Boy Scouts Popcorn Fail (1 Viewer)

[KCitons]

How about you pay for your own kids trip - and I'll pay for mine.

OK. Can we apply this to all government assistance programs?

We homeschooled our kids for over 10 years. But, I still paid my property taxes that went to public schools. 

 

[KarmaPolice]

If your goal is to shop for popcorn, I recommend the supermarket. 

If your goal is to donate money to the Boy Scouts of America, then have the fake exchange where you give them money and they give you a token gift in exchange. Maybe popcorn. Maybe something else.  It doesn’t really matter. 

You guys can complicate and screw up just about anything. 

I guess I am the #######, but that's not my starting goal either.  

I didn't leave the house wondering how I can donate money to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.  I see kids selling stuff outside the store and think WTF, it's probably for a good cause and walk over. Sorry, but most of the time I don't have $20-$40 to drop for a "donation".  It seems a little ridiculous that this is the starting point.  I now know it's those are their prices, so I just breeze by.  I've offered the smaller donation a couple times, and for other school fundraisers, most of the time get the "uh, I don't think we can do that".     

That said, I am glad to read from other posters that a majority of the $ goes to the Boy Scouts.  Seems like usually it's such a small %, and that's why I usually ask about the direct donation thing.  Something in the area schools worked out a "deal" with one of the pizza chains.  They go around selling their #### pizza, for $15 or something, and get maybe a couple bucks out that money.  I don't want the crap product, so I usually offer $5 or more for a donation, which gives them more money,  but usually get the same response.  

 

[KarmaPolice]

OK. Can we apply this to all government assistance programs?

We homeschooled our kids for over 10 years. But, I still paid my property taxes that went to public schools. 

 

How'd I know that was coming?

 

[Sinn Fein]

OK. Can we apply this to all government assistance programs?

We homeschooled our kids for over 10 years. But, I still paid my property taxes that went to public schools. 

I am confused.  Boy Scouts are a government program?

Does the local school provide value to your home (i.e. does your home derive any value based on the school district?)  My kids do not go to the local public schools - but I gladly pay the property taxes to support the local school because it keeps the school in high demand, which makes my neighborhood in high demand, which keeps home prices rising.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I was never a big fan of the “show and sells” for the popcorn because for many of the reasons people have given here. Like noted above, a key point is to get the scouts comfortable and used to interacting with adults ( the boards of review that they have prior to advancing in rank increasingly look like job interviews as the boys progress for the same reason).

When they go door-to-door, it is much easier for them to present the order form, which explains where the money goes. It might be out there, but I have never seen that for the cookie sales. A scout might get 20 “no’s” for every “yes”, but he’s going to have like 1 bag of popcorn to deliver for probably every 40 boxes of cookies a Girl Scout has to truck around.

Our troop leaves it as optional for the boys and prefers to let the Cub Scout pack use that as their main fundraiser, but the ones that  do participate can easily cover their camping costs and dues for a whole year. We are fortunate that many of our scouts have families that can self-fund our activities, we have a few fundraisers (water stations at running events, clearing trash in a stretch of road for the county) that help cover most of the troop equipment needs, and we work very hard to keep our event costs low.

For other troops, those not fortunate enough to have a large sponsoring organization or those with lower income families, the popcorn sale is the only way they can provide the scouting program, period. 

I’m no official spokesman or anything, just a volunteer dad with a hopefully soon-to-be Eagle, but I’m sorry the OP had a bad experience. The popcorn sale is not supposed to be a “gotcha” kind of thing.

So for you and other Scout parents out there - are you not supposed to take any other donations unless in the form of a sale, or are people just not trained on what to do if asked that?  

 

[Christo]

I probably shouldn't do this. But I'll try.

You aren't buying popcorn. No one is going to dispute that you can't find cheaper popcorn somewhere else. The point isn't to score some super cheap deal on popcorn that only scouts can magically find. Rather, the popcorn sale is a fund raiser and a large portion of the proceeds go to scouts, like 70+ percent. Some of the money goes to the council for things like the scout reservations and some goes to the unit the scout belongs to. Both things help others scouts who can't pay for these types of things themselves. And the Girl Scout Cookies are a total rip off for the girl scouts that sell them. A minuscule amount of cookie money actually comes back to either the council or the units themselves. Its a truly pitiable amount. Last I saw it was south of 10%. So think of it as a donation and if you like the product you get in return, great. Or just do a straight donation if it suits you better. Or shake your fist at them until they get off your lawn.

Near as I can, every youth organization needs fund raisers, from the scouts, seemingly every HS sports team and countless HS clubs. Folks come to my door all the time.  

I'm glad you explained this. Otherwise, we'd never have known. 

 

[comfortably numb]

I'd be embarrassed to ask anyone to pay 30-40 bucks for popcorn 

 

[ProstheticRGK]

I am confused.  Boy Scouts are a government program?

Does the local school provide value to your home (i.e. does your home derive any value based on the school district?)  My kids do not go to the local public schools - but I gladly pay the property taxes to support the local school because it keeps the school in high demand, which makes my neighborhood in high demand, which keeps home prices rising.

 <--------  best use of this emoji, ever.

 

[Short Corner]

 <--------  best use of this emoji, ever.

Not quite as good as the first poster who did it.

 

[ProstheticRGK]

Not quite as good as the first poster who did it.

I disagree. Context is everything; there's been shots fired, now.

 

[Christo]

I am confused.  Boy Scouts are a government program?

Does the local school provide value to your home (i.e. does your home derive any value based on the school district?)  My kids do not go to the local public schools - but I gladly pay the property taxes to support the local school because it keeps the school in high demand, which makes my neighborhood in high demand, which keeps home prices rising.

It's almost like some people don't know how the world works.

 

[Short Corner]

I disagree. Context is everything; there's been shots fired, now.

I meant the first poster who did it in this thread.

 

[ProstheticRGK]

I meant the first poster who did it in this thread.

I know. That's why i said context is everything. Popcorn emoji in a popcorn thread, ok. Popcorn emoji in a popcorn thread after there's been punches thrown = win the day.

 

[Short Corner]

I know. That's why i said context is everything. Popcorn emoji in a popcorn thread, ok. Popcorn emoji in a popcorn thread after there's been punches thrown = win the day.

The joke is always less funny the second time around.

 

[AAABatteries]

Ask if they accept coupons as payment.

 

[ProstheticRGK]

The joke is always less funny the second time around.

Your face is more annoying than a $20 bag of popcorn.

 

[KCitons]

I am confused.  Boy Scouts are a government program?

Does the local school provide value to your home (i.e. does your home derive any value based on the school district?)  My kids do not go to the local public schools - but I gladly pay the property taxes to support the local school because it keeps the school in high demand, which makes my neighborhood in high demand, which keeps home prices rising.

No they aren't.

Have you ever donated to anyone on this board? Perhaps you should tell them that they should take care of there own problems and you'll take care of yours. 

Buying popcorn from Boy Scouts is about donating so the scout and troop can partake in extra activities. You'r not forced to do so. Others will. Not sure why your panties are in bunch over this. Just keep walking. 

 

[[scooter]]

Buying popcorn from Boy Scouts is about donating so the scout and troop can partake in extra activities. You'r not forced to do so. Others will. Not sure why your panties are in bunch over this. Just keep walking. 

You tried to make an analogy comparing the Boy Scouts to public schools. It displayed a fundamental misunderstanding of how the world works.

My panties aren't in a bunch but I do feel a lot better about my decision to ignore your posts in the gun threads.

 

[KCitons]

You tried to make an analogy comparing the Boy Scouts to public schools. It displayed a fundamental misunderstanding of how the world works.

My panties aren't in a bunch but I do feel a lot better about my decision to ignore your posts in the gun threads.

I understand the difference, but chose to respond to the post "You pay for your kid, I'll pay for mine" in that way. 

Please ignore me in all threads moving forward. Someone that blames type 1 diabetes on the victim is not someone I ever want to have a conversation with anyway. 

 

[comfortably numb]

Can't wait for this thread to be moved to the political sub forum

 

[[scooter]]

Please ignore me in all threads moving forward. Someone that blames type 1 diabetes on the victim is not someone I ever want to have a conversation with anyway. 

That was a satirical commentary on the argument that many conservatives use to oppose public health care.

You didn't get it then, you don't get it now.

The ironic thing is that it speaks to your misunderstanding of how the world works. I favor public education and public health (including government coverage for people with diabetes). You put your kid in private school and repeat the mantra of "You pay for my kid and I'll pay for mine", yet you freak out when someone applies that very same argument to health care.

My original post was designed to expose the hypocrisy and the inconsistency of a right-wing talking point. You helped enforce my point with your continued responses. So, thanks.

 

[KCitons]

That was a satirical commentary on the argument that many conservatives use to oppose public health care.

You didn't get it then, you don't get it now.

The ironic thing is that it speaks to your misunderstanding of how the world works. I favor public education and public health (including government coverage for people with diabetes). You put your kid in private school and repeat the mantra of "You pay for my kid and I'll pay for mine", yet you freak out when someone applies that very same argument to health care.

My original post was designed to expose the hypocrisy and the inconsistency of a right-wing talking point. You helped enforce my point with your continued responses. So, thanks.

???? I didn't put my kid in private school. I allowed my kid to sell popcorn, just like the rest of the scouts. What money they needed to make up the difference, I paid for. 

You only posted your explanation. Not your original post about diabietes. Why does your explanation hold merit, but mine doesn't? Nice double standard on this board. 

I know how the world works. Many on this board don't work that way. Look at the topic of this thread. People are offended by the price of Boy Scout popcorn?!?  Either you believe in the mission and pay, or you move on. If enough people moved on, then the Boy Scouts would re-evaluate the effectiveness of the program. But, that's not good enough for some people here. They want to force their opinion on the Boy Scouts and make them sell twice as much popcorn, at half the price, to make the same amount of money. Do those same people evaluate what they get for their money when they donate to the Red Cross, hurricane relief fund, or any other non profit?  Get over yourselves and move on. 

 

[dickey moe]

Under this pricing structure and thought process, those $1 candy bars the kids sell should be $25.  At that coke at the kids soccer fields concession stand $50. It's all about helping out right?

It's absurd.

They are intentionally taking advantage of people's good nature.  I guarantee you they are not saying would you like to buy a $20 bag of popcorn.  No, little Joey is just asking nice people would you like to buy popcorn and then putting people in uncomfortable spots with the price surprise after they say yes.

It's bull#### really.

They don't post their prices. Otherwise absolutely no one would come up to their table.

 

[[scooter]]

You only posted your explanation. Not your original post about diabietes. Why does your explanation hold merit, but mine doesn't? Nice double standard on this board. 

What??? Here's my original post:

Why should healthy people have to subsidize others whose parents did not live a healthy enough lifestyle to prevent their child from getting diabetes?

It was posted in the "Why are Republicans trying to repeal Obamacare" thread, and it was a response to arguments made earlier in the thread which basically said "Why should my tax dollars pay for your lifestyle choices?". All I did was amplify that very bad argument to show how terrible it was.

That's....how satire works.

If that post offended anyone who used that argument to oppose Obamacare, then I hope that it caused those people to reflect on their hypocrisy.

The fact that you still insist that I was being serious after a year -- despite multiple clues to the contrary -- can only be explained by either willful ignorance or extreme disingenuousness.

 

[Rustoleum]

So for you and other Scout parents out there - are you not supposed to take any other donations unless in the form of a sale, or are people just not trained on what to do if asked that?  

Technically we really aren’t supposed to take funds directly like that. Some units may keep a separate “tip”jar to the side and turn those in to their treasurer and keep it all within the troop. Again, really not supposed to do that, but when faced with turning away someone who wants to donate or a maze of bureaucracy to do it the “official” way, I imagine it’s not uncommon for those donators to quietly find their way into the troop funds. Others may pool the donations and put them towards the popcorn for troops donation option in the sale. On top of that, there’s no telling if you had the scoutmaster, assist scoutmaster or other official trained volunteers running that sale, or just a couple of parents kinda winging it (there are written guidelines, but not everybody reads the directions).

on occasion we sell candy bars outside our sponsor church (mostly to show them we exist and get the boys to interact with adults).If we clear $40 after costs in a day that’s doing well. Can’t tell you how many times we have to tell the younger scouts that just because the nice lady gave you $5 and told you to eat the candy doesn’t mean you are going to pound 5 KitKats right now....

 

[dickey moe]

 

[gianmarco]

Best use yet.

 

[Short Corner]

Your face is more annoying than a $20 bag of popcorn.

Careful.  I got a vacation for that joke a few months ago.

 

[KCitons]

What??? Here's my original post:

It was posted in the "Why are Republicans trying to repeal Obamacare" thread, and it was a response to arguments made earlier in the thread which basically said "Why should my tax dollars pay for your lifestyle choices?". All I did was amplify that very bad argument to show how terrible it was.

That's....how satire works.

If that post offended anyone who used that argument to oppose Obamacare, then I hope that it caused those people to reflect on their hypocrisy.

The fact that you still insist that I was being serious after a year -- despite multiple clues to the contrary -- can only be explained by either willful ignorance or extreme disingenuousness.

Thanks. You linked to Dedfin saying he "thinks" your post is tongue in cheek. RW added his opinion the very next post.  Obviously, your intentions weren't clear.  Your explanation was posted 5 months after your original post, and not even in the same thread. Multiple other posters also called you out for the comment. Yet no response from you. Either you received a 6 month ban for it, or you felt it better to allow your trolling comment to percolate. 

Effective communication relies on both parties. When the delivering party fails, the receiving parties are left with making their own distinction of intent. 

 

[[scooter]]

Thanks. You linked to Dedfin saying he "thinks" your post is tongue in cheek. RW added his opinion the very next post.  Obviously, your intentions weren't clear.  Your explanation was posted 5 months after your original post, and not even in the same thread. Multiple other posters also called you out for the comment. Yet no response from you.

Look at who liked Dedfin's post.

edit to add: you obviously saw my direct response to your post in January. Why did you ignore it when attacking me earlier today?

Effective communication relies on both parties, dude.

 

[KCitons]

Look at who liked Dedfin's post.

Effective communication relies on both parties, dude.

Look who liked all the posts calling your post crap. (Besides, you could have liked that post 5 months later.) 

You admitted later that it was satire. Which missed its mark with multiple people. Therefor you failed on your end at communicating. Maybe use   next time. 

 

[[scooter]]

You admitted later that it was satire. Which missed its mark with multiple people. Therefor you failed on your end at communicating. Maybe use   next time. 

When your goal is to expose hypocrisy, it's usually more effective when you don't say "Look at me I'm doing sarcasm!"

 

[KCitons]

When your goal is to expose hypocrisy, it's usually more effective when you don't say "Look at me I'm doing sarcasm!"

When you're trying to post sarcasm, and 5 out of 6 people respond to your post negatively, (and you don't respond) you're doing it wrong. 

 

[[scooter]]

When you're trying to post sarcasm, and 5 out of 6 people respond to your post negatively, (and you don't respond) you're doing it wrong. 

My goal was to expose the hypocrisy of a conservative talking point. I wanted people to respond negatively to it.

At any rate, you knew my true intentions by January and yet you still insisted upon misstating my position several times in this thread. Oh wait, were you being sarcastic? Maybe you should have used the sarcasm emoticon to let us all know.

 

[KCitons]

My goal was to expose the hypocrisy of a conservative talking point. I wanted people to respond negatively to it.

At any rate, you knew my true intentions by January and yet you still insisted upon misstating my position several times in this thread. Oh wait, were you being sarcastic? Maybe you should have used the sarcasm emoticon to let us all know.

No. I still feel the same way about you that I did a year ago. Sarcasm or not, it was a tasteless post that struck a nerve.

Good timing though. We spent yesterday morning at the local JDRF walk. We raised over $1100 with our walk team and didn't have to sell a single piece of popcorn. 

 

[eoMMan]

 

[[scooter]]

No. I still feel the same way about you that I did a year ago. Sarcasm or not, it was a tasteless post that struck a nerve.

If you think the comment was tasteless, that's fine. But don't misrepresent my beliefs, okay?

Don't ever claim that I believe something when you knew as far back as January that I didn't.

(Oh, and even if you choose to ignore all the evidence, your posts about me are STILL a gross misrepresentation. Even when being sarcastic, I never blamed Type 1 diabetes on the victim. Ever.)

 

[KCitons]

If you think the comment was tasteless, that's fine. But don't misrepresent my beliefs, okay?

Don't ever claim that I believe something when you knew as far back as January that I didn't.

(Oh, and even if you choose to ignore all the evidence, your posts about me are STILL a gross misrepresentation. Even when being sarcastic, I never blamed Type 1 diabetes on the victim. Ever.)

You blamed the parent. One of which I am. I hope you never have to hold your 1 year old daughter while in an ICU unit because she is moments from slipping into a coma. That makes me a victim.

As long as you think about the effects of your posts, it won't be a problem. Okay? 

In 10 years, I've never ignored a single poster on this board. You will be the first, and only on that list. Please put me on yours as well. 

 

[[scooter]]

You blamed the parent.

Hint: I wasn't talking about Type 1 diabetes. You are the one who was so narcissistic that you assumed that I was talking about you. It's the same pattern of behavior that caused you to repeatedly misstate my position, to respond to every one of my posts, and to ruin every gun thread.

 

[Sullie]

So I'm in Bakersfield for our long-time fantasy football draft, and I drop by Vons to get some cash from the ATM. As I leave, there is a group of Boy Scouts and their moms out front selling bags of popcorn. These are like 18 oz cellophane bags of caramel corn and such. They do their cute little spiel and I decide to get some:

"Ok, I'll take a bag a of salted caramel and a bag of mild cheddar." I pull out a twenty thinking that will be more than enough.

Boy Scout Mom: "That will be $40!"

Me: 

Mom: "75% goes to the Boy Scouts"

Me: "Uhhh, I guess I was more or less expecting Girl Scout pricing."

Mom: "Well, the Girl Scouts have it EASY!"

Me: "I only have this twenty." [this was a lie, but still...]

Mom: "We accept ATM and credit cards!"

Me: "I'm sorry. I just can't pay that much

for popcorn."

Mom [seemingly offended]: "Well you just have a nice day."

Me: [walks away]

I mean, I know it's for a good cause and all, but come on man.

I'm quoting all this in an attempt to steer the thread back on the track it clearly derailed from. . . 

I had to sell crap door to door when I was a kid, God I hated that.  Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to sell a candy bar for a $1.00 in 1978 when candy bars were like 25 cents or whatever the hell they were?  I got more doors slammed in my face than I can recall.  When I played little league we had to stand out in front of K-Mart with a coffee can begging for donations.  Now, what was HILARIOUS was this kid named Tony.  We get dropped off in front of K-Mart by our coach, our coach takes off.  So me, my brother and this kid Tony are standing there rattling a coffee can for donations.  Tony reaches into his coffee can, fishes out $10 and we don't see him for a while.  He comes back with a big sack of McDonalds and three drinks.  My brother and I are like "Tony, wtf are you doing man?"  He says "get over here, you're part of this now, if I get busted, you're in on it too. . besides if they're gonna force us to do this, we should be allowed a lunch for God's sake."  Hard to argue with his logic, we ate our lunch and resumed our begging for donations.  I think the ONE time I didn't get busted so I think that made me 1 for 1000 over my childhood.

If some kid knocks on my door I NEVER buy anything from these things but instead I just throw down $5 or $10, offer a bottle of water and call it at that.  And if the kid puts the money in his pocket and grabs something from McDonald's for his lunch break, I'm good with that too, if he's forced to be out there, he should be entitled to a lunch.

 

[ProstheticRGK]

That was very well done. Despite what @Short Corner might tell you

 

[belljr]

If anyone is interested in a football contest for my daughter's softball team they are $25

 

[comfortably numb]

If anyone is interested in a football contest for my daughter's softball team they are $25

These are the best fundraisers 

 

[flranger]

If this is an attempt to get every thread into the PSF, then I'm all for it.  Geesh guys.

 

[Brony]

I liked when that fat kid sold girl scout cookies on the man show 

 

[Arodin]

If you picked “boy scout popcorn” for the “next sane thread that will have to be relegated to the PSF” you are about to win the pool.

Good grief.

 

[Politician Spock]

I was wondering what in the hell happened to this thread, until I realized it was derailed by the guy I have on ignore.

Unfortunately the ignore feature only does so much to keep this forum palatable. 

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Do you like gladiator movies Joey? 

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Some of these young men don't have fathers around to guide them, that's when it is time to step in and get involved.  Ask yourself, what would Big Ernie McCracken do?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR7HcqsBOdg

 

[dutch]

Hated selling popcorn and am glad that period of time is behind us. Yes the popcorn is overpriced and yep it is a pain in the tookus driving jr. around with 40 tins/sacks of the stuff to deliver once the preorders come in but overall I am glad that at least our Pack had a fund raiser. 

I am one of the folks who did not have the ability to pay for all of my sons trips and activities out of my pocket and without the fundraisers my son would not have had as fulfilling time growing up as he did.  That is the one argument I dont understand, I pay for mine and you pay for yours.  Also, our pack did accept straight cash donations which we put directly into the treasury so if you didnt want the overpriced popcorn it was no problemo to throw us a fiver and call it a day.

I'll echo the thought that the best thing my son got out of the sales was learning to interact with adults in a more confident manner.  Cute side story, my then 2nd grade son feeling confident as ever has my neighbor ready to buy and when neighbor points out which variety he is interested in Jr. puts pen to paper and looks neighbor directly in the eye and says " how many can I put you down for?"  Neighbor and I both laughed our asses off.