Prizes.

[Eamonn]

I suppose there is a fine line between what might be called gambling and what might be called prizes.

Our council has a drawing for a fair sized amount of money to be eligible for the drawing you have to sell X amount of popcorn. You earn more chances by selling more popcorn.

My feeling is that any which way you look at this it is a game of chance and isn't in line with the values we want to pass on to our Scouts.

The CM who took over the pack when I left had a drawing at the end of every pack meeting. All the Scouts present in full uniform were eligible.

I looked out on a sea of smiling Cub Scouts all happy in the expectation of winning what ever the prize was. (Paid for with pack funds.) After the drawing I seen one happy little fellow and a sea of disappointed Cub Scouts.

I know that gambling seems to be more acceptable now than maybe it was in the past. Lottery tickets here in PA help pay for some drugs that the elderly can't afford. There is a lot of hype that income from casinos will help cut property costs.

While I have been know to buy the odd Power Ball ticket when the prize gets really big I don't see myself as much of a gambler.

I have nothing against people who do gamble, how they spend their hard earned cash is their choice.

I know the Scouts today see and hear a lot about gambling, every second cable channel uses poker as a fill in.

Still "Something for nothing and your kicks for free" is not the example I feel we should be setting.

I do know that I'm not a very good loser and even when my Power Ball ticket doesn't win, I'm mad at myself for wasting a buck. Of course if I were to win? I'd be a very happy camper.

Ea.

[scoutldr]

THe new CS motto: "What happens at the Pack meeting, stays at the Pack meeting!"

 

I, too would have a problem with a Council giving away cash, that could be put toward program. Kids like recognition, and small prize items can be donated that won't take away from the popcorn profits. The council should set the example...would they approve a unit's fundraising application for a raffle?

[mtm25653]

Our CM has started putting a question in our newsletter (the answer is also in the newsletter) - boys have to call him with the answer, and leave their name. At the next pack meeting, there is a reverse drawing of all the boys who called in the answer - with the winner getting a prize for his den - this month a special campfire meeting.

 

This gets the boys to actually read the newsletter, teaches them to make a polite phone call (to the CM) and the whole den (1 out of 4 or 5, not just one boy) earns the prize.

[scottteng]

I guess the packs around here are throwbacks the kid that sells the mostest gets the biggest price and on down the line. No PC raffles for them. They believe in rewarding performance of course the also rans also get the benefit of the packs budget over the course of a year. We are training them to be good capitalists just like my bosses when I was in the sales game.

[Eamonn]

mtm25653

Seems like a nice idea.

I know that maybe I'm digging myself a bigger hole. But I don't have a problem with winning or winners.

The prizes given for selling popcorn that go hand in hand with the amount sold is OK with me.

A prize for attendance is OK.

If the prize is in someway earned (win the race get the prize?) I don't see it as being wrong.

When it just becomes a game of chance, is when I have a problem.

 

Back in the day, I upset a lot of the Packs in our area. When B&G time rolled around many Packs would go out soliciting local businesses for door prizes. This was at the same time as we were running the community FOS campaign. I asked them not to do it.

Sadly some units got very upset.

More and more I see 50/50 drawings,Chinese auctions being used to raise money at Scouting events.

Ea.

 

[ScoutNut]

I also have no problem with sales incentives, attendance/performance awards, door prizes, or the such. I think mtm25653's newsletter game sounds like fun. None of these are gambling, raffle's are.

 

Where BSA draws the line is when you are asking folks to pay money & all they get for their money is a ticket & a chance that they might win something else. Money earning activities should be "free from any association with gambling". All sales must "stand on their own merit". People must get their money's worth & receive something of value for their payment. A chance that maybe, possibly, if the stars are aligned in your favor, you might end up with something for your money does not cut it.

[epalmer84]

Our troop has elected to take money instead of prizes for popcorn sales; frankly, most of the prizes are crap. I would expect that Cub Scouts might want the prize, but most of them well understand the value of money.

 

I'm not a fan of drawings or lotteries in Scouting. Any prize should be awarded for performance. I do like the newsletter idea- this pushes them to do something useful and it rewards the den- this makes them a bit of a better team.

 

I guess my views of prizes go back to when I was a Scout and we sold Tom Watt. I just couldn't push myself to sell something I felt was a bunch of junk. I guess that's why I'm not in sales.

 

Ed