Re: Breach of Trust
Rick & Gail Branum (branum@AONE.COM)
Sun, 26 Jan 1997 20:50:01 -0800
Roger,
I have encountered this same type of thing several times in my 20
years as a Girl Scout Leader, and in more than one council. Each council
has their own set of guidelines, BUT there is usually a recourse. Your best
course of action is what Kathy McCarty wrote:
> As someone has already mentioned make sure that your wife has that
>signed permission slip to sell the cookies. I would then consult the service
>unit cookie manager, who will be able to give you the information on how to
>proceed for your particular council.
> In our council here in PA we are advised to deposit any checks written
>for cookies directly into the council cookie account in case any of them are
>a problem. When we make our final deposit to the council account we are
>directed to figure the girl's profit and retain that and if there is money
>outstanding to short council, not the Troop account. Council will take on
>the responsibility to collect the outstanding funds.
The council I am currently in has a place on the back of the
envelope that the cookie manager can fill in to show why things don't add
up. It is virtually a place to record who hasn't turned in money. As long
as there is a paper trail (ie: signed permission slip, receipts of cookies
in the possession of family in question, any other pertinent papers that
prove you have delivered their cookies to them in good faith and they have
not been forthcoming with the money as agreed to in the permission slip),
then my council will not penalize the rest of the troop monetarily or
otherwise. They ask the cookie manager to do their utmost to try and get
the money, but when that fails, they assume the problem and go after the
offender themselves.
The first time this happened to me I was dumbfounded and felt
totally responsible for the whole situation. The second time, I wasn't as
surprised, but still felt very badly and somewhat responsible. After the
third time, I got calloused and only hesitated briefly before turning the
offender in. The fourth time, there was no hesitation. Luckily a 5th time
hasn't occurred. The longer you are involved in fund-raisers and the more
people you deal with, the more times you will run into this type of thing
happening. Just be sure that the girls and other families in the troop do
not get wind of this occurence. It isn't any of their business and 99% of
the time the child is totally innocent. Work with your local product sales
people and they will most likely help you through the steps you need to
follow in order to either recoup the loss or move on without a loss to the
other girls.
YiS,
Gail Branum
*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%
"Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else."
branum @ aone.com
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/3209/
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