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Re: Wow! Cost of Scouting
Anthony Mako (ajmako@NLS.NET)
Mon, 28 Sep 1998 16:09:10 -0400
<Anita Hollister said, snipped>
That included annual registration/dues of $72.00
</Anita>
What I wonder most about all this is what the troop uses the $72.00 for.
National registration is only $7.00. Boys' Life another $7. Standard
additional items for first year registration include troop neckerchief, a
Scout handbook, and liability insurance. Unless the neckerchief is made with
24 carat gold thread it shouldn't cost more that $5. That gives me a grand
total of $25 (roughly). If you add a troop t-shirt that brings the total to
about $40. What's the other $32 for?
Unfortunately, experience tells me that the other $32 pays for awards and
troop operation. That means the Scouts pay for everything. No wonder it
costs so much. There is a reason we have fundraisers. One of those reasons
is so the troop can raise funds to operate the troop without asking the
parents of its members for more money. As a parent, you should know what
every cent of that $72 is for. As a leader, you should know exactly how each
cent of that $72 was spent. If you don't know either of these things, it
would be in your best interest to find out.
You see, I've seen troops who have passed every cost of operating the troop
on to the parents of the members. I've seen troops pass on the cost of new
troop equipment to the membership. I've seen troops exaggerate the cost of
registration in order to collect extra funds. And I've been there when
parents confront the troop leadership about where all the money goes. It's
not a pretty sight.
YIS
A. J. Mako, ajmako@nls.net , Scoutmaster Troop 381
Home of the Unofficial Win95 Boy Scout Desktop Theme,
http://members.aol.com/Scouts381/
Old Portage District, Great Trail Council, BSA
"I used to be an Eagle (C-7-97), but I'll always be an Eagle (1981)"
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