T324B&G: Payments
No one likes to talk about money, but we cannot provide the Scouting program for free - there are costs. The money paid to register the troop, the adults, and the youth is separate from the troop budget that pays for everything else: camping fees, camping food, court of honor refreshments and supplies, summer camps, transportation to summer camps, materials, equipment purchases/maintenance/replacements, etc. In a good fundraising year, the troop committee looks at the budget and the balances, and if revenue exceeds budgeted items, we will use the extra to defray the costs of camp outs and activities. Our goal is to always spend every last penny on the youth and on training!
- For the 2024 recharter, the costs are $80/youth and $60/adult; new memberships add $25 one-time joining fee. Youth dues are $50.
- UPDATE: BSA is eliminating the joining fee after 1 March 2024. The national council's registration fee will be $85/youth and $60/adult. Adults are required to undergo a background check, and your membership is not certified until your background check has been satisfactorily completed. Youth dues (to the troop) are still $50/yr. This covers the costs of advancement (badges and patches.)
- Fundraising helps youth to know the joy of earning money and paying their own way, and it spreads the cost of Scouting to the communities who benefit from good leaders and good citizens. We have two fundraisers that we do every year:
- We participate in a single council fundraiser every year: Camp Cards. This year, those will be $5, with $2.50 going to the council and $2.50 coming back to the troop. This supports Scouting in Colorado.
- We now maintain a year-round fundraiser with Country Meats (AKA "meat sticks"). Think in terms of Slim Jims, but tastier. Those are $1.50 each, with $0.75 coming back to the troop on every meat stick sold.
- From the Troop's By-Laws:
- We participate in a single council fundraiser every year: Camp Cards. This year, those will be $5, with $2.50 going to the council and $2.50 coming back to the troop. This supports Scouting in Colorado.
J. Fundraising
1. The troop will undertake fundraising activities as approved by the Troop Committee to support the troop budget.
2. All Scouts are expected to participate. Fundraising is voluntary for Eagle Scouts under 18; they will only be required to
pay a $50 Eagle Scout troop membership fee, though they are strongly encouraged to help with fundraising.
3. Adults may participate in fundraising activities, but are strongly encouraged to use profits for scouting activities.
4. Any youth who makes use of the opportunities to participate in the troop-sponsored fundraisers (not individually
designated fundraisers), and meets the minimum sales requirement as established by the Troop Committee each year will be
eligible for troop financial assistance for participation costs (see item 5, below.) This assistance may include (but is
not limited to) camping fees, park entrance fees, Council activity fees, etc.
a. Any exception to this rule will be at the sole discretion of the Troop Committee.
b. Those who do not sell their minimum must pay by the end of January the sum of DAC recharter/BL costs + $50 dues +
$100 fundraising non-participation fee to continue in the next year.
5. Funds realized by troop fund raising activities would in part be used for troop equipment and supplies, troop activities,
rechartering fees, and other expenditures as Troop Committee approves.
6. Outstanding dues from the past year will be deducted from the scout’s share.
- The current minimum sales (not donations) requirement across all fundraisers is $300.
- For those who exceed the current minimum sales, the Scout's share is 50% of the profit from sales in excess of the minimum sales requirement, to be put towards their participation costs.
- For most camp outs, the food/activity fee is $20/youth, $5/registered adult. (Unregistered adults are not permitted to camp with any BSA unit.)
- Other fees are passed straight through for each activity.
- 2024 Summer Camp is at Camp Buffalo Bill near Cody, WY (8 miles from Yellowstone!), July 6 - 13.
- Including the Early Bird discount, the costs are $476/youth and $220/adult. Without the discount, youth would be $486 (there is no discount for adults.) Add $25 after April 15th.
- In the past, we have added $100 per person to defray fuel costs for drivers, get t-shirts, pay for entrance to Yellowstone, and cover any incidental or optional expenses during the trip.
When we are meeting in-person, the Troop Treasurer is usually on-hand to accept payments. Troop 324 prefers to take payments by check, but we can accept cash or online transfers.
Credit Card/PayPal/Venmo
- Use wpctroop324@outlook.com as the e-mail address
- For the name in PayPal, use "Mike Wells"
- For the name in Venmo, "Michael Wells"
There will be a PayPal surcharge added - a bit less than 4%.
Bank-to-Bank (Zelle)
Here are the step-by-step instructions for transferring money into the Troop 324 checking account using Zelle. Most banks and credit unions have Zelle set up in the "Transfers" section of online banking, whether or not they name it as such. Please read this section to the end.
From online banking with your bank or credit union:
- Select "Transfers"
- Select "Send Money with Zelle"
- Enter recipient - use the email address "wpctroop324@outlook.com"
- Enter: Amount to Transfer
Date of Transfer
Bank Account to Transfer From - Select "Review"
- Enter: Notes (please enter detailed information on purpose of transfer)
- Select "Send"
- A message will be displayed that the payment has been sent.
- Select "All Done"
- A confirmation will be sent to your email address with detailed information on the transfer.
Note: The banking log for your account will probably show that the transfer went to "Michael Wells". This is because Zelle shows the person who registered the Zelle account, not the name on the account (Troop 324). We are working with Wells Fargo to get this modified in Zelle so that the transfer will show that it went to Troop 324. Please be assured that the transfer is going into the Troop 324 checking account.
For the "Notes" section, please use this format:
YYYY - Names for whom the payment is made: Event or reason for payment
So, to pay your recharter fees for 2021 for the whole family, you might use:
2021 - Johnny Scout, Joanie Scout, Daddy Scout, Mommy Scout: recharter fees
For the 2023 World Domination Summer Camp, it would be:
2023 - Pat Scout, Daddy Scout: World Domination Summer Camp
Please pay attention to the use of the year (YYYY), the dash (-), and the colon (:) in the Notes line. It simply helps us with bookkeeping.
If people would rather send a check, they can make the check payable to Troop 324 and send to:
Troop 324
c/o Mike Wells
5659 W. 116th Place
Westminster, CO 80020
