is this a good eagle project - part 2

[SueB]

Is collecting gift cards for the victims of Hurricane Katrina a good eagle project? Food drives are hard to do since it's almost impossible to find trucks that are going down anymore. My son would have a sponsor and a place to send the gift cards. He would speak to community groups and ask for donations (of cash and/or gift cards) and ask the KofC to sponsor a pancake breakfast and donate the proceeds. Does this project show leadership? If not, can you suggest ideas for showing leadership?

 

On a side note - his troop only reviews eagle projects once a month so if a boy needs to tweak his project, then you have to wait another month to present it. My son has been trying to get an eagle project approved for almost 5 months now and each time they either don't like the project or say it doesn't show eadership. He's frustrated as am I. His troops easily approves projects that "build" things but he has no desire to build anything. They want projects that leave a "legacy".

 

[Lisabob]

It sounds like a thoughtful gesture but...in general, scouts are not allowed to solicit monetary donations for non-scout groups. I don't know exactly how or if that rule applies to eagle projects (I've never had it come up in that context) but I can tell you that where I live, units who have tried to do things like this (including for hurricane victims) have been told a resounding *no* by the district and council professionals. It's too bad, as monetary donations are often more useful to charities than goods and services.

 

Lisa'bob

A good old bobwhite too!

[SueM]

While this is a worthy endevor, I believe it would not be allowable because fundraising is not allowed as an Eagle project, (aside from raising funds for materials) even though it would be going to a good cause.

 

You could consider a food drive for your local community food bank or Salvation Army food bank. We had a boy do this last year during this time of year. Perhaps you could get permission from a local food store to set up a collection site there? Do some promotions in local papers, etc.

 

sue m.

[John-in-KC]

Ms B,

 

I'm a little concerned about the "once a month" comment. If the Troop Committee internal procedures are ALL projects must be approved by a plenary session of the Committee, then monthly is valid. Many units (including both the Troop I chair and the Crew I'm a member on) delegate Committee approval to the Chairman and trust his judgment. I've never known a Chairman not to make time for a boy trying to get his project ready for the District Advancment Committee approval layer.

 

I've also never known a Scoutmaster who'd not work extended hours with a youth who is getting his ELSP ready to launch.

 

 

[frankj]

The once a month interval for review seems too long to me. When a scout is at that point, the SM and others should more than meet him half-way.

 

As to the project itself, it sounds like a worthwhile project but if I were asked to approve it I would be wondering just who the gift cards are going to? You said he has a sponsor and a place to send the gift cards, but who ends up with them? If you made a more direct connection with a specific (deserving) group, would the committee be more accepting? It might be worth asking the committee about this.

 

 

 

 

[SueB]

Thanks everyone for your reply, but the troop committee has decided this wouldn't work. My son has now planned a blood drive but there are controversies over that (please read my recent post on that).