Boy Scouts stepping up recruiting efforts

They're battling for boys and are often coming out on the losing end. Across the country, many communities are seeing a shortage of Boy Scouts and are stepping up recruiting efforts help fill the

Monday, August 29th 2005, 9:58 am

By: News On 6

They're battling for boys and are often coming out on the losing end. Across the country, many communities are seeing a shortage of Boy Scouts and are stepping up recruiting efforts help fill the ranks.

News on 6 anchor Terry Hood says Boy Scout organizers in Tulsa say this is the time of year when recruiting efforts really start to get into full gear. In fact, nearly every Cub Scout recruiter based out of their Tulsa office was at local schools Monday afternoon. Kids as young as first grade are recruited for Scouts.

Local Cub Scout coordinator Carol Whitebook says they always see numbers dip in the summertime. She says not only to they have to recruit kids, but also parents to serve as troop leaders. Whitebook says she appeals to kids' sense of fun, touting the trips and activities scouts get to do, but she says many young boys stick with scouts because of the positive role models who change their lives. "So when they hear about that bonding, and how they can be in a family that does these kind of things, the Twinkies, the sodas, the video games aren't of much emphasis in that child's mind."

Whitebook says the areas around Tulsa aren't seeing the shortage, like in other parts of the country. She expects to sign up 5,000 new cub scouts this season, but to get those numbers; you can expect Boy Scout veterans to be canvassing a community near you.