I have no position. It's another item (along with many) that was changed recently that some people have a concern with. That's all.
Boy Scout popcorn sales- when greed kills the goose
- Thread starter GON
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A lady yelled at me for ignoring pleas to buy cookies from the Girls Scouts that were set up at the front door of the local Walmart Supercenter. I had to bite my tongue. I really want to go back and say, "you have to change your business model. Send three kids over and to my house down the street and pick up twigs and rake my yard and Ill give you 20 bucks. Selling garbage food products marked sky high isn't cutting it, Lady. Do something teachable and useful; selling cookies doesn't teach anything In fact its S-L-I-M-E-Y
Pet peeve. rant over for now
Pet peeve. rant over for now
There's a big difference in perception between these:
"Hey, mister, wanna buy a bag of popcorn to help the Boy Scouts? 'Only' $25." This is how the boys solicit now.
"Good afternoon, sir. If you can donate $25 to the Boy Scouts, we'll give you a bag of genuine Scout popcorn as our gift of appreciation." This would be far better. I think.
"Hey, mister, wanna buy a bag of popcorn to help the Boy Scouts? 'Only' $25." This is how the boys solicit now.
"Good afternoon, sir. If you can donate $25 to the Boy Scouts, we'll give you a bag of genuine Scout popcorn as our gift of appreciation." This would be far better. I think.
Once they went PC and chose to appease a tiny, angry portion of the population while turning their back on the very folks that they are there to support, I was out. Now instead of wanting to help out, I just kindly say "No thank you". They made their bed....
Exactly.......
The Boy Scouts were set up at a local grocery store entrance not long ago. I was all ready to buy some of the popcorn and when the Scout said $25 I said WHAT ? If it had been $10 I would have bought a bag. Instead they got nothing from me.
I wonder how many others think like me and how much money the Boy Scouts lose from the sticker shock reaction that their prices cause ? Better to get $10 than nothing right ?
One day I gave the Girl Scouts a selling lesson. Probably because of the cute moms helping man the tables. I suggested that when a customer agrees to buy a box that the girls suggest they buy two because the cookies are only available for a limited time. Or that the cookies could be frozen and they could buy a whole case and have cookies all year. The moms were cracking up.
The prices have gone up and it seems the size of the boxes has gotten smaller over time but at least the prices aren't totally ridiculous like the Boy Scouts.
I wonder how many others think like me and how much money the Boy Scouts lose from the sticker shock reaction that their prices cause ? Better to get $10 than nothing right ?
One day I gave the Girl Scouts a selling lesson. Probably because of the cute moms helping man the tables. I suggested that when a customer agrees to buy a box that the girls suggest they buy two because the cookies are only available for a limited time. Or that the cookies could be frozen and they could buy a whole case and have cookies all year. The moms were cracking up.
The prices have gone up and it seems the size of the boxes has gotten smaller over time but at least the prices aren't totally ridiculous like the Boy Scouts.
I was working in my garage one day.
Three teenage boys (they were NOT Scouts), came up to me trying to sell magazine subscriptions.
The deal was:
I subscribe to a magazine (or more) and it would be delivered to a hospital so the patients would have something to read.
If these teenagers sold enough subscriptions, they would win a free trip to some party town.
Then one of the kids says if they win, .... "IT'S TONY'S BIRTHDAY"
So, if I buy the subscription, someone else gets the magazine to read, and I send three teenagers off to party somewhere.
Needless to say, I said, "no thank you".
Three teenage boys (they were NOT Scouts), came up to me trying to sell magazine subscriptions.
The deal was:
I subscribe to a magazine (or more) and it would be delivered to a hospital so the patients would have something to read.
If these teenagers sold enough subscriptions, they would win a free trip to some party town.
Then one of the kids says if they win, .... "IT'S TONY'S BIRTHDAY"
So, if I buy the subscription, someone else gets the magazine to read, and I send three teenagers off to party somewhere.
Needless to say, I said, "no thank you".
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so, if i understand correctly, the girls have both girl scouts and boy scouts, and the boys have just boy scouts? why? indeed i’m out of touch, probably just as well…
This is true. However, those two organizations are not affiliated with each other, despite the similar sounding names.
dnewton3
Staff member
My summary of why I don't support Scouting, and haven't for quite a while ...
Strike 1:
the insane manner of making it more about money than the kids; the sales of stuff (typically popcorn, but not always). When parents are the backdoor avenue to the sales by taking these forms to work to fill out the order sheet(s), that's not kids do anything for themselves. It's not about the kids; it's about the money. Some would argue that without the money, the program dies; they are not wrong. But it's gone way too far IMO.
Strike 2:
the inane and obscure merit badges now available to the kids (here is just a sampling):
- animation
- chess
- coin collecting
- fingerprinting
- gaming (video games)
- movie making
- skating
All of these "skills" are not core to becoming a good citizen, or teach an essential life skill. Some of these could lead to a job some day, but they are a nod towards a major shift in the softening of the Scouts. Rather than getting out of your comfort zone and interacting by developing people skills, or actually doing a worthy social project, why not just sit at home and doodle some cartoons, stick coins in a sleeve, or play video games? Some of these could lead to a job/career, but really how many kids make a living skating or playing chess? These "merit" badges are a nod to broadening the appeal of Scouting, because frankly Scouting was becoming more and more difficult to get kids interested in. So rather than help kids understand need for core life and social interaction skills, they just watered down the program so that intraverts and hobbies could be accomodated, thereby keeping the headcount up in Scouting. Where's the "merit" of learning video gaming? Is there kid alive today that didn't already have that mastered before ever joining Scouts? So did they "learn" anything by "earning" that "merit" badge? Did they develop into a better person by getting a coin-collecting badge?
Strike 3:
the PC approach to everything. (I will avoid discussing the sensitivity and details of the topics and just say that I don't subscribe to wokeness in any form). The Scouts captiulated to pressure rather than standing their ground on multiple levels. What's the life lesson here for the kids? Give in to peer pressure rather than holding fast to your beliefs? Yeah - like we need more of that message imparted to future generations ...
Strike 1:
the insane manner of making it more about money than the kids; the sales of stuff (typically popcorn, but not always). When parents are the backdoor avenue to the sales by taking these forms to work to fill out the order sheet(s), that's not kids do anything for themselves. It's not about the kids; it's about the money. Some would argue that without the money, the program dies; they are not wrong. But it's gone way too far IMO.
Strike 2:
the inane and obscure merit badges now available to the kids (here is just a sampling):
- animation
- chess
- coin collecting
- fingerprinting
- gaming (video games)
- movie making
- skating
All of these "skills" are not core to becoming a good citizen, or teach an essential life skill. Some of these could lead to a job some day, but they are a nod towards a major shift in the softening of the Scouts. Rather than getting out of your comfort zone and interacting by developing people skills, or actually doing a worthy social project, why not just sit at home and doodle some cartoons, stick coins in a sleeve, or play video games? Some of these could lead to a job/career, but really how many kids make a living skating or playing chess? These "merit" badges are a nod to broadening the appeal of Scouting, because frankly Scouting was becoming more and more difficult to get kids interested in. So rather than help kids understand need for core life and social interaction skills, they just watered down the program so that intraverts and hobbies could be accomodated, thereby keeping the headcount up in Scouting. Where's the "merit" of learning video gaming? Is there kid alive today that didn't already have that mastered before ever joining Scouts? So did they "learn" anything by "earning" that "merit" badge? Did they develop into a better person by getting a coin-collecting badge?
Strike 3:
the PC approach to everything. (I will avoid discussing the sensitivity and details of the topics and just say that I don't subscribe to wokeness in any form). The Scouts captiulated to pressure rather than standing their ground on multiple levels. What's the life lesson here for the kids? Give in to peer pressure rather than holding fast to your beliefs? Yeah - like we need more of that message imparted to future generations ...
I remember our Troop #79 having Pancake Breakfasts at church. Very popular. I enjoyed that.
Back in the 60's My next door neighbor was a scoutmaster and had a bunch of boys that were all scouts, I used to shadow them when they were doing tasks for badges, One of the boys saved my life when I fell out of a high tree onto rocks. I am Forever Grateful.
Very well written post.
For a long time at work they allowed the parent to bring their kids in and ambush us at our desks while we worked. I can't tell you how enraged that made me and a few others, they no longer allow that but do let them bring in the order sheets which I also ignore.
My son’s previous pack (he’s moved onto a troop) stopped selling popcorn and replaced it with a program where they set up and take down American Flags for a fee. I believe this allows more money to stay within the pack.
I am far more likely to help an organization where more money stays local, for example, the local thrift store that benefits senior citizens in my city vs. the Goodwill.
In my son’s pack, there were fairly frequent camping trips, however a lot changed since I was a Cub Scout (1989-95). Currently, parents have to transport their own children on trips and tent/stay with them. That was certainly not the case when I was a child. Now there’s a lot of training that goes on for parents involved in scouting, as well as specific policies to ensure children are protected, as was mentioned in an earlier post.
As to girls in the BSA… I was originally put off by the idea, as Girl Scouts already exists. However, after talking to a fellow Scout dad who put his daughter in Cub Scouts, I could see the reasoning. His son was doing camping trips, learning about survival and first aid, home improvement, auto maintenance, and building useful items, while his daughter in Girl Scouts was making crafts/doing home ec., and selling cookies. I’m pretty old fashioned for someone born in 1982, but if I had a daughter, I’d be teaching her to change tires, oil, etc.
I am far more likely to help an organization where more money stays local, for example, the local thrift store that benefits senior citizens in my city vs. the Goodwill.
In my son’s pack, there were fairly frequent camping trips, however a lot changed since I was a Cub Scout (1989-95). Currently, parents have to transport their own children on trips and tent/stay with them. That was certainly not the case when I was a child. Now there’s a lot of training that goes on for parents involved in scouting, as well as specific policies to ensure children are protected, as was mentioned in an earlier post.
As to girls in the BSA… I was originally put off by the idea, as Girl Scouts already exists. However, after talking to a fellow Scout dad who put his daughter in Cub Scouts, I could see the reasoning. His son was doing camping trips, learning about survival and first aid, home improvement, auto maintenance, and building useful items, while his daughter in Girl Scouts was making crafts/doing home ec., and selling cookies. I’m pretty old fashioned for someone born in 1982, but if I had a daughter, I’d be teaching her to change tires, oil, etc.
While skills that will save her money. These are not life skills-IMHO.
Something occurred to me. I hadn't heard of the $25 popcorn until recently. Yes, the Scouts sold popcorn, but not at that price.
The national Scouting organization expects the local councils that oversee local packs/troops to help pay the cost of the abuse settlement to victims. This has led to old Boy Scout camps all over the US being sold to developers to raise funds, for example. My hunch is that the $25 popcorn is part of this effort too.
The national Scouting organization expects the local councils that oversee local packs/troops to help pay the cost of the abuse settlement to victims. This has led to old Boy Scout camps all over the US being sold to developers to raise funds, for example. My hunch is that the $25 popcorn is part of this effort too.
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Here is their 2019 financials. Looks like they had major insurance claims that year, maybe the allegations of sexual abuse which was in the headlines then.
Here are the Girl Scouts, the main organization
Very interesting.
Boy Scouts Of America - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica
Since 2013, the IRS has released data culled from millions of nonprofit tax filings. Use this database to find organizations and see details like their executive compensation, revenue and expenses, as well as download tax filings going back as far as 2001.
projects.propublica.org
Here are the Girl Scouts, the main organization
Girl Scouts Of The United States Of America - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica
Since 2013, the IRS has released data culled from millions of nonprofit tax filings. Use this database to find organizations and see details like their executive compensation, revenue and expenses, as well as download tax filings going back as far as 2001.
projects.propublica.org
Very interesting.
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I too find it borderline offensive when those nasty too much time on their hands “moms” are selling the items for their rugrats. The kids are supposed to be doing the work, not the moms.A lady yelled at me for ignoring pleas to buy cookies from the Girls Scouts that were set up at the front door of the local Walmart Supercenter. I had to bite my tongue. I really want to go back and say, "you have to change your business model. Send three kids over and to my house down the street and pick up twigs and rake my yard and Ill give you 20 bucks. Selling garbage food products marked sky high isn't cutting it, Lady. Do something teachable and useful; selling cookies doesn't teach anything In fact its S-L-I-M-E-Y
Pet peeve. rant over for now
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Good post! I’m totally and completely anti politically correct. I will never do anything to appease a certain group.
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