Eagle Project - Parent Funding

[SR540Beaver 116]

Of course, in larger councils, the "rules" vary from district to district and it makes for interesting conversations at council gatherings. Our neighboring district has no "build something" rule, so we don't consider their eagle projects worthy and wonder how they can hold their head up in public doing powder puff projects. Who cares if they walked on water, did they build a dock to step onto when they completed their trek?

[GKlose 24]

I like the clarifications in the new advancement guidebook and Eagle project workbook. Turns out we have one of those districts where the Eagle board chair used to make a big deal about the fundraising aspects (although, I don't know if he required a "Unit Money Earning Application", which I never understood anyway; an Eagle project isn't "unit money-earning", and an Eagle candidate is not a unit).

 

A concrete example: two Eagle candidates, from our troop, within a month of each other. The first one sails through, raising donations from friends and family and by collecting aluminum cans (at his dad's workplace). The next one has largely the same wording in his project workbook about fundraising, also mentioning that he would ask for donations from neighbors by leaving a flyer in their mailboxes (the project is a conservation project that helps the neighborhood).

 

I saw the email trail back from that latter one (workbook review, and feedback, is offered via email). The response from the chair is along the lines of "we expect more out of our Eagle candidates than begging for money" and "it is illegal to put flyers in mailboxes". Very terse, and (in my opinion) fairly rude. Definitely not positive, helpful feedback. My initial reaction was "oh, so the next time I'm hit up for FoS, maybe I'll just reply that begging for money is particularly un-Scoutlike, according to , and that they'll just have to figure something else out. BTW, last night at a troop meeting, the SM handed me a letter from our new DE, whom I haven't met yet, who told us what our unit "base goal" and "stretch goal" FoS contributions are, which are about double of what was donated last year.

 

All that being said, that's why I welcome the new clarifications on Eagle project fundraising. It wouldn't have killed the district Eagle board chair to write a more polite response, telling the candidate that putting flyers in mailboxes is not a good idea, and that to hand them out personally, or leave them in a door would be better choices (hence, educating the candidate). But instead we get the rude "gatekeeper" mentality of "we expect more of our Eagle candidates than begging for money".

 

Guy

[eisely 13]

First of all there is no prohibition at the national level against parents funding an eagle project and there never was in my memory. I don't know where this particular SM is coming from, but he should be approached in a friendly non confrontational way to find out where this alleged policy originates. Even under the old way of doing things, this is a changing of the rules that is not permitted. I funded the modest materials needed for my middle son's project in 1998 and it was never an issue.

 

The new workbook clears up several things. There is now a separate fund raising application form designed solely for eagle projects that is mandatory when fund raising falls outside of certain sources. If materials or funds are being contributed by the benefiting organization, the chartered organization, the unit, the scout himself, or the scout's family, no fund raising application is needed. So the aspiring eagle and his adult advisors need to parse the new workbook very carefully to ensure that they understand the new regime.

 

Fortunately troops in our district are reaching out for advice and training. Our advancement chair and I (as district eagle project approval authority) have been involved and will continue to offer sessions for troops to get everyone on the same page.

[hicountry 20]

Solution seems simple to me....if this guy wants to play games and add in requirements and restrictions that aren't there, one has to get creative and play along. Hve the parents donate to son Eagle candidate, have him tell the SM that he earned the money mowing lawns, washing cars, shoveling snow, babysitting etc....scout raised the money doing chores on his own. This should shut up the blowhard and get the project done.

 

Yeah, I know we are going to get a scout is honest replies, but when you are dealing with an idiot, why take the past of most resisitence in solving a problem that didn't need to be created to begin with. The SM is wrong here and creating un needed burdn on getting an Eagle project done, why risk getting the Eagle project done before turning 18 if you are going to try and play by the rules that are not even there in the first place. Tell him what he wants to hear and get teh project completed.