Recruitment Tent

There are many community events held in public parks around the area during the summer, from The Taste of Colorado to Conifair in Conifer. It’s hard to find a week-end where there is not an event being held in the area served by the Denver Area Council. And there are lots of young people at those events, looking for something fun and adventurous to do. Something like Scouts.

It would be easy to catch the eye of the young boys at those events. A large wall tent will do it every time. But this tent would be built with one side open so that it would be easy to see all that’s inside. But the displays outside the tent would be the first hook. A (simulated) campfire with cooking equipment. A backpack, ropes, canoe paddles, and of course a flag on a pole. Outside with the equipment would be Scouts of course. Who better to begin a conversation with other boys, than boys?

Inside would be lots of pictures of the activities the Scouts are known for. A video running on a laptop. Copies of the Scout handbook and meritbadge books. All the literature and information a boy and his parents could want about the program. A laptop could be open to the “unit locator” program so an adult volunteer could help an interested family find which units serve their area.

There should be some pinewood derby cars for the kids to look at. Ropes they can practice tying knots with…and lots of smiles from enthusiastic scouts.

The staging would need to be done by a group of volunteers who know how it goes up, and how it should look. But the boys and adults manning the booth should come from local units who can best describe the Packs, Troops, and Crews in the area, and the opportunities for fun and adventure that they’ve done…and that they have planned for the future.

It would take some planning and coordinating to keep the display out in the public all summer. The first step would be to describe the display (or show it) at District Roundtables so everyone would know what’s available. Then it would be up to the units to reserve it for their local events. Of course someone from Council would have to keep a master calendar for scheduling.