The Boy Scouts of America partnered with Jasper Engines & Transmissions this year to help in their annual fall membership recruiting efforts.

The Boy Scouts make a strong effort each autumn to visit schools to try and get in contact with every boy who is of scouting age, and ask them to join.

“The word gets out a lot each year, but we are much more effective when we are proactive about it, and we ask them to join us in our program,” says Buffalo Trace Council Scout Executive Robert Hopper. “That way boys can tell their moms and dads about what they can do in scouting; the benefits and the fun they can have. It’s just like JASPER’s own Mission Statement: Do It Right… And Have Fun!”

This summer, the Boy Scouts decided to build a theme around their recruiting program called ‘Race to Scouting.’ Because of the excitement of NASCAR racing, Hopper said it would be a great way to make an instant connection with kids and families. “Where else would we go to build this kind of theme up than to an organization that’s already a great scouting supporter that happens to have a NASCAR (Nextel Cup Series) team,” says Hopper.

The Buffalo Trace Council approached Jasper Engines & Transmissions about the theme, and received permission to use the image of the #77 JASPER Dodge in a series of posters, flyers, stickers and billboards. The Council also took advantage of the use of the JASPER die-cast car to help promote scouting. “Every boy that joins in the Boy Scouts receives a JASPER die-cast car,” says Lincoln Heritage District Senior District Executive Randal Craig. “It’s been very successful.”

“All of these things are neat and fun, but they do have an end in mind,” says Hopper. “We know from research that boys will be better men if they’ve been involved in scouting.” But to get a boy’s attention in this day of television, computers and other choices, Hopper says eye-catching materials had to be developed that would really catch a boy’s interest. “It gets the boys charged up about Scouting, and to get them to attend our informational meeting,” says Hopper. “If we can get a boy to that meeting, we will recruit them into the Scouting program. Fortunately, we have great leaders, and great programs to offer. That’s when the real magic happens."

“JASPER has been a supporter of scouting for many years,” says JASPER Vice President of Marketing Tom Schrader. “We are very pleased to be able to help in this year’s ‘Race to Scouting’ recruiting drive.”