Be Highly Visible - Part III: Programming

Dr. Geoffrey Zoeller, Patriots' Path Council vice president for membership and relations, continues his series on why your unit needs to be highly visible!  This blog post deals with having engaging programming that makes your unit more visible to the community.  It is also a great way to market Scouting to community and business leaders in your area.

Here are some concrete examples:

Local media outlets always welcome Scouts.  Not only is this a great way for the boys to learn about making connections with the community, but some organization allow the boys to participate in making commercials, recording songs, etc.  A great experience for the boys and an effective means of free advertising for Scouting.
 

Many regional learning centers and natural sites of interest have Scout-specific programs that are well thought-out and highly structured.  Pictures from visits can be submitted to local papers, websites, and school newsletters.  Having groups of Scouts visit these sites also makes Scouting highly visible to other patrons and visitors. 

Your nearby historical society will be happy to provide programs to your Scouts that meet achievement and elective requirements.  At the same time, your Scouts will be visible at local sites of interest, which can often lead to relationship building and even community service projects.  Plus ... it's fun!