DUES

[ICanCanoeCanU]

All camps in NY require the adults to be on their charter and medical forms. The adults get the form filled out by the doctor and the troop adds the adult to the charter. It's also true around here that some camps are a 5 hour drive and what if the only way a parent will send their scout to camp is if they're also allowed to go, now what? I also know of some SM's that feel more the merrier, so any adult wanting to go is allowed.

[Beagle Scout]

" It's also true around here that some camps are a 5 hour drive and what if the only way a parent will send their scout to camp is if they're also allowed to go, now what?"

In our troop, I don't think that it is so much a matter of not letting the Scout go if the parent doesn't go. It is more a matter of practicality. I know that if I drove five hours to get someplace, I wouldn't want to turn right around and drive back.

[Rick Tyler]

"Our rule was that only registered, trained leaders could sleep in camp. Mommies and daddies could visit, but not stay. It worked."

Good idea but I don't know if it would work for us. "Thanks for driving for five hours to get here. Now go away."

Charter a bus. It only cost us $20 a head to do this last summer, and it was way more convenient than transporting 60 people in private autos.

[Guneukitschik]

Our Troop used to own it's own bus....although VERY convenient!!!...you spend a lot of time raising money to keep the bus up and running in safe condition....

We've since sold the bus and now rent one to go places....much easier!!!!

[Guneukitschik]

I thought that I had replied to this thread before. I must have clicked the wrong button.

We have a troop fee of $50. We pay national registration, Boys Life and insurance from that payment. We spend about $45 per Scout per year on badges, pins and awards. The shortfall is made up by popcorn sales.

We also collect small payments to cover the expense of renting campsites for each campout. The patrols take care of their own food.

I'd like to see the fees increased to about $100 a year and stop collecting the little $5 and $10 payments for campouts.

What happened to teaching responsibility and personal management????
Isn't paying your weekly dues and campout fees part of it?

[t305spl]

Our troop collects the annual dues because we are fairly new. We dont yet have all the equiptment we need. If we collected weekly dues we would have to wait a year to have a final amount. So we collect annual so we have a chunk of change to spend on the new stuff we need.

[ICanCanoeCanU]

I agree with the boys learning the responsibility and they have lots of opportunities to do this. We collect prior to each campout but have also found many reasons to collect dues up front each year. The large amount at the start of the year ($40) pays for the reservation fees for camping, and is used for COH badges. We try to have most campouts reserved and paid for by the end of September. I agree that to wait through out the year doesn't work well financially. Plus this makes people more committed to the program when they fork out the money up front. It's a joining fee used to cover registration at the council, boys life, badges, etc..

I can't imagine having to bother collecting each week and keeping track of whose paid up. Just not worth the hassle to us. Having the boys pay for the campout each month is enough and that cost is a flat $10.00 regardless of food costs. The extra money is used for equipement replacement and usually we have at least one large trip which the troop can help supplement with the extra $.

[Beagle Scout]

What happened to teaching responsibility and personal management???? Isn't paying your weekly dues and campout fees part of it?

In a perfect world, we could expect each boy to show up each week with his $1.25. I remember showing up to meetings with my quarter in my pocket and dropping it into the bucket and getting my name checked off.

The reality of the situation is that getting the money up front makes financial sense. Also, we have a heck of a time getting competent Scouts to take positions of responsibility . . .

As for paying for campouts, the idea is that if everything is paid for up front, fewer Scouts will be willing to skip outing because they'll know that they've already paid for it.

[t305spl]

Plus this makes people more committed to the program when they fork out the money up front.

Thats a great point by them forking the money up front it keeps the scouts from leaving right away it makes them experiment a little more to make sure they really want to leave. No one I know of is going to pay our $65 dues then leave. If they really want to leave they will but not before giving a good try.

[Guneukitschik]

Making them pay up front is a good idea, and I'm all for change and I can even see how it may benefit troops! However, I think if I took this idea to my troop committee they would say whats wrong with the way we've been doing it for the past 45 years?


How do you handle scouts that cannot afford to pay the annual fees at the beginning of the year?

[evmori]

How do you handle scouts that cannot afford to pay the annual fees at the beginning of the year?

They pay as they go!

[Lynda J]

We do take annuel payments but some of our parents, me included, pay half up front then have our boys pay weekly. This helps the troop but also teaches the boys some responsibility. Kevin get an allowance each week and that has to cover his dues and spending money. He also is required to save 25% of his allowance. He pays his dues monthly. He also pays every month even though part of his dues is paid. THis goes into his troop account and helps the boys learn some responsibility.

[Chief J]

How do you handle scouts that cannot afford to pay the annual fees at the beginning of the year?

We require our annual piece by December 1. By that time we have had several fundraisers (Popcorn, and a Hoagie sale, etc.) where all of the profits are allocated to the individual Scout accounts.

Beyond that, if a scout/parent cannot pay the annual fee, and does not have the capacity to fuindraise, then they can meet with the Committee Chair and Treasurer to request forebearance. (In 4 years of the troop, this has never happened).

Chief J

[keytar04]

my troop charges a dollar a week
we also have individual patrol accounts where every scout adds at least 5 dollars every 2 months, with all the money going towards patrol things, like trips, upgrading cooking supplies, et cetera

[freebyrd1964a]

My son's troop charges $45 per year due when rechartering. This covers the norm, registaration, insurance, boys life. What's left over goes into the pot for MB's, equipment and such. We have a couple different fundraisers during the year and of course donations are always welcome .

Each camping trip the quarter masters of each patrol is responsible for purchasing the food required for his patrol (whatever the menu comes up with) and each child is responsible for reimursing the quartermaster.

If we are camping on our own area (one of the ASM owns a nice size farm and lets the scouts use it at no charge) the food is all the kids must pay for. If we are camping at an organized site each child is charged the registaration fee but the troop pays any fees for the adults.

[an4211]

Our unit charges only what Council asks for and a small amount to encourage financial responsibility. For each scout:
$22.00 for annual recharter
$.50 per scheduled meeting, ~$20.00 per year, even if they can't attend. We accept money in lump sums and in small amounts over the course of the year.

For adults:
$11.00 for recharter for inactive, but registered
$0.00 for recharter for all active leaders. The unit cover the cost except for Boy's Life.

For everyone, including parents:
$10.00 for a 5-meal camping trip

The remaining unit financial responsibilities come from the annual fundraiser.

[Woodbadgegirl]

Our troop charges $5 a month for dues, you pay the charter fees of $11.00 and if you want boy's life mag. you pay for that too.

Then each campout is $15 (Or more which I'm against!!) and some merit badge clinics cost a little something to cover the cost.

[KB1KOI]

My troop just recently increased the annaul dues from 50 to 75 dollars, payable in sept (37.50 or the whole) and the reamining in Jan. The dues do not apply to eagle scouts (which I think is fair). Campouts are either 10 or 12 dollars. My only issue, what do you when scouts don't pay up in a few week time frame,you talked to them a few times (and they don't have a good exsue), and you talk to the spl, yet nothing happens?

[riverwalk]

Well, after they understand why dues are needed/helpful, try some examples. Show or learn to explain President Kennedy's letter to dad, back as a 12 yo Scout. He asked his father for an increase in allowance, to pay his way in Scouting. Each family can decide how the Scout receives or earns dues monies. Often, the older Scouts have income sources to take care of it.

Bottom line may be the same as when there aren't enough trained Leaders to attend an outing....it doesn't happen. Either a Unit conducts approved money earning projects, or has a local benefactor, or Scouts have to support it. Perhaps you could list all things the dues take care of.....then start erasing them. Visual aids are the ticket for some people.

[Lynda J]

On boys that simply can't afford dues. I have one boy like this in our troop. Good kid and really needs scouting. Mother isn't worth the cost of a bullet to shot her. Doper,big time.
We have a business man in our community that gives us a check at the beginning of the year to cover this boys scouting expenses. His son was a scout and was killed in a motorcycle accident. He has always been a big supporter of our troop.

Why would dues not apply to Eagles? Are you still earning merit badges, Palms, and using supplies and equiptment on camping trips? I think dues should be until you become a registered adult with the troop.