The Long Trail District has a new unit award. Introducing The Bugler...

The Bugler Award was created in 2008 as a way to recognize a unit within the Long Trail District from their commitment to promoting the “positive publicity” of Scouting in Vermont. Recipients of The Bugler have demonstrated this commitment through the submission of press releases and news articles, participation in community events, fostering communication within their own unit, and spreading the values of Scouting. The goal of The Bugler is to motivate units to market within their community the Scouting program and the achievements of their Scouts.

The Bugler Award recipients are chosen by the District Marketing Committee. Recipients are chosen based upon completion of the requirements listed blow, quantity and quality of published news items and participation in a marketing event. Consideration is also given to those units who have taken additional steps in marketing through an online presence and a unit communication tool.

Requirements:
1) Have in place an active unit marketing chair (unit pr representative)
2) Conduct at least one community marketing event during the prior year, educating and involving the community about and in Scouting.
3) Publish as least four news or promotion articles during the year in the local media, based on news releases issued by the unit marketing chair. Those news releases may be in the areas of program (youth and adult volunteer involvement), youth advancement, volunteer training, chartered partner involvement (rechartering of unit), election of youth to officer positions, or acceptance by volunteers of new volunteer positions.
4) Have contributed articles to the district newsletter, Smoke Signals.

In addition, units are encouraged, but not required, to have:
a) An online presence in the form of a website
b) A unit communication tool, such as a unit newsletter, listserv (such as Yahoo Groups), or other means of communicating information within the unit.

As a bonus, if your unit meets qualifications 1-3 listed above, you qualify for the Green Mountain Council Marketing Excellence Award.

All units should review the requirements for The Bugler. If your unit does not qualify for this year’s award your unit can use the requirements as a guideline for planning next year’s marketing events.

This award will be given at the district’s Annual Leaders Recognition Dinner, which is being held at the end of April.

Download the entry form here. Entry deadline is April 11, 2008.