1.                   PURPOSE

            The purpose of this section is to outline the procedures and policies associated with the troop’s annual Leaf Raking Fund-Raiser.

 

 

2.                   SCOPE

                This policy applies to all Scouts, leaders, parents, sponsors and others actively involved with the troop.

 

3.                   REFERENCES

            BSA174.101 Scout Escrow Account

4.                   DESCRIPTION

 

4.1                General

Troop 174 conducts one single fundraiser annually. The Fall Leaf-Raking fund-raiser is that single project.  The troop has approximately 35 customers who pay about $100.00 each to have their yards raked in the late fall.  This project raises the necessary funds to operate the troop throughout the year, paying for new equipment, subsidizing outing costs, etc. This project has historically been very successful for the troop and the Scouts. In order to ensure it's continued success, certain policies and procedures have been established which are detailed below.

                               

4.2                Fund Raising Chair

The Troop Leadership Committee will provide a Leaf-Raking Chairperson who will be responsible to conduct the project.  The Chair is responsible for coordinating the Leaf Raking activities.  These activities include but are not limited to calling customers and arranging the times for their houses to be raked, collecting fees, coordinating the Scout work schedule, recording the time worked by the Scouts, working with the troop Treasurer to record the appropriate funds in each Scout’s Escrow account and coordinating the use and maintenance of the troop’s leaf raking equipment.

The Chair is encouraged to enlist the support of several parents to assist with the fund-raiser.

4.3             Scout Requirements
Every Scout is required to perform six (6) hours of service duty to the leaf raking fundraiser.  Scouts are encouraged to work as many hours as they can. Therefore, each hour of work completed after the required six hours will go into the Scout's escrow account.  Sign-up sheets are available at troop meetings from two weeks before the first scheduled weekend until the project is completed.  Scouts are expected to sign-up responsibly and keep their commitments.  If a Scout cannot make their commitment they must give the Leaf Raking Chair at least one full day’s notice.  If a Scout does not achieve the minimum six (6) hours of service time then the parent’s hours are forfeited and the Scout does not receive credit for Scout spirit required for advancement for that year.  If a Scout is not physically able (injured, allergic, handicapped) to participate in the fundraiser then other suitable service work as approved by the Troop Leadership Committee in coordination with the Leaf Raking Chair can be substituted.

4.1                Escrow
Escrow hours will be converted into escrow dollars by the Troop Treasurer at the completion of the fund-raiser.  Each Scout's escrow dollars will be available for his use within the guidelines set by the Troop Leadership Committee.  See troop procedure BSA174.101.

4.2                Leaf Raking Schedule and Procedures
Generally the leaf raking is scheduled from mid November until all houses are completed or the weather prevents further work.  The fund-raiser is usually completed by early December.  On the weekends the troop works from 8:00 am until 4:30 PM on Saturdays and 12:30 PM until 4:30 PM on Sundays.  Veteran's Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving are usually scheduled with hours similar to Saturdays.

On full days, the troop breaks for one-half hour for lunch. Scouts should bring a lunch and something to drink when working on those days.

The troop does not remove or bag leaves for customers. Our job is to gather and deposit leaves in the backyard of each customer's property.

Scouts should bring their own rakes and gloves. The troop owns several leaf blowers but also appreciates the use of anyone's personal leaf blower. The troop provides the utility tarps to drag the leaf piles into the backyard.

Scouts are encouraged to bring along their parents to assist the leadership. All parent hours are credited to the Scout once the scout has personally worked his six required hours. If a Scout brings a parent on a Saturday, he would accumulate ten escrow hours.  The Scout is credited with two of the eight hours that the Scout worked – six hours “belong” to the troop - thus the Scout’s two hours plus the parents eight hours equal the ten hours that would be credited to the Scout’s escrow account.

The Chairperson will establish the work schedule and notify all Scouts who have signed-up where the first job is on a given day, and where the troop is expected to finish up at the end of the day.

Scouts should make arrangements to get to the first job and be picked up at the last job. Adults who are working that day will transport Scouts from job to job during the day.

The troop maintains repeat customers, however, anytime a Scout brings us a new customer, he will be rewarded with a five dollar commission paid directly into his escrow account.