what to do with leftover supplies from Eagle project

[Lisabob]

While working on his Eagle project, a scout received a discount on building supplies from a local business, and ended up with some leftovers worth around $100. The business didn't want them back and the group for whom the project was done didn't want them, either. The troop doesn't have a place to store them & understandably doesn't want to end up with odds & ends from every Eagle project.

 

Although the boy did a lot of fundraising, he ended up putting in a little of his own money to cover the difference between what he raised and the final cost of materials. I'm not certain how much he put in, but I'm guessing somewhere between 50-200, based on what I know he raised and the typical cost of other projects like his.

 

So the question is, what to do with the leftover material?

 

Is it acceptable for the boy's family to take the items & use them at home? The boy & family have a concern that they should not benefit personally, since the discount was offered on the basis of the materials being for an Eagle project. Some folks have suggested giving the material to another organization (like habitat for humanity), but there too, that wasn't the original purpose for which the discount was offered and there was a concern about this.

 

Something needs to be done with the leftovers, though! My thought is that since the boy used some of his own money in the first place, to tell the family to take the leftovers and ask them to consider making a donation to a charity covering the amount they "saved" via the discounted material costs. What do you all think?

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

This material should be shipped to the BSA Central Repository For Surplus Eagle Project Materials at Irving, Texas.

 

There it is preserved in amber in case it might be needed for maintenance on the Eagle project during the next 10,000 years.

 

OR

 

You can use common sense and dispose of it in whatever way seems reasonable. If you sell it, I'd be inclined to contribute any cash raised to the organization benefiting from the Eagle project.

 

I'm not aware of any "rules" on such an issue, although I'm sure I'm mistaken and someone will post some.

 

 

[Twocubdad]

He's offered the materials to the supplier, beneficiary and troop. What more can he do? I'd say can put them in a dumpster with a clear conscious.

 

At some point you have to figure the return on transporting and storing $100 worth of surplus.

[qwazse]

Boy keeps materials. Use for odds and ends at home or other service (not necessarily eagle projects).

 

I have a funny feeling that if they haven't for this endeavor, this family will contribute more than the value of those materials in helping others anyway.

[Lisabob]

Well these all fit with my thoughts. Somebody apparently put a bug in the kid's ear that any use other than the project would be a violation of some sort of policy (some hazy mention of the new eagle project fundraising process) though, possibly leading to sticky moments in the BOR, and now he & family are hyper-sensitive to it.

 

Thanks for the common-sense back-up. I'll share your responses.

 

 

[Eagle732]

Let the Scout decide. He's almost an Eagle he should be able to make a decision like this with no problem. Then support his decision completely.

 

[Lisabob]

yeah, well it isn't about ME letting anybody decide. The scout & his family asked for clarification, and they are concerned that their actions not become a "problem" for the boy at his BOR. Those of us who have been around the block a time or two all know that sometimes folks, even those on BORs, can get a little hung up on interpretations of policy.

 

 

[bnelon44]

Have him call the district Eagle Board coordinator. The policy is to give the materials to the beneficiary but if they don't want them then some direction should be given.

 

 

[Oak Tree]

If the concern has to do with what the building supply business thinks, just ask them. Do they care what is done with the materials that they provided the discount on? My guess is that they'll say that they don't care, and he can then with free conscience donate the materials to Habitat or to whomever.

 

He certainly would be entirely entitled to keep any materials consistent with the amount of money that he put in. If he put in more money than the supplies are worth, then he can do anything he wants with them.

[charmoc]

I can see where the concern lies in the perception that if he kept the materials for his/his familys use would be considered misappropriations of the donations, even if he spent his own money. I would suggest 1) type a letter stating that the donator and sponsor do not what the extra materials 2) call the local habitat for humanity and donate the materials to them.

[Twocubdad]

DON'T CALL THE COUNCIL. Unless they want to spend a Saturday trucking the material out to the Scout camp. For all we know, we could be talking about 5 tons of gravel.

 

The mission of the BSA is to teach Scouts to make ethical decisions. Make one and move on.

[Eagle732]

Let the scout make the decision and let him know that he might need to justify his decision to his EBOR. My guess is that he will make a good decision. I mean we're talking about building materials here, it's not a life or death decision.

 

If he really needs guidance then have him choose a non-profit that can use whatever he has left over.

 

What kind of material are we talking about?

[infoscouter]

Are the materials appropriate for donation to Habitat for Humanity or similiar organization, such as this?

http://www.homesforourtroops.org/site/PageServer

 

That would eliminate the personal gain question, and still make sure they get used. And maybe the local camp DOES have a use for it. What's wrong with that?

[SSScout]

 

"Character is what one does when one thinks no one is looking."

 

The materials rightfully "belong" to the org that benefits from the project. If they don't want it, and the supplier doesn't want it back (for a cash credit, presumably to be donated to the EPBorg.), then I would either:

* donate it to another charity, such as Habitat for Humnaity, or

The Loading Dock (Maryland) http://www.loadingdock.org/

* Make a judgement as to the worth of the materials, make an apprpriate donation to the EPBOrg, and keep the materials for home use.

* Offer them to another eager Eagle candidate for his project.

*Offer them to another nonprofit that does good work for others.

* Offer them for sale at the next church fleamarket/tardsale and donate that to the EPBOrg.

* Put'em on Craig's List and donate the proceeds (if they ever sell!) to the EPBOrg.

 

The nascent Eagle and his family are to be congratulated not only for his award, but for his thoughtful consideration of the disposition of the leftovers.

 

That's why we're here, I guess.

[Beavah]

Yah, da extra materials properly belong to da beneficiary organization, or to the troop. They have essentially thrown them away, so there's no legal or ethical reason to think they couldn't be used for any other purpose.

 

So let da Eagle decide with a clear conscience. I think an EBOR would look very favorably on a lad who made a matching donation to the beneficiary and kept da materials to use, or who tried to donate the materials elsewhere, but failin' that, they should not object to unwanted materials being discarded / made available to anyone, includin' his family.

 

Beavah