Financial accountability
Scout Accounts
Troop Account
Paying for Campouts
Summer Camp
Troop Dues
Responsibility of parents and Scouts
Fund raisers for Scouts accounts
Fund raiser for the troop expenses
Troop moneys are the responsibility of the Troop Treasurer who is part of the troop committee. The troop maintains a single checking account with a local bank. All bookkeeping and accounting of sub-accounts is maintained by the troop treasurer.
All moneys paid out must be signed by the treasurer, or the one other committee member authorized through the bank to sign.
Each boy has an account. Moneys earned by each boy are placed into his account, based on his participation on fundraising events.
A Scout may transfer moneys from his account to pay for troop dues. In this case the parent will need to contact the treasurer.
A Scout may withdraw moneys from his account to pay for camping equipment. In this case the parent will need to contact the treasurer.
A Scout may withdraw moneys from his account to pay for summer camp. In this case the parent will need to contact the treasurer.
If a Scout transfers to another troop, then his account will be turned over to the troop treasurer of that troop. If the Scout transfers into an explorer post, then his account will be turned over to the post treasurer of the that post.
If a Scout withdraws from the Scouting program, then his account will not be turned over to the boy, but will instead be transferred to the troop account. This reflects that while the boy participated in the activity to earn money, the people who gave, gave to a Scout, not to the boy.
The troop account consists of the operating budget for the troop. It is used to pay fees for campsites, to buy equipment and supplies for troop activities, and to pay for the food for adults who participate in campouts.
In addition adults who attend summer camp have their camp fees paid for out of the troop account.
All moneys spent, except for camping fees and adult food on campouts, is approved at a parent leaders meeting by the parents attending that meeting.
The troop account is primarily funded by the annual Christmas tree pickup. Troop dues from each Scout also fund the troop account. Occasional contributions from community members, or other organizations, unless specifically directed to other uses will also go into the troop account.
The Scout pays for his food. For most patrols this runs about $5 to $7 for a weekend. It is the responsibility of the scout to either pay in advance, or to reimburse the patrol 'grubmaster' who buys the food on the first meeting after the campout. Each patrol will decide the procedure. Any scout who fails to repay may not be allowed to participate in any further activities until he has fulfilled his financial obligation.
Some events such as council training, camp-o-ree's and such have an additional nominal fee. Sometimes the troop committee will vote to cover the cost. At other times the participants will be expected to pay these fees.
The reservation costs for most campouts is paid from the troop account. If the activity is a special one with a very high cost, the troop committee may ask the participants to cover some or all of the cost. Some events of this nature have been rafting trips and visits to the USS Pampanino and USS Hornet. When the fee is high and the participants are asked to pay, there will be information given out several months in advance. The youth are able to transfer money from their individual Scout accounts to cover the cost.
Most summer camp fees are around $180 to $200. The troop treasurer will usually send a notification to all parents of the exact cost in January. A payment schedule will be provided at that time so that the cost can be spread over several months. Moneys deposited to a Scout’s summer camp fee are kept separate from the Scout’s regular account, and may not be used for any other purpose.
The most important payment is the first, as the troop must send a deposit to the camp to reserve a session, and a site for your son.
Our troop usually attends Boy Scout camps because of the programs offered and because of the reasonable fees.
If the camp selected is run by the San Francisco Bay Area Council, then camperships may be available to help defer the cost. Contact the troop treasurer for more information.
Refunds can only be made if no payment to the camp has been made. Once the troop has sent money to the camp to pay for the Scouts attendance at summer camp, no refund can be made.
An additional payment of $10 per Scout is required by Troop 612. This is used to reimburse those who drive the Scouts to camp for their gasoline purchases.
Each Scout is responsible for a monthly troop dues. Contact the troop treasurer to learn what the current dues are.
The Scout should earn the money for his troop dues. He and his parents should come to an agreement on what he will do to earn his dues.
The Scout may draw upon his troop account to pay his troop dues.
Learning to be financially responsible is part of many Scouting activities. Each Scout should quickly learn what he is responsible for, and to whom.
Participation in fund raisers that benefit the Scouts account are completely voluntary.
Participation in the troop account fund-raiser, the Christmas tree pickup, is mandatory for all Scouts and for at least one parent from each family.
The Scout, not the parent, is responsible for making sure that his troop dues are paid up to date.
The Scout, not the parent, is responsible for reimbursement to the patrol member who purchased food for the monthly campout, once a commitment to attend has been made.
A Scout is responsible for reimbursement even if he cannot attend for any reason. Agreement to attend is a moral contract between the Scout and his fellow Scout who will be spending money to purchase food. The troop does not pay for the Scouts food on campouts.
This is a council sponsored activity. One of the adults in the troop will be the liaison with the local district. The boys will be given instructions on how the sale is to be done by the adult in charge. The council has had many different ways of handling the sale in previous years. The boys are responsible for taking orders, delivering the product and collecting moneys from purchasers.
Once the product has been delivered to the Scout, they are usually financially responsible for turning in the appropriate moneys due. In some cases the council may relieve the Scouts of this obligation. Contact the adult liaison in the troop before participating if you have any reservations.
All moneys collected by the Scout are turned into the adult liaison. The liaison is responsible for turning moneys into the district sales chairman, and in making sure that each Scout’s account is credited with the moneys he has earned.
If a boy sells door to door, then he must be in the field uniform, a parent must be with him at all times, and under no circumstances should be boy ever enter a house or be out of the parents sight. If a parent takes Scouts other than their own son with them, then all aspects of the youth protection requirements must be adhered to. (See the “Youth Protection” section below.)
This fund raiser is held in June on a Sunday around Fathers Day. Our chartering organization, the San Lorenzo Community Church, allows the troop to use the kitchen and social hall.
We expect every boy to participate, and to wear the full field uniform. In addition to being a fund raiser, it is an opportunity for the members of our chartering organization to see the Scouts whom they support. We would also like one parent from each family to help in putting on the event.
The boys will be servers, greeters, and will clean the tables. Uniformed adults will be hosts, and will supervise the activity in the social hall. Other adults are needed in the kitchen to prepare food, organize distribution, and clean up.
The troop will invest in supplies needed, and the troop expenses will be reimbursed before the Scout’s shares are determined.
Each boy will be issued a pack of tickets, usually 10, to sell. More are available if needed. Unsold tickets or moneys raised from ticket sales are turned into an adult designated by the troop treasurer to coordinate this activity.
A Scout will earn a share for each shift that he or a parent works. The total moneys earned will be divided by the number of shifts that were worked, and each Scout’s account will be credited according to the number of shares that he earned. The parent/leader meeting will set the length of the shift.
This is a council activity that starts in May and cumulates with the Scout-O-Rama in early June. One adult in the troop will be designated as the liaison with the district Scout-O-Rama coordinator.
In the past the council has arranged to have gifts of candy and coupons to be given to those who buy Scout-O-Rama tickets.
The council would like to emphasize that it is the Scout-O-Rama ticket and not the candy that is being sold.
Each boy will sign out one or more ticket packages, and is responsible to return the unused portion of the packages for which they sign.
All moneys collected by the Scout are turned into the adult liaison. The liaison is responsible for turning moneys into the district coordinator, and in making sure that each Scout’s account is credited with the moneys he has earned.
If a boy sells door to door, then he must be in the field uniform, a parent must be with him at all times, and under no circumstances should be boy ever enter a house or be out of the parents sight. If a parent takes Scouts other than their own son with them, then all aspects of the youth protection requirements must be adhered to. (See “Youth Protection” section below.)
This troop fund-raiser is held in December. The harvest is usually part of the December campout, and the sales will usually occur the following Saturday.
Mistletoe is usually sold at a local shopping center. An adult in the troop will be responsible for establishing a liaison with the merchants to obtain their approval to sell in front of their establishments. For safety and security, while the Scouts will be doing the actual sales, all moneys will be held by the adults who are supervising.
All Scouts selling mistletoe must be in full field uniform.
Moneys earned are credited to the Scouts as followed. One half of the moneys are divided among those Scouts who participated in the harvest and packaging of the mistletoe. If a Scout has a parent who participates as well then the Scouts will receive an additional share.
The second half of the moneys earned will be divided among those Scouts who participated in the sales. A Scout will earn a share for each shift that he or a parent works selling the mistletoe. The total moneys earned will be divided by the number of shifts that were worked, and each Scout’s account will be credited according to the number of shares that he earned. The parent/leader meeting will set the length of the shift.
This activity is usually scheduled in spring on a weekend that will not conflict with activities of our sponsor.
Each family is encouraged to donate articles for sale. Clothing, games, toys, and tools are always good sellers.
Unsold items will be turned over to Goodwill industries as a donation. Please do not donate large items, unless you are willing to come pick them up. Neither Goodwill nor our sponsor will accept these as donations.
The moneys earned will be divided among those Scouts who participated in the sales. A Scout will earn a share for each shift that he or a parent works. The total moneys earned will be divided by the number of shifts that were worked, and each Scout’s account will be credited according to the number of shares that he earned. The parent/leader meeting will set the length of the shift.
The Christmas tree pickup is vital to continuance of Troop 612. Each boy and each parent is required to participate. It consists of two parts.
Flyer handout will be done the week before the Christmas holiday. Each Scout should be in full field uniform. Parents are needed to drive the Scouts around our collection area (usually about 1/3 of San Lorenzo) and to supervise the Scouts.
Boys should place the flyers under the door mat or between a screen door and the main door. Flyers should not be left where they can blow away and become litter, nor are we allowed to place them in a mailbox or mail slot.
The Christmas tree pickup itself is usually the first Saturday after the New Year. Once again the boys should be in full uniform.
All parents will be
needed.
Drivers are needed to carry the Scouts to the collection areas, and to supervise their requests for donations.
Parents with pickups, flat beds, etc. are needed to pick up the trees and take them to the reclamation site.
Parents are needed at the reclamation site with chainsaws and work clothes. Each tree must be removed from any bags, have its base sawed off, and then piled neatly. The East Bay Regional Park system will send a truck to chip the trees, and the resulting mulch is used in local parks.
Parents are also needed to provide lunch for the Scouts as this affair usually runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
No moneys from this fund-raiser will go to any Scout’s account. All moneys go into the troop operating account.
The Troop Committee, at a Parent Leader meeting, may decide to levy a fee on any Scout or family that does not participate in this fund raiser.
Troop 612 Handbook