Scout Fundraising

[Anonymous]

Up here in the Great White North each unit’s Scout troop is allowed to do 1 fundraiser each year. I received a phone call on Sunday that DS (and hopefully me, as well) needed to come out on Friday to take part in our turn to raise funds. I told the YM leader that I would have to check and see if we could but off the top of my head I didn’t think we would be able to. He called tonight and left a message (and texted my son) to see if we could come. Fortunately, due to my wife’s work responsibilities we won’t be able to.

Firstly, our city was hit with its worst flooding in modern history last week and thousands are still involved with helping others get back on their feet. In fact the city is still technically under a local state of emergency that is not likely to end until July 4. I would much rather see the boys involved in volunteering with the clean up and recovery, than raising money. This year’s annual Scout camp has been cancelled as a result of the flooding so they don’t need the money for camp.

Secondly, and in my opinion more importantly, I hold the manner in which they fund-raise in absolute disdain. How do they fund-raise, you ask? Well, in our Stake we have a chapel that is directly across the street from the stadium that the local professional football team plays in. For each home game a different unit or units Scout troop charge people for the privilege of parking in the Church parking lot. Yes, they charge the general public to use Church facilities. I think this is flat our wrong.

Now this chapel is also beside the local university campus and the Church allows the general public to park there for the semester if they attend a half hour class that teaches about Mormonism. If they attend the class, they get a parking pass. There is no other requirement or follow-up, all they need to do is come in and learn about what we believe. I asked some of the local leaders why they didn’t charge the students, even an nominal fee, and I was told that it would not be appropriate. I said that I paid to park at the Institute building in Edmonton when I was at university and the local leader simple said “oh”. I brought up the football parking and they said that that was different. No other explanation given. I find the whole situation bothersome.

So to check and see if my thoughts are off base I turn to you, my internet ward, with the question. Do you feel it is appropriate for the Church to charge to use its parking lot as a fundraiser? All opinions are welcome. I am just curious as to what others think as up here it is tradition and no one ever stops to question tradition.

[Anonymous]

No, I personally do not think it’s appropriate, connected to Scouting or not – but, honestly, I don’t feel strongly enough about it to make a scene one way or the other.

Didn’t we discuss this last year? Just curious. (Yep, it was in September of last year. I thought I remembered the conversation.)

[Anonymous]

Old-Timer wrote:

Didn’t we discuss this last year? Just curious. (Yep, it was in September of last year. I thought I remembered the conversation.)

I guess it bothering more this year after learning that they charge people money in one situation and not in another. That and the fact that I don’t think a time of crisis is a time to be fundraising

[Anonymous]

I don’t have an opinion about right or wrong, but fwiw, we did this in a former ward. At the time, the big problem with it was one group – scouts – making money and others – YW, for instance – not. One ward – ours – making money, and the others not. So, I dunno, but it was a good hands-on project for the boys, and they understood why they were doing it.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I think it is appropriate.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[Anonymous]

I would be willing pay to get good parking. Especially if parking was hard to find.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[Anonymous]

I really don’t see anything wrong with charging for convenient parking for sporting events. Everybody that has a lot close to a stadium does this. I’ve seen private homes do this with as few as 2 or 3 spaces. Perhaps your disdain for it is not in the charging, but in how the funds are used. I venture to guess that if the scouts collected money at sporting events, and then took it down to the local women’s shelter, that you would applaud their efforts.

[Anonymous]

On Own Now wrote:

I venture to guess that if the scouts collected money at sporting events, and then took it down to the local women’s shelter, that you would applaud their efforts.

You know … :think: I think you’re right. If the money being raised tonight were to go to local flood relief and not Scouts then I would be happy to be involved.

Thank you all for your valued insight. I think I need to work on getting over this.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s OK, provided members can park there for free. Even though the church makes it clear they owe the members nothing in spite of their time, and service, and tithing money, common decency should allow members to park at their own chapel when its convenient.

I was disturbed years ago when I heard that we weren’t allowed to use the chapel for anything other than church activities. I suppose I believe that an organization that receives thousands of free hours of service and dollars should allow the members to have some privileges within certain limits.

[Anonymous]

I have no problem with any church charging money to use its parking for people who are attending a professional football game across the street. It is a pretty smart idea in my opinion.

[Author]

Posts