boomerscout

Saniserv certification is easy to get. Finding a church kitchen to use may take some doing

Life can be such a bummer sometimes. Can you fundraise anything besides popcorn, although I'm certain you could apply for a peddler's license which would allow door to door; it's different than a non-profit's permit? Now that housing may be improving (?), can you organize a monthly paper drive (ex. first Saturday of every month)? Do the store-front permits apply only to stores fronting the public sidewalks? I'd find it hard to accept the town council could hassle you if you're set up past the parking lot of a strip mall Politicians don't always do what is legal. Do you have access to a paralegal that would be willing to research the town council's actions on a pro bono basis? Maybe Legal Aid could refer you to someone. For next summer maybe some different fundraisers. Perhaps the wealthy parts of town would hire your newly formed semi-professional lawn crew.

Have you tried a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD)? Does what a CPAP does - prevent snoring - but is not powered. It works by keeping the jaw forward and may prevent the tongue from moving. See your dentist.

So, we need better competitions? Maybe at semi-annual camporees, you don't get a patch unless you finish. The top three Scouts, patrols, troops get a different color, fancier patch which is worn year around. Special competitions part of camporee include parts of pioneering, orienteering, what have you with even more bling. District scribe required to get pix with captions of top winners into local papers. Computer printouts tell which Scout has which merit badges; they are required (?) to enter the special competitions. Some Scouts find competition abhorrent; they would rather work on co-operation. Maybe age limits for the advanced ranks so less emphasis on running the mb gauntlet, and more on woodscraft and character building?

the troop has little to do with the mb program unless they are using in-house counselors. They could also refuse to mention certain counselors from the district's list, but they have little to do with the summer camp program other than to tell their Scouts that xxx merit badge program left a lot to be desired last year.

Becoming a proxy mb counselor sounds like a good workaround, but then how do you handle "For each merit badge, list qualification(s) that support your request. Qualifications could include college degrees, formal training certificates, positions held, and specific life experiences." I can find oodles of qualified instructors, but they are busy and will not bother with the formal registration process to become a mbc On a different note (to someone else), many mb are designed as workshops and not as final exams for a journeyman's license. (Wood carving comes to mind.) Also, just because you've earned a mb does not mean you can teach it. You may not have done all the options that someone else may choose, and you won't have the depth of experience to answer all the questions about that subject. Still, yes, summer camp may have deteriorated into a mb mill

I would have no problem giving my email address out to anyone. I already get spam but my hotmail filter gets rid of most of it before I even see it. Also, email addresses listed on a Scout website could easily be disguised to avoid spammers as in bobwhite at yahoo dot com. Also, I am aware that there is not a requirement for boys to be able to recite verbatim his merit badge material a year or anytime after receiving the merit badge. I only mentioned it because I believe that many boys cannot tell much of anything about what they quickly crammed into their brain just a few weeks or months later after his merit badge class. I think it is up to the boy and his parents to make sure he LEARNS the material and does not temporarily memorize it. I guess I am suggesting that boys self police themselves on this. The last thing you want is a surgeon operating on your brain who temporarily memorized his med school curriculum, amen? You want him to know it well enough to teach it. Many merit badges worn by these boys are worthless to the boy. When an Eagle Scout cannot even tell my son how to tie a rope around a tripod group of sticks for the simple camp gadget, something is really wrong. Things not practiced are soon forgotten. There is a myth going around that once something is learned it is with you forever. That is just not true; it is not how the brain works. The Eagle Scout may have learned lashing as he went for the pioneering mb on the way to Star. But, if he hasn't lashed anything since then, there is no way he is going to remember this. Many camp areas and campouts don't seem to make poles available to lash up camp gadgets. So, there is rarely a way to keep in practice. One troop in South Florida stores their lashing poles on a flatbed trailer. They are lashing grand projects at every district and council camporee, Scoutarama, summercamp, county fair, etc. (At least they used to; haven't seen their Website in a while.) That is what it will take

15 year olds can be mb counselor-helpers. If they talk a good game, their sign-offs are probably accepted by time-pressed adults. For other adults, who don't know how to plan & lead -- something that is easier said than done -- it's a numbers game to make themselves look good and thereby salvage their pride. So, you really have two problems. One is with a poor summer camp; the other is with troop leadership. Your son can redo the merit badges with different counselors away from camp

That should be Penn National Gaming, Inc. Some leads on some vendors who may also contribute (and have more sanitized names): "Hollywood Casino is scheduled to open this fall and has reached out to local vendors for their services. According to Maurine Adams, chief financial officer for Hollywood Casino, about 70 percent of purchasing will be on food and beverages. The $400 million casino will feature a steakhouse, a 10,000 square-foot banquet hall, cocktail lounge and sports bar. The casino also needs sellers in gaming equipment, cleaning supplies, paper products, maintenance supplies, promotional equipment, and tech equipment. Adams said, the wide span of activities inside the casino creates opportunities for a large variety of business. She said they have been visiting vendor fairs to network with potential suppliers. According to Rikki Tanenbaum, vice president of marketing, they already found good relationships with Westside businesses, like Live! Technology on Fisher Road for IT support and staging. Adams added they use area businesses for services like painting, dry cleaning and floral arrangements. They also give special attention to minority and women oriented vendors." If you pay attention to their shipping dock, without looking like a terrorist, you can take down the names painted on the vendor trucks. Penn National Gaming Foundation's granting criteria: Education: Programs which support per-school, elementary and secondary eduction, post-secondary education and special education programs. Human Services: Programs which address the needs of children and youth, senior citizens and disadvantages populations, especially in times of natural or man made disaster. Cultural Affairs & Diversity: Programs and facilities designed to foster an understanding, appreciation and celebration of different cultures and encourage participation amoung individuals of different cultures and belief systems. Scouting certainly qualifies under their Education criteria, Human Services criteria, and the Cultural. The application's wording just has to reflect their criteria Good luck

Hollywood Casino owned by Penn National Today, the Penn National Gaming Foundation is proud to support numerous local non-profit organizations in the communities in which Penn National operates, focusing on projects that promote community development, education, human services, cultural affairs and diversity, and health services. Grant determinations will be considered on a quarterly basis. Applications are due by 5pm Eastern on the following dates in order to be considered for that quarter. Late applications will be forwarded to the next quarter for review: January 1 April 1 July 1 October 1

Visit all the churches within a ten mile radius. Even the wealthier (?) churches will do some outreach into disadvantaged neighborhoods. Thirty dollars, wisely used, may become eighty dollars next year and two hundred the next. Talk to the church's office manager. Even if they don't contribute, they may offer useful advice as you make your network larger

Local council can't do much if CO wants to retain you. In their minds, they will see you as the lesser of two evils -- the greater being the loss of the troop and declining membership in the BSA. If the casino, or their vendors or suppliers, does cut you a check, merely have the ASM or a rep from the CO stand in for the photo op. The caption could say something like gambling chips supplier supports local youth programs without mentioning it's specifically for your troop Go in with a specific dollar amount in mind. On paper have x tents at $ each, y # of sleeping bags at $ each. Pictures from a catalog will help. A collection of $500 checks from all the vendors would be quite nice. Probably wear a suit instead of your SM uniform. Don't forget the photographs of your Scouts doing Scout stuff

Ohio now has casinoes. I'm sure they would like to present a "clean" community image, and so may help Basement. He should also check with the various vendors and suppliers servicing that casino including any union(s)

there used to be a directory of foundations. The reference librarian at the public library is the one to contact. Maybe a letter to the editor of the local paper can unearth a decent van for you or at least some no longer used tentage and other gear. Gather up any photographs you have of your troop doing Scout stuff. Sort them, and place 'em in those plastic sleeves that fit into a looseleaf binder. so you have a flip thru album. During slow business hours visit the Coke distributor, the Pepsi distributor, the beer distributor, and any busy mom & pop restaurants and hardware stores. Doing this is probably illegal in National's eyes. Have your 501©3 number with you and some of your SM business cards with contact info In my first troop, our sponsor the Mothers' Club had the world's oldest concession trailer which they would set up at every home football game. They made enough selling hot dogs, pop, hot chocolate to fund most of the activities. Most scrap paper drives don't do well as one-offs. However, if the community knew that First Saturday of every month you'd be collecting newspapers you may be able to fill the trailer every month A quick search theru the internet told me most big corporations have stopped donating to Scouts because of LGBT issues. You would probably be better off approaching the local self-made men as they are still very independent.

saniserv not needed our area as in factory sealed package. am surprised you were not given charity rate for the event. consider my suggestions for locations. you may need a (sidewalk) peddeler's permit which is not that expensive, but can't imagine anyone bothering a small group of kids doing this on their own

until we can find water in wooden containrs, I think it better we help people prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration on really hot days.

OK, I give up. What about the environment? Oh, I almost forgot. Collect the empties, and take them to an approved recycling center

Your individual patrols should be raking in plenty of money nowadays. Go to the Big Box, buy a 24-pack of bottled water for $2.87, dig out the cooler chest and the little red wagon, stop and get some ice and sell that Ice Cold Bottled Water for $1.00 Donation at intersections, city parks, bus stops, construction sites, wherever else people gather. Repeat as necessary and they'll have Scout fees earned in no time. Don't forget the hats and sunscreen

Understand the street corners. Small shopkeepers may need errands run, floors swept, windows washed, back room sorted out; shoppers may need help carrying groceries home. Stand on the corner and sell ice cold bottles of water. If access to a commercial kitchen, stand on street corners and sell box lunches to morning commuters (or at least bags of homemade cookies) .Scavenge newspapers and cardboard for perpetual paper drive. Ditto deposit cans and bottles. They may then make enough money for Scout stuff.

not against tax law if periperal but inline with your program. In reading the IRS memoes, can be used for camp fees, uniforms, Handbook, Scout Shop training kits and any patches. If any of your Scouts have filled their ISA, maybe they can be a Secret Scout to help fill up their buddy's. In trying to research this, I discovered one fool troop puts on a monthly carwash. This can get you classified as a business faster than anything. I have sent National two different emails asking for the official stance. Evidently all the interns are super-busy planning great things for us. How old are your Scouts now? Ours either caddy or act as self-employed junior handymen and gardeners through our associated Rent-A-Scout program. (Will take a stay at home Scouter or spouse to pull this off) Admittedly, the easy way is all monies raised go into the general fund, and everyone goes to camp

I have sent a query to National via scouting.org. Let's see if they can get off their larded behinds and answer this month. Meritbadges.org is not an official mouthpiece for National. As for the file on scouting.org, I believe it to be written before the relatively recent change of views in the IRS. The reason I think so is that the page is still proudly showing the United Way symbol Anyway, no more than four fundraisers a year, else you're outside your purpose and may be stripped of non-profit status. Now, if your church does a weekly funder, and gives you some each week, then OK

just a reminder that BSA National forbids ISA. Our troop does not have ISA. We feel that we could as our CO is a church that retains many freedoms all Americans once had. Much hiking equipment can be home-made or received as Christmas & birthday gifts. The Scout could also save part of his allowance if he gets one. Parents cannot use their kid's ISA

a Scout can't use his ISA to buy general camping gear as it would have a use outside the Scout program. from IRS: The private benefit prohibition is broad and includes the individual Scouts and their parents. The amount of private benefit that will be permitted depends on the magnitude of that benefit in relation to the public benefit derived from the organization's activities and whether that private benefit is necessary for the organization to achieve its exempt purposes. In considering whether a private benefit, such as earmarked accounts for the personal benefit of individual Scouts, is substantial enough to jeopardize your exemption, one must examine all of the facts and circumstances. In relation to the public benefit inherent in the Scouting program, this may be a small private benefit. Whether the private benefit to the individual Scouts is necessary to achieve the goals of the Scouting program, however, is not clear. We discussed a similar question in regard to athletic booster clubs that earmarked a portion of their fundraising proceeds to be shared only by the members who participated in the fundraiser in the 1993 CPE text (a copy is attached for your convenience). In the hypothetical addressed in the Article (Example one on page 5), we determined that the resulting private benefit to the individual members was substantial and negated the charitable intent of the organization precluding exemption under section 501©(3) of the Code. You have asked whether issuing a Form 1099 for each Scout receiving such benefits would negate the private benefit question. In this case, you would treat all income the Scout receives through the earmarked account as compensation for tax purposes. An exempt organization can, of course, pay reasonable compensation for services. Treating the receipts as income to the individual, however, may raise additional issues for the Pack. In particular, the fundraising activity may, if conducted by paid labor rather than volunteers, be characterized as unrelated business income taxable under section 3 511 of the Code. You may wish, therefore, to consider whether creating a possible tax liability for both the individual Scouts and the Pack is appropriate under the circumstances. This letter is advisory only and has no binding effect on the Internal Revenue Service. The information provided here cannot be relied upon as a ruling on the matters discussed. " So, ISA can be no larger than just large enough for that year's camping and program fees including uniforms, handbooks, BSA kits, ISA can't be used for general purpose campingequipment.the ISA account is not transferable to other troops. Most of all money raised must always go to the troop's general fund. Troop needs to do plenty of community service, conservation projects, and advancement training -- both for rank and for character development.

Think of an ISA as a do it yourself campership. The more a Scout participates in troop activities -- whether fundraisers, Scout spirit, leadership, etc. the bigger his campership. The actual money remains in, and belongs to the troop. The troop can pay for a Scout's camp fees as one of the benefit to its members. As long as an ISA is not solely valued from fundraiser performance, it will be OK "We have a 501©(3) youth sports club. Can donations be used to cover the costs of an in-need player (uniform, fees, etc.) or do all donations have to be spread so that all players (regardless of need) benefit equally? We have been told that we cannot have a “scholarship player.†There is certainly no federal tax reason that you can’t use contributions to help cover the costs of players of financial need. That’s the whole concept of donations. There might be a league rule about the use of gifts, but it does not seem likely that a league rule would prevent such use of gifts." (website on non-profit law) "How can I save money on the cost of uniforms and equipment?The unit may provide assistance to families. Some units operate a uniform exchange or uniform bank, or they may hold fund-raisers to enable the boys to earn their uniforms. Also, some units will award boys rank-specific uniform components (hat and neckerchief) and/or the program books that the Scout needs each yearâ€â€so parents should inquire as to what the unit provides before purchasing the items themselves." (BSA's own website)

Really? That would be news to a whole bunch of Buddhist (and a bunch of people of quite a few other faiths). Though I guess you could be one of those people that don't believe Buddhism is a real religion. Merlyn Are any of your beliefs RELIGIOUS beliefs? As for me, I believe I'll have another brew.