• Recruiting Documents
• Recruiting Fun Event

Information for New Members

Recruiting Fun Event

• Select an appropriate event (e.g., picnic, Christmas carnival). Plan the scope of the event to ensure a fun time is had by all. Get a settlement to sponsor the event.
• Plan Carnival or Field Games. Ask each settlement to bring, set up, and run a "carnival" or other game. Ask an adult to run the game, with help from their children. Game skill levels should be appropriate for Kindergarten. Successful game ideas include:
  • Ring toss
  • Bean bag toss
  • Basketball free throws
  • Baseball pitching
  • Baseball batting
  • Frisbee targets
  • Bowling -- with toy pins or large plastic drinking cups as the target.
  • A "race" game using a "wheel-of-fortune" that the children spin to advance their cars/horses.
  • A kid's trivia game.
  • Clothespin and milk-bottle drop.
  • A jump rope.
  • An easy-to-make (Pioneer?) craft project (using paper, tape or glue, markers, cotton, toothpicks, pipe-cleaners, etc.)
  • Face painting.
  • A "fishing" game (magnetic lures and paper fish with paperclips, or paperclip hooks and fish with large loops), or the Cree's patented fish sliding down a string.
  • A block-stacking challenge
  • A sock-puppet show
  • A very low "balance-beam" that the child can try to walk across.
  • A singing and/or dancing challenge.
• Arrange for tickets and Game Prizes. We have historically provided some kind of "prizes" for the game contestants (a ticket winner every time) -- which may bee redeemed for penny candy, stickers, little plastic gimmicks, etc. Inexpensive prizes can be acquired from one of the party-supply outlets or asking members for excess stuff.
• Promote the event. A major purpose of Fun Event is to bring in new recruits. There is no single "heavy-hit" way that we can promote an event, but a combination of small "hits" is likely to provide a payback. The most important promotion tool is to encourage existing members to bring their friends . Following are some ideas, consider executing those ideas for which we can find volunteers.
  1. Ensure reporting--who what when why where--in the Telegraph. Ask guides and princesess to wear vests, and chiefs to wear feathers.
  2. Develop flyer promoting the event
  3. Distribute 2 flyers in the Telegraph--ask members to give a copy to friends
  4. Pass out flyers to Longhouse reps for distribution to members
  5. Send email promoting the event
  6. Establish telephone calling tree regarding the event
  7. Follow up to see if calling tree has been completed
  8. Distribute flyers to YMCA day care
  9. Identify volunteers to distribute flyers to other locations: libraries, parades, churches
  10. Develop outdoor sign, with perhaps a spot for a changeable date and location?
  11. Ask the YMCA to let us post a prominent (outdoor?) banner at the Y for two weeks prior to the event.
  12. Investigate other prominent locations for signage.
  13. Write brief announcement and contact the Chagrin Valley Times, Bainbridge Banter, etc. in the week(s) immediately prior to the event.
  14. Check with YMCA to see if we can have a bulk mailing to all YMCA members -- to generally advertise the Y-Guides and specifically entice them to come to "Fun Event". Perhaps the solicitation could be included with something that the YMCA already sends?
  15. Followup on completion and success of distribution efforts
  16. Arrange for a supply of Y-Guides Program flyers and recruiting sign-up slips for the event.
  17. Arrange for appropriate recruiting material for the event (tri-fold presentation, etc.)
• Day of event
  1. Capture recruit names and followup on their placement
  2. Keep grumpy people away from recruits
  3. Document successes, failures, and ideas for next event.
  4. Thank all that volunteered or were coerced for their efforts.