Jamboree Fundraising Question

[SR540Beaver]

For all of you 2005 Jamboree folks and past Jamboree folks too, I have a question. Have you ever done any kind of council wide fund raising? We have a contingent of 144 and we are around 60 boys shy of having our full contingent. The problem we run into with recruiting is the $1900 price tag. People see that and walk away. I know that in the past some units have held fund raisers to help their Jambo bound scouts to earn the money. Many don't do anything to help. Like a dummy, a cohort and me said we would try our hand at coordinating some fundraising activities that can be used be all the boys who have registered regardless of where they live. Our coucil covers around 25% of the state of Oklahoma. We obviously can't do a pancake breakfast or pasta dinner and expect boys to come from 100 miles away. We can't very easily sell cookie dough or sausage where we have to store and distribute frozen food. Does anyone have any ideas of good fundraisers that have little overhead, manageable inventory and can be done over a wide area? I fear that if we don't provide a way for some of these kids to earn their way, we won't get them signed up. I can easily afford the cost for both my son and myself, but not everyone can. Part of my concern is selfish. If we don't sign up enough boys, part of the adult leadership will be cut out as they won't be needed. I want to go, so it is in my interest to recruit boys and help find ways to pay for it. Any ideas?

[Eamonn]

We are sending two troops and even though the Jamboree site is only a hop, skip and a jump down the road the fee is $895.00. A long way off what your Lads have to come up with.

Both troops are full and we have a waiting list. Everyone, even the Lads on the waiting list have made the first payment and are following a payment plan.

Our Council by the sound of it would fit in one or two of your Districts. Last time and again this time the Jamboree Committee has offered Fund Raising opportunities to those that want them. We have sold pies in a couple of sales and frozen pizza kits. The profit on each pie was $1.25. Which I didn't think was worth the effort, but they sold for only $6.00 each. The pizza kits sold for $15.00 a kit with three pizzas in the kit and the profit was a little over $5.00.

Even as small as we are we had the pies and the pizzas delivered to two locations. We have a North Troop and their stuff went to the Service Center and a South Troop and their stuff comes to my house. My ever loving Her Who Must Be Obeyed coordinates all the sales for both troops. She informs everyone when the pick up time will be. Normally a two or three hour window. Most times the stuff comes in on a Saturday. The service center closes at noon and Her That Must Be Obeyed makes it very clear that she has to deliver the stuff that our son has sold and will not be home after the time stated.

Maybe you could find a vendor who would deliver to different locations ?

Some of the parents in the South Troop have said that they are unhappy selling food to their friends and relations. So we are looking at other items we might sell. The bad news is that everyone is selling to raise money for their organization. I suggested Christmas wreaths and two of the high schools sell them. The same thing with Coupon cards, the bands sell them. We are now looking at First Aid kits and bulbs that you plant.

We do by the way ask that all Fund Raising is pre-paid, money with the order. I don't want to be running around two counties - Even small ones, chasing up money owed.

Eamonn

[SR540Beaver]

Two counties? We have over 35,000 youth and 11 districts in 24 counties. Wanna trade? I've been looking at the first aid kits. Some of the first aid fund raisers I've looked at have different size kits you can order and deliver. Or you can just sell small kits right on the spot. An inventory that does not require refrigeration sure has it's appeal.

 

We thought about Krispy Kreme cards that you purchase for $5 and sell for $10. Good profit margin, but not all towns in our council have Krispy Kreme shops.

 

We've also considered the used cell phone thing. You collect used cell phones and there are fund raising companies that pay you for the ones that can be refurbished and resold. I work for a company that has boxes and boxes of old phones sitting on shelfs.