Costs

 

Non-Profit

 

Scouting America is a nonprofit organization and all volunteer. All moneys collected flow back to the scouts as awards and program costs. This website and the Troop Store was designed, published, maintained, and renewed by a volunteer. Every dollar that gets paid to the store goes electronically into the Troop bank account. Adult leaders do not get paid. 

Be kind to us, friends. We are all parents, grandparents, grown up Scouts who come to volunteer our time because we want to enrich the youth, and we are genuinely doing our best. If you want help with costs, bring a fundraising idea to the next Committee meeting that you are willing to run. 

Dues and the one time Scouting America application fee pays for national membership and local Troop dues. Note that all national costs are out of our control.  

Dues pay for awards, weekly meeting activities, communal camping gear, Scouting America membership, group insurance for meeting and camping activities, Scouting America campsites, 5 of which are within the Tampa Bay area, software and website services, training, and annual adult leader background checks. 

Troop Store

Cost Structure

Costs include three things: dues, uniform, and activities (campouts, summer camp etc).
The uniform shirt is required. If you don’t want to buy a new one, feel free to ask if we have any hand me down uniforms to wear for your Scout. If not, consider picking up a used one on Ebay. All uniforms – modern or vintage – are valid. Just make sure you update the council strip and unit numbers on the sleeve.
Activities such as monthly campouts are priced based on the activities and locations the Scouts select. Summer Camp is mandatory, and is the very pinnacle of each scouting year’s adventures. Parents wouldn’t think of skipping their child’s piano recital or soccer championship game. Similarly, don’t think of skipping summer camp. It is the height of independence and growth each year for the Scouts. They finish camp renewed and refreshed, and completely full of Scouting Spirit.

Uniform

A Scout uniform shirt can be bought through the Troop Store. The purpose of the uniform is to identify the youth as a member of Scouting America. Badges on the uniform tell other members that they belong to their patrol, troop, and council. The uniform itself identifies a good citizen to the entire community.

The uniform is worn at all Scouting meetings and activities. It is required to travel and to receive dinners at Summer Camp, per Scouting America policy.

Book 

A Scout book is used throughout the Scout’s entire Scouting America career. This one time cost is best purchased in conjunction with a book cover to help protect the book and to provide a space to store a notepad and writing implements. 

A Scout book is a resource for all times where you lack knowledge for a certain skill in Scouting. It’s also the primary tool for Scouts to track their own advancement. 

Fundraising

Fundraising is part of the program. Scouts will be encouraged to earn money to go to Summer Camp. These include activities that they plan with the Troop, such as fall popcorn sales and our annual Car & Bike Show. Fundraising at home also works.  

To use funds that Scouts earn, Scouts should email the Troop email address and CC their parent or guardian. Responses will be sent within 48 hours. 

 

 

Affordable

Scouts continues to be one of the most affordable extracurricular activities available to youth today. Not only can Scouts earn their own way, Scouts that achieve the rank of Eagle Scout have lifelong benefits including  unique college scholarship opportunities and admission preference, military rank advancement, and more.