School is out for the SUMMER! What does that mean in your area?

[Major Carrales]

OK...now that school is out and that "dark period" between January and June is illumated once again with the brilliance of FREEDOM.  What does that mean for your unit and it's personnel.

I can say that meeting attendance for cadets has actually been DOWN during the summer.  I suspect this so because our unit meets at a school and some parents and cadets assume that it is a school program that comes to an end with the last bell.

For many, I assume, it is opposite since now, in theory, cadets have more time to focus on CAP.  Also parents and even some CAP officers who work in education.

What is your experience in these matters?  Looking to get a good sampling from around the nation.

[whatevah]

This is something that every social group has to deal with, not unique to CAP... My unit planned to see 20-50% lower average meeting attendance.  Something that helps, especially with cadet participation is planning (or at least scheduling) your events and special meetings well in advance. Get the schedule out early, since many vacation plans are locked in during the winter and spring.  Even for fall events, get those out in the mid spring before attendance drops off due to tests and summer.

[unmlobo]

Oh God it is so hot.  Hmm let's do outdoors meeting at the heat of the day.  Safety are you ready for dehydration and heat exhaustion? 

[Peeka]

Oh God it is so hot.  Hmm let's do outdoors meeting at the heat of the day.  Safety are you ready for dehydration and heat exhaustion? 

"Members will refrain from using profanities..."~ Membership Code of Conduct   

[johnnyb47]

Oh God it is so hot.  Hmm let's do outdoors meeting at the heat of the day.  Safety are you ready for dehydration and heat exhaustion? 

"Members will refrain from using profanities..."~ Membership Code of Conduct   

That word always gets me too.
"Safety". The other OTHER four letter word.


Our meetings start going a bit later into the evening now that school is out and participation is usually a bit higher.
I hope to get a few walk-ins over the next month as well. seems teh start of every summer we get a couple of new members.

[MajorM]

Tuesday Night at the Movies where we show aerospace movies, pop some popcorn, open up the soda fridge, and just chill.  This summer we might just try doing it under the stars out in front of our facility along the flight line...

[Eclipse]

A fair number of members from through out the wing think CAP takes a hiatus just because they want to be elsewhere at Summer activities,
then they complain when 3-4 months go by with no progress or activity.

Workin' on that.

[BillB]

For a program I wrote years ago, research of Squadrons in four Regions showed membership activity at Squadron level dropped during the summer period. Reasons were encampments, special activities and vacations. The lack of advanced or experienced cadets led to lower than normal mentoring of any new cadets often causing them to drop out of the program due to lack of interest or just being bored.
Any recruiting efforts during summer months basically were a waste of time. Until cadets return from activities and vacations little can be accomplished of value. But the summer is the time to start planning for recruiting in August thru October.

[AngelWings]

Cookouts, parties, day trips, adventures, and the regular romantics of life.

In CAP, the same minus the parties and romantics.

[PHall]

Oh God it is so hot.  Hmm let's do outdoors meeting at the heat of the day.  Safety are you ready for dehydration and heat exhaustion? 

"Members will refrain from using profanities..."~ Membership Code of Conduct   

So what was the profanity?

[AngelWings]

Oh God it is so hot.  Hmm let's do outdoors meeting at the heat of the day.  Safety are you ready for dehydration and heat exhaustion? 

"Members will refrain from using profanities..."~ Membership Code of Conduct   

So what was the profanity?

I believe the S word was used. Never use the S word. It is extremely profane. We shall not use this word unless we specifically want to do paperwork, briefings, and wear reflective equipment.

[PHall]

Oh God it is so hot.  Hmm let's do outdoors meeting at the heat of the day.  Safety are you ready for dehydration and heat exhaustion? 

"Members will refrain from using profanities..."~ Membership Code of Conduct   

So what was the profanity?

I believe the S word was used. Never use the S word. It is extremely profane. We shall not use this word unless we specifically want to do paperwork, briefings, and wear reflective equipment.

I actually wanted unmlobo to answer this.  If he was trying to be sarcastic then maybe a  should have been used.

[SarDragon]

Oh God it is so hot.

I believe that this is the offending phrase, and is actually more blasphemous than profane, according to modern usage.

[PHall]

Oh God it is so hot.

I believe that this is the offending phrase, and is actually more blasphemous than profane, according to modern usage.

Depending on which Deity/Religion you believe in...

[SarDragon]

Oh God it is so hot.

I believe that this is the offending phrase, and is actually more blasphemous than profane, according to modern usage.

Depending on which Deity/Religion you believe in...

OK, it is my opinion that this is the offending phrase, and is actually more blasphemous than profane, according to modern usage. This has nothing to do with beliefs, but only with definitions. 

[Huey Driver]

We still have three more weeks of school, as do most schools where Sandy hit.

Also being from the Jersey Shore, we have a summer tourism based economy, which almost every single member of the squadron supports in some way. Most SM's have day job year round so it doesn't really affect their attendance of CAP, but our cadet side takes a hurting. We easily get less than half of our regular season crew in attendance. Also, we can't plan any trips/events/o-flights in the summer either.

[Storm Chaser]

Oh God it is so hot.

I believe that this is the offending phrase, and is actually more blasphemous than profane, according to modern usage.

Are you kidding me? People are getting offended because of this? I don't see the "profanity" or "blasphemy" or "offense" at all.

As for the OP, there are certainly many that take vacation during the summer so attendance will tend to fluctuate. Then you have summer encampment and NCSAs as well. I think the key is to have some fun activities planned. For some members, CAP is all they have going on this summer. And our mission is all year round.

[ZigZag911]

Not yet...here in the northeast school runs well into June.

[unmlobo]

Oh God it is so hot.

I believe that this is the offending phrase, and is actually more blasphemous than profane, according to modern usage.

Are you kidding me? People are getting offended because of this? I don't see the "profanity" or "blasphemy" or "offense" at all.

As for the OP, there are certainly many that take vacation during the summer so attendance will tend to fluctuate. Then you have summer encampment and NCSAs as well. I think the key is to have some fun activities planned. For some members, CAP is all they have going on this summer. And our mission is all year round.

Please forgive my use of profanity, however when the temps are above 90*F well after 930pm, it might be time to pray to a higher being.  However if you feel the word saf*** is a profane word, please zip up your man suit and grow up.  I am in the Air Force where it is a daily nuisance but something we live with.  Now I shall dethrone my soap box and try not to get sunburnt outside.
As for my timing I work shift work and just woke up after getting off work at 1230am. 

[AngelWings]

I was joking about the S word being safety. It was intended to be funny.

[Black Knight]

 I still have 7 days of classes left and then 5days of final exams.

[Private Investigator]

Experienced Squadrons manage it well, others not so much.

[Black Knight]

But in the summer, our attendance drops dramatically. But know since we only have 15 cadets, Im not sure whats going to happen

[PHall]

My squadron goes "dark" during encampment. Most of the staff, cadet and senior plus a good chunk of the cadets are there already.

[Critical AOA]

Oh God it is so hot.  Hmm let's do outdoors meeting at the heat of the day.  Safety are you ready for dehydration and heat exhaustion? 

"Members will refrain from using profanities..."~ Membership Code of Conduct   

Great Zeus!  May Thor strike them down!!

[Spaceman3750]

For me, it means that scheduling people, aircraft, and vehicles will require an act of God for the next two months.

[unmlobo]

For me, it means that scheduling people, aircraft, and vehicles will require an act of God for the next two months.

Careful with the use of a higher deity...

[That Anonymous Guy]

We still have three more weeks of school, as do most schools where Sandy hit.

Also being from the Jersey Shore, we have a summer tourism based economy, which almost every single member of the squadron supports in some way. Most SM's have day job year round so it doesn't really affect their attendance of CAP, but our cadet side takes a hurting. We easily get less than half of our regular season crew in attendance. Also, we can't plan any trips/events/o-flights in the summer either.

I was thinking of visiting a Jersey Shore squadron this summer. Should I wait until the offseason?

[Dad2-4]

For many, the use of God's name as a superlative is still quite offensive despite its becoming more common every day, especially the long version of OMG. One should make every effort to refrain from blaspheming the name of anyone's deity. To make light of it perhaps demonstrates a lack of respect.

To the OP, summer has always shown to be detrimental to membership numbers and attendance in the squadrons I've been attached to. Everyone is hyped for Encampment of other special activities at the end of the school year, then when they get home it's time to chill out and do lot's of nothing. Then when August and September roll around it's a struggle to get everyone motivated again.
Having a full claendar of meaningful and/or fun events planned throughout the summer is one key to keeping up the momentum. Family vacations are understandable, but make sure members know that things aren't stopping, and when they get back they are still needed.

[Major Carrales]

Folks, please don't derail this thread with ridiculous side talk about nonsense.    I was really hoping for something more useful because this is an issue I, and others, are facing.

[PHall]

Folks, please don't derail this thread with ridiculous side talk about nonsense.    I was really hoping for something more useful because this is an issue I, and others, are facing.

Joe, you've been on CAPTalk for how long?  Just what did you expect, that we all learned how to stay on topic?

[AngelWings]

Folks, please don't derail this thread with ridiculous side talk about nonsense.    I was really hoping for something more useful because this is an issue I, and others, are facing.

Joe, you've been on CAPTalk for how long?  Just what did you expect, that we all learned how to stay on topic?

I came back hoping we did, but I guess it's too impossible.