Does your troop reimburse for gas costs on campouts?

[kayak girl]

For the past 2 years we have paid for gas for the drivers. They are reimbursed at a set rate/mile and check is written to them from the Troop. The cost of each campout is divided among the scouts who go:food, gas, rent for the campground or lodge. This amount is then deducted from their camp account. Our treasurer works closely with the Scoutmaster. He computes the cost of the campout when we get home Sunday night and shoots her an email. She then deducts from each attending scout's camp account (uses a computer program that meshes with Troopmaster) and shoots me a Report form that I post on the Secure side of the website. The parents have learned to check the web site to see the status of their son's camp account.

 

For years we didn't charge the scouts for gas and didn't pay anyone to drive. But the same people always drove and the same guy pulled the trailer. The new method makes it easier to ask "non-camping parents" to drive a load of boys one way if we don't have enough "camping parents" seatbelts. We currently have 44 youth registered and almost always have 38 to 40 going on the weekend campouts. Summer camp is 400 miles away this year and we have 53 people going.

 

We have found it is better to share the load fairly for us.

[SctDad]

I understand that we do a lot for the 'love of it' but there are some things that we would love to do, but we can't because of cost. I haven't charged for gas to this point, because most of our parents have driven their own kids. But we are also Cub Scouts, so that parents are going anyways.

 

I think that we are going to start suggesting carpools, and splitting gas costs. I love this stuff, but there are some things that need reimbursement.

[FScouter]

"What happened to doing for the love of it????"

 

You bet we love it and that's why we signed up. But loving it doesn't mean you have to pay for it too.

 

When your son is the grubmaster for his patrol do you pay for the patrol food when you take him to the grocery store?

When you pull into a campground do you pay the campsite fees for the troop?

When you're the advancement chair do you pay for all the rank patches and merit badges?

When it comes time to turn in the troop re-charter, do you pay the fees?

 

There are 101 necessary expenses to operate a troop program. Why not have the boys mow some lawns and chop some firewood and sell some popcorn to pay for it?

 

A Scout pays his own way.

 

[Basementdweller]

I guess that I hit a nerve, sorry. I am still new and enthusiastic.

 

To answer your questions. I have not bought rank advancements out of my pockets, But I have bought activity patches out of my pocket, such as zoo, museum and aquarium trips. I have restocked the first aid kit out of my own pocket, I paid for gas for a number of trips out of my own pocket. I have stocked the cooler for the pack overnighter with snacks out of my own pocket. Started a uniform pool (30 shirts now) out of my own pocket, there is nothing sadder than a Cub without a uniform. The smile when they receive it is reward enough. No, I don't give it to them, the Cub Master handles it.

 

I do this,not because it was expected, but it was a nice thing to do for the boys.

 

[John-in-KC]

Basementdweller,

 

A Pack may do an overnight family campout a couple times a year.

 

A Boy Scout Troop camps every month, and the destination can be 1-2 driving hours away from the meeting site. At $4 a gallon, that gets to be a pretty big nibble on the parents who regularly drive the youth.

 

A couple years ago, most of us took the monthly campouts out of hide, now, it's a bit bigger challenge.

[Gold Winger]

I guess that I'm fortunate that I don't have to drive to campouts anymore. My car gets decent gas mileage but I've used a lot of gas on some trips. We had one annual campout that was about 200 miles from home. There and back took a tank of gas. A few years back, that was $25, not unaffordable. Now it would be $80. Unlike most of the adults in my son's troop, I'm not making in the six figure range and $80 is real money.

 

I'd probably still drive but I wouldn't turn down gas money if it was offered.

 

At ten cents a mile, that would buy me half a tank so I'd still be out $40.

 

I wonder how gas prices are going to impact FOS donatation from those in the lower end of the earning spectrum.

[cjlaird]

To Dcopl01 - re, tax deductions

For adult leaders involved with youth organizations, the cost of the troop-related expenses you incur are deductible. This includes the cost of camping equipment, uniforms, fuel and/or mileage you put in/on your vehicle, as they are expenses related to your membership and active participation in what's considered, under the tax codes, as a "charitable" activity.

Keep your receipts & use them to back up your claims. If you need information about how to declare these deductions, you can either call an accountant or go to the Publication 17 (information book) put out by the IRS for clarification and knowledge about what form to use.

[meschen]

I've actually done some resecent research into the tax status of Scouting units. You can only claim a tax deduction for unreimbursed out-of pocket expenses, such as unreimbursed fuel costs, if the unit's chartering organization is a qualified charitable organization. I know that teh vast majority of the units qualify as being tax exempt, as they are chartered by either a church or civic organization (such as the American Legion). Even most "Parents of" or "Friends of" organizations should be able to qualify as such. But I have heard of a few "odd" chartering organizations that do not qualify as qualified charitable organizations, such as units chartered by a local business. Technically speaking, expenses incurred on behalf of those units are not tax deductable.

 

You should know that although the BSA is a qualified charitable organization, under IRS regulations BSA has the ability to control who is able to use that tax status and who is not. Although BSA has passed that tax-exempt status on to your Councel (including FOS), they have elected NOT to pass that tax status down to the unit level. Becuase of that your Scouting Unit derives its tax status from its chartering organization.

 

More infomration is available here:

 

http://www.gpc-bsa.org/finance/unittaxexemptstatus.asp

[Gunny2862]

We reimburse any parent who submits a receipt for an approved purchase.

We do however ask that they have a full tank before starting the trip.

It hasn't been abused yet and those whose cars/trucks are less fuel efficient or are pulling the trailer receive actual cost of fuel rather than being less compensated for using their gas.

i.e. is it fair that the Suburban driver pulling the trailer AND carrying 7 boys gets the same mileage reimbursement as the driver of a Prius carrying 3-4 boys? We don't think so and thus pay actual fuel cost.

[FScouter]

Is is fair to pay double or triple for the guzzling Suburban carrying 3 kids plus driver v the Honda Civic carrying 3 kids plus driver? Or the guy that fills up at the full-serve Chevron v the guy that does self-serve at the Econogas? Both methods have a degree of unfairness.

 

 

[Gunny2862]

FScouter, in the situation you posit I would ask why you were taking two vehicles. We always load up the Suburban to capacity it it goes, and any other accompanying car/trucks before adding more vehicles to the trip.

[FScouter]

Uh, the Honda kids didn't want to ride with the 8 year little sister and the gramma in the Suburban and sing "The Wheels on the Bus Go ..."?

[Gunny2862]

Well, if Granny is doing the Troop a favor and driving the Suburban and little Sis has to come along for whatever reason then that would put you over the number of seatbelts in the Suburban. But I still don't see the case for reimbursing Granny at the same rate as the more efficient vehicle, especially if she is also hauling the trailer.

[Joni4TA]

Our Troop has never reimbursed for gas expenses. We are a very humble Troop and if we did start reimbursing for gas, even over 50 miles- our outdoor program would soon cease to exist. We'd have to start camping in people's backyards.(This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

[Gunny2862]

Actually Joni, that's why we reimburse. To use fundraising money rather than place an additional burden on some of our parents who'll drive/camp but can't afford to donate the gas.