Units Supporting vs. Not Supporting Coun.

[Sparkie]

The discussion recently came up regarding units that do not support council via fundraisers... namely Popcorn and Wreaths. Should they, how do we get them to participate, etc. Then the issue came up about a unit that does neither, but does contribute about $4,000 to FOS (which would be considered supporting council).

 

So my question i guess is... Does your council have a requirement for unit support? I think the buzz going around is those units supporting council will receive a discount on camping opportunities. Those who do not support council by fundraising or FOS would pay a higher rate to use council facilities/camps.

 

Thanks for your input!

 

Sparkie

 

 

[Laurie]

We are not required to support council financially. We are, however, expected to have a FOS presentation on an annual basis. This past year the pack took part in popcorn, but for a variety of reasons, no one wants to do so again. One of my concerns, which I took to the pack committee, is that if we don't sell popcorn, we will not be supporting council financially. Therefore, the decision was made to hold a fundraiser--something we can actually get families to do--and designate the funds to council. All that was needed to get enthusiasm for supporting council financially was an understanding of what exactly that meant -- as in how does that benefit our own boys? There are no discounts or incentives offered to units to do fundraising--not here anyway.

[Eamonn]

As a District we invite units to support the Council.While we do apply some friendly "Arm Twisting" The units can do what they like.

We do offer free rank advancement to the units that meet certain requirements.

Sad to say this started off as a good idea, but over time the list of requirements just grew and grew, until people started asking "Is it worth it?" When it came down to the pack where each Scout only gets one patch a year, it wasn't such a great deal. The Troops fared a little better if they had a couple of Scouts making Eagle Scout rank.

Units that meet certain levels in FOS family campaigns receive a portion of the money back in the form of a store credit at the Council Scout Shop.

It is also a practice of the Council not to offer Camperships to units that do not support the Council. We don't change any fees or give discounts to those that do support the Council.

Eamonn

[KoreaScouter]

This goes beyond the mercenary. Many, perhaps most families in units haven't the faintest idea how BSA is organized above the unit level (sadly, many leaders don't either), or what sorts of things Districts and Councils do to support the units and their leaders in training, program planning, and delivery. It's as if all those things happen by themselves, invisibly. Hence, they don't see anything that needs their support. Moreover, I've witnessed unit leaders who bash District and Council staffs, within earshot of Scouts and their parents, don't support BSA activities above the unit level (OA, training, popcorn, awards, banquets, camporees, Roundtables, etc.), and then complain the next minute that District & Council "isn't doing anything for us".

 

What kind of lesson are we teaching and reinforcing when we do this? One of our aims is character development, which should include a willingness as adults to give something back to our schools, communities, charitable organizations, and those less fortunate. How better to plant that seed in youngsters than to make sure they know that part of what they're doing helps the District and Council support the units, maintain campgrounds, put on special events, and so on.

 

Plus, I've always found that being a "team player" as a unit comes back in spades when you need something extra from the District or Council. As my mom used to tell me, "One hand washes the other, and both hands wash the face". Her advice has never failed me.

 

KS

[Twocubdad]

Our council doesn't make any distinction between the units which do and don't support the council. I'm not sure what I think about the idea. The devil is in the details and I would think it would be awfully difficult to craft a system that is fair to all. What about units that don't contribute much financially but supply a lot of district and council-level leaders or always bring a bus load of boys to work days at camp? Units who can't contribute financially mak very well be the ones who need camperships the most.

 

Our pack contributes in just about every way. We are always one of the top units in both FOS and popcorn sales. A number of our folks have leadership positions in the district and we provide way more than our share of labor planning and running district camps and events. We are in a fairly well-off part of the council and we very plainly tell our families that we have an obligation to support Scouting beyond our unit.

 

On the other hand, everyone has a horse's behind to deal with from time to time. Last fall I asked one of our Cubs how much popcorn he had sold. His father -- who is the Scoutmaster of a nearby troop -- piped in and said the both his son and his troop were boycotting popcorn sale due to the high percentage of profits the council keeps. I asked him that being the kind of man who puts his money where his mouth went if he was planning to write the pack a check for the money his boycott was costing us. I also asked if he would mind if the council started charging his troop to use the council camps. No response on either questions and -- of course -- no check.

[Bob White]

I don't that any council could get away with "requiring" unit support.

 

They can encourage, motivate, reward, urge, beg..but not require. nor cam they withhold services from a unit that chose not to. Are there some out there that behave like that...expecting services and resources but not contributing to their cost? There sure are. Solution? Units need to select their leaders more carefully.

 

BW

[scoutldr]

Our council does charge to use council camps...a buck a head per night. If a unit sells popcorn, they get free training. If someone registers for training and is a no-show, the unit allegedly gets billed. The biggest gripe I hear about popcorn is that it is over-priced. My unit would rather sell 1,000 candy bars at a buck a piece, than try to sell a thousand bucks worth of popcorn. A lot of people will just throw a dollar at you and tell you to keep the candy. I know that some cub packs generate tens of thousands of dollars for their treasuries every year and we always hear about them at roundtable, but as the diet adds say in the fine print, "results not typical"...especially for Troops.

 

Any leader who has been to New Leader Essentials should know what District and Council do for them. Unfortunately, a lot of old-timers out there (pros and vols alike) still feel that the only reason Council exists is to tell them why they can't do something.

[KoreaScouter]

In my last council, your FOS check got you a 20% discount card for the Scout Store for a year. I'm all for that, and for activity discounts, and breaks on training, too, for those units/families that support the District/Council according to some reasonable, achieveable criteria.

 

From a bookkeeping standpoint, instead of getting the unit/family support from a lump-sum council cut on product sales or FOS contributions, you're getting it a little at a time every time Mom/Dad goes to the Scout shop or the Scout attends a District/Council activity. That's fine by me.

 

KS

[Sparkie]

Thanks everyone! some good ideas out there that i'm sure council hasn't thought about.

 

Sparkie