Popcorn Disbursement

[Eagle74 10]

Clarification: In my post I mentioned that funds in the Scout's account can't be used for food. That should have been food other than campout meal fees such as snacks. Our standard operation is that each scout going on a campout forwards $10 to the scout buying the food at the Monday meeting before the campout - they could in reality draw on the account; it's just less convenient.

 

Silver-shark; some of the reasons you cite are why we have stuck with 100% into the scout's account for so long. Everyone pulls the same weight for troop needs through annual dues. The scout that "busts his butt" and sells a good amount of popcorn can make it through the year paying nothing or close to nothing out-of-pocket.

[silver-shark 10]

I like your system alot Eagle74. It seems very fair.

 

I've got a question for you though. What do you do with the money earned by a scout that transfers to another troop? Could be because of a family move, or whatever.

[rlculver415 10]

Our troop also gives all the money from popcorn sales to the scouts' accounts. Scouts who make the effort to sell get the cash from both Show-and-Sell (equal division of profit for all who participated on a given day) and the Take Orders. We have a couple/few boys who pay for their own summer camp every year (and one who never pays out-of-pocket for anything). Our troop has other sources of income that are just sufficient to cover any needs of the troop. Awards and such are covered by the dues.

 

As the fundraising guru these past few years, I am often surprised by who is motivated to earn the cash. It is not the poorer boys, but the ones whose parents could afford to pay their way. When assistance is requested by boys for summer camperships, the troop committee often inquires if they did anything to help earn money.

[Eagle74 10]

Silver-shark, there isn't a pat answer because the committee hasn't set a definitive policy. Oddly enough, we haven't had any Scouts transfer out to another troop; at least since I've been with this troop - about 6 years.

 

There has only been one, but under slightly different circumstances. He quit, we re-registered him for another year out of his account funds, but he never came back during that following year. Subsequently, about 1-1/2 years later his family was moving and was going to have him join a troop in their new city. Parents were informed that the funds had reverted to the troop due to the length of inactive time (he was no longer a registered Scout). In fact, the funds from his account (a sizeable amount) had already been committed as part of the funding toward a new trailer. They weren't happy, but grudgingly acknowledged that we had followed our established and known procedure.

 

My feeling is that we would hand over the account funds, especially if the boy was transferring to another troop. Could this be abused? Sure; if a Scout's family is on the ball, they could ask for the funds even if they never really intend to tranfer to another troop or if the boy just wants to quit.

 

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone that has a policy covering this.

[Fat Old Guy 11]

Our policy is that if a Scout quits, all the funds in his Scout account revert to the troop. So far this hasn't become an issue because we the few boys that are do enough selling to have significant funds in their accounts are the least likely to quit. We haven't had the issue of moving to another troop come up yet but that probably should be addressed before it becomes an issue.

 

 

[evmori 11]

If a Scout transfers to another unit and the SM or CC from that unit request the funds form the Scout's account then we would make a chek payable to the new Troop. If a Scout quits, the money in his account reverts to the Troop account. This isn't a personal savings account.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[silver-shark 10]

I'm sort of in the head 'em off at the pass stage on this one for our troop. We've never let the boys that transfer take the dollars with them before.

 

But.......

 

We have a trip planned to Florida's Sea Base for next June and have put on alot more fundraisers than normal to help the boys earn the cost of between $850 and $900 including airfare and ground transportation.

 

With the United Airlines Hub closing in Indy along with the already dismal job market here, I can see some parents having to move to gain employment.

 

I know after summercamp and their first $100 deposit for SB, my son still has over $500, maybe even $600 in his account right now and we still have popcorn, wreathes, Christmas Trees, help with COs Fish Fry, etc.. left on this year's calendar.

 

We're talking some serious dollars potentially lost for transfers.

 

That's why I'm so curious about other troops handling of this situation.(This message has been edited by silver-shark)

[kasane 10]

If a boy was leaving the troop for another one and he still had money in his scout account - we (the committee - not the scoutmaster) would see what fees were still owing. If nothing, then we would write a check payable to the boy and the new troop he was going to: Joe Smith and Troop 12345.

 

The only way it could be cashed was the boy had to countersign it over to the new troop and they would deposit it into his scout account with them.

 

No funds in the boy's account - no money transferred. The only time a direct check would be written to the boy or his family was if they had given the troop money to place in his account to be used for camp or other costs. Our treasurer would then figure this out and remit that amount directly back (or the unspent portion).