeting into a monthly EVENT rather then just a meeting. In our district we have a team of dedicated Commissioners that put on a monthly Roundtable. This roundtable is a place for us to meet, learn new ideas together, and share our experiences. Roundtable is there to help new leaders with the basics that they need to run their Packs, and to perhaps share a new perspective for more experienced leaders. I have been involved in scouting for my entire adult life, and much of my youth, and yet I still learn something each time I go to Roundtable. It is a wonderful opportunity to come together as volunteers and develop our skills.
• Why go to District activities? Cub Scouters might think "we have our pinewood Derby and summer campout, so why do we need to go do this district stuff?" There are many reasons to go out of our small units and see what the other guys in scouts are doing, and to see that we are never alone in Scouting. There is nothing like being a part of a large group of people with the same values and standards meeting each other and just basking in the fellowship that only the Scouting Movement can offer. To know that in today's troubled times that there are youth out there that care about more then just gadgets or the latest TV shows, and that they truly care about getting involved in their communities. To know that everyone that wears the Uniform of the Scout is connected in some way to every other. To know that we are mixed together from all walks of life with one common goal and that is to "...prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."

This all reminds me of a Cubmaster's minute I used to present, which I'll admit I shamelessly "borrowed" from another scout leader, at a Roundtable, but that is exactly what I am talking about. Here is how it goes: I take a small stick in my hand and show it to the scouts. It looks pretty sturdy. I talk about the strength in a single branch. And there is strength there. But then I brake it. It may not be easy but it does break being all alone. I then gather about 6 or 7 sticks all the same. and put them together. I again try to break them but simply cannot do so. This may seem simplistic but it shows that as cliché as it may sound, together we are much stronger then we are alone. Together we can withstand the pressures that this world can exert on us in an effort to break us. We can stand against the tides of immorality and unhappiness that affects so many people around us, but only if we stand together.

We are a unique organization. We all are sponsored by different organizations. The Catholic Church, Protestant Churches, the LDS Church, Family Groups, PTAs, Chambers of Commerce, Service Clubs and Fraternal Organizations, and some generous local Companies. Each one is a little bit different, just as each Pack is too. But all of these fine organizations share the same goal in Scouting. I will repeat this because it is so very important. "...To prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."

So Friends, this is my plea:

1. Please come to Roundtable and join us in making this District stronger. Make the effort to stretch out of your comfort zone and join your fellow Scouters to help the youth & families in our community. Your effort in doing so could help others in ways you can't imagine. Learn great new ideas to teach and develop the boys in your Pack, to set a good example, and to help each other as Volunteer Leaders.
2. Would you like to do more than attend Roundtable? Then please consider becoming a Unit Commissioner to help another Pack as an friend & advisor. This gives you a tremendous opportunity to help others using what you have learned in your previous experiences as a Cub Scout Leader. Together we can keep this amazing movement going for another 100 years!

Any other ideas for future topics, questions, complaints or other input contact me via my contact page: Tom Coonradt (Assistant District Commissioner for Cub Scouts).