A Scout Is Thrifty’ Is Complicated...

Recently I have been thinking about how hard it is for families, nonprofits, and small businesses to keep cash flow balanced. There is always something that needs money, something that would be nice to have, and often more than a few bills demanding to be paid. Then it occurred to me that Scout units are not really any different.

Oh, and don't worry, I am not begging for help again. If you want to show appreciation for my efforts, there are always links on the website. But that's not what this rambling is about.

A troop, pack, or crew needs funds to do things. Camps cost money and gear wears out. Food, transportation, registration, activity fees, awards, supplies, all of it adds up. So naturally we fundraise, ask for support, collect dues, sell things, and “Do Our Best” to make the numbers work, while a dozen other things scream out, “we make sense too!” But there is another side to that.

Every fundraiser asks something, maybe it is money from families, another Saturday from volunteers, or asking the same local businesses for help again. How many times have we asked Scouts to sell one more thing after they already sold popcorn, camp cards, wreaths, and treats? Worse, we ask the community to buy all those things after schools and other youth clubs have also sold their things. At some point it overtaxes Scout families, leaders, and even the goodwill of the community around us.

That does not mean fundraising itself is the problem. I am sure we have all heard that age-old Friends of Scouting pitch: without outings, what is left is “sc”? And the reality is that it takes dollars and cents to run Scouting at every level. Scouts also learn that things cost money, that “hard work” can help pay for an adventure, and that communities often want to support young people doing something worthwhile.

“A Scout is Thrifty” is not really about being cheap. It is about using what we have wisely. That means taking care of our gear, repairing and extending the life of what we already own, using money on purpose, with a plan, and being just as careful with the people and relationships that keep a unit going.

The middle way is not just in the bank account. It is in keeping the whole unit healthy enough to keep playing the game.