Before a troop loads its camping gear, there’s usually a conversation about how to pay for the trip. Generations of Scouts and volunteers have answered that question by getting to work, with community members helping make the next adventure possible.
That support goes back to Scouting’s beginnings in America. William D. Boyce, who incorporated the organization in 1910, contributed $4,000 during its first year to help keep it operating. Community giving helped the young movement find its footing.
Over time, fundraising became a familiar part of local Scouting. Troops have used activities such as car washes and pancake breakfasts to help cover program expenses. Council-sponsored product sales offered another way for families to support their own activities while helping sustain Scouting locally.
Then came popcorn. Trail’s End’s Scouting sales date to 1980, according to the national organization’s historical materials. In the decades that followed, popcorn became one of Scouting’s most recognizable fundraisers. The products and packaging evolved, and online ordering joined the familiar face-to-face sale.
For a Scout, the experience can start with a simple goal: help pay for camp. Reaching it takes preparation. There’s a product to understand, a customer to greet and a reason for the sale to explain. Along the way, Scouts get opportunities to practice communication, goal setting and money management.
Adult-led giving campaigns serve a related purpose. Here in Orange County, events such as the We Change Lives Gala invite supporters to invest in opportunities for young people. The format differs from a popcorn table, but both depend on people choosing to support Scouting.
The next time a Scout asks you to support a fundraiser, ask what they’re working toward. You may hear about a first summer camp, a troop outing or an adventure they’ve spent months planning.
Support a local pack or troop’s next fundraiser and help Scouts work toward that goal.
