Boy Scout Program fundraising
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 11:35 am
Please forward this message to the Young Mens' General Presidency for response:
My concern is fundraising for the Boy Scout program - Please advise how the Scouts can accomplish adequate fundraising within Church guidelines - Boy Scout camp fees range $275 and up; uniform and equipment costs are up.
A neighboring ward had begun a successful fundraiser by selling and spreading mulch in their Florida neighborhoods, as we were about to copy, but some leaders in the stake complained that it did not meet their definition of Church guidelines, so all were denied this type of fundraising for this year and beyond. (We planned to purchase 2000 bags of mulch from a large home supply store at an agreed-to discount, and charge a small delivery fee to place the bags of mulch on the homeowners' driveway, and also offer a spreading fee for any who asked for it. This has a good fundraising track record for past BSA troop fundraisers - LDS & non-LDS, and was a well supported event and youth participation.)
In our area only one in four young men can supply the needed funds in our troop. Please help me to understand what is done in other LDS communities to support the needed funds. We don't want to exclude any scouts that cannot provide the expenses. Many of our young men have little parent support within the Church or as nonmembers.
I have been involved in Scouting in the Church for over 35 years, and have followed Church guidelines to the best of my ability. Please help to understand what other successful scout programs (Utah?) are able to accomplish to be able to raise adequate funds to sustain their Scout programs, summer camp, uniforms and equipment.
As for myself, it seems that our Scout program could simply adapt to use state parks and local merit badge councilors, and disregard uniforms, avoiding expensive BSA Summer Camp fees, but that is not the Boy Scout environment that is encouraged through leadership training. We are encouraged to attend and comply with both Aaronic Priesthood and BSA leadership training, and it seems that our hands are tied when it comes to fundraising to support these programs.
Thank you,
Terry Buck
My concern is fundraising for the Boy Scout program - Please advise how the Scouts can accomplish adequate fundraising within Church guidelines - Boy Scout camp fees range $275 and up; uniform and equipment costs are up.
A neighboring ward had begun a successful fundraiser by selling and spreading mulch in their Florida neighborhoods, as we were about to copy, but some leaders in the stake complained that it did not meet their definition of Church guidelines, so all were denied this type of fundraising for this year and beyond. (We planned to purchase 2000 bags of mulch from a large home supply store at an agreed-to discount, and charge a small delivery fee to place the bags of mulch on the homeowners' driveway, and also offer a spreading fee for any who asked for it. This has a good fundraising track record for past BSA troop fundraisers - LDS & non-LDS, and was a well supported event and youth participation.)
In our area only one in four young men can supply the needed funds in our troop. Please help me to understand what is done in other LDS communities to support the needed funds. We don't want to exclude any scouts that cannot provide the expenses. Many of our young men have little parent support within the Church or as nonmembers.
I have been involved in Scouting in the Church for over 35 years, and have followed Church guidelines to the best of my ability. Please help to understand what other successful scout programs (Utah?) are able to accomplish to be able to raise adequate funds to sustain their Scout programs, summer camp, uniforms and equipment.
As for myself, it seems that our Scout program could simply adapt to use state parks and local merit badge councilors, and disregard uniforms, avoiding expensive BSA Summer Camp fees, but that is not the Boy Scout environment that is encouraged through leadership training. We are encouraged to attend and comply with both Aaronic Priesthood and BSA leadership training, and it seems that our hands are tied when it comes to fundraising to support these programs.
Thank you,
Terry Buck