Weekly Dues

[fuzzievohs]

Sorry to spin this off, but can anyone answer this question?

Does your troop collect weekly dues?

[moosetracker]

Our troop tries, but depending on the scout whose job it is to collect it, sometimes it is neglected for months and then months back of "catch up" is needed..

[Twocubdad]

No.

 

Although it's been awhile since we debated this, I will tell you the argument comes down to whether or not the weekly lessons of thrift and responsibility are worth the time, effort and cash flow issues.

 

Our troop has clearly decided in the negative.

 

Back in the day, dues for my Cub Scout den were 10 cents per meeting. Maybe it was just my house, but my recollection is that it was a big deal for each scout to come up with the 10 cents on his own. The assistant denner was responsible for collecting dues, although I remember the den mothers (yes, they were all mothers) having a big hand in the process.

 

As an eight year, that was a pretty big lesson.

 

Even back then, my recollection as a Boy Scout was that dues were 25 cents (what ever happend to the cent symbol on keyboards?) but no one really worried about paying weekly. Everyone was usually behind, but you could pay a dollar or two to get caught up and ahead a few weeks. The running joke was a kid named Martin who was years behind. It was a big laugh one night when his dad finally paid up something like $30.

 

I can't imagine weekly dues being anything but a pain for our troop now.

 

 

[momof2cubs]

In the Cubbie section, it was discussed some time ago the whole priorities thing. Meaning why is it that sometimes scouting takes a back seat to sports, etc.

 

My gut tells me that if scouting was a "pay as you go" system, people would be much less likely to make it priority. I think that if they pay dues ahead of time, it encourages commitment (on the part of the parents I mean) to get the most of the dues that you paid.

 

Just my $0.02..you can keep the change.

 

Plus the whole thing could be an accounting nightmare for the poor treasurer.

[Lisabob]

My son's current troop collects monthly dues. $3/month. They turn in their $ to the scribe (via their patrol) and they get a receipt back. If boys don't pay up then they are charged when recharter time rolls around. They collect money for the following year, so this works out ok (boys are paying $3/month toward next recharter). His old troop did not - they just collected a lump sum in September, which usually meant I wrote a check.

 

We've only been with this troop for maybe 6 months now so I have limited exposure to this system. Initial thought is that it is more work and depends greatly on how well the scribe keeps records.

 

But I like it! I've noticed three things:

1. My son actually pays attention and remembers to take his own money to pay dues, rather than me reminding him to turn in my check.

2. It gives the scribe a real job to do and keeps adults at arms-length (lots of discussions, here and offline, about whether the scribe position is a legitimate one - in this troop, it is)

3. It is a reminder that boy scouting is not about finding the most efficient way for adults to administer a program, but rather, about finding ways to expand the boys' roles in their own program.

[SeattlePioneer]

Good in theory.

 

Not worth the nuisance.

[SMT224]

Dues are $5/month except for July & December.

 

Scouts must be current with dues to go on a camping trip, so this is a strong impetus to bring in their dues.

[eagle90]

I agree with Seattle

 

With 62 scouts we would take up too much time collecting weekly dues, not to mention the accounting fiasco. We collect once a year.

[dewASM]

We collect dues monthly $5/month. Dues are collected by the scribe who keeps track on a simple chart.

 

He does have to chase boys for dues and I sometimes have to remind him to do that! However, I think it is important for the boys to be part of paying their way. A yearly fee will simply be a check from mom or dad.

 

I also make sure to tell them where their money goes. For example, when we recharter, I announce the charter and the cost involved. Scouts need to know that the Troop is using the money wisely.

 

When we work on the yearly calendar, we talk about expenses. We review the preceding year including ranks and merit badges earned and the cost to the troop to buy the patches for advancement. Every year we discuss the dues versus the option of paying for every patch earned.

 

If we want the boys to be involved in the financial support of the troop, we need to include them in some financial decisions as well

[Stosh]

Before my ouster as SM for expecting too much leadership out of my boys, we instituted the process of weekly dues.

 

The reason for this is so that the patrol treasurers would actually have functional responsibility in the patrol. Each week, he would collect dues, and make a report to the patrol the beginning balance, what was taken in from whom at the last meeting, and an ending balance. Took 10 - 15 seconds to make his report. The money collected by the patrol was to be used by the boys any way they saw fit. They did not have to get any approval from the troop committee. The boys were currently planning a pizza party after the annual swim test at the local school pool in preparation for summer camp. Those boys who were behind on their dues were expected to pay for their own pizza or get caught up. The idea behind the process was not to collect money but to have the boys come prepared to the meeting with some forethought and to have the patrol leadership actually have some responsibility to fulfill.

 

I don't know what happened to this practice after I left, but if the parents were insisting on less leadership responsibility for the boys, I'm sure the practice was dropped. I'm sure it was a leadership function that the parents were taking away from the boys that they didn't want to do.

 

Your mileage may vary,

 

Stosh(This message has been edited by jblake47)

[SeattlePioneer]

Good idea there, Stosh. How much were the dues?

 

I found collecting weekly dues a BIG pain in the neck as a Den Leader, and the parents just paid them anyway.

 

But giving the Scouts incentives to pay and collect the dues as is supposed to happen sounds like a fine idea.

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)

[boomerscout]

No! A neighboring troop tried weekly, if a kid didn't have his dues there was a good chance he skipped that week's meeting. It's all about cashflow. Some weeks may have no income, but there is usually something in the coin purse on a monthly basis

[Stosh]

The boys set the dues at a quarter. The amount wasn't as important as the process. Even at that level they ought to be able to accord a few pizza's every couple of months.

 

Stosh

[SeattlePioneer]

Again, splendid program idea, Stosh!

 

 

This provides a maximum incentive for Scouts themselves to make a weekly dues system work, and a tangible reward when it does!

 

I think you'd be doing your district a favor if you took that program to your Boy Scout Roundtable and made a presentation on it.

 

I'll have to think about that as program for Cub Scouts. I'm afraid Cubs would be likely just to bum a quarter off their parents, defeating part of the idea behind the program, but maybe it would still be worth while....