I saw this in a Scouting forum and thought I'd share it, as I see parents go down this path all the time - even those who already have an Eagle Scout.

I received this email from a Scout parent:

I am new to the Boy Scout Program and I  am not getting answers to questions.

For instance my son is to bring a blue card to a merit badge event for the counselor to sign. I got a blue card from the Scoutmaster. Another parent with experience in Boy Scouts told me that they needed to be signed by the Scoutmaster, so my son took the blue cards to the next meeting but the Scoutmaster would not sign them because the counselors name wasn’t filed out. My son and I did not know that was necessary.

Is there a briefing or meeting for parents with no experience in Boy Scouts know what to do or ask ? I feel there is a lack of needed information.

I answered:

Typically we don’t have detailed briefings or meetings about this sort of thing for parents. It’s not that we don’t appreciate the role parents have in Scouting or that we want to keep them in the dark. It’s just that Scout parents aren’t the ones we want asking these sorts of questions or doing these sorts of things, we want their Scout asking and doing.

You are a bit frustrated because you feel you lack the information a responsible, supportive parent needs. Many parents feel this way – you are not alone! I want to help by giving you the most important information a Scout parent needs to know and what I wish every Scout parent understood.

Scouting is unique. It  is different from school, church, sports and other youth organizations. Understanding just what we are trying to do is not easy sometimes; in fact one of my key challenges as a Scoutmaster is talking to parents who think they know what I am talking about but they really don’t.

When it comes to the things Scouts do there are at least two things happening at once. There’s the immediate practical goal (like getting a merit badge or going camping) and the much broader (and more important) goals of developing leadership, citizenship and physical, spiritual and mental fitness.

For example; when a Scout goes camping, (s)he needs to find out what to bring, gather the gear and put it in their pack. It’s perfectly understandable that a parent may feel they need to do some or all of this for their Scout – after all that’s part of being a supportive, responsible parent right?

I wish they wouldn’t.

If a new Scout packs their own pack, they’ll forget something and maybe be a little uncomfortable (I still forget things after 30+ years of camping!) but (s)he will learn more from forgetting than they will if you pack the bag for them.What they learn from that process is one step closer to that broader goal.

At first this may seem a little harsh or make a Scout parent feel that they are not being responsible, and that’s an uncomfortable feeling for most of us.

Scouting is not just an opportunity for Scouts to do fun stuff, it’s also an opportunity for parents to learn and grow. I went through this process with my son.  It was uncomfortable and challenging at times, but ultimately it was very rewarding.

My son now works for the college he attended and he’ll tell you that one key skill many new students lack is the ability to navigate the routine things that they are used to having done for them (from laundry to signing up for classes and managing a schedule). He’ll also tell you that he learned how to look after himself and others through the process of Scouting.

What I wish every Scout parent knew is something they can’t really understand until they have been through this process. I want them to step back, be supportive, understanding, and cooperate with the process. I want them to look for teachable moments and help their Scouts figure out what to do next not by supplying answers but by asking questions.

If you cooperate with the process, if you keep your eye on the broader goal, you’ll see your Scout start to grow and figure things out for themselves. You’ll find that your job is not so much telling and doing as helping them discover answers and how to things done. Your job is not making things easier but helping them to look past the initial frustrations of not knowing. Soon they’ll learn to ask those questions of themselves, they’ll grow in confidence and ability and will surprise you as they do.

It’s hard for Scout parents to get comfortable with the idea of not knowing on purpose – but if they don’t know, then a Scout has to figure things out for themselves. When parents get uncomfortable, when their Scouts get frustrated, they go after the Scoutmaster and complain about how chaotic, inefficient and needlessly difficult things are.

I try to tell them that the Scouting process is purposefully designed to be challenging and every Scout (and Scout parent) will experience frustration or discouragement from time to time. We embrace the challenge, the chaos; we take the inefficient,  frustrating moments and turn them to our advantage to help our Scouts achieve those broader goals.

When Scouts get discouraged or frustrated, (and they will),  that’s when we need a supportive, responsible parent to step up and help them overcome the discouragement or frustration and keep on trying.

Scouting cooperates with parents who cooperate with Scouting. It gives them powerful opportunities to help their youth grow. What we do in Scouting is almost never about the immediate, practical goal. Youths don’t always understand this and I don’t expect them to, but I wish every Scout parent did.

https://kk.org/thetechnium/103-bits-of-advice-i-wish-i-had-known/

I haven't posted in a long time, so it's feeling like it's time.

This isn't an advice column.  I usually stick to Scouting topics, but sometimes I let myself write whatever's on my mind.  This is one of those times.  I was reading an article with oddball bits and pieces of wisdom that others have gathered, so I thought I'd put them here. I'll bet you can match many of these to a point of the Scout Law and Oath. Enjoy.

• Compliment people behind their backs instead of being snarky. You'd rather be known as a good friend than as a backstabber.
• Buy cheap tools at first and invest in better quality tools once they wear out or break. If you wear a tool out, it means you use it a lot and it’s worth it to spend more money on a better-quality tool that will last longer and work better.
  
• Experience is what you get when you can't get what you want.
• Tomorrow may not be better, but at least it’ll be different.
  
• Unpack your suitcase/backpack the second you get home. Make your bed as soon as you roll out of it - even before you go to the bathroom. Small, quick wins can set the tone for your life.
• Smile at strangers when you’re out and about - it can have some unintended, positive side effects. You never know what others are going through, and simply smiling at someone might turn their day around.
  
• When you can't choose between two things, flip a coin. Then choose the thing you were hoping for.
• Stick to the same sleep schedule on your days off as you do on school/work days.
• If you plan to write anything - a note, a letter, a book report, a term paper, a thesis, or a novel - just start writing. Don't worry about sentences, structure, edits, or next steps. Just start and see what comes next, because you can't edit a blank page.
• Pay bills, save, and then spend.
• Just don't <insert_what _you_want _to_stop_doing_here> today. You can do that. Then repeat tomorrow.
• Practice gratitude. Grateful people are happy people.
• You're not hungry, you're thirsty.
• Show up.  Just being the one who shows up - even if you're not the best - means a lot to everyone.
• Don't apologize and make everything all about you: put the other person at the center and thank them.  It's the difference between, "I'm sorry I'm late," and "Thank you for being patient."
• When you're overwhelmed and stressed out, make a to-do list. When you're in that mindset, you think, "I know what needs to be done, but I can't possibly do it all."  But when you write it down, it doesn't have to live in your brain, and you can focus on the individual tasks.
• If you want or need something, it’s best to be direct. Don't hint, and don't make people guess. As a Cajun friend once told me, "Dem folks who don' say what dey want don' get nothin' but disappointed and disrespected."
• Don't skimp on the things that separate you from the ground: money spent on good shoes, good tires, and a good bed is well-spent.
• It may be tough right now, but fill your tank all the way up instead of a little at a time.
• When you're sad, eat healthy stuff, get outside, and exercise.
• Clean as you cook, do the dishes right away, and pick up your house for 10 minutes a day in order to keep things under control. It might be boring, but it beats having to clean for hours at a time.
  
• Clean house before leaving for more than 5 days - nothing beats coming home to a clean house.
• If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it immediately.
• If your gums bleed when you floss, then you’re not flossing enough.
  
• If you have nausea, suck on an ice cube (don't chew it.)
• If your gut reaction to something isn’t immediately ‘yes,’ then it’s a definite ‘no.’
• Just shut up and listen. Actually listen. I don't know about you, but I've never learned anything from listening to myself.
• Be yourself. The less you care about what other people think and the more real you are, the more people start to love you.
• An organized space can make you feel more in control and lessen anxiety.
  
• Don't force it. If it doesn’t fit, it’s not supposed to. (That applies to more than shoes.)
• If you don’t have anything nice or constructive to say, just keep it to yourself. 
  
• Don't look for a happy life; look for happy moments.
• Ask anyway - the worst they can say is "no."
• Find one little thing that you love about yourself. It doesn't have to be big - it can be a freckle on your nose or something that you know you can do. Whenever you feel low self-esteem creeping in, remember that one thing that you love about yourself, and you'll start to feel better. And find a new thing to love about yourself every month.  Make a list of them.
  
• Think positive thoughts before you go to bed. And then don't think. You'll get to sleep faster and wake up better.
• Slow down while driving. It's better to lose a second of your life than to lose your life in a second.
• There's what you need, there's what you want, and there's what you can't afford.
• If you feel like quitting, then just tell yourself that the story doesn't end this way. Never let anyone else write your life for you.
• Don't suffer future pain.
• Leave your cell phone in another room - not where you sleep.
• Before I do anything I ask myself, "Would an idiot do that?" If the answer's "Yes," then I don't do it.

If you're a registered leader in a scouting unit, you've undoubtedly heard at some point, "You need to take this training, because it's required."  Wouldn't it be nice to have a list of all of the training required for your scouting position(s)?

Okay, here's my nice for the day.

The charts below are in a gallery, so you should be able to drag left & right to see them all.

I have no idea if anyone ever reads this blog, so if you do, please let me know.

This is something that sticks in my head, and I'd like for everyone associated with this unit to at least take a look. I was introduced to this when I was in my early teens (no, I wasn't there when the speech was made - I'm not quite that old), and it changed my outlook on everything.  I was reminded of it in something I read, and wanted to bring it to you all.

Theodore Roosevelt delivered the speech entitled “Citizenship in a Republic” at the Sorbonne in Paris on April 23, 1910. The speech is popularly known as “The Man in the Arena.”

Read this out loud, not to yourself. Stand tall. Stand proudly. Don't just say the words — feel the words:

    "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. 

    The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

---

Having now read this, remember:

• The best way to be different is to do the things other people refuse to do.
  
• The best way to life the life you want to live is to stop worrying about what other people think.
  
• The best way to succeed is to out-think, out-hustle, and out-work everyone else.
  
• You may not be as experienced, as well-funded, as well-connected, or as talented... but you can always do more than other people are willing to do. Even when everything else seems stacked against you, effort and persistence can still be your competitive advantages — and they may be the only advantages you truly need.
  
  • (but don't be afraid to ask for the funding, make the connections, and develop the talents)
• Dare greatly. Know victory. Know defeat.
  
• And every day, commit to living the life you want to live.

I'm glad you asked.  Thanks to David Garcia, Jr., we have a nifty page that describes some opportunities that come along with becoming a "marked person".

Good news: Folks have been asking how the troop can take payments for things like camp outs, summer camps and recharter fees while we're doing the whole pandemic lockdown thing, and we now have that nailed down.  In the upper right-hand corner of our website, you can see a new selection called "Payments" - this will tell you how to get a payment to the troop treasurer. Many thanks to Mike Wells for setting that up!

Good news: The troop committee voted to suspend payment of 2021 dues until we can get back together for meetings and campings, which should help a lot when we consider that because of the impact of the pandemic on fundraising this year, we need folks to pay for their own recharter fees in accordance with the troop policies/by-laws ($66 for each youth, $42 for each adult.)  I have been asked, "Hey, if the troop has a positive balance in the bank, shouldn't that all go towards rechartering fees, and then ask everyone to pay their part of the difference?"  The answer to that is "No."  We need to keep a strong balance so that we can use that money to ensure that we can secure reservations with "early-bird" savings on summer camps, Klondike Derbies, Camporees, etc.  That usually involves submitting the entire balance due before every family in our troop is able to pay for their part of it. Remember, not everyone has $350 - $1500 laying around to pay for their summer camp, so being able to spread that expense across a few months can be the difference between a youth going or not going.  Also, being able to get those early-bird rates can save the average scout/scouter up to $100 annually. Considering that some families send more than one youth to a camp out or summer camp AND may have an adult going, too, it can save those families a boat load of money.

Necessary items and money are often donated by troop committee members to help with all of this, but we cannot rely on that to happen all of the time.  Scouting, compared to other activities such as sports, music lessons, STEAM clubs, and other activities, is still a really great value.  And when it comes to week-long, residential summer camps, you would be hard-pressed to find one that provides the same level of activities and amenities as a BSA summer camping program.

We aim to keep the costs of scouting as low as possible without sacrificing the quality of the program. And at the end of the day, one of our goals is to ensure that we spend every single penny of the annual troop budget on the youth and on training.  We also aim to make working with the troop as convenient as possible. If you have suggestions along these lines, tell a committee member or - better yet - join the committee!

Hi folks,

It has been suggested that this presidential election year would be a good time to do the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge.  I agree whole-heartedly. 

A merit badge is a lot of fun.  It can entail a lot of work.  But failure to follow this sequence can invalidate all of the work done on the badge.  Don’t blow it – follow these steps. This is written with the idea of working the merit badge at T324's troop meetings, but the general process is THE process for merit badges throughout the BSA.

1. Get a blue card from the Advancement Coordinator (Chuck) and get the Scoutmaster (Bear or Christina)  to sign it.
   
2. Talk to the Advancement Coordinator (Chuck) to get a list of counselors – subject matter experts who have specialized knowledge and are willing to help you.  (In this case, it's me (Ray).)
   
3. At a meeting in the near future, I will explain what is expected and will start helping you to meet the requirements. At this point, you should discuss any work that you have already started or completed.  In general, it’s best to wait until you’ve spoken with your counselor before starting any work.
   
4. Most of our discussions will be at the Troop Meetings. If we need to have a conversation by email, then make sure that every email is also CCed to your parent and to the Scoutmaster. If by phone, then make sure the call is made in the presence of your parent, and is done while on speaker. We will NOT use social media channels, including (but not limited to) Facebook, IM, Instagram, or anything else. If in person, it will be at a troop meeting; if a meeting outside of a troop meeting is necessary, your parent must be present, and any meeting will be in a public place.
   
5. Once you have a counselor (for this one, that's me) and understand what you need to do, get to it!  Read the pamphlet for the badge (see the end of this blog entry) and ask the counselor if you have any questions as to what you need to do. Don’t waste your time or the counselor’s time: complete all requirements exactly as directed in the pamphlet – for example, if it says, “show or demonstrate”, that’s what you need to do, you cannot just talk about it.
   
6. Contact the counselor again to be tested on each requirement to make sure that you know your stuff and can do/have done everything required.
   
7. Get the requirements initialed and the blue card signed by the counselor, and then go talk with your Scoutmaster about it.  Make a copy of the blue card for your records, and then give it to the Advancement Coordinator. 
   
8. Get your badge at the next Court of Honor!

If you wish to take this badge, go to the Troop Google Drive and download the Citizenship in the Nation Pamphlet.   I looked all through the pamphlet and saw nothing to prohibit me from scanning it and posting it, so I did.

Greeetings, all!

While we're not chasing you around for your Investment in Character/Friends of Scouting forms this year, this critical fundraiser is still happening, and now it's easier than ever.

First of all, click here to check out my fundraising page.  I'm a Valley District IC Team Captain, and this page is for Troops 324B, 324G, and Ship 324 (they set it up under my name, but the money still goes toward our units' goals and the district's goal.  We really should be shooting for at least $100 per family and preferably $300 per family - so our combined goal of $3,000 is really light, considering how mamy Scouts are in our combined units, and that even with Covid shutting things down, the council is still spending upwards of $300 per Scout.  I'd really like to see us blow past that goal completely, but I also understand that some of us are still not back to work from the Covid closures. So, every dollar helps - even if $300 or $100 isn't possible, $50 is great.  Just please get yourself on record as a Friend of Scouting.

Why do we bother? Because now - especially now, when some adults are setting bad examples for citizenship from coast to coast - we need Scouting most to teach good citizenship, problem-solving skills, and proper leadership.

Thanks,
Ray

Hi folks,

The folks who run the my.scouting.org website tend to leave obsolete/invalid training courses on their site, and I don't want anyone to fall into the trap of taking 4 modules and then finding out that they have to go back and take the correct training. I did that. So have a couple of other Scouters that I know who sent me a screen shot of some completed courses but did not get a YPT completion certificate.  I took the web folks to task for leaving the old stuff on the site, but I think that fell on deaf ears.

So, I made sure to get explicit instructions from the National Council's IT folks to be sure that you don't take a wrong turn somewhere.  After I followed these, I got my YPT certificate.

---

Instructions

• From the HOME page at my.scouting.org select the logo 'BSA TRAIN CENTER'
• On the next page Scroll Down to the YPT logo
• Click on the emblem
• You will see "YPT" and should see a blue button with a white + sign that says 'Add Plan'
• Click on the button – This adds the training to your personal Training Plan
• Now you need to scroll to the top of the screen and select MY LEARNING from the tabs at the top of the screen
• Scroll down that page until you see Youth Protection (training should be in alpha order)
• Select Youth Protection Training - MANDATORY
• The next screen will show all 4 modules
• Go to the first Module and select the blue button LAUNCH COURSE
  • As you complete each Module you will need to repeat the process to select the next Module, then the next Module, then the test, to complete the course.

Once you complete all Modules including the Test - scoring 75% or higher - you will receive an email with your certificate in it.

If you do not receive the email or see YPT complete when you sign onto your account within 48 hours send an email to  myscouting@scouting.org and they will research the issue.

There is only 1 version of BSAs YPT. The updated training replaces the previous Y01 (old generic YPT), Y02 (Venturing YPT), and Y03 (Exploring YPT), and is required for all BSA programs. The code for the updated YPT is Y01. (There's nothing confusing about that, right?)

If you need additional assistance, please call 972-580-2489 Monday through Friday 7am to 7pm Central time.

Also, for each activity, we will be asking you the following questions:

1. In the last 14 days, have you had contact with anyone who has tested positive or is presumed positive for COVID-19?
2. In the last 14 days, have you had contact with anyone has had influenza-like illness or been otherwise sick?
3. In the last 14 days, have you or anyone you have been in close contact with traveled on a cruise ship, internationally, or to an area that is currently under travel restrictions?

If the answer to any of the above questions is "Yes", stay home.

 4. Are you in a higher-risk category as defined by the CDC guidelines?

(If yes, we recommend you stay home. Should you choose to participate, you must understand the risks of coming to camp and that getting COVID-19 or any other communicable disease cannot be completely avoided and that it may happen.)

Now, back to our regularly-scheduled blog entry:

For this weekend's shooting sports campout, you will need the following forms completed:
If you do not have a current BSA Medical Record on file with the Troop (Mike and Joey Wells), please bring a completed Annual Health and Medical Record Parts A & B. This one does not require a physical examination by a doctor.

From Troop 324 Forms

• 324-EMERGENCY_INFORMATION.pdf (MUST COMPLETE once and provide to Mike Wells; update as necessary)
• 324-Permission_Slip_Scout.pdf (youth only)
• 324-Permission_Slip_Adult.pdf (adults only)

The permission slips must be completed for every activity. 

Handy-dandy trick - I do this, but your mileage may vary; void where prohibited:

• Complete everything not inside a box - it isn't likely to change. 
• Make 12 - 15 copies of that half-completed form..
• Put those copies back into the printer so that the back side of those copies will be printed upon next.
• Youth form: Scan each youth's health insurance card onto that side.
• Adult form: Scan your health and driving insurance cards onto that side.

Then, for every campout, you need only complete the stuff inside the boxes. Woohoo!

---

Summer Camp at PV

If you still owe a balance, please bring payment to Mike at tonight's meeting, 22 June, 2020.

For PV, you will need to complete the following forms. You *WILL NOT* be allowed in camp without them.  If you can get them done and and bring them to Monday's meeting, that would be great. We understand that scheduling the physical exam isn't always that easy, but you really need to get started.

DAC PV Forms are here.

From the left column: 

• Pre-Camp Health Screening - YOUTH AND ADULTS MUST COMPLETE 14 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF GOING TO CAMP.!  THAT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE STARTED ON THIS ON SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020!!!!
• BSA Medical Forms - YOUTH AND ADULTS MUST COMPLETE ALL parts INCLUDING the physical examination
• Colorado Addendum: Immunizations - MUST COMPLETE FOR ALL YOUTH
• Colorado Addendum: Additional Information - MUST COMPLETE FOR ALL YOUTH

If you need to take medications, you MUST COMPLETE these:

• Colorado Addendum: Contract to Carry
• Routine Drug Administration Chart (download and fill out if needed).

If you have dietary requirements (allergies/sensitivities, religious; NOT "I ain't eatin' that") then complete the Special Diet Request Form (do online after we hear from Mark that we're registered for our desired week.).

Hello all, and welcome to 2020!  We've got a whole year of fun planned: in just a few weeks, we'll be ice fishing and doing Bear's Okpik program. If you've never done that, you should - the skills are good ones that you can use even if you're building a quinzee in your backyard; the fishing is usually pretty productive, and Bear's homemade ice cream is worth the trip all by itself.

But none of that has anything to do with the title of this blog post.

Bear and I are often asked to contribute letters of recommendation for lots of things: business, personal, scholarships, jobs, college admissions, special programs within someone's current school or job - you name it.  And not just for Scouts - Scouters, too. I can only speak for myself when I say that I enjoy doing them.  It's an honor to get to say nice things about people I get to know over several years, and to do so in a way that helps to make an immediate difference in their lives.  So, please, ask. 

I would only ask of you that you provide some essential information regarding the nature of the letter.

• In all cases, please provide the name of the person who will receive the letter, their title, and the address to which the letter would be mailed.
• A web page URL that provides some details about the organization and program/work/scholarship/etc. for which this letter applies.

The first bulleted item allows us to personalize the letter and maintain formality.  "To whom it may concern" can be okay, but addressing someone directly gets their attention. Plus, I can mail them the letter via snail mail. The second bulleted item allows me to gather information about the qualities being sought.  Leadership is one thing that we can speak to directly from your Scouting experience, but the organization/person to whom you are submitting the letter might be more interested in your problem-solving skills, ability to work well with others, or something else. Being able to understand that allows us to craft letters that show how you measure up to their criteria before they even have to ask. Therefore, having the chance to understand what they want helps us to help you to get what you want.

I thought this might be timely, as we're starting a new calendar year, and since this is halfway through the school year, now is the time when most application processes start getting busy.

See you next week!

Ray

Hi folks,

As promised, here's an update on the Troop Committee's discussion around the new BSA National Membership fees (AKA "recharter fees") from the last couple of committee meetings

Most of you have seen the email dated 9/12/2019 9:55 PM with the subject, "[T324] IMPORTANT: affects fundraising for ALL".  If you haven't, you need to go back and read that.  It describes some changes to the Troop Policies authorized at the September Troop Committee meeting. To recap the highlights:

---

The Troop Committee voted unanimously to pass a motion last night. Here is the text of that motion:

Every Scout should help with fundraising to support Troop operations and to pay their own way in Scouting; however, there are members who are not contributing. While reasons vary for this, the Troop still needs those folks to support Troop operations. Therefore, the Troop policies will amended such that:

• There are no longer discounted dues - dues are $50/year.
  
• Upon joining the troop, $100 covers dues & recharter for first year.
  
• After joining, the Troop budget will pay the recharter for every youth who meets the Troop fundraising minimum. Everyone still pays dues.
  
• Effective immediately, each youth who does not sell the fundraising minimum in a calendar year must pay $200 by the end of the following January ($50 recharter + $50 dues + $100 fundraising participation fee) to continue in the program as a chartered member of Troop 324.

---

There was additional discussion at the October Committee Meeting. An additional policy amendment would be added:

• Eagle Scouts under the age of 18 will pay a $50 Eagle Scout troop membership fee only. 

The Committee encourages these Eagle Scouts to make their training and experience an example, and make their rank and influence count for better scouting in their troop.

---

In the November Committee Meeting, it was pointed out that the fundraising incentive structure that awards Scout shares has been somewhat misapplied over the last few years. Beginning in 2020, the fundraising structure will be revamped and simplified.

• The fundraising minimum is still only $300. We will assume that the Popcorn Kernel has been

awesome (as usual) and the Troop is receiving a 34% split from the Denver Area Council (DAC).

• The Scout Share will now be calculated as 50% of the total to troop from DAC on total sales over the minimum.

For example, let's say that Johnny Scout sells $680 (total sales) in popcorn.

• The total to troop from DAC is 34% of $680, or $231.20
  
• The amount over the $300 minimum is $380 ($680 - $300)
• Half of 34% is 17%
• Scout Share is 17% (50% of the troop split from DAC) of $380 (amount over minimum), which is $64.60
• Incoming Troop funds = Total to Troop – Scout Share ($231.20-$64.60), which is $166.60

To get a Scout Share, Scout must *sell* more than $300 in popcorn.

If a Scout sells $200 and gets a $100 donation, then they make the minimum - so they don't have to pay the 
$50 recharter + $50 dues + $100 fundraising participation fee - but they don’t get a share.

This keeps the fundraising in line with IRS rules: there are incentives to the youth, but we will not maintain 
Individual Scout Accounts (ISA), which got many units in trouble.  It also keeps the burden off of the Scout
families, as the Scout share allows the Scout to pay his own way.

As always, if there are questions or concerns, please talk to Ray.

YIS,
Ray