Camperships

[scoutingagain 20]

OK, Without getting into too much detail, we have a family that has had to deal with some difficult times this past year. A divorce, a longterm illness in one child, etc. Boys live with Mom & their Grandparents. No finincial help from Dad. Mom is not working.

 

Mom comes to committee and asks for help to send the boys to summercamp. I checked with the council and there is a campership program available and am having applications sent to the mom. While the council has indicated there is likely some help available, it is typically expected that the family and unit also contribute to send the boys to camp.

 

However the Grandparents are, to all outward appearances, financially in decent shape, if not in pretty good shape. (Nice house, nice car, the boys lack for nothing in terms of stuff.) One boy is involved in at least one sport that takes a fair amount of money to participate in. But I have no personal knowledge of finances.

 

No decisions have been made other than to pursue application with the Council. It seems certain though the unit will be asked to contribute some money as well and there are some on the committee who doubt if there is a true financial hardship.

 

That's the situation. I'd be interested in thoughts from folks that may have been involved in similar situations or suggestions.

 

Thanks,

 

SA

 

 

[EagleInKY 14]

As long as the unit can afford it, why ask questions? I'm not going to try and judge the financial well-being of someone else based upon the car their parent drives. If someone tells me they can't make ends meet for camp, we'll do what we can to help them. We go to the council first, and see what camperships they can get. After that, we'll help if needed.

[scoutldr 726]

My council's policy is to provide half. The scout is expected to earn the other half, e.g., popcorn sales, odd jobs, etc.

[evmori 11]

Get the form filled out & get it into your council. Accept whatever the council gives this boy & the unit or mom or someone needs to pony up the difference and get the boy to camp. Oh yeah, if the boy decides not to go, YOU MUST inform your council so his campership can go to someone else & have the boy write a thank you letter to the council.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Lisabob 13]

Scoutingagain keep in mind that just because the grandparents appear to have money doesn't mean they are (or necessarily should) going to foot the bill for this boy to go to camp. You can't know what the arrangement between "mom" and the grandparents is, regarding financial assistance. It might be that they provide a place to live and that's all they're willing or able to do. It might be that they don't want to pay for scouts, or for camp. It might be that they're already stretched beyond their expectations and financial planning by the sudden need to support their daughter and grandson at this stage in their lives.

 

If I were the mom in this case I think it would be difficult enough to have a situation where I had to move back in with my parents. If I then needed to justify not only my finances but also my parents' finances to the committee, I'd be really embarrassed and probably wouldn't pursue it. That might lead to the boy dropping scouting too, rather than mom going through all that embarrassment. The fact that she has come to the committee with a request for help is all you should require of her.

 

Lisa'bob

[scoutingagain 20]

Thanks for everyone's perspective.

 

We will have the family fill out the council applications and then see where it goes from there. I do not believe the boys will miss out on summer camp one way or another. I'm just not sure the adults involved will come away satisfied but I'm not as concerned about that as making sure the boys get to camp.

 

Thanks,

 

SA

[fotoscout 15]

In this world of extended families, is it our responsibility to decide who is in fact financially responsible for the boy. I don't think so.

 

When we look at campership applications we assume that they are honest requests from prideful people who need a little help. On the other hand, we don't have the resources to do the background checks that would be required to validate the campership applications. Most important to us is the unit leaders recommendation.

 

We, the Council Camping Committee, give away as much campership money as possible and do not make it contingent on the unit paying anything.