p05 - Membership Drive

Media Advisory

For July15th, 2017

The Istrouma Area Council makes Membership a Priority.

Membership. Our new #1 Priority.

“A well-planned program, including a strong outdoor initiative, delivered by a trained leader, supported by a good commissioner, attracts and retains youth!”

We must change the overall attitude about membership. The Membership game just receives lip service. Our districts MUST recruit and train Membership Teams. Each unit must identify a Membership Chair. Not a Secretary, or Committee Chair which handles the unit’s re-charter, but a bona fide Membership Chair that can dedicate his / her efforts to year-round membership issues like Fall Roundup, Spring Recruiting, Webelos Woods, etc.).

There is a new initiative under way and it’s the appointment of a New Member Coordinator. The New Member Coordinator will be an additional member of the Unit Committee who will be like a one-person “Welcome Wagon” for any new youth and adults so that they feel more engaged from the very beginning. This individual should not replace who is currently managing your unit’s Membership Program. Instead, he or she should complement the effort and you should strive to develop a Membership Team at the unit level.

This just in from our national office if you have any youth that did not recharter and would like to rejoin scouting our National Council is willing to pay their registration fee till January recharter in 2018.

Until Membership becomes the number one priority at all levels it won’t matter how much money we raise, how good the program is or how great our facilities are. Without membership, all is for naught.

Jay Castagnetta

Vice-President, Membership and Relations

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