Ideas for an event include: 

·        Derby Day – take your Derby track outdoors (school parking lot might be a good location), and have lots of cars for the boys to race.  Everyone, fathers included, loves to race those cars!

·        Cub Olympics – an outdoor field-day of games and fun; various activities ….

·        Fishing event –do you have access to a good spot for “kid” fishing?  Dads like this one, too.  Be sure to bring extra poles and bait.

·        Swimming party – Does your Pack have a summer swim party at a public pool?  Make it a dual-purpose event and invite your target membership. 

·        Bike Rodeo – set up a championship course of fun!  Have engraving, on-the-spot bike inspections, helmet sizing, etc.  Local police and/or firemen will often visit these events if requested.

·        Treasure Hunt – all kids love treasure hunts.  Now they have a fancy name:  geo-caching!  But with parent volunteers, GPS systems and a bit of web research, there are LOTS of great spots to geo-caching.  You can even hide your own “treasure” in advance.  Have a picnic and break up into teams …. Involves tromping through parks, sometimes over mud and streams!!!! Boy-fun ALL the way.

Be sure to send out invitations (postcards or flyers) to your target membership (e.g., purchased school mailing list).  See discussion below concerning mailings.

Give existing scouts an incentive to invite a friend or LOTS of friends …. A patch (official recruiter patch, if appropriate), a small prize, a nominal gift card.  Whatever works best with your boys and your budget.  It can be one level recognition if they bring a boy to the event and/or a second level recognition if that boy joins the Pack.

• Have a sign-in sheet to capture the contact information for all attendees.  Have appropriate Pack leadership follow-up with specific invite for JSN.
• Have Join Scouting forms available THERE to sign them up immediately – no need for high pressure, but if the parents are ready to sign-up, by all means, close the deal.
• Have refreshments (water, lemonade, cookies, chips …. Easy things)
• Have a secondary activity for over-flow, such as a craft or game if kids get bored with the first activity or you have a big crowd and not everyone can participate at once).  For example, leatherworking is popular and not something most non-scouts have been exposed to.
• Have a display board with pictures of the Pack having fun doing Pack and Den activities.
• Have current scouts there in uniform!  They are the best advertising, and they want to share the fun, too!
• Have lots of adult leaders and parents present (in uniform if appropriate) to talk with the recruits’ parents.