is anyone else sick of how things are always done on the cheap?
 

we are planning a stake camporee at a campsite with no running water or restroom facilities. We estimate about 135 people will be there, on a relatively small parcel of land.

I suggested we rent a port-o-pottie. They said it was a good idea, but that we really couldn't afford the $125.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you can't afford something like this, it's time to go back to the drawing board. I'm sick of running a program with zero budget.

That's why they often call a well-to-do member into the YM, so that he foots the bill for all the "we can't afford items."

I agree especially since i did Friends of Scouting last week and every house i went to, honestly gave at least $20, i visited probably 50 houses, was only denied once or twice and some gave more, one guy gave $100. Where does that money go?

FOS money goes to the council. It doesn't fund the troop.

It's funny, but nearly every ward I have ever been in we always had a "go-to" member of the ward who financed many outings and activities. I want to be that guy someday, or least be in a position to do that.

Have you talked with the Bishopric and Ward Clerk? I know we were setting our budgets back in August for the new year. We had several auxilaries who hadn't even touched their budget. And we pulled funds from them to go towards other activities. We kept scouts and YM seperate but money usually flowed between the two without any hesitation.

I know it's a bit more taxing as a scout master but I remember doing several different fund raisers including a ward supported garage sale each year that helped fund our scout camps each summer. We had a member who owned a nice commercial lot and we'd collect garage sale items from the ward and would advertise it well. The sales never paid for the troop entirely but it went a long way to help offset the costs. We also participated in several local events including a Western Days celebration in our community where each year we had a booth that allowed people to take a sledge hammer to a car. The cars and sledgehammers were always donated, the glass and lights were removed for safety. It was always a big money maker.

Just some suggestions. Good luck.

I was exec. secretary for 1.5 yr and never was a budget discussed. It's done entirely on the fly. All I know is that we by Aug./Sept. we were in the red, and it's not like we have had activities that cost money.

Wow, that seems like poor management to me. The financial clerk should be on top of that. In the red on budget? Time for an audit.

meaning YM/Scouts is in the red, not the entire ward.

You need to demand a budget from your Bishop. If not then approach the Stake Young Men's president and ask him to take the issue to the Stake President.

You need a budget. There is enough money that you should never be in the red. You can also fundrais for a camporee!

Mike, do you do any fundraising? When I was in YM in Maryland we had a ward scout committee (Scout Master, YM president, and usually at least two non-YM successful types) which worked on fundraising for our troop. They came up with some pretty good ideas (none of that popcorn selling--we did an auction one year and got donations from town businesses). I think they would raise at least $1000 per year, sometimes more. I don't think the parents ever even paid for scout camp.

Ask your Bishop to establish a ward scout committee. If you already have one, ask them to start fundraising.