Scouting, Volume 64, Number 3, May-June 1976 Page: 20
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MAKING FUND RAISING FUN
Eighty-eight cases of candy were
piled high in the middle of my liv-
ing room with a Cub Scout and a
Brownie attempting to scale the moun-
tain. Sitting on the couch was my can-
dy-loving wife anxious to count each
type of bar in each box.
That's the vision that remains of be-
ing a Cub pack fund raising chairman.
Charlie in the Chocolate Factory, the
children's favorite book, had suddenly
become a true-to-life story. After I had
spent $50 in personal candy purchases
(that should have proved my belief in
the value of the product) and some
time after the shock of this "special as-
signment" wore off, I was sure there
were many ways to make fund raising a
less hectic chore.
In a series of interviews with local
Cubmasters I found that many have
had similar experiences. But more en-
couraging, I also found some who de-
veloped techniques that work well for
them and may work well for others. As
a Cub Scout parent with limited time, I
knew that if I was to be called on again
I'd want to know more about how oth-
ers did their fund raising.
My concentration was on Cub Scouts
— a highly sensitive area because of
their young age and relative immatur-
ity. These factors limit practical op-
tions in fund raising, I thought.
Generally, I found that projects fall
into main and supplemental activities.
In other words, most packs have a main
fund raising activity and other smaller
projects to supplement that income. No
one likes the thought or the job of rais-
ing funds, but everyone agrees it has to
be done. And the need for funds is
growing with inflation. One of the pri-
mary interests of the leaders was to
have a main activity that taught the
boys the value of working for their
own success, and was something the
boys could do — to feel the fun of in-
dividual and group accomplishment.
With few exceptions, I found each
pack has four main options:
1. Baise dues.
2. Sell a product.
3. Sell a service.
4. Establish a limited-competition
business.
In the main, most packs used a com-
bination of Nos. 2 and 3. Supplemental
projects included everything from fa-
ther-son cake sales to recycling hang-
BY RICHARD FERICY
ers. Here's how some of the packs in my
area do it:
PACK 82, SOMEBVILLE, N.J.
LAWBENCE DWYEB, CUBMASTEB
Unlike most, Cubmaster Dwyer has
his 56-member Cub pack on a product
sales drive only every other year. "We
try to avoid having the boys out selling
every year," said Dwyer, "so we have
a major effort that gives us enough to
carry us for two years." He prefers a
single product with no change having
to be made by the boys. This main ac-
tivity raises about $1,100 for the pack.
Prizes are awarded to the top boy in
the pack and to the top Cub Scout in
each den.
But Pack 82 doesn't stop there. It
has a variety of fascinating, supplemen-
tal activities to support at least one
major trip a year. Still other projects
are for the fun of it with money raised
only to cover costs.
One of its supplemental projects is
not really its project anymore, but it
nets $200 to $250 for the pack each
year. Several years ago Pack 82's Cub
mothers formed a charity bowling
league in a local bowling alley. In lieu
of prizes, the bowling management sets
aside money for the pack. Since it
started, most of the participant's sons
have outgrown Cub Scouting, but the
mothers decided to stay in the league
and vote each year to have the money
given to the pack.
PACK 90, BABITAN, N.J.
MICHAEL FLAHIE, CUBMASTEB
A product sale each year enables the
51-member Cub pack to raise approxi-
mately $600. Michael Flahie says he
has no problems motivating his boys. "I
tell them if we sell this much we'll be
able to take this trip." And they take a
lot of trips, according to the Cub-
master.
But Flahie has a secret weapon.
When he took over the Cubmaster
role, some parents griped and grum-
bled that they paid dues and they
didn't see what was happening with
the money. So he and the committee
prepared a financial statement and dis-
tributed it to all of the parents. "We
broke it down," he said, "where the
money came from and where it all
went. They realized that they had paid
$12 in dues and their child had taken
three trips that cost $300." He does
this often now. The combination of
trips and his communication with Cub
parents helps motivate his boys.
On the supplemental level, Flahie
has one or two bake sales a year to
raise $100 or so. He seeks permission
from a local supermarket, then has the
boys sell their mothers' cakes outside
of the store. They sell, that is, what-
ever they have left after eating a
couple of sample pieces.
PACK 92, FINDEBNE, N.J.
CABL SPOLABICH, CUBMASTEB
Carl Spolarich is the only Cubmaster
who said his pack committee is serious-
ly considering raising dues by 10 to 15
cents per week to do away with all
other fund-raising projects. "In this
day and age," he said, "we have to give
serious consideration to having 8- and
9-year-old boys going door to door."
Since 10 cents per week would only
raise about $400 for his 75-member
pack, Spolarich admits this is a tough
decision which would require his boys
to pay their own way on all activities
including the Blue and Gold dinner.
The pack now raises about twice that
with product sales. "We're also explor-
ing the spaghetti dinner/pancake
breakfast approach where it's one day
a year and parents could run it," he
added. (Later, a company opined
that Spolarich might consider an ap-
proach others have used successfully.
That is to have all of the boys go out
together in one block at a time. One
adult could supervise a group.)
PACK 193, MANVILLE, N.J.
JOSEPH YADVISH, CUBMASTEB
"We're fortunate to have a glass-re-
cycling program," said Cubmaster Jo-
seph Yadvish. The pack is also lucky to
be in this program with Scout Troop
193 and have the cooperation of the
local business community. A trucking
firm has given them a spot on the main
street with high visual exposure for
collections. This firm and others also
supply a forklift and truck for trans-
porting the glass to another local plant.
Although the 50 Cub Scouts, 32 Scouts
and their fathers have to separate the
glass, only occasionally do the adults
have to break it. Normally they have
an arrangement for someone to break
the glass for 10 percent of value.
"If we need a fund raiser," said the
confident Cubmaster, "in addition to
the glass, then we do it." Activities for
the special trips and projects are mini-
20
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 64, Number 3, May-June 1976, periodical, May 1976; New Brunswick, New Jersey. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth353560/m1/20/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.