Adult fundraiser

[Sdriddle 10]

Have you ever heard of the adults having a fundraiser for the troop? If so what did they do? Are they supposed to submit a fund raising application?

 

Sign me,

 

Dazed and Confused

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Any fundraising is supposed to be done under an fundraising application. What do you have in mind?

[Sdriddle 10]

The committee is trying to come up with a surefire income source due to lack of budgeting and is looking at any option out there from baked potato dinners to auctions, etc. The word is that if the boys arent't involved then the application doesn't have to be approved. I've also heard that anything goes as long as you don't tell anyone it is for Boy Scouts. I haven't figured out what else you could say though without lying unless you said it was for the chartered organization.

[sctmom 11]

What's wrong with having the boys involved? This is THEIR troop.

 

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Having an attitude of anything goes as long as we dont tell anybody who its for really makes me give pause. A mens "smoker" ? with blue films? Is that an idea? A Poker night with half the proceeds going to the troop?

 

I always thought honesty was the best policy, and the Boy Scout way, anything else is wrong

[Sdriddle 10]

It seems that we just keep on having fundraiser after fundraiser for the boys to earn money and for the troop. They are trying to do something that would make some "real" money so the boys don't have to do something every month $100 at at time. I'm not sure why they don't want the boys included in this one except maybe to give them a break. We are trying to be more boy led but everyone has a little different idea on how to accomplish this. This does seem to be something that should be put to the new PLC, but I doubt it will be because I assume the adults feel that they could make more money without the boys.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Ok, I understand the point about it being easier to do without the boys. Will this be a onetime thing or can you see this developing into a pattern? If this turns into a trend, the boys learn that when there is a problem (in this case financial) some one will come along and bail them out. If its set that only adults will do the event, is there some way to have the scouts take some ownership somehow? Planning, Helping ready supplies? Just something to help them see the conneciton between their efforts and the money raised.

 

 

[sctmom 11]

I am more likely to support a fundraiser for youth when I see the youth actually there and working. An example is at the community basketball games there is a concession stand run by the high school cheerleading squad --- except everyone working is over 30! I'm not real excited about giving them my money. Why aren't the girls back there working on Saturday morning instead of the moms only?

 

Our troop is very successful with the annual yard sale. The key is to collect items throughout the year. This does require some place to store the items. Show up at every community yard sale to offer to take away anything that is left over at the end of the day. Give people a tax receipt. People give the troop stuff AT the yard sale. People are thrilled to see the boys working hard. The adults handle the money and the legalities. Some people give extra money just because they think this is a good cause and a better fundraiser than selling expensive trinkets.

 

When I was a teenager our school would sell magazine subscriptions as a big fundraiser. If you look around on the web I think you can find the companies that run these. The subscriptions are at a discount. The customers can get a new subscription or renew an existing one. Nothing to deliver, easy to sell, good profit.

 

I still stick by having the boys involved in the planning and in the event.

 

[Sdriddle 10]

I personally would like to have the boys involved, but it is not my call so I am trying to stay on top of whatever the committee plans. A yard sale came up but there was concern that the boys would play around too much therefore the adults should do it. I like the idea of getting people to give you stuff to sell. I am all for letting the boys have more control or least exposure to gain experience at sales but it would be me against them and I am the new person. There is some discussion of letting the patrols earn their own money for a special outing and I would definitly make sure they work for it. Have any of you had a patrol fundraiser?

 

 

[sctmom 11]

Will boys play around at a yard sale? YES, YES, YES. And so do the adults! And everyone has a great time!

 

It does take a lot of walking around and supervising by the adults. Sounds like you are dealing with a committee that forgets boys will be boys. They are still kids.

 

It does take awhile to accumulate enough stuff for a yard sale if you are getting donations.

 

Have you looked online at some the companies that sponsor fundraisers? Even if you don't buy their products, many have tips about how to choose a fundraiser. Rule #1 seems to be find out how much money you need to raise.

 

Oh, oh, oh, just had a thought. How about the adults do a cookbook? Is that something that would sell in your neck of the woods?

 

[FScouter 24]

Consider that the boys "play around too much" because the adults are doing the work to the exclusion of the boys. Have any of your committee persons attended Troop Committee Challenge training or any other Scout leader training?