Youth-run and Fund raising

[CNYScouter 46]

It seems that every time the discussion turns to fundraising someone says lets do a can and bottle drive.

With 2 sons I have been involved with a Pack, 2 troops, a Crew and now the Ship.

Every one of these has considered doing a can/bottle drive and after some investigation all but one has decided not to do it.

The 2nd Troop we were with has been doing it for a very long time (15+ years).

On a good day they only make about $700 profit even with all the drivers gas and snacks, and other supplies donated.

 

I could see if the Scouts were running this it would be a good learning experience but with adults doing most of the work (remember this is a WEB 3 Troop) this takes an incredible amount of effort for little return, in my opinion.

 

One of the biggest obstacles to doing a can/bottle drive around here is that there are so many established groups doing these as fund raiser it is very hard for a new group to do one and make a profit.

The last time the troop looked into this we were told by someone at a can/bottle return place that most groups need a few years of doing these just to see any profit and most groups lose money the first year trying one these.

 

The Ship is running low on funds and wants to do one of these for fundraising.

I saw where Eamonns ship was going to do a Halloween dance that turned into a Valentine Day dance which lost money.

Although we have a small fund, the majority of losses we would incur would have to come from somewhere and most likely that would be my pocket.

 

I really want the Ship to be youth-run and dont really want to stop then from trying.

And as a learning experience putting together one of these is great but I dont think we can afford to lose money on something like this right now.

After going down this road so many times before and it not panning out I am not sure where to go with this.

 

As Yogi Berra said Its dj vu all over again

 

[Eamonn 61]

As you sure that you weren't hiding in my dinning room on Monday?

Yes we held our monthly QD Meeting and yes the lack of funds raised its ugly head.

So far the money promised from the golf outing is still tied up in the Council Service Center. We participated in this with the understanding that it would be a 50/50 split with the District/ Council. As I had organized it in the past for the District, when I was District Chairman. We have been waiting since June!! As far as I'm concerned, that will be the last time we invite them to participate, next year we will think about making a donation to the District /Council several months after the event and who knows how much or how little it will be!!

(Can you tell that I'm peeved?)

Our Scouts are not good at selling stuff.

They are involved in other activities that do a lot of fund raising and have a long tradition of being involved in what ever they are selling.

The last Ship's Committee Meeting the parents discussed this at length.

Someone said how they had seen a local Troop selling hoagies. I mentioned that this Troop has been selling them the same weekend of each month for over 10 years and that the local VFD have sales most weekends.

The kids in the band seem to be selling something all the time. A lot of the clubs the school has do trips which means that the kids are selling something.

We tried selling popcorn outside of Wal-mart and didn't do very well and it was very cold!!

Several local business are open to having car washes. But with so many of our Scouts working at camp over the summer we missed that boat!!

Most of the parents do not want to be or get involved in fund raising!! They are sick of it. They are happy to pay the full cost of any activity. But this doesn't make any money available to the Ship. The last donated boat needed 4 new tires before we could pick it up, that cost $270.00, it was a 600 mile trip to get it. Some parents/Scouts just fail to see this.

We have decided that all the fund raising must involve the Scouts.

They want to try their hand at a Spaghetti Dinner.

They are contacting the Elks (our CO) to find out what dates are free.

They are contacting the local newspaper and making posters. They will cook and do the clean up!!

I will use my contacts to see about getting the food. I will also be on hand to help in the kitchen and offer cooking tips.

At the last QD meeting the Scouts said that they want to come up with a budget.

We have booked a building for a weekend and will include the budget making in our annual planning session.

Eamonn.

[CNYScouter 46]

I talked with our CO about the lack of funds.

The IH keeps bringing up the fact that he got a boat donated to the ship to sell (its too big for the clubs marina for us to use).

Thats great but until it is sold that doesnt help.

 

A local shopping mall is having a big invitation only sale for Christmas.

You have to purchase an invitation to this sale.

These cost $10 and sell very well.

Any youth group can sell these for a fund raiser.

The Mall supplies the invitations and the group keeps the whole $10.

They have given us a date to sell these in the mall and we can sell popcorn along with them.

I cant seem to get any of the other parents or ship members to take any interest in doing this.

 

Some of the parents were complaining that the Ships planned activities were too expensive.

We set up popcorn sales to be put into individual scout accounts.

One Young lady sold over $550 in the ship and the same amount into her account in another crew she is in.

Another member did close to $200 and my son will be near $300 when he gets done.

The Ship members whose parents did the most complaining havent sold a thing.

 

 

[orennoah 11]

"The Ship members whose parents did the most complaining havent sold a thing."

 

Amen! Ain't that the truth!

 

Now. Why is that and has anyone found a way to overcome this?

[Eamonn 61]

I don't have any real answers.

Parents are strange animals. (Yes I include myself!)

I like to think I have done what I can to be involved in just about everything that my kid has done or been involved in.

Over the years I have seen the turn out for School Open House get smaller and smaller.

The hall was packed full for the Kindergarten play, now I have my choice of seats.

Saturday morning when he played soccer, there was no place to park, now it's just a handful of parents.

When there wasn't any real need for money, Parents sold stuff by the case, now when there is a dire need everyone is busy.

$20.00 to go all night bowling is fine.

$30.00 for a weekend is too expensive.

$60.00 for uniforms is a lot.

$240.00 for an I-pod is a must have.

As the kids grow older it seems that the interest that their parents have in them seems to lessen.

Eamonn.

 

[Beavah 205]

Yah, well. If the income our council got were all distributed into program (given to units, camp support, insurance, and training), we wouldn't need any fundraisin', eh?

 

I agree that families are nickled, dimed, and beat up by fundraising for a whole mess of different groups. Public schools 'round here are among the worst, with "mandatory" fundraisers for what they purport to be academic programs like band. Oughta be a law. Most of the options are "taken"; it's a very difficult thing for a new group to start anything without being very creative and more than a bit lucky.

 

Cubs are good at popcorn; most troops and especially crews aren't that good at sales. I encourage troops to do things like dinners and breakfasts and such, more for the social opportunity with troop families workin' together. Crews can sometimes do work projects (helping seniors with yard work, etc.), for the same social reason. But reality is workin' a real job is a better way of raisin' money most of the time, eh?

 

For bigger things, capital expenses for gear and campership support for kids, better to solicit donations through your CO. I think your IH's donation of a boat is an incredible gesture! Talk about a gift horse!