InquisitiveScouter

When you try to be all things to all people, you wind up being nothing to everybody, instead.

We track Scout accounts using Scoutbook. Scoutbook produces a report to tell you how much each Scout has or owes, and tracks your unit cash balance. We use a separate spreadsheet to track all unit income and expenditures for the year. But we do not do it very well 😉 I'd share that with you but it would requires redacting a lot of data and names associated with training expenditures, Scouts joining (dues), camperships, etc

Go for it. None of that stuff gets translated to Scouts, BSA, or further than Cub Scouts. If you need filler after they complete their appropriate year rank badge, put in whatever you like, as long as it is in line with the Guide to Safe Scouting. Make sure to recognize their achievements publicly. If you can find and buy old bling to give them, even better. Just know that you may not be able to record these in Scoutbook... no biggie

Welcome @KelseyS! Here is a BSA website (fairly general) that has some tips... https://www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/troop-resources/program-planning-tools/ And a direct link to the excel file there: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/boyscouts/xls/510-277-Troop-Budget-Worksheet.xls

No, the money goes to support the Boy Scouts of America, which is a "non-profit" which attempts to provide a Scouting program, with varying degrees of success, depending on your local variables. There are other Scouting programs out there... "As for me and my house", we conduct a Scouting program under the auspices of, and using the materials developed by, the Boy Scouts of America. 99% of the work done to put on this program is done by the volunteers and parents of our unit. (Maybe even more 😜 ) And there have been discussions in our Committee about moving our entire Scouting program to Trail Life USA (https://www.traillifeusa.com/), or Outdoor Service Guides (https://outdoorserviceguides.org/).

Hello @Ironfoot, and welcome back to the forum after a good break 😜 I have not seen any comparison of these to any other routine. BP's exercises seem to me to just be a brief stretching routine to get ready for the day, or an activity. I would not call them a "workout". Instead, these are good movements to do before you start a workout or activity. Any stretching routine will do, as long as you work the major muscle groups. And, BP's routine does that... chest, shoulders, back, arms, abdominals, and legs. Enjoy!

It is all about protecting the salary stream, my friend... keep the trough in good shape so we can continue to feed. See the numbers for yourself: https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BSA-2020-Form-990.pdf Section VII And that is just for National... how many councils are there??

Sorry, not taking the bait 😜 Have a nice day.

Sure they do, if the council sticks Ukrainian flag on it. Do not get me wrong... I personally fully support Ukraine, and kicking out the Russian invaders, but this smacks of "taking sides" by the council that did this. I know there are refugees from the conflict who are Russians as well. They need humanitarian aid and first aid kits, too. I think in the case cited, making a bracelet that advocated peace between the sides would have been a much better choice. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1598608568/peace-in-gaza-bracelet-50-of-profits?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=israel+palestine+peace+flag&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&sts=1&organic_search_click=1

Except for Eagle Scout Service Projects? Or a council selling FAKs for Ukraine? (and keeping a slice of the pie, btw) https://padutchbsa.org/a-scout-is-helpful-ukraine-first-aid-kit/

What the councils do not want you to know is that the corporations will make a donation to your Chartering Organization (CO) as well. All you need is the Employer Identification Number (EIN) of your 501 (c)(3) CO. As long as they are a registered non-profit, the company will (most likely) make the donation to them. Have the employee check their company policies. The donation then goes to your CO, specifically for your unit. We asked our CO is we could do this, and were met with a resounding "Yes!!" Some of our parents worked for a LARGE pharmaceuticals company. They all took time off to volunteer with us, some even going to Summer Camp as additional adult leaders. It was quite a windfall for the Troop. You would have to follow up on each donation and make sure the money made its way through the CO to the unit. I recommend you discuss this thoroughly with the Committee and CO. Heck, even if you did a 50-50 split, you'd still get more for your unit program than if you let it go the council. When our Council Finance guy found out about it (that is another story), he was livid, but there was not a thing they could do about it. (Ethically speaking, that is. Unethically, though, they did take action to remove a person we had on District and Council Committees for "not supporting the council.")

@RichardB, You have any contacts at National who think likewise on the issue of co-ed units? or "unofficial" insights?

I'll even pull the applicable verbiage out: "Members should make every effort to keep their uniforms neat and uncluttered. " "Jackets and Their Insignia Multicolored jackets are available for optional wear by youth members and adult leaders. The universal emblem should be worn on the left pocket or, in case of a jacket without chest pockets, in the same area. The Philmont bull emblem is especially designed for the red wool jac-shirt to be sewn on the left side above the pocket. On all jackets, Philmont Scout Ranch, Philmont Training Center, or high-adventure base emblems may be worn centered on the right pocket or in the same relative position if there is no pocket. The Order of the Arrow has adopted the jac-shirt as its official jacket, and members may wear the 6-inch national Order of the Arrow patch centered on the back. The large Philmont, NESA, jamboree, National Camping School, and international participant emblems are approved to be worn on the back of the jacket. Only one such emblem may be worn at a time."

I know a Vigil Honor member who was accused of murder, convicted, and exonerated on appeal. It was appropriate that they put him in the IVF during the trail and after convicted. But once exonerated... ??? They will never re-instate him, even though our justice system cleared him, and expunged that record. I think because there is now an easily accessible electronic history of news articles, and that would make people nervous. BSA considers him "damaged goods".

If there are no patches on it, wanna sell it? I give these as gifts to awesome Scouters...

17 years later... Welcome to the forum @Smokediver! Sorry to hear this happened to you. BSA professionals are very much more worried about image than reality. This is why the head-in-the-sand (or should I say hiding the dirty laundry?) tactics of dealing with child sexual abuse within the ranks have come back to bite them. You are a victim of the pendulum swinging too far in the opposite direction... Thank you for 39 years worth of service to Scouting. If I had the power, I'd re-examine the details of your case, and re-instate if warranted. BSA will most likely never do that, unless you are a big money donor, or well-connected in the C-suite. In their eyes, you and I are expendable, and easily replaced...

Agreed... But, perhaps the reason they have bumped this up is because of the level of fundraising he needs to do. Project costs more than $2500, right? Didn't you say fundraising that amount needed district approval where you are? Well, only professionals can approve fundraising projects, I believe. Form says needs signature by "Authorized Council Approval*" and then "*Councils may delegate approval to districts or other committees according to local practices." We do not know what your local practices are... Please talk to someone on the phone. Dithering over email is not getting anyone anywhere...

There is absolutely nothing wrong with gender separation, when it is by choice. This is a basic right called freedom of assembly (association), guaranteed by the First Amendment. I may associate with whomever I choose... You don't like it? Then work to get the Constitution re-written. Once re-written, I'll support you 100%. I do believe the current BSA model is neither well thought out, nor sustainable. "Separate but equal" is a bad idea. Chartering Organizations should have the option to have a single gender Troop( or Troops), or a blended Troop. Both have pros and cons. I do not believe there is "one size fits all" for what we are trying to accomplish. Give Chartering Organizations, parents, and Scouts the options to choose what program they'd like to participate in, according to the dictates of their conscience. And, it is not working out in reality. Many B & G Troops under the same CO are really "blended" troops just doing all their stuff together. And I am fine with it. Yes, it is against BSA policy, but I believe the freedom of assembly right is a higher ethical standard.

Concur... the only pertinent step in the advancement process is that a Scout "learns". And that can happen in many different ways... A Scout can learn the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace on his own. When he feels he is ready to be tested to "Recite the Leave No Trace Seven Principles from memory." , he asks. If he passes the test, great... sign him off. If he does not pass the test, he goes back to learning, until he feels he is ready again. You can offer instruction, but not require it.

The youth is not "signing off" the requirement. The youth (or, we should call them the Instructor) is simply using a column already printed in the Scout Handbook to indicate instruction is complete, and the Scout is ready to be tested. (The check mark column on left side of requirements lists.) However... if the Troop is "requiring" that this column be used, and is holding up a Scout from being tested or advanced because of it, then that would be adding requirements. I did not interpret the explanation as saying this "must" be done... just that this was a way to communicate it had been done, and that the Scout was ready to be tested. So, @KublaiKen, do you "require" that this left check column be "signed off", Or can a Scout simply present himself to a Scoutmaster-approved evaluator and say "Jimmy just finished instructing me, and I am ready to be tested!"?? If the Evaluator says, "No, your instructor did not sign in your book.", then you are violating advancement protocols. I can see the utility in the method if there is some time/space between instruction and testing. Say, Scout gets instruction at a Monday Troop meeting, but there is not time built into the meeting plan for testing. So, Scout gets the instructor check in the book (or checks it himself and maybe writes in instructor info), and then on Saturday, during the camping trip, he grabs an SM-approved evaluator and gets tested.

Do you think it needs to be a survivor of abuse from within Scouting? Or someone with that experience in any arena?

Yes, don't use a script. You are really selling yourself, not some tickets. Just know your stuff and talk to people. Connect with them. Or, come up with your own script. You can do it. Here's a teaser... "Hi, my name is Zhu, and I'm a Scout in Troop 4321 here in Malibu. We are putting on a great breakfast for Mother's Day! If you do not have plans already, the breakfast will be at Camp Josepho near Crestwood Hills, at 9 AM on Mother's Day. Tickets are $10 per person, and it is all you can eat! After that big breakfast, you can take a nice walk with your Mom to enjoy the outdoors in our camp. Would you like to hear what's on the menu?"

Oh, and 9) if you are not attending, you'd better have a good excuse. Like, you don't live with your mother, or something like that. If a potential customer asks if you are taking your Mom, and you just say "No", you will probably lose a sale. If you offer a valid explanation, they may be more sympathetic and open their wallet. So, 10) go out and earn a little money to help your family buy tickets for the event, if you can go.

OK, stop saying "fined." You are not being fined for anything. 1. Having the right attitude is the first tip for selling your tickets. 2. Know your product. What are the menu options? What time does it start? Is it a buffet, cafeteria-style, or served at tables? Is it kosher, or are there vegan or vegetarian options, or some other menu specialties (gluten free, allergy free)? Is it open to non-Scouting families? Will there be alcohol served? (Should be "no", but make sure you know the answer, in case someone asks you.) Are there flowers, gifts, keepsakes, pictures, mementos, included for the Mom's? How much are the tickets? Is there a limit to the number of tickets (or seats at a table) that someone can buy? Do you have a flyer you can hand out? When is the deadline for buying tickets? How can someone pay you? (Cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, etc ??) How will you handle donations? (that is, if someone does not want a ticket, or cannot go, but donates $5 to you instead, how will you handle that??) Etc, etc, etc, Find these things out... the more you know about what you are selling, the better salesman you will be. 3. So, your market is people who are willing to take their Mother to a breakfast for Mothers Day, under any constraints you find in #2. Find those people. They are all around you. Contact them! The best way to sell something is face to face. Email, texts, etc. are going to have a very bad return. For example, if your event is open to all families, then ask your neighbors or friends at school if they want to take part in this wonderful opportunity to do something nice for their Mom on Mother's Day. And all they have to do is show up! Make them understand why your product is good for them! 4. Be polite and courteous. If someone says "No, thank you!", then you say "OK, thanks for your time, and have a great day!" I have seen people change their mind based on salesman's courteous reaction to their "No." Doesn't happen often, but it does happen! 5. Find out if you are allowed to wear your Scout uniform. If yes, then wear the best uniform assembly you have... shirt, pants, belt, socks, the whole nine yards... You WILL get more sales if you are in uniform. Be clean, showered, hair reasonably tamed, fingernails clean, etc. Look people in the eye, and smile. Some people may even buy tickets from you with no intention of going, just because they want to support you. 6. Tickets will not sell themselves. You will have to get out and do it. 7. If your mother and grandmother are still with us, find someone in their lives who would like to do this for them (Dad, grandfather, brother, sister, aunts, uncles, etc. ), and ask! 8. Ask your teachers, coaches, tutors, Scout leaders (who are not trying to sell tickets themselves). Best wishes!!