Hard Times And Good Luck

[Eamonn]

I know that at times I'm easily impressed and some things make me smile.

I smiled a lot when I heard the letter from a parent saying that their son was quiting referred to as a Dear Den Leader Letter.

I have been working with the new Committee Chair of the Scout Ship. She referred to Fundraising as the F -Word.

It has been a while since I have been involved with raising money at the unit level.Having spent the last ten years serving at the District level.

This brings up my first problem.

Over the years I used my contacts and my ideas to raise money for the District which we of course turned over to the Council. I was happy to do so and I was happy when year after year we made Quality District. However now I'm going to be done with my service to the District and will be serving at the unit level, this opens a big can of worms.

Many of the people who helped raise money for the District did so at my request. I don't have a problem with the District asking them to continue, but already some are saying that they want to support the Ship.

Our District Golf outing has been held at the Country Club, of which I and the Doctor who has sponsored the event are the only members. The club gave us a good deal on the meals and the green fees. He brought in a lot of his medical friends and managed to get a drug company to foot the bill for the meals. He is a very dear and close friend of mine and he really dislikes our SE. We met the other day and he wants to do the outing for the Ship. This would mean that the District /Council would lose about $12,000.

We have held our District Good Citizen Dinner at the club which has brought in a little over $6,000 and a District Dance at the Elks which brings in about $2,000. -The Elks are now the CO for the Ship.

While I know that it sounds very big headed of me but I was the driving force and put in most of the hard work to get these events off the ground and make them successful. Up until this year I had the support and the work that our old DE put in. She along with the Doc are now members of the Ships Committee. This year our DE didn't even attend the golf outing.

I know that our Council really does need the money. I'm unsure if I will be on the Board next year? I'm unsure if I'm offered Board Membership if I will accept or not.

I do know that trying to get this new unit up and running that I will not have and am unwilling to put the time into raising money for the District. In fact I'm happy to leave this in the hands of the new people, most of them are friends of mine anyway.

The Ship Committee and myself agree that there is a need for the unit members to do their part and get involved when it comes to raising money. To this end we have come up with a couple of events where they are active in making what we will be selling and acting as the sales force.

I kinda think next year is going to be a very hard year when it comes to money. Already on our local news they are reporting that a local food bank will not be issuing turkeys this holiday. It seems that people are worried about the high cost of fuel and have donated to the Red Cross. I know that having had my heating oil tanks filled a little while back, it cut into my mad money!!

I of course will continue to support the Council with my FOS donation (Less the extra I put in when we heard that the UW was cutting our funding. - We have time next year to budget for the cuts.) I in no way wish anyone any ill will. I'm happy to have served and now I'm happy to move on to the next project. I just hope that the District is ready.I have a "New Baby" and while I wish everyone the best of luck, my time and efforts will be used in the unit where I serve.

Eamonn.

 

[scoutldr]

Of course, if this fundraiser is done for the Ship, you will have to submit a Unit Fundraising Application to the Council. Should be an interesting discussion after they realize what it means.

[SemperParatus]

"Our District Golf outing has been held at the Country Club, of which I and the Doctor who has sponsored the event are the only members."

 

That is quite an exclusive club

[Eamonn]

"That is quite an exclusive club "

But we are a diverse group.

He is from Cuba and ...

Eamonn.

[Prairie_Scouter]

I'll bet you get the really good tee off times, too.

[madkins007]

Interesting situation!

 

I doubt your Ship needs $20,000 a year from the three combined fundraisers, and I can see where the club might not be real hot on doing the thing for the District without you.

 

I think I would offer up the golf bit to the District- 'suggesting' to them that the current club may no longer be able to host the program- that is really the club's decision to make, I would assume. Otherwise, I'd offer up my notes, planning chart, some of my contacts that would work well for them, etc. and focus on the needs of the Ship.

[Eamonn]

As yet I'm still working on a budget plan. It will of course have to be gone over and approved by the Committee and the Petty Officers will need to go over it.

At this time we don't have any equipment what so ever -Not even a rope to tie knots in!!

We are hoping that we will be fortunate enough to have some boat donations. But most of the boats that are donated are in need of work and that means buying tools.

Living in a land locked state means that we have to travel to the water and more than lightly tow any boat that we take with us. I'm happy to use my Ford Explorer, but I think a 14 seater mini bus is the way to get the Scouts to where we want to be.

So while I haven't done the math and I agree that $20,000 is a heck of a lot of money, I don't think spending it would be that hard, at least not in these early days.

If the District wants to continue with the golf outing,(I'm sure they will try) The big problem is not where to hold it, the problem is not having the support of the Doctor and his pals.

He was really upset this year when the DE didn't show and did nothing to help. Add this to the fact that he really more than dislikes the SE (He used to be our Council rep at the National Meeting, but has resigned from the Board -Because of this strong dislike)

We as a Council have gone way over board with golf outings - We have 3 big ones, the biggest brings in a little over $100,000. Almost all of our players come because of this Doctor.

All the records are already in the Scout Service Center. They have lists of who played and who donated what along with the financial records. So I really don't see that I have that much to hand over.

I don't think we will be doing the Citizen Dinner, it's hard to find an Outstanding Citizen who people will pay to honor!!

I have spoken with the Elks and the youth members and they want to use the Dances as youth dances. I think it's a wonderful idea, but I know before we even start that I'm not going to like the music.

Eamonn.