Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America Character Burning Bright ��������������Page 3 University of Scouting �����������������Page 16 Share the Scout Law Be the best leader in action and go you can be. Your digital with our new Scouting education Annual Report. Adventures awaits. inSCOUTING August/September 2016 www.hoac-bsa.org • (816) 942-9333 Volume 21 — Number 4 READY TO RECRUIT School Night for Scouting 2016 Get your first look at new resources and new ways to join� Pages 4 – 5 1 Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America August/September 2016 FROM THE SCOUT EXECUTIVE The Chicken or the Egg…Recruitment or Retention? COUNCIL CALENDAR August e’ve all heard the old saying, “which plan their program and monthly themes in Wcame first, the chicken or the egg?” the summer, before the new pack program 3 Council Day Camp Meeting 17 Council Activities Committee Meeting While I don’t have the answer to that ques- year begins. At the first pack meeting of 10 University of Scouting Staff Meeting 20 Commissioner Basic Training tion, I do have the answer to “what comes the school year they hand out a printed 12-13 Varsity Triathlon 20 Popcorn Seller’s Academy first, new youth recruitment or retention?” schedule for the year of all the pack’s activi- To me the answer is both! ties and meetings. A well planned and fun 12-13 Naish Adventure Weekend 20-21 Schlitterbahn Scout Days program will keep your Scouts coming 12-14 OA Induction Weekend #1 — Bartle 22 Popcorn Show N’ Sell Orders Due This fall, thanks to the help of a great staff and back for more! 13 Popcorn Seller’s Academy 24 Council Advancement Committee Meeting dedicated volunteers, we will give young boys • Budget: It does take finances and an an- in 465 elementary schools the opportunity to 13 T-Bones Scout Night 26-28 OA Induction Weekend #2 — Naish nual budget to operate a successful pack. join Cub Scouts. Our overall goal this fall is to Successful packs usually hold one fundrais- 17 George Meany Award Dinner 29 Bill Self Golf Classic register 5,000 new Cub Scouts. Frankly, when ing event a year — the majority participate 17 Council Training Committee Meeting 30 Council Commissioner Meeting it’s all said and done, the recruitment is the in the council popcorn sale. Rather than easy part. The question is…Does your pack September asking parents for money every month, set have a retention plan in place? a fundraising goal per Scout. 9 Popcorn Sale begins 16-18 OA Fall Fellowship I have to smile when Cub Scout leaders or my • Follow Up: For many of our new Scouts, 9 Sporting Kansas City Scout Night 20 Council Risk Management Committee Meeting staff tell me that a Cub Scout Pack lost a num- if they miss a few meetings they may ber of youth members at recharter time. To be think they are too far behind their friends 9-10 Popcorn Show N’ Sell Distribution 21 Council Shooting Sports true, these boys didn’t drop out at recharter and don’t return. Our best packs make Committee Meeting time in December or January. In fact, I would it a practice at their monthly committee 9-11 Wood Badge Training 23-24 Powder Horn Training meetings to review the names of Scouts bet that the majority of the boys dropped out 10 Truman Library Merit Badge Program 23-24 Cub Family Campout — Naish within the first four weeks of joining. who missed 2 or more meetings in the last month and then personally follow up with 13 Council Properties Committee Meeting 24-25 Cub Family Campout — Naish Planning for retention starts long before a a visit or call to the parent. 14 Council Camping Committee Meeting 24 Naish Skilled Trades Day new Scout ever joins a pack. When I look at 14 Cub Scout Family Campout Meeting 24-25 Naish Adventure Weekend our packs with a strong retention program I Good luck on your fall recruitment efforts see the following components: and build your plan for successful retention. 15 Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner 27 Council Membership Committee Meeting Remember that Scouting is good for our 15 Council Technology Committee Meeting 27 Council Commissioner Meeting • Den Leadership Selection: Don’t just ask youth and our Scouts make our communities 16 Council STEM Committee Meeting 30-1 Cub Family Campout — Naish for a volunteer to be the new Den Leader. a better place to live! Meet as a Pack Committee and then October As always if you have any questions, ideas or determine who is the best person to be 1-2 Webelos STEM Weekend — Bartle 17 Popcorn Return Paperwork Due the Den Leader. Then pick 2-3 committee concerns let me know. members to make the request “in person”. 1 OA Vigil Banquet 18 Mic-O-Say Dinner/Auction Never recruit alone or over the phone. Kenn Miller 3 Fill it up Popcorn Orders Due 20 Bartle Camp Draw (816) 569-4980 • Pack/Den Program Plan: Our best packs 7-8 Sporting Clays Classic 22 Bartle Camp Draw [email protected] 7-8 Wood Badge Training 22 Naish Camp Draw ADVENTURES IN SCOUTING 8-9 Cub Family Campout — Bartle 22-23 Naish Adventure Weekend 14 Bartle Camp Draw 22 Popcorn Show N’ Sell Returns Due Published February/March, April/May, June/July, August/ September, October/November, December/January by the Heart 14-15 Cub Family Campout — Naish 24 Final Popcorn Orders Due Online of America Council, Boy Scouts of America. This issue and past 15-16 Cub Family Campout — Bartle 26 Council Coordinated Meeting archived issues can be found on the Heart of America Council 15 Scout Day at Kansas Speedway 28-29 VOA Haunted Trails website, www.hoac-bsa.org. PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENTS TREASURER Scott Boswell Jeremy Croucher Bruce Snyder COUNCIL William Easley ASSISTANT TREASURER COMMISSIONER Tom Freeman Gregg Givens Hon. Keith W. Sickendick Aaron R. Guest Clifford W. Illig LEGAL COUNSEL SCOUT EXECUTIVE Richard A. McWhirt Richard L. Martin Kendrick J.E. Miller Jeanette Prenger EDITOR Gregg Riess Matt Armstrong Zachary H. Shafran Charlie M. Tetrick GRAPHIC DESIGN Tammy Bosley 2 Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America August/September 2016 COUNCIL NEWS Build a Fire for Life 2015 Annual Report Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. More than just words, the twelve points of the Scout Law fuel the fire of character that burns bright inside each and every Scout. Help us show character burning bright and relive an amazing year of Scouting in Kansas City with our new interactive 2015 Annual Report. Share the Scout Law in action and you could be handsomely rewarded. Start your digital experience at www.HOACAnnualReport.com Downtown BBQ Serves Up Food for Funding Nearly one-thousand hungry Scouting supporters made their way to downtown Kansas City on June 24 for the 19th annual Scout City BBQ. A summertime staple, the Scout City BBQ raises much needed funds for Scoutreach in Kansas City. Event proceeds go to inner city Scouting programs to provide essentials like uniforms, handbooks, and even summer camp assistance. After an outpouring of generous donations, we are pleased to report that the 2016 Scout City BBQ raised a staggering $30,000. Special thanks to all our sponsors and to Plowboys BBQ for catering this year’s lunch. 3 Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America August/September 2016 SCHOOL NIGHT FOR SCOUTING START WITH THE BASICS TO Here are a few helpful hints to make sure your School Night is the best it can be… READY ▶ Have a marketing plan! Utilize marketing materials like fliers, posters, and yard signs provided by the council as well as social media strategies to get the word out about your School Night. JOIN CUB SCOUTS Give families multiple opportunities to join. Conduct a RECRUIT ▶ School Night in August as well as other joining events in September and October. School Night for School Night should be about recruiting youth, not ▶ selecting leaders. Identify your leaders before the School Scouting 2016 Night or prior to your Parent Orientation Meeting. KCScouting.org 2016 HOAC Scout Day Sign Create an annual program plan and budget and share s_vFA.indd 1 The fall signals the start of a new school year and ▶ with your Scouting families. 6/29/16 5:44 PM a return to Scouting. From August to October, the buzz across the council will be the annual School Night for Scouting campaign — a coordinated recruitment drive that will welcome more than 5,000 new boys to Scouting. The question is…Is New Recruitment Resources Available your pack ready to recruit? If you haven’t planned www.hoac-bsa.org/Pack-Recruitment-Resources your recruiting strategy yet, don’t worry — there’s still time! We’re here to help with resources, tips, tools, and incentives to make sure your School Night is a success. NEW CAMPAIGN LOOK We’re pulling out all the stops this year with new ads and new ways to share Scouting. More than just a compass or Pinewood Derby car, our new ad campaign focuses on the fun of Scouting all while emphasizing the timeless values our programs have to offer. Be on the lookout for new recruitment ads this fall on… ▶ Billboards ▶ Facebook ▶ Theater ▶ Instagram ▶ Mobile ▶ Homepage ▶ Radio Takeovers 4 Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America August/September 2016 SCHOOL NIGHT FOR SCOUTING CUB ScouT FAMiLY CAMPOUT 6 nights to choose from —countless memories— NEW WAYS TO JOIN New in 2016, we’re making joining easier than ever.