Quote:
Originally Posted by Eddie R.
When I first participated in Friends of Scouting I felt much like you did. I support scouting enough with everything else I'm doing, now you want me to go beg from my neighbors too?
I learned a little more about it, which made it less distasteful for me.
Each charter organization benefits from the council and district, and it takes money to run those organizations.
A portion of Friends of Scouting goes towards purchasing camps. The Great SL Council just purchased the land in the Uintas that they've been leasing for years (south fork of the Bear?). Now they can develop the camps a little more than before and do some things the forest service wouldn't allow. Troops get a discount when they go to a council camp. Troops from outside the council pay more.
A portion goes towards liability insurance. Pays for when a scout does something like burn down half the mountainside and the council is responsible or a kid gets lost and they are paying search and rescue, etc.
A portion goes for training for district roundtables and support.
Also - they are using Friends of Scouting to supplement money lost by United Way reducing the amount they give scouting each.
Anyway, I felt a little bit better about the program and contributing when put in those terms.
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Thats interesting stuff Eddie. I've always reluctantly donated to the FOS drive, but never really knew where it went. Praise Jesus that I've never been asked to head up the drive (Quick! Find me some wood to knock on!)
What did you mean with that little bit about the United Way? It didn't come off very clearly, as it sounds like you are saying that the FOS funds go to cover money that the United Way has lost. That can't be right.
Are families of the boys ever responsible for assisting with monies to pay for search and rescue, damaged forest service property, fires, etc?