Fundraising questions

[jayson336]

My son’s troop is run by a few characters who have been brought up on complaints and charges in the past..….I will be taking him out and placing him into another Troop in January. Recently, one of the Adult Leaders was complaining that there was little to no money in the Troop account. He came up with the idea of running a football pool to try and raise money. Can a troop run a 'football pool' as a fundraiser? isn’t that gambling? A game of chance?….I have all the postings from his facebook page showing the pool, the check the Troop cut for themselves afterwards, and the request for people to purchase boxes. ….should I report this?

[John-in-KC]

Welcome to the forums. 
 

As long as you have the evidence, yes, report it. 

[FaithfulScouter]

You absolutely should report it. Games of chance are not allowed.  If we expect the Scouts to follow the rules, then Troop leadership should too.

Good luck with the new Troop.  It amazes me how they are all run differently, and I hope it's a good experience for your Scout.

[MattR]

Welcome to the forums. But I wish it were under better conditions.

"I have all the postings from his facebook page showing the pool, the check the Troop cut for themselves afterwards"

So, the unit raised funds via gambling and then paid themselves? Just a hunch, but isn't that illegal? I suspect the chartering organization, which is likely a 501 c 3, would go ballistic if they knew what was going on.

After you find another troop please come back with some good news. 

[CynicalScouter]

Yes for all the reasons mentioned above. First it is possibly illegal (it is betting/gambling after all).

Second, it is absolutely a BSA no-go.

Games of chance are explicitly prohibited.

Fundraising projects involving games of chance, lotteries, sale of raffle tickets, or bingo, or which could be construed as a gambling activity and those in the nature of pyramid sales or multilevel marketing are prohibited. (Rules and Regulations of the BSA)

And

Selling raffle tickets or other games of chance is a direct violation of the BSA Rules and Regulations, which forbid gambling. (Guides To Unit Money-Earning Projects)

Edited December 14, 2020 by CynicalScouter

[scoutldr]

Any unit fundraising must be approved by the Scout Executive, using the Fund Raising application form.  Our Pack was even forced to quit our baked goods raffle because it was a "game of chance."

[David CO]

39 minutes ago, scoutldr said:

Our Pack was even forced to quit our baked goods raffle because it was a "game of chance."

I've been to a lot of bake sales.  They are all a game of chance.

 

[SSScout]

1)  Check with your Troop's  Charter Org and Charter Org Representative.   If you don't know who that is, contact your District Executive (available thru the Council Website).  I will assume the Adult Leaders you speak of are "trained"?  and "registered"? and probably on the Troop Committee?  Not much use then, in talking to them? 

2) Talk to the other Scout parents.  Any others of like opinion?   There is safety and value in numbers. 

 3) Collect your evidence (sounds very persuasive to me) , include past years stuff as appropriate, and contact your Council Scout Executive directly, cc to the District Executive.   She/he/they should be very interested in such diversions from Scout policy.  

4)  Most such "sport pools"  of my small experience have only one purpose, the profit of an individual.   Any charitable interest is often sidelined by the "organizers".  Even 50/50 tag games. 

5) Prepare for the self destruction of the Scout Unit as no one steps up to take over the leadership.

6) continue with your plans to move to a better unit.

Good Scouting to you and your Scout.  Always remember, they will be picking out your Assisted Living Facility.  

[mrjohns2]

On 12/14/2020 at 2:34 PM, SSScout said:

4)  Most such "sport pools"  of my small experience have only one purpose, the profit of an individual.   Any charitable interest is often sidelined by the "organizers".  Even 50/50 tag games. 

I hate 50/50's. They are really big here in Wisconsin. Both a for profit and non-forprofit activities. They do them at high school basket ball games etc. I have heard that if you win at a game like that, you are "expected" to donate the winnings back to the team. So, at least for some groups, they do well. 

[SSScout]

3 hours ago, mrjohns2 said:

I hate 50/50's. They are really big here in Wisconsin. Both a for profit and non-forprofit activities. They do them at high school basket ball games etc. I have heard that if you win at a game like that, you are "expected" to donate the winnings back to the team. So, at least for some groups, they do well. 

Yeah.   It's like the state lotteries.  Why not just make our taxes fair and equitable , and not make "school funding"  (for instance)  dependent on folks'  greed and desire to beat out others?  

[CynicalScouter]

3 minutes ago, SSScout said:

Why not just make our taxes fair and equitable

Because if you asked 100 people what "fair and equitable" taxation means, you'd get at least 50 different answers. The only thing all 100 people have in common is that all 100 would say "fair and equitable taxation includes a provision I PAY LESS."

"Sin taxes" like lotteries are therefore much easier to pass/enact. Only "those people" play the lottery and/or I can "opt out" of paying taxes by simply not playing.

Edited December 23, 2020 by CynicalScouter

[SSScout]

1 minute ago, CynicalScouter said:

Because is you asked 100 people what "fair and equitable" taxation means, you'd get at least 50 different answers. The only thing they'd all have in common is "fair and equitable taxation means is that I PAY LESS."

Well, maybe.  If the folks that "play the game well"  might pay more , the folks that can't "play the game"  might pay less.   Perhaps time for another thread with very little to do about Scouting....  Nah, not today.