Communicating with your Troop

[rkpeck]

Interested in thoughts on alternatives to email as a communicating method for your troops. I publish our troop's monthly newsletter, and, as a result, maintain the "master" email list. It's grown to 125 addresses (lots of former scouts and their parents still want to know what's going on). All the addresses are exposed (in the "To:" list, so that others (Scoutmaster, Camping chair, Committee Chair) can "reply all" to get their messages delivered. I'm concerned about exposing all those names.

Here's a few alternatives, to get the discussion going:

1. Communication Manager, like Constant Contact. Advantage: professional looking communications and the addresses are hidden. Disadvantage: cost and not all that need to can use the manager as a communication device. This is what our district and council use.
2. old-fashioned calling tree
3. Automated calling program - several local school districts use this method.

Roger Peck

[wagionvigil]

Our Lodge has been using Facebook. All the kids have accounts and we might as well take advantage of it.
I have been using it for a large Group at West Virginia University for the past two years and it has increased our communiucation power by leaps and bounds.At the click of a key I can communicate to over 500 members.

[divermann]

Our lodge is also using Facebook as are 2 of our Venturing Crews. I like it because you can control the access.

[ThunderingWind]

How can you use FaceBook/MySpce when the age requirements keep adults from the youth?

[rkpeck]

Thanks for the replies. So as I understand it, in order to communicate on Facebook, everyone you communicate with needs an account on Facebook?

Do any of you, as members of a pack/troop/crew, utilize mailing resources that are available through the district or council? (I'm kind of asking this in anticipation of how I'll ask the question at an upcoming Roundtable).

Roger

[scoutaholic]

... So as I understand it, in order to communicate on Facebook, everyone you communicate with needs an account on Facebook? ...

Yes, everyone would need an account. That can be a problem for scout groups, because facebook also has an age limit. My #2 is too young (almost 12) to get an account. Everyone I know who is under 14 falsified their birthdate to get an account. This could be a problem for scouting groups. I don't know how to tell them to be trustworthy and also tell them to lie about their age so I can communicate with them on facebook.

How can you use FaceBook/MySpce when the age requirements keep adults from the youth?

Not on facebook - I have facebook friends of all ages. I don't know if there is such a restriction on MySpace.

[AquilaNegra2]

What about a SM blog?

[wagionvigil]

The parents set up the account as they are the ones that will need any information that is passed along

[Cowboy]

In order to continue using email as your primary source of contact: Make use of the BCC. option on the email address list. This option allows you to send email to people and keep thier address hidden. We make use of this option due to some of our recipients using work email and not wanting everyone to have it. My wife is one example. The SM, her co-chair (advancements) and myself are the only ones who have that address and we use the BCC option for her when everyone needs to get the information. I may be wrong, but I think the replay all does NOT reply to her when using that option.

[wagionvigil]

There is also Yahoo Groups which can be set up Privately. This is not scout related but since I have been on facebook I have reconnected with people that were a big part of my life over 30 years ago and it is really special.

[MT's Mom]

We use Google Calendar & Google Documents. The calendar helps cut down on a lot of phone calls ("When is ...?). You make the calendar public, just be careful NOT to list anything like phone numbers etc. I use Google Docs to keep track of information that I will need for rechartering.

MT's Mom