What it Costs (a boy’s family) for a year of scouting
$22.80
for registration, Boy’s life magazine and council insurance
In
Troop 151 this is paid in the form of $30.00 dues to the Troop
Average
cost of a campout: $3.00 per meal X 5 meals ($15) X ~ 10 campouts = $150.00
per year.
Summer
camp average tuition cost $165.00 (does not include spending money most boys
like to take to camp)
The
total at this point is $345.00
Other
scouting expenses to the scout, or family will usually be in the form of uniforms,
personal camping gear (sleeping bag, mosquito net, canteen, backpack, mess kit,
flashlights etc.
Uniform
items alone can average near $100.00 per year as boy’s age 11 to 18 grow out of
everything sometimes twice a year!
How the boy’s can pay for this
(instead of this coming out of family’s budget)
$200.00 in popcorn sales takes care
of the dues.
$500.00 in sales earns $50.00
credit towards summer camp (if scout does not reach the higher levels)
$800.00 in sales takes care of all
of the above plus all meals and camp costs at all campouts except summer camp
(still gets the $50.00 summer camp credit)
$1,000.00 gets a $25.00 scout shop
certificate and a $40.00 gift card for Wal-mart. (This $65.00 comes from the
council and the popcorn company)
$1,235.00 in sales pays all of the
above plus remaining summer camp tuition.
Each $100.00 over $1,235.00 can provide for a $35.00 scout shop gift certificate that can pay for anything else the scout may need to keep up with personal uniform and gear costs.
$1,235.00 in sales will save the
scout’s family $410.00. Anything above that (in sales) will bring the
cost near or below zero!
(1)
$8,800.00
X
.40 (40% level if we are between $7,500 and
$9,999, if less – 2%)
$3,520.00
-354.80 Registration, boy’s life and insurance for 11 youth and 7 adults
$3,165.20
-$1,650.00 $150.00 X 11 youth campout meals (covers 11 youth & ~3
adults)
$1,515.20 (~ 10 campouts)
-$550.00 $50.00 X 11 scouts summer camp credits
$965.20
- $140.00 additional camp fees of $10.00 per head, 11 youth, 3 adults, for
district or
$825.20 council events (camporall or camporee)
- $140.00 Scout books, neckerchiefs, epaulets, for new
scouts and $1.00 transfer fees
$685.20 for Webelos crossing over @ ~ $14.00 each for ~
10 scouts per year.
That leaves ~ $685.20 for equipment additions,
replacement, or repairs. Camp and program supplies, Film and processing, office
supplies, merit badge books, advancement awards, leader training, additional
leader registrations etc.
Note:
Cloth advancement (rank badges) are free to units selling over $2,500.00 in
popcorn for the previous year as well as $10.00 credit for each leader training
program offered by the council. If our unit reaches the $10,000 mark we can add
and additional 2% to the commission levels above. We also get to subtract
$20.00 from our re-charter costs.
Boys
also have other awards available from the council for popcorn sales to reward
each level achieved.
Boys
not reaching the $200 level will need to pay their own way. $30.00 dues,
$15.00 per camp-out, district or council camp fees, summer camp tuition.
New
scouts coming into the troop will pay their own way until Dec. 31 of the year
they join and the following year will be paid for by their current year popcorn
efforts.
It
would be nice if we could figure out a way get the Cub Scout packs to let some
of the Webelos scout’s commission account to follow the Webelo to a troop. This
would encourage the Webelo to fully participate in the pack’s popcorn effort,
knowing that he will get a full year’s benefit from his efforts. The Pack would
benefit, the Webelo (and his family) would benefit and the Council and troop
would benefit. This method is encouraged and explained in the “ideal year in
scouting” program materials.
(2)
Why
would a soon to be crossing over Webelo scout want to sell popcorn?
(is there any motivation?)
A Webelo generally crosses over to boy scouts at the end of February or first part of March,
usually less than three months after the end of his packs’ popcorn sale.
Most
packs set a minimum (of around $200 or so) of popcorn sales to cover dues. This
virtually guarantees that a Webelo that is due to cross over in three months,
will sell no more than $200.00.
After
crossing over, the new Boy Scout and his family are immediately hit with the
sticker shock of the annual cost of the Boy Scout program. (about $345.00)
Most
of the time summer camp deposits are due early in March. The new scout may need
a new uniform, or at the least he will need new patch work for his uniform.
Boys at this age are also growing out of their uniforms faster than usual.
Add a backpack, hiking boots, mess kit
and the cost of meals for a monthly outdoor program and the new scout and his
family may have to make choices between fully participating or paying the light
bill.
All we know (as scouters) is that the first year for the new scout, it is critical to have him at summer camp and to have full participation during this first year, to keep the scout hooked on scouting.
My
goal, as a Scoutmaster, is to have one (1) very successful fundraiser per year,
and spend the rest of the year executing the program!
I
look forward to the day that we do not have to collect any fees, deposits, camp
food fees, or summer camp tuition’s for any scout. This may never be completely
possible, but shouldn’t we strive to make sure scouting is available to all
boys regardless of the financial state of their family?
(3)
This
concept is not new, but it is rarely used. This approach is discussed in the
“ideal year in scouting 03-04 CD.”
The
cub pack should encourage the Webelo to sell corn by using this formula (or any
variation that works for your pack and the Webelo)
Give
the Webelos the opportunity for them to pay for their (Next) year in scouting
by letting their popcorn profits follow them to the Boy Scout troop of their
choice.
Example
Pack
has 8 (senior) Webelos each sell
$??????? in popcorn
Pack
takes the first $200 in sales and applies it towards registration and dues
(same as always)
Pack Sends Webelo’s off to their new troop(s) after crossover with 35% of everything over the first $200 in sales.
$800.00 -
$200 = $600.00 X .35 = $210.00
$1000.00
- $200 = $800.00 X .35 = $280.00
$1235.00
- $200 = $1035.00 X .35 = $362.25
8 X
$900.00 = $7200.00 (added to your total
unit gross = minimum of 5% bonus added to pack profits)
=
$360.00 bonus on this part of your packs’ volume alone.
May
add to a total of 2, 3, 5 or even up to 9% bonus for your overall unit’s gross
due to the Webelos’ full participation.
A
pack has nothing to loose and everything to gain using this type of approach.
The Pack wins, the Webelos and their family wins, the gaining troop has a better shot of retaining the new scout, the council benefits from the additional sales and most of all it can be a vital aspect of a smooth Weblos to scout transition.
(4)