Quailman wrote:When boys participate in fundraisers, the custom with troops in our area is to give them credit in their "scout account" for a portion of the proceeds. This can later be applied towards fees for summer campor other activities, or even equipment or uniform items at the scout shop.
A couple of boys are transferring to our troop. These boys have been quite successful at fundraising and have balances of $40 and $300 respectively. They would like to transfer "their" money to our troop. The other troop has told them they cannot transfer it. The boys both moved within the area and find it impossible to make it to meetings at the other troop.
How would your troop handle this? Is it "their money" or does it belong to the troop? Personally, I'd recommend that if the troop allows for them to spend it at the scout shop, they go on a spending spree, but they'd rather save it for campout fees.
How would your troops handle this situation.
If the amounts in question were credited on a "points", "matching-funds", or "group-share" basis, and not on a personally raised, dollar-for-dollar basis, then I'd let it go.
However, if the amounts in question were raised on a dollar-for-dollar basis (e.g., Boy 'A' personally raised $40 profit and Boy 'B' personally raised $300 profit that went into the Troop's account, then those boys are entitled to have that money transfered to the gaining Troop, with one exception... I see nothing wrong with a Troop stipulating, prior to a fund-raiser, that any profits earned during Scout fund-raisers, will be ear-marked for the Scout's use for future Scouting activities only, e.g. Summer Camp. That being said, it doesn't give the losing unit the right to refuse to transfer those funds to the gaining unit,
unless the gaining Unit refuses to honor the original stipulation.
If you feel those boys are entitled to the funds they personally raised, this is how I'd go about it...
First, get the CC of the gaining Troop to make a polite phone call to the CC of the losing Troop--to inquire as to the actual status of the funds in question; and, if appropriate, to ask that the funds be transfered to the gaining Troop; and, if not, why not? If this fails, consider getting the COR of the losing Unit involved... explain the situation; ask for a reasonable decision, regardless of the Troop's policy. Ask him/her to do what's in the Scouts' best interest. (Remember, the COR wears two hats; he/she represents the unit -and- the District/Council). If that fails, get your UC/ADC involved... in the (somewhat likely) event you do not know who your UC/ADC is/are, contact your DC.
As noted in an earlier post (but, I'll detail it a little further here), a Troop does not own any of it's gear (not any of it... trailers, tents, chuck boxes, flags, coolers, cook kits, dutch ovens, money, whatever). ALL of the Troop's property, including "Troop" money, belongs to the CO. Period. Now, it is common practice to co-mingle and manage several Scouts' personal funds within the Troop's account. (If Grandpa gave the Troop $100 for Boy 'A' to go to Summer Camp, that money belongs to the boy, actually the boy's parents; but, not the Troop... even if it is in the Troop's account.)
If the money was earned by the Scout, and credited to the Scout, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the COR (with the DC backing him/her) can advise the CC that cutting a check to the gaining Troop is the legally and morally correct thing to do... No Unit has the right to withhold funds belonging to a Scout simply because the money happens to be in the Troop's checking account. If the losing Unit gets nasty about it, then just tell them to cut a check to the Council in each boy's name, and then you can deal with the Council, e.g., Summer Camp, Philmont deposit, uniforms, whatever.
