Fundraising questions

[zippity do da]

Our pack has an annual fundraiser so each boy can raise the money for his pack dues. Pack dues are $40.00 a year. If a boy does not raise this, his summertime activities, awards, etc. are not paid for by the pack. We require our boys to ride 10 miles and get donations per mile. Each boy has to get a minium of $40.00. The boys do get prizes for the amount of money they bring in. Any amount of money they bring in over $40.00 does NOT transfer to next year. I am told it is a treasures nightmare to keep up w/ this. Parents are complaining that this is a non for profit organization and we should be able to transfer money to their dues for next year. We are also not giving back to the community during this bike a thon. But we do highway cleanup 3 times a year and we do a food drive once a year. Our pack does not participate in popcorn selling (very rural area) however; each den does their own fundraising. Has anyone else had simular problems w/in their packs? Can anyone out there offer any help or resolutions? Some boys bring in $300.00. Some can't bring in anything.

[evmori]

What happens to the rest of the $$$ over the $40 annual dues per Scout? Does it go to cover Pack expenses for the remainder of the year? Do the parents have the option of paying $40 instead of participating in the event? Does the Pack have a large surplus of $$$ left over each year?

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Scoutmaster Ron]

I may be wrong on this but when fundraising doesnt the scout/pack have to either provide a service or a product? How does bike riding satisfy that?

With popcorn and candy bar fundraisers I would think that those two alone should satisfy the $40.00

Just floating this idea but you could have them provide "Halloween insurance" that if a resident was the victom of T.P. the pack would clean up the house?

 

[EagleInKY]

Good catch Ron. This sounds like one of those "sponsorship events", like a rock-a-thon, walk-a-thon, etc. I didn't think they were permissible, either.

 

Zippie-sounds like you've got some serious issues with your pack (based on this and other posts). It sounds like you're in serious need of some modern training to get them up with the times.

[mich632]

"I am told it is a treasures nightmare to keep up w/ this."

 

I don't understand how this could be a treasurer's night mare.

 

We have 38 boys in the troop. We do two fundraisers. One for the troop and we use popcorn sales for "scout accounts". All the money raised from popcorn sales goes to each boys individual account. That money can be used for any "scout expense". ( dues, campouts, uniforms etc.)

 

It transfers over to following year. Only two main rules.

 

1. When you leave troop the money goes to troop.

2. It can only be used for scouting costs. Example: Can't use it to buy candy at summer camp.

 

Bottom line, it's just a simple excel spread sheet. It can be done. Sounds like the treasurer doesn't want to.

[evmori]

I may be wrong on this but when fundraising doesn't the scout/pack have to either provide a service or a product? How does bike riding satisfy that?

 

Good point, Ron. However there are many councils & districts that hold bowl-a-thons!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[zippity do da]

Thank you all for your support and help. Our pack has many issues. I have tried and tried to get things "right". I am told not to be so black and white. There is, I'm told, a lot of gray in the Guide to safe scouting and leader book. I was also told to back off or I would be voted out. Our den leaders make up the committee. OUr cubmasters wife is the committee chair (imagine how far we get w/ anything). We need serious help and I have NO ONE TO turn to. I'm hoping someone in cyber space will no someone else in cyberspace etc. As far as bobcat, everyone knows the rules. Fact is, people breaking them don't care. Our charter rep will be @ comt. mtg. and we are going to present him w/ the legalities etc. As far as bike a thon,our cubmaster says we do 3 hwy. cleanups a year and a citywide food drive once a year and it helps the church w/ 85 families. Supposedly that is how we "get away" w/ being allowed to do this. We also do family camping and don't file tour permits. I have a child w/ a sibling who is totaly disabled. This childs mom wants to bring an r.v. so she can be there because it's "family" camping and cub can't be left w/ anyone else. Now some members (who can't even vote) are telling me it is not fair for one to bring an r.v. and not others. My gosh, the child is wheel chair bound for life, non responsive, can't feed himself or hold his head up, etc. I'll be darned if they are not going to let her stay w/ her disabled son in an r.v. I'm not to much appreciated by some in my pack. However, I did win district committee member of the year last year, so I know I have some supporters. But, I'm one of few who will speak out. I'm am frustrated at this point and giving thought to not rechartering here and going to another pack, but should I do that, then what would happen to this pack? Please help! Texas needs yall!

[Bob White]

Bowl-a-thon, bike-a-thon, walk-a-thon, none meet the requirements for a UNIT money eraning project. The BSA Unit Money Earning Application form is specific and clear on this point.

 

If the scout doesn't earn the money he doesn't get his awards??? Ok the pack not paying for activity fees I can understand, But not giving a child his recognitions??? Why do they even bother to be scout leaders if they are willing to do that to kids?

 

Instead of doing the bike-a-ton Zippity, I would ride the bike to another pack, these folks are out of control.

 

BW

 

 

 

 

[catsmasher]

Two options:

Start a new pack - don't know how big your town is, but my guess is that many parents would be willing to follow you to a new pack if the one you are in is so messed up.

Go to another pack - If you have tried your best, don't sacrifice your child's scouting experience due to a misplaced sense of loyalty to a bunch who do not care about delivering a quality program. Think of your kid first.

 

We recently reorganized our Scout Troop. The Troop was out of control and the adults were doing a lousy job. Things got so bad that the Webelos leaders informed the Chartering organization and District Executive that they were taking all the cross-overs to another town! After a few years of that, the troop got down to a few adults and just their kids, then the district stepped in and forced the leaders out. Now we have 15 scouts, a geat program and many kids have come back from that other town. So chin up! Things can change when everyone gets together to change them.

 

Remember - it is about the kids!

 

PS - There is NO GRAY in the Guide to Safe Scouting. That position alone is a danger sign of a program out of control.

[Eamonn]

Welcome back,

At times I wonder how packs /troops and even districts manage to do so a good job of messing things up. I really would love to know how this happens? The thing that bugs me the most is that while doing things "Not by the book" can and does work for a while, it seems to me that once things start going wrong everything becomes unraveled. Reminds me of when my mother would undo her knitting after she had messed up (She was a fantastic knitter, I still have Aron sweaters that she spent hours on.) Of course when this happens, it is the kids that we said that we were going to serve that get the shaft.

Who is to blame? There is always more than enough blame to go around. At the District level. Did we really go out and do everything that could be done to get these guys trained? Did the Unit Commissioner know what was going on? Was there a Unit Commissioner? When the DE found out things were not going right did he or she mention it to the CO?

At the unit level. Were the Leaders selected? Or did we settle for a body that was still warm? When people seen things were not being done as they should be, did anyone make a stand or make a fuss?

The questions are almost endless.

I am no longer a part of the Commissioner staff. Looking at what Zipity has posted. If I were still commissioning, I think I would see what the Unit Commissioner has got to say.

We don't know why he hasn't done something before now. I would ask the COR if he would be willing to call a meeting, inviting the Cubmaster, the Pack CC,the COR,the Unit Commissioner and either the Assistant Commissioner Cub Scouts or the District Commissioner, if the DE was free invite him or her as well. The meeting would not be in the Cubmasters home.(I have a hard time being stern with people in their own home.)

Starting with the big items that the pack is not doing right we would cover all the "Sins".The time for being nice has past. We (The District) need to tell it as it is. In fact wrong as it might be I would go out of my way to scare the heck out of the COR. Cub Scouts camping without a Tour Permit would sound like a hanging offense! The way pack funds are being managed would seem like a capitol crime. There is a very good chance that before the end of the meeting that the pack might end up with out a Cubmaster and a Pack CC. This would be their choice. There is a good chance that before the end of the week the pack could lose these two, that would be up to the CO.

Working with the COR (If there wasn't one, or he was just a name I would talk with the CO and see about getting their permission to act on their behalf. This may not be kosher, but I have done it in the past.) We would come up with a plan. The plan would would be putting the pack on something that would seem a little "Probation". Working with the Pack Committee to undo the stuff that is wrong getting the Pack Committee Trained. Working with the Leaders to get them Trained.

Of course this will only work if the CO wants it to work. If they say that they are happy with things as they are. That is the end of it. I would then butt out.Of course I'm not a Commissioner. However Zippity, you could start the ball rolling when you meet with the COR. if they ask you to take a hike, what have you lost?

Eamonn.