2010 Friends of Scouting
We are closing in on the 100th anniversary of Scouting and, we will once again highlight the 12 words of the Scout Law for the 2010 Friends of Scouting campaign. Obedient, Cheerful, and Thrifty are this years “Words To Live By”. Achieving our goal of $400,000 is essential for Scouting to balance its budget for the 2010 fiscal year.
Friends of Scouting or FOS is the annual operating campaign to help defray the cost of providing facilities, services and activities and many other resources that make Scouting possible for more than 13,000 youth and 3,000 adult volunteers across the 19 counties of Michigan served by the Lake Huron Area Council. Volunteer board members, community businesses, alumni and parents of Scouts are asked to provide annual donations and become “Friends of Scouting”.
Without FOS the Lake Huron Area Council’s two camps, Camp Rotary and the Paul Bunyan Scout Reservation would not exist. Recently, camping programs have been subsidized by Friends of Scouting and other sources. Without FOS growth, we will need to dramatically increase the camp fees for future Scouts. Friends of Scouting also helps provide first dollar primary liability insurance coverage for all registered adult leaders and chartered organizations. FOS provides about 20% of the annual budget income for LHAC.
Many people believe that Scouting doesn’t truly “need” Friends of Scouting. In reality, FOS is vital. A volunteer committee helps create a balanced annual Council budget plan, and it is approved by the Board of Directors. The goal of this budget is not to end each year with an excessive surplus. Many people may also believe that they don’t have any responsibility to support the Lake Huron Area Council since they provide donations for the local Troop or Pack. Scouting needs everyone to participate in Friends of Scouting. About 50% of all Scouting parents provided a gift of $1 or more last year. We really need 100% of parents to contribute and do their fair share. We encourage all volunteers to promote the importance of FOS with the parents in their unit.
Friends of Scouting is a good investment. Ten full time staff members work with an average of more than 300 adult volunteers each. How can Friends of Scouting not be a good investment? You can be a “Champion” of Friends of Scouting with other volunteers, throughout your community and with your local Scouting unit. Educate people you know about how important their support is for Scouting. Share any ideas you have for potential donations with the Scouting staff or key volunteers. Set the date for your unit family FOS presentation and share that date with your district executive. During the presentation, personally “champion the cause” by telling the group of parents that you support Friends of Scouting. Inviting others to join you will ramp up participation rates. Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent are words to live by. What parent wouldn’t want their son to learn these values?
The 2010 FOS campaign kicked off with the November board meeting and nearly $26,000 was pledged for an average gift of $1,000 for each of the staff and volunteers that turned in their commitment that night. Districts are currently conducting pacesetter campaigns. Anyone that makes their 2010 FOS pledge before the end of 2009 will receive a special Scouting Centennial Calendar. Localized Friends of Scouting campaigns will be conducted early in 2010 in districts, local communities and within local Scouting groups. 2010 recognitions include: A special Centennial Anniversary Council strip (CSP) Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, the third in the series for contributions of $25 or more, a 100th Anniversary Collectors Coin in case for contributions of $150 or more, and a Norman Rockwell print plate for gifts of $300 or more. Units can once again earn free cloth rank advancement- If 50% or more of the families in the Scouting unit provide a gift and the unit surpasses their unit’s family friends of Scouting goal, all cloth rank advancement earned will be “free” from the Scout Service Center from the date of your 2010 FOS presentation until March 30, 2011. Join the thousands of Friends of Scouting today!