Jamboree Troop Money

[Eamonn]

Not sure what happens in other Councils.

When it is time for the Jamboree in the Council I serve.

This comes under the Council Camping Committee, who pass it on to the Council High Adventure Committee. (Which is part of the camping committee.)

A Jamboree Troop Committee is set up.

This committee has people who have as a rule in the past been involved in Jamborees.

These guys working very closely with the professional who is tasked with the Jamboree make all the important decisions about the Jamboree Troop.

They select the Troop Leaders.

Set the cost.

Publicize the event.

Organize the transport.

Act as Equipment Quartermasters.

Set dates and help organize fund raising events.

I have served twice as Jamboree SM.

I attended these Jamboree Committee meetings where I gave my input and made suggestions.

My main job before the Jamboree was training the Scouts and getting them ready for the event.

Most of the questions I got from parents seemed to be about uniform.

I was always a little upset that I had little or no say in the selection of the Scouts who went to the event.

We seem happy to go with a first come first served selection, that being whoever got the deposit in first was on the list and the late comers were placed on a waiting list.

All money was paid into the Council Service Center.

That is to say I never had any dealings with any cash. (I liked this a lot!) Other then the $500.00 that the Council gave me for emergencies, which I had to account for and return if there wasn't any need for it.

All fund-raising money was turned into the Council Service Center.

Scouts were free to choose if they wanted to be involved in the fund-raising events or not.

I did use some of the Emergency money to buy extra ice and coolers, along with watermelons and pay for the Scouts fast food lunch on the Trip home. I tried to get receipts for all the money I spent, when this wasn't possible I turned in a hand written, signed receipt.

I paid to attend both Jamborees and I paid for my son to attend one. This money was paid into the Council Service Center. When my son went as a staff member we send that money to National.

While not a member of the Jamboree Committee the Council Registrar was the person who accepted all payments and money from fund-raising events and kept track of all the cash.

I was more than happy not to have to deal with any money.

In fact I some how managed to lose the receipts for four water coolers I bought (Sent a visiting parent out to Lowe's.) So I just kept the coolers for my own use and paid for them myself.

I have never really kept track of the money I spend on Scouting.

I'm not the sort of guy who if I'm with a group of Scouts and I want an ice cream, will not buy all the Scouts I'm with a ice cream as well. (That would be rude!)

If a Scout who has signed up for the Jamboree has a change of heart and decides not to go, he will as long as there is someone to take his spot get his money back.(If no one takes his spot he will lose all money that he paid in.)

We have never had to deal with what to do with money that came from fund raising events.

I would think that as this money was raised in the name of the Council for the Jamboree it should remain in the Council and not be returned to the Scout.

What do you think?

Eamonn.

[dg98adams]

My son is going to the Jamboree this year...

 

He has done some minor fundraising with the Jambo Troop that turned in all profit $ to the Council Office. And he even paid a payment or two from allowance/birthday $. But mostly it was bank-of-dad.

 

If he for some reason did not go, IMHO I think any fund raised $, raised for Jambo, should not be pulled back to the Troop Scout acct.

 

I can see where if a Scout earned a big % of the cost or more thru "Jambo fundraising" and then couldn't go gets sticky.

 

My opinion, Jambo fundraising stays with Jambo Troop.

 

[Mafaking]

 

In the spun thread the scout in question was selling water at parade. One could presume that it was a booth that multiple scouts worked at the same time. No one scout made a huge contribution to the total sales. All contributed but no one scout mattered that much. It was likely over staffed from a pure economic view.

 

Now if this were individual popcorn sales where the scout walked to his neighbors and made the sales then it might be a little different. All revenue could be attributed to that one scout.

 

 

 

 

 

[Oak Tree]

I'd agree with you, Eamonn. It might depend a bit on individual circumstances, and I think you'd be best off stating the policy up front, but in general, yes, money raised for one purpose should be used for that purpose.

[DYB-Mike]

My son is going to the Jamboree and, like dg98adams, its pretty much financed through the Bank of Dad (I like that). My boy has also done very little Jamboree-specific fund raising.

 

The Jamboree fundraising literature encourages the scouts to participate in the fundraising so that THEY can EARN money to help finance THEIR Jamboree participation cost or so that THEY can have pocket money at the Jamboree (caps for emphasis). Those boys were enterprising enough to go out and earn that money. If something comes up and they have to drop out I think the fundraising money should be redirected to a scout account, perhaps for them to use for Council summer camp. Council would not have had this money anyway if the boy attended the Jamboree.

 

The only exception I could see is in the event that the scouts forfeit whatever participation fee they paid, and also forfeit the fundraising earnings up to the total amount of the participation fee if the fee was not paid in full, if no one could be found to take their place. If the space was filled, however, both the fee and the earnings should go back to the scout.

 

I have not checked to see how my Council handles this situation. I know theres a waiting list of scouts who want to attend so I dont think forfeiture would be an issue.

 

YIS

Mike

 

[nolesrule]

You could easily relocate those caps to change the emphasis to support the opposing point of view.

[Twocubdad]

The real answer is it should be handled based on the council's previously-published policy. But if that were the case, there would be no discussion.

 

To me it would depend on the nature and purpose of the fundraising. Say the troop is raising a relatively small amount of money for the general fund with things like car washes and donut sales. The idea is to pay for little "extras" like ice cream, watermelons, custom patches and the like. This shouldn't be a big deal. You missed the car wash, I came late for the donut sale, ho-hum. The money should stay with the jamboree troop.

 

On the other hand, if the fundraisers require more individual effort with the purpose of offsetting a significant part of the cost of the trip for individual scouts, money raised should be treated as if it were a payment made by the Scout. This could be real money. It the Scout drops, it should be subject to the refund policy, the same as fees paid by the Scout.

 

This year will be my older son's third jamboree. None of the troops have ever done any fundraising. The first two troop asked for an extra $100 or so on top of the fee to the council. For the most part, this bought a standard kit of extras -- troop patches, shirts, hats, neckers, etc. -- and gave the leaders a little petty cash to spend on the boys as they saw fit. This year the troop hasn't asked for any money, but isn't providing any extras, either. As part of the Council package they get two troop t-shirts, a hat and three sets of jamboree shoulder strips and unit numbers. You can order -- and pay -- for extras, if you like.

 

On the one hand, I rather appreciate the frgality, but I also wonder if some of the boys will miss an opportunity to trade stuff with the people they meet.

[DYB-Mike]

Nolesrule, I assume you mean by putting the emphasis on the word Jamboree?

 

To me thats still not a good argument. The Jamboree is an activity. Boys earn money in their troop accounts for summer camp. If they cant attend summer camp is the money taken away? Its my understanding scout accounts accompany a boy if he transfers from troop A to troop B. Should the funds remain with troop A simply because the scout earned it there?

 

That being said, I can see Twocubdads point about how the money was earned. Funds from popcorn sales and the like where the scout is directly responsible for the sales should most definitely accrue to the scout. With patrol or troop communal efforts, where it is hard to tie individual effort to dollars earned, it is much easier to understand just leaving it with the patrol or troop. If it could be said, however, that the effort earned $100+ per scout participating, and the dropped-out scout participated, then that might be a different story.

 

The money is earned under the aegis of the Council. Whats wrong with Council setting aside the money for the benefit of the scout for a Council activity or use at the Council trading post? The Council, by way of the fee, has already fulfilled its obligations to the Jamboree itself. The earnings are purely additional funds that would have gone with the boy anyway had he attended the Jamboree. The Council will eventually get the money and the scout has some additional resources to draw on in the future its a win-win.

 

Again, what I have state above assumes that the Council is not left holding the bag on the fee for the scout that is due the Jamboree. In that case the scout needs to understand that the Council must square accounts with the Jamboree.

 

YIS

Mike

[Eamonn]

My main point in this thread was to show that I didn't understand how a Jamboree SM could "Run Off"?? With any of the money that Scouts attending the Jamboree had paid in.

 

In a normal everyday Troop (Not a Jamboree Troop which might be termed as being a Provisional Troop). All money in the Troop accounts, could be said to belong to the CO.

Money that is raised from fund-raising events, is raised in the name of the CO.

Most of the units I have had any dealings with have for the most part free range about how this money is spent.

If little Tommy sells hoagies. Some the money from the sale might end up in a "Scout Account" which is in his name.

Different units have different ways of dealing with how money from fund-raising events are handled.

If Tommy quits Scouting the money in this account, other than money he might have paid in, really doesn't belong to him.

Most units I know of turn this money over to the Troop and it becomes Troop Funds.

Some units do allow Scouts who move from one Troop to another Troop to take the money in their Scout Account with them. (Some don't!)

In a Jamboree Troop there is no CO.

Money raised by the Jamboree Troop is raised in the name of the Council.

My thinking is that it is up to the Council to decide what happens to this money.Should a Scout change his mind about attending.

They might well allow the Scout to move this to his Troop Account.

I do see some problems with a Council cutting a check which would be made out to another non-profit organization.

Or the Council might say that this money was raised for the Jamboree and as the Scout is no longer attending the Jamboree, he has no right or claim to it.

Eamonn.

 

[Scoutfish]

 

 

Me thinks you should start a committee devoted just to committee the other committees!

 

LOL! Couldn't help myself!

 

[Eamonn]

"Me thinks you should start a committee devoted just to committee the other committees!"

 

That of course in a Council would be the Executive Board and in a District, the District Committee.

Ea.