What do you do if your ward only has a few Cub Scout boys?
How can you improve your Cub Scout program?
How can Scouting build bridges in your community?
If you have ever asked yourself the above questions, consider the example of the Sahuarita Arizona Stake.
Sister Kirsten Sparks outside of the Sahuarita Arizona Stake Center.
Sister Kirsten Sparks was serving as stake Primary president when the stake determined to hold a Cub Scout school recruitment night.
Signs around the community announce the upcoming recruitment night at the local elementary school.
Coordinating with the local BSA council, Sister Sparks and her counselors rallied together with ward Primary presidents and Cub Scout leaders to recruit families in the community to join Cub Scouting. Here are the steps they followed:
Sister Sparks met with her district executive to plan and prepare for the recruitment night.
Cub Scout leaders invited students at local schools to attend the recruitment night with their parents.
Primary and community Cub Scout leaders gather for an orientation before the recruitment begins.
Parents were invited to join the pack which best met their location and schedule needs.
The recruitment brought 75 boys into Cub Scouting! Here are Sister Spark’s own words:
The National BSA team traveled to Sahuarita to catch this inspiring story on film.
Sister Sparks shares her recruitment experiences and testimony on camera.
Local priesthood leaders supported the recruitment effort and recognized the blessings to the ward Cub Scouts and leaders.
President Thayne Hardy, Sahuarita Arizona Stake, shares his testimony of Scouting and the blessings of reaching out to the community.
President Cole Thies, Rincon Arizona Stake, shares his experience as a previously non-LDS Scout leader.
The Sahuarita stake experienced specific benefits from their recruitment efforts.
“Our leaders became more involved in training themselves…They made sure they had the training to provide the program that the Cub Scouts and their parents expected,” shared Sister Sparks. An additional benefit was the added excitement within the Cub Scout packs.
Scouting is an effective bridge within our communities to build and strengthen relationships between people of all faiths.
Sister Sparks concludes,
Watch for the rest of this inspiring story coming soon on the LDS-BSA Relationships YouTube channel!
