Fall Recruitment Is Underway: Keep the Momentum Going!
Fall recruitment is in full swing across the Black Swamp Area Council, and thanks to the hard work of our unit leaders, volunteers, and staff, hundreds of new families are being introduced to the adventure of Scouting.
As of September 29, 259 new youth have joined Scouting in 2026, including 105 new members in September alone. Since the end of July, total council membership has grown from 1,706 youth to 1,863 youth.
That is great progress, but our fall recruitment season is not over!
One Sign-Up Night Is Not Enough
One of the most important things units can do right now is make sure families have multiple opportunities to join.
If your pack has already held its first sign-up night, don't stop there. Schedule a second or even third opportunity for families to visit.
Families are busy. Sports schedules, school activities, work commitments, and family obligations can easily cause a family to miss a single recruitment night. A second sign-up event, open house, pack meeting, or "Bring a Friend" activity gives those families another opportunity to say yes to Scouting.
Units across the council are already planning multiple recruitment opportunities this fall, and that is a strategy we encourage every unit to consider.
Don't Wait for Families to Find Us. Invite Them!
Posters, flyers, yard signs, and social media are important, but nothing replaces a personal invitation.
Our Council Membership Hub reminds us that many families who have not joined Scouting simply say,"We've never been invited." The Membership Hub encourages units to promote recruitment early and often while putting special emphasis on personal invitations.
Ask every Scout in your unit:
"Who is one friend you could invite to your next meeting?"
An invitation from a Scout to a classmate, neighbor, or friend can be incredibly powerful.
We're Here to Help
You don't have to build your recruitment campaign from scratch. The Black Swamp Area Council has assembled tools and resources to help units prepare, invite, enroll, engage, and deliver a successful Scouting experience.
Visit our Membership Hub to find resources including:
- Recruitment and joining event planning tools
- Flyers, posters, and signs
- Peer-to-peer recruiting cards
- Social media and unit marketing resources
- Recruiting material request forms
- Online registration and BeAScout resources
- Sign-up sheets
- New-family welcome resources
- Tools for engaging parents and recruiting adult volunteers
Most importantly, work with your district professional to identify additional schools, neighborhoods, community events, and families that your unit can reach this fall.
Let's Finish the Fall Strong
Every new Scout represents more than another number on our membership report. It represents a young person who now has the opportunity to experience camping, leadership, service, friendship, and adventures they may remember for the rest of their life.
If you've held one sign-up night, schedule another. If you've distributed flyers, follow up with personal invitations. If new Scouts have joined, ask them to bring a friend.
Fall recruitment isn't a single event. It is an ongoing effort to make sure every family in our communities has an opportunity to discover Scouting.
Let's keep the momentum going, continue opening our doors to new families, and help even more young people Adventure On and become Prepared for Life.
Ready for Your Next Recruitment?
Visit the Black Swamp Area Council Membership Hub for resources and ideas to help make your next recruitment effort a success.
